Jake Unloads

I confess to being cynical about folks who switch political alliances, particularly after their candidate has tanked and they're jumping onto the winner's bandwagon.

Then there are cases where the candidate you thought you knew morphs into a stranger, or someone behaving strangely. Because everybody knows either great success or great failure can change a person, twist them like a pretzel.

It seems for Jake Stuiver, campaign manager for Beth Mason's first 2009 mayoral campaign, the latter is the case.

Jake left the Mason camp after she lost that first race, joined forces with Zimmer, and never looked back.

In a letter today to The Hoboken Reporter, Stuiver unloads on Mason in a most direct fashion, possibly pushed to the brink by her 2 latest disingenuous email blasts. The first, a scary intimation that the bond ordinance passage would move the municipal garage in your back yard. The second, an attack on Zoning Board Chairman Tony Soares, accusing him of personal attacks on her children.

Read his letter.

Coming from a former ally, someone who knew her quite well and respected her, it's a pretty scathing indictment of what she's become.

Photograph from The Hoboken Reporter

That photo was taken last year.

Fast forward to now.

Here's an excerpt which resonated in particular with me:

I urge her to turn rhetoric into action by denouncing the various surrogates, consultants and blogs that have systematically worked to tear down -- yes, even to the extent of attacking their families -- anyone and everyone who disagrees with her and/or supports Mayor Zimmer and the City Council majority.

From the smear piece on Peter Cammarano’s personal life to the “expose” on Kim Glatt’s personal finances to the hit job alleging Keith Furman to have a nefarious agenda for having the audacity to criticize Ms. Mason on the municipal budget to depicting Mayor Zimmer as a chimpanzee and mocking Mr. Soares’ height, a local website known for relentlessly toeing the Beth Mason line and attempting to incinerate anyone who doesn’t is something Ms. Mason can no longer appear to condone if she is to have any credibility calling for civility. Her unofficial spokesman who at every council meeting calls pro-Zimmer public speakers disingenuous is promoting an environment in which some might shy away from speaking at meetings for fear of being attacked -- something Ms. Mason, with her own personal track record of civic activism, should seek to stop immediately.

Right on, Jake.

But you forgot to mention someone.

Me.

Her 411 goons were responsible for outing me, her 411 goons were responsible for the campaign to embarrass me on the municipal board I serve on as an unpaid volunteer, her sleazy consultant goons were responsible for the unrelenting message board harassment campaign, which included a chicken- but they left big tracks and I know who they are now.

So, I like to believe there's hope for those who've gone astray, if they reflect upon what's brought them down, see themselves as actors not victims, accept responsibility with some humility, and repent for the harm they've done.

Maybe an honest letter will spark that.

More likely not.