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| Beth Mason & Timmy Occhipinti campaigning for Republican extremist group |
GA's been hearing the buzz about Beth Mason's involvement with Republicans for awhile.
Being a loyal Democrat who doesn't play in that other sandbox, GA found the rumor as interesting as the one about a converted-Jewish politician running around town wearing a crucifix.
Not so much.
Until I found this in my Inbox today from a Republican activist girlfriend:
Subject: Against the Repubs of Hoboken
Beth Mason is running around town collecting signatures for Nathan Brinkman as is Peter B* and Tim O
* Peter B. denied this to GA- see update below
Wow. Now that's interesting.
GA always thought the Masons were closet Republicans who knew the path to power in Democratic Hudson County was to grease Democratic palms. And our Democrats don't care- because Republican money is just as green.
So now you've got Al Sullivan reporting the Union City Mayor Brian Stack may be wooing the Mason wallet in exchange for a place on his ticket- for NJ State Assembly.
Well, what's the deal with Brinkman?
Why would Mason put her time, money and energy to defeat Hoboken Republicans in favor of Brinkman's opposition slate of candidates?
Folks, you're asking me to think like a bat-shit crazy woman.
Alright, knowing the vindictive nature of this failed mayoral aspirant and how she deals with critics, here goes. This is why Mason is gunning for the Hoboken Republicans in two words:
Scott Siegel.
When it comes to rebutting the utter drek from the City Council minority Scott's been a one-man band.
Not only has he effectively challenged Mason's budget gibberish live at the City Council and in print in the Hoboken Reporter, he's got an excellent blog on Patch where he flays Mason and the Council minority with stunning regularity. Scott's latest blog-zinger is called, "Queen Chicken Hawk Mason's Fairytales".
GA adores Scott- as sweet and kind a man as you'll ever meet.
Now you may say, GA that's crazy. Why all the bother just to knock a guy from his Republican Committee seat, and to defeat his local political party? Any Democrat who'd run interference in local Republican affairs over a personal vendetta must be some kind of a loon.
Umm...
So, you've got Beth Mason supporting Brinkman and his slate of Republicans challenging the Hoboken Republicans. Big deal, you say.
Well, here's what I know about the Brinkman-ettes. They are rabid, lockstep party-loyalists who OPPOSE Hoboken's non-partisan elections. Their goal is to bring partisan elections to Hoboken.
See for yourself; from Brinkman's 'Red Elephants' web site:
Who We AreGet it?
We are not presently affiliated with any "official" local or county Republican Party committees. Unfortunately, the Hudson County Democrats have infiltrated those organizations, as a way to ensure non-opposition. We believe that voters deserve better. We are therefore dedicated to rebuilding a real two-party system, on a local and county level.
These extremists think that only THEY are 'real' Republicans, and want to upend Hudson County politics with bringing party-warfare to our local and county ballots.
And now they're officially endorsed by Brinkman campaigners Beth Mason and Tim Occhipinti.
Brinkman's been at this effort for awhile. After an unsuccessful bid for mayor in 2009, the fringe, partisan Republican extremist Brinkman tried to slip partisan party-politics through the BoE's non-partisan back door in 2010 and was overwhelmingly repudiated for it at the polls; his slate of candidates came in a DISTANT 3rd.
And he had help losing big from School Board member Maureen Sullivan.
Here's a letter that Sullivan sent out invoking "fellow" REPUBLICANS to vote for a partisan slate of Republican candidates for the NON-PARTISAN School Board.
click HERE to read
Cute letter.
And not just Sullivan, the partisan Republican Real results slate got an endorsement from closet-Republican Ricky Mason!
GA also recalls Brinkman discouraging a Kids First Board member from attending the annual Lincoln dinner because the event would include a political endorsement of 'Real Results'. Funny because the keynote speaker Commissioner of Education Bret Schundler pointedly praised the efforts of the Kids First Board majority on their substantial budget decrease (7%) and getting custodial union givebacks on healthcare at the dinner. And if memory serves me correctly, the Real Results endorsement at the dinner was hosed because COMPLAINTS were made directly to NJDOE officials with respect to a partisan political endorsement of a partisan slate of candidates for a non-partisan School Board in a non-partisan election.
