N.J.'s Harvey Smith and Edward Cheatam on Trial.

December 6, 2010 at 9:50 A.M. Attacks against this essay and this blog are expected immediately after this essay is posted. "The Ordinary Joe" says hello?

Motoko Rich, "Jobless Rate Rises to 9.8% In Blow to Recovery Hopes," in The New York Times, December 4, 2010, at p. A1. (Real joblessness is at about 12-15%, since many of the unemployed are not registering in statistics because they have stopped looking for work; crime rates are rising, especially theft offenses afflicting holiday shoppers.)
David M. Herzenhorn & Jackie Calmes, "Obama Seeking Aid for Jobless in Any Tax Deal," in The New York Times, December 3, 2010, at p. A1. (Obama caves in to Republicans.)
Leslie Kwoh, "For Jobless in Jersey, Hard Times Get Tougher: Lawmakers Fail to Extend Benefits," in The Star Ledger, December 2, 2010, at p. 1. ("Let them eat cake.")
Julie Hirshfeld, "Senate Republicans Draw Line in the Sand," in The Star Ledger, December 2, 2010, at p. 3. (Republicans vow to block everything except tax cuts and funding bills. This is how a great nation commits suicide.)
Martha Mendoza, "Drug Trade Booms Despite Arrests: Big Sweeps Do Little to Stop Mexican Cartels," in The Star Ledger, December 2, 2010, at p. 6. (Friends, Senator Bob? Anybody see a relation between this drug problem and joblessness? People operating those cartels are as smart as Bob Menendez, or even smarter.)
Ted Sherman, "Corruption Trial Opens Sans Informant: U.S. Attorney Goes Against Jersey City Pol Without Dwek After Losing Case in October," in The Star Ledger, December 2, 2010, at p. 21. (Democrat U.S. Attorney "loses" corruption trial against Democrat mafia and gets a rematch.)
Jessica Calefatti & Jeanette Rundquist, "Superintendent Wins Top State Award, Says He Will Retire," in The Star Ledger, December 2, 2010, at p. 34. (Mark Raivetz "earns" $177,000 in a school district with 2,200 students -- an amount in excess of the $155,000 Christie cap -- but there are not enough perks for him. I wonder how many N.J. teachers make $177,000? There are some high schools with more than 2,000 students. Teachers will accept $155,000 per year, Mr. Christie.)

"The evidence included notes scribbled on the back of a mustard-stained restaurant placemat, and the now-familiar black-and-white surveillance videos shot from a hidden camera in a cheap diner."

"But as the federal corruption trial of former Democratic Assemblyman L. Harvey Smith got under way in federal court in Newark yesterday, something was missing."

"Solomon Dwek, the government's key informant at the center of last year's massive corruption and money laundering sting that led to the arrests of 44 people -- including Smith -- was not there."

Solomon Dwek has not been a bad witness. 24 wins out of 25 outings in court is not bad. Like most federal witnesses, Mr. Dwek has some "issues" (weaknesses) that a good defense lawyer will exploit. However, when combined with objective evidence -- like surveillance videos, statements with amounts written on napkins, actual exchanges of money -- conviction is likely.

The prosecutors' blunder with Suarez was the failure to connect the Ridgefield mayor with the Dwek money deposited in an account for the mayor's campaign debt by Vinnie "the-bag-man" Tabaccino. This was the result either of a decision by the trial judge to exclude the evidence or a failure to submit that evidence by the feds. If the latter is correct, then the feds were negligent or incompetent in trying that case.

"For this trial, Edward Cheatam, [aptly-named New Jersey politician!] a former Jersey City housing authority commissioner who introduced Dwek to Smith as the FBI sting widened into Hudson County, was put on center stage as the government's prime witness. "

Hudson County -- Bob Menendez turf -- continues to be the subject of federal investigations and pending arrests, allegedly, of lawyers and political figures. How's Ray Gonzales, Esq. doing these days, I wonder? How's the real estate practice, Ray? I hear you had some things to say about me, Ray Gonzales. ("Hudson County is the Home of Political Corruption in New Jersey" and "Senator Bob, Corrupt Law Firms, and New Jersey Ethics.")

"Cheatam, who admitted he took $70,000 in bribes from Dwek, is now cooperating" -- Is John McGill, Esq. cooperating? Gilberto Garcia? -- "with prosecutors in hopes of a lighter sentence. He faces up to nine years." ("New Jersey's Office of Attorney Ethics" and "New Jersey's 'Ethical' Legal System.")

Mr. Smith took $15,000 in cash for his official action, allegedly. Was he kicking back to Stuart Rabner? What else is new in New Jersey? Is it still $10,000 to fix a big civil suit in the Brennan Courthouse, allegedly and reputedly? ("Maurice J. Gallipoli and Conduct Unbecoming to the Judiciary in New Jersey" and "Stuart Rabner and Conduct Unbecoming to the Judiciary in New Jersey.")

Same old "monkey business."