December 20, 2007 at 9:49 A.M. it has taken me an hour or so to remove the "errors" from essays that were inserted since yesterday in my msn group's latest posts.
December 19, 2007 at 4:56 P.M. I am blocking:
http://view.atdmt.com/iview/msnnkhac001728x90xWBCBR00110msn/direct;wi.728;hi.90/01
David W. Chen & David Kocieniewski, "'Alarming Alliance' of Mafia and Street Gang Is Broken Up, New Jersey Says," The New York Times, December 19, 2007, at p. B1.
Nate Schweber, "18 Arraigned in Partnership Between Gang and Mob," in The New York Times, December 20, 2007, at p. B7.
Events yesterday in West Orange, New Jersey -- Richard J. Codey turf! -- are only the beginning. "State authorities broke up ... an 'alarming alliance' between the Luchese crime family [I checked the spelling] and ... street gangs to supply drugs and cellphones to gang members inside a New Jersey prison." (See "Senator Bob, the Babe, and the Big Bucks.")
Very little was mentioned by state authorities concerning the political protection that made it possible for this multimillion dollar gambling and drug as well as illegal gun operation to function smoothly. We will have to wait for federal authorities and any forthcoming indictments of PROMINENT New Jersey political figures to discern the connections between mobsters, New Jersey judges, and politicians. Right, Senator Bob? ("Does Senator Menendez have Mafia Friends?" and "Is Senator Menendez a Suspect in Mafia-Political Murder in New Jersey?")
Jaynee LaVecchia, James Zazzali, Peter Veniero -- all were rumored by N.J. lawyers to be "connected" as are many other self-proclaimed Garden State judicial legends. Courthouse cafeteria conversations are fascinating sources of information which I have barely begun to explore. (See "Maurice J. Gallipoli and Conduct Unbecoming to the Judiciary in New Jersey" and "Sybil R. Moses and Conduct Unbecoming to the Judiciary in New Jersey.")
"Two members of the Luchese family connected to the prison scheme were accused of being involved in a sports gambling ring that prosecutors say took in 2.2 BILLION in bets over 15 months."
Do you believe that a multi-billion dollar operation can function effectively in New Jersey without the "cooperation" of government officials and (probably) "judges" and "Supreme Court justices"? I don't.
"Judge Ahto set bail for seven men alleged to have ties to the Luchese crime family at $500,000 each" -- chump change for them -- "and for nine others at $350,000 each. Two women," -- any of them named, Diana? -- "who prosecutors said took orders for contraband from an inmate in the East Jersey State Prison in Woodbridge and then paid the Luchese crime family with money orders, had their bail set at $150,000 each."
A guy gets popped for stashing 5,000 fake Rolex watches in his basement. Being a "slickster," this genius decides to ignore his lawyer's advice and make a clever statement to the police, explaining that the watches were for his personal use. O.K., how would you like to represent that guy? When he goes down for a year or so, I promise you that it'll be his lawyer's fault as far as he's concerned.
"Badda-bing, badda-boom ... he, he, he," said the President of the N.J. Bar Association -- allegedly.
"The members of the Luchese family connected to the prison scheme, Ms. Milgram said, were also involved in a sports gambling operation that took in $2.2 BILLION in bets over 15 months, mainly through the Internet, law enforcement officials say, and relied on violence and extortion to collect debts." (The Internet connection is highly significant.)
How was the shopping, Anne? Happy holidays! I wonder how many of these people were visiting my sites. Quite a few probably. They're just interested in philosophy.
"All told the authorities charged 32 people, 27 from New Jersey and 5 from New York, in CONNECTION with the prison and gambling operations, on charges ranging from racketeering and money laundering to conspiracy to distribute heroin and conspiracy to commit aggravated assault."
Conspiracy to violate civil rights, like freedom of speech and privacy, is also popular in New Jersey -- especially hacking into computers to vandalize and deface the writings of critics by using New Jersey government computers at the Office of Attorney Ethics (OAE) perhaps.
"As part of what they called Operation Heat, [federal and state] investigators executed search warrants at 10 locations in New Jersey and 2 in New York, Ms. Milgram said. They seized two shotguns, one hand gun, one HAND GRENADE, [hunting?] 2,000 OxyContin-grade pills and $200,000 in cash. State officials also obtained orders to take possession of 7 homes and 13 luxury cars."
That means there may have been $300,000 in cash. Every New Jersey criminal will tell you that money, jewelry, appliances "disappear" when local law enforcement shows up. It's a perk in the Garden State for some town cops to "scoop" a little something when they make a big drug or mob bust. What the hell? It's Christmas ... It is said that some of this loot gets back to the judges. County bosses also probably get a percentage.
Flags were flying at half-staff yesterday in Hudson County -- in mourning for the crooks that got busted in Essex County, where New Jersey's old time politicians were "shocked and dismayed at the arrests." Unofficially, Richard J. Codey was quoted to say: "Geez, what next? I don't know from nothing no more."
No wonder New Jersey judges and politicians get so rich. They are also said to have friends on the big newspapers. I know New Jersey officials -- and even judges -- with a little sideline in "journalism." The Jersey Boys like to have connections in the newspapers. Isn't that a conflict of interest for a judge? Also, there was a politician from the aptly-named town of "Nutley," I believe, arrested not so long ago for heroin possession. I forget his name. "Romano," was it? Dem guys!
