Continuing computer attacks are making writing very difficult today. I will struggle to continue to write these essays. My goal in directing these criticisms at the most corrupt state legal system in the nation (NJ) is to "nudge" participants in that system in a more "rational" direction -- "for their own good" and not just because of some "quaint" humanitarian notion of "decency." They will thank me for this, eventually, after many of them are indicted perhaps. February 21, 2008 at 10:44 P.M. ("Errors" will be inserted, continually, and corrections will be made on a regular basis.)
David W. Chen, "Corzine Is Said to Weigh Cutting 3,000 Jobs and One Department," in The New York Times, February 20, 2008, at p. B1.
"TRENTON -- Faced with a worsening economy, Gov. Jon S. Corzine is considering reducing the state's work force by 3,000 employees and closing at least one department in the administration as part of his plan to slash up to $2.5 Billion from next year's budget, people who have been briefed on his plan said on Monday."
The unprecedented levels of theft and loss of public funds -- through blatant corruption -- has left N.J. in a desperate situation. Vital public services are threatened and may not be available in a crisis. Attempts to prevent Corzine's budget-fixing efforts and struggle to close many gaps and leaks in the budget process, allowing for grotesque levels of thievery, have not worked -- so far. Maybe they'll arrange for Corzine to have another "accident." If I were Jon Corzine, I'd get a food taster and stay off the Turnpike when being driven by a state trooper with loyalties to one of the secret organizations thriving among Garden State cops -- like the KKK or organized crime, for instance, or the "Lords of Discipline."
"State Senator Barbara Buono, a Democrat from Middlesex County and the chairwoman of the budget committee, said that Mr. Corzine -- who will unveil his budget for the new fiscal year next Tuesday -- was weighing eliminating the Department of Personnel and pushing for an early retirement package -- not layoffs -- to save tens of millions of dollars."
If jobs are not refilled after retirements, then they are effectively lost to the state's economy. Calling something a retirement or layoff does not alter this fact.
"... 'We need to end this longstanding bureaucratic inertia where departments and agencies refuse to face up to wasteful spending practices and a lack of oversight,' Ms. Buono said. [Irony?] 'I think we really need to change the mindset of how government operates.' ..."
Yes, I'd say so. One idea is to stop all the stealing of public funds and the payoffs necessary to get government permits or variances. Another suggestion is to have politicians in Trenton stop accepting cash from corrupt business people and criminals who want to operate in the state -- like the distributors of child porn who are busted regularly in New Jersey, the numbers runners who wave to the police in Union City and North Bergen, the drug dealers in West New York, whose friends in the police department (naturally, everyone denies this) give 'em a call when the heat is rising in exchange for an envelope filled with cash on Friday afternoons.
Ethics? In New Jersey? Whatta ya talking about? (As I write this I am obstructed from regaining access to my hotmail account or group at MSN.)
"Administration officials, who spoke on the condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to talk about the plan, said that up to 3,000 workers could be affected" -- I guarantee you that Richard J. Codey and Speaker Roberts will not lose their jobs, unfortunately, neither will Stuart Rabner or Jaynee ("Boom, Boom, Rah, Rah!") LaVecchia -- "many of whom would presumably be older and have higher salaries. ..."
If these guys and gals can be "retired" from the system with a hefty pension, then re-hired someplace else -- especially, where it is not clear to the press that a public or quasi-public entity is doing the re-hiring, like a "private" corporation running the Turnpike and Parkway, then these known "ex-employees" will get two bites at the apple and can show their appreciation by dropping a little something in the politicians' laps "for their kids at Christmas time."
"Hey, here's a little something so the kids will remember ya! He, he, he ..." is usually whispered in the ear of an official, right before one of 'them guys' places a thousand dollars in a judge's pocket. All of a sudden, a lawyer finds that his arguments are not so persuasive to the judge who was convinced of their merits only a minute before. Also, a whisper from a politician who wishes to speak to a local judge in his "chambers" -- in the middle of a trial -- produces curious alterations in a judge's interpretation of the evidence in a case. Perhaps the politician merely wishes to chat about the weather, but I doubt it.
Yes, sir, N.J. is highly ethical territory. Right, Terry Tuchin? How much will people getting those fat pensions need to kick back to the politicians? What is Stuart Rabner's cut?
"[Corzine] has called for restructuring the state's troubled finances through a complex plan that would reduce about half of the state's $32 BILLION debt and finance transportation projects by relying on SHARPLY HIGHER TOLLS."
Lots of luck with that. Let us recall some of the sad history that explains who gets elected in New Jersey and why these guys never leave.
Steve Kornacki, "Menendez Haunted by Party's Ghosts," in The New York Observer, September 25, 2006, at p. 5.
"... If Robert Menendez, New Jersey's appointed Democratic incumbent, fails to hold off Republican Tom Kean, Jr., Euclid himself couldn't devise a majority-producing formula for the Democrats."
Menendez did "hold off" Tom Kean -- a decision N.J. voters may come to regret! -- which explains the Democrat concern to "hold off" indictment efforts against "their boy." I suspect that the U.S. Attorney's Office can not be bought off with promises of political goodies or threats, if they don't back off the Jersey Mob. Back in September of 2006, The New York Observer said:
"For now, the Menendez-Kean race is essentially a tie, something of an achievement in its own right for New Jersey's GOP, which typically enjoys all the September success of the Tampa Bay Devil Rays. What's more, the most recent polls haven't even measured the impact of a recently revealed federal criminal investigation of Mr. Menendez, the consequences of which Democrats privately describe with words ranging from 'pretty bad' to 'fatal.' "
"... Just consider what else is in the news these days."
