Raymond Hernandez and David W. Chen, "Now a Lobbyist, Ex-Senator Uses Campaign Money," The New York Times, August 24, 2007, at p. A1.
Kareem Fahim and David W. Chen, "Police Voice Concerns Over a Directive on Immigrants," in The New York Times, August 24, 2007, at p. B5.
"When he was running for the United States Senate from New Jersey in 2002, Robert G. Torricelli collected donations from thousands of people who apparently wanted to see him re-elected. They might be surprised to see how he spent a portion of their money."
"Mr. Torricelli, a Democrat who was one of the Senate's most flamboyant personalities and prodigious fund raisers, abruptly quit the 2002 race amid allegations of ethical misconduct and became a lobbyist. Since then he has given $4,000 from his campaign fund to Puerto Rico's non-voting member of Congress, $10,000 to Gov. Rod R. Blagojevich of Illinois and more than $40,000 to Nevada Democratic Party organizations and candidates linked to the Senate majority leader, Harry Reid."
Torricelli was (and is) reputed to be a saint compared to Menendez. Is Harry Reid the Jersey Boys' protection in the U.S. Congress? I hope not.
"All of those politicians had one thing in common: influence over Mr. Torricelli's, or his client's, business interests."
"In early 2006, for instance, Mr. Torricelli contributed $10,000 from his Senate account to the mayor of Trenton and his slate of City Council candidates, just as city agencies were reviewing an ultimately successful proposal by the former Senator to develop retail and office space in the city."
Torricelli's application was successful? What a surprise. The article hints at an unsavory alliance between Mr. Torricelli and Mr. Doria, a well-known political enforcer in Hudson County, New Jersey -- which is home base for mob activity in the U.S., allegedly. I wonder why things are so cozy for the mob in New Jersey? Badda-bing, badda-boom!
The rest of this long front page article is a depressing litany of examples of Torricelli purchasing personal business advantages with political contributions through a loophole in the laws allowing for candidates to make political contributions with campaign money, but prohibiting use of that money for personal expenses. The campaign funds are spent on buying the influence that translates into filthy lucre for Torricelli and his clients.
What else is new?
Menendez gets his buddies jobs with big developers who are benefitting from federal generosity, then some of that generosity probably comes back to papa under the table or through some legal rubric that preserves the letter of the law while violating its spirit. "I'm for all the people," Senator Bob said.
Meanwhile, New Jersey's baby attorney general (Anne Milgram) is losing what little respect she had with law enforcement professionals through incompetence, as in her recent immigration notice proposal: "One local police chief called it a publicity stunt. In a sheriff's office, the directive was passed out at roll call, by officials anxious to quickly comply. [Irony?] Another chief -- one of many who spoke on the condition he not be named for fear of ruffling the feathers of the state's top law enforcement officer -- said it seemed like a recipe for racial profiling."
Intimidation of persons considering whether to make use of their Constitutional rights is also routine in the Garden State.
"A day after New Jersey's attorney general, Anne Milgram, ordered local law enforcement agencies to start inquiring about the immigration status of the people they arrest, local officials and advocates for immigrants across the state began grappling with how the edict would change the already complicated relationship between the authorities and immigrants on the streets they patrol."
My guess is that cops will not be pressured to worry about the immigration status of people from, say, Norway. Probably, it is only brown and black people who will get the magnifying glass treatment.
"... Many expressed particular concern about the consequences for victims of domestic violence, who are often already reluctant to report their partners to the police."
The rest of this article contains no surprises and offers little that had not been expected by police officers who regard this attorney general, Anne Milgram, as yet another political hack and well-educated moron, placed over them for "show" purposes, who is (and will remain) mostly irrelevant to the realities of law enforcement in New jersey. (Alterations and insertion of "errors" in this essay will help prove my point.)
Unless Anne does something quickly to dispel this notion that she's an idiot with a nice degree, this will become a self-fulfilling prophecy for Ms. Milgram, who will someday be the next Nadine Strossen -- if she's lucky. My fear is that residents will wind up with yet another mediocre or worse judge on the Superior Court bench. Is Corzine also increasingly irrelevant to real power in New Jersey? I suspect so. You can say what you want about Speaker Roberts, Senator Codey, or "Prince of Darkness," Norcross -- those guys ain't stupid.
"Whatever, duh." Ms. Milgram said to a passing microphone.
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