Just three weeks from Election Day and there’s reason to seriously doubt that either our elected leaders in Trenton or the major New Jersey newspapers are serious about cleaning up corruption.
According to a federal lawsuit filed in late October, Former Bayonne Mayor Joseph Doria was a party to corruption, ticket-fixing and other official misconduct in the Bayonne Parking Authority. In addition to his job as mayor, Doria is a former the Speaker of the State Assembly, and State Senator. He resigned from the Senate and the Bayonne Mayoralty in September in order to accept Governor Corzine’s appointment as the Commissioner of the Department of Community Affairs (DCA). He has been serving as Acting Commission of DCA since October 9. His nomination passed the Senate Judiciary Committee unanimously on November 8. He is awaiting confirmation by the full Senate in December. With a career in politics that spans the better part of three decades, Doria is the ultimate Trenton insider and qualifies as a “big fish.”
Former BPA Director Peter Hilburn and executive secretary Felicia Ryan claim they were fired for aiding the state Office of the Attorney General in an investigation of that alleged corruption in the lawsuit, which seeks damages for their allegedly wrongful termination. In their suit they allege that they brought corrupt activities to Doria’s attention, and that he instructed them to “let it be.” When they went over Doria’s head to the Attorney General, he fired them, the suit alleges.
These are allegations in a wrongful termination lawsuit, not criminal charges. However, there is a state Grand Jury investigation into the Bayonne Parking Authority. At this point in the process, these allegations might not even qualify as news, expect for the fact that Doria is up for confirmation to one of the most important offices in state government.
Given all the recent headlines and political rhetoric about corruption in New Jersey you might think the allegations against Doria would be front page news. You’d be wrong to think that. The Star Ledger had the story buried on page 16 last Monday, with the byline Jersey Journal. The Asbury Park Press didn’t give it a full article, but rather a small block attributed to the Associated Press. The story was broken by a small daily newspaper, The Bayonne Evening Star-Telegram, circulation about 7500. Star-Telegram publisher Mickey Shemin tells me that an anonymous source gave him a copy of the lawsuit, after shopping the story to several larger papers that did nothing with it. Shemin printed excerpts of the suit last week and will do so again in a follow up issue. The Star-Telegram story was picked up by the Conservatives with Attitude (www.gopusa.com) blogger, Middletown attorney Hank Butehorn before the Star Ledger, Jersey Journal or the Associated Press mentioned it.
Political leaders of both parties have been absolutely silent about the allegations against Doria, and about his upcoming confirmation vote in the Senate.
In an era where we’ve witnessed over 100 indictments or convictions for corruption and official misconduct, mostly by bit players and second stringers, why is it that this “big fish” Doria is apparently getting a free pass from the media and Trenton elite on his way to confirmation to a Cabinet level position?
Maybe it’s because the Trenton and media elite aren’t really serious about cleaning up our government. Maybe they aren’t real reformers, but they just play them on TV and in the newspapers in the weeks before Election Day.
Also published in The Courier and The Bayonne Evening Star-Telegram
The Bayonne Evening Star-Telegram is publishing more excerpts of the Doria lawsuit in the issue that hits the newstands in Bayonne this evening.
Our National Near-Death Experience
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2 comments:
I would venture to guess that for Codey's endorsement on Asset Monetization Corzine will make this disappear ...poof... Anne Milgram
We had a Senator and an Assemblyman in there that concentrated on cleaning up Trenton, but you and others helped to get them evicted. While admittedly, their bills were watered down, at least it was something and at least they voiced their opinions about ethics and corruption in the majority party. Now we have 3 minority members who will do nothing for our district. We were the real losers in this election. Maybe you should contact Beck, O'Scanlon and Casagrande and ask them what they can do about the corrupt politicians in Trenton. I'm sure you will get more smoked blown up your...er, nose.
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