"There's Jim McGreevey, some 22 months after skipping town with federal investigations into his gubernatorial administration swirling, who barged back into our lives last week to let us know that the sexual affair with the unqualified Israeli sailor he appointed as his state's homeland security advisor actually began while Mrs. McGreevey lay in a hospital bed clutching the couple's new-born daughter. If that's not enough, Golan Cipel, Mr. McGreevey's supposed romantic partner, has himself re-emerged -- to declare that the governor had actually liquored him up ... and tried to rape him."
"Dem guys, I says to 'em, I says, ... Geez, what are ya doing, there?" These words have been attributed to Richard J. Codey.
"There's also John Lynch, the onetime New Jersey Senate President (and Mr. McGreevey's political godfather), whose plea agreement on federal corruption charges landed on the front page of last Friday's Star Ledger [sic.] -- right next to the news that Mr. McGreevey had been smitten with Mr. Cipel from the 'first kiss.' ... "
"And then there is this week's report from a federal monitor essentially charging Wayne Bryant, a powerful state senator and loyal cog in the feared Camden County Democratic Committee, with shaking down administrators at the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey to secure a no-show job for himself."
I thought it was N.J. Senator Joe Coniglio's job to extort money? Oh, they both do that. I see. The Camden Machine recently switched from Hillary to Obama. If Hillary re-takes the lead, they'll switch back. This should give you an idea of the Jersey Boys' sense of loyalty and commitment to political principles in supporting a candidate. It also tells you how much their support is worth. Codey supports Hillary from the north; Norcross and Roberts support the Obama rebellion from the south. This way the "Barons" win no matter the outcome of the election.
"... Mr. Menendez was always playing a risky game, betting that he -- and, more importantly New Jersey's voters -- had heard the last from some of the uglier chapters from his days as Hudson County's Democratic Boss."
Josh Benson, "The Second Time Around, It doesn't Seem So Brave," in The New York Observer, September 25, 2006, at p. 8:
"[McGreevey's] state budget was hopelessly out of balance. His political and ideological allies, frustrated by three years of vascillation on environmental issues, ethics legislation and spending priorities, had turned on him."
"And most seriously his administration was starting to give off the distinct whiff of ethical rot."
"The [former] governor had only shortly before been caught on tape uttering the word 'Machiavelli' to a constituent. (He professes philosophical leanings towards Kant and the author of 7 Habits of Highly Effective People in his new book, but in this context Machiavelli was considered -- at least by federal prosecutors -- to be a code word in an illicit fund-raising scheme.)"
"And, most spectacularly, at least until the famous 'Gay American' speech, Mr. McGreevey's chief fund-raiser and financial patron, real-estate magnate CHARLES KUSHNER, had just been charged with interfering in a federal investigation into campaign finance violations."
A forthcoming essay will discuss the new F.B.I. investigation expected to play itself out over the Spring and Summer, 2008. North Bergen, New Jersey is ground zero for this investigation focusing on the Housing Authority and (allegedly) Municipal Court "books" -- apparently, there may be more than one rumored set of "books" -- and other disappearing items. "You take the money! No, you take the money!"
David W. Chen, "Senator Leaves Budget Post in Ethics Inquiry," in The New York Times, September 26, 2006, at p. B7:
"Responding to pressure from colleagues as well as the governor, State Senator Wayne R. Bryant, one of New Jersey's most powerful legislators, agreed on Monday to step down temporarily as the chairman of the influential Senate Budget Appropriations Committee."
"... According to the monitor's report, the university paid [Bryant] $35,000 a year to do little more than show up perhaps one day a week and read newspapers. At the same time, the university received a substantial increase in state funds. ... the school's financing climbed to more than $4 MILLION annually from $2.8 million."
Many speculate about whether some of that loot was spread among New Jersey's Supreme Court members and other prominent politicians and/or judges. In a state with New Jersey's history, courts and government have lost all credibility. It is widely assumed -- probably accurately -- that real decisions are still made behind the scenes and have nothing to do with laws on the books.
Debbie Poritz was said to be "amenable to persuasion" if she were provided with willing young women as sexual partners. Jaynee LaVecchia is said to have many friends in "Construction and Real Estate" who know how to show their appreciation. I know they'll come after me with framed-up or trumped-up charges. Let's give 'em hell until they do. Lots of struggle against computer attacks today. Verniero doesn't like African-Americans, allegedly. Virginia Long doesn't like anybody whose ancestors weren't on the "Mayflower." (See "A Letter From the DRB, in New Jersey!" and "New Jersey's Feces-Covered Supreme Court.")
"Trenton: Senate Confirms Attorney General," in The New York Times, September 26, 2006, at p. B6:
"Stuart Rabner, a former federal prosecutor who tackled political corruption and international terrorism cases, was confirmed yesterday as New Jersey's new attorney general."
"Tackled"? Good old Stu is now N.J.'s Chief Justice of the Supreme Court. Don't you feel safer already? Badda Bing-Badda-Boom.