Ugh.
See what I mean? Does our city NEED this?
Does injecting Dem-Repub fisticuffs into every local election serve anyone but lockstep extremists like the Brinkman-ettes and powerful party interests outside of Hoboken trying to 'fix' our elections?
GA doesn't think so.
Well, Brinkman's baaaa-ack- in 2012 with a familiar sidekick: former Real Results candidate Perry Lin.
OK, that's their right. But...
Democrats and elected officials Beth Mason, Timmy Occhipinti and Peter Biancamano are campaigning for the Brinkman Republican extremists?
Now, GA believes Mason wants to hoof it out of Hoboken politics, and will somehow. But what does 'Democrat' Occhipinti have to gain from supporting extremist Republicans gunning for partisan elections in Hoboken?
You tell me. Occhipinti's not crazy, he's bought and paid-for and GA doesn't call him the Dumb-inatrix for nothing. Next customer!
No, Timmy doesn't understand the implications of letting these partisan rats spoil the one good thing about Hoboken politics.
GA doesn't know a single Dem or Repub that likes this idea. I am pretty sure the Dark Side coalition- like the Reform one- is a mix of both parties. Really, like our local politics aren't divisive enough?
Brinkman and his crew are so extreme, even my hardcore fiscal-conservative Repub friends think they're, um...
So Mason-Occhipinti endorsement of partisan Republican-extremist activists is both odd and interesting- to GA.
I hear Mason's thrown a lot of money at the Brinkman-ettes.
For what? What does a fringe Republican group DO with all that money in a local election?
Where would this money GO?
Peeps, keep your ears open. Especially in Scott Siegel's district. And don't forget to forward any mailers, etc. to me. This is a hoot.
Who knew?
(Updated, 4/3/2012, 8:45 am)
GA heard through a 3rd party yesterday that BoE member Peter Biancamano denied gathering signatures for Brinkman. So I contacted Peter and asked him for a statement to post.
Hello Nancy,There, you go.
Thanks so much for reaching out to me, I appreciate (redacted) bringing this to your attention. As an elected member of the Board of Education and the Democratic Committee, the action you reported on did not accurately reflect me. I was not getting any signatures on Saturday for Nathan or his potential committee slate. I appreciate you reaching out again and always feel free to contact me in case you have any questions.
Regards,
Peter Biancamano
Just a clarification: a source (Repub activist) sent the 'tip'- I've reached out to her with your response.
GA is glad to hear what you had to say, because any Dem campaigning for Brinkman is a rat. And I know you to be a gentleman.
Anyone backed by those three should immediately pull out of the race. You do not ask Mason & her 2 puppets to collect signatures for you if you have a shred of integrity.
ReplyDeleteBeth Mason piggybacked on the Corzine campaign in fall 2009 to the extent of putting up signs designed to mislead Democratic voters into thinking she was running with Corzine on a ticket, with his full support. The Corzine people were so pissed, they pulled all the signs down. Not long after, she held a fund-raiser at her house for Menendez. She and her braindead lapdog Inez Garcia Keim tried to ambush Christie when he was in town on the most asinine points, making complete fools of themselves, then ran around attacking Mayor Zimmer for working with the Republican Governor. Now she's sponsoring/getting in bed with a Republican Committee slate?
ReplyDeleteThere are shit-eating maggots in this world who have a more pronounced sense of shame than this horror of a woman.
Nothing shocking here.
ReplyDeleteA longer historical view might reveal the Masons were originally registered Republicans. For them (as well as some others--Cunningham, for ex., long-rumored, though any other similarity with the Masons stops there), switching party affiliations is all about political expediency & ambition.
And excellent comment, Polly!
I second MBB's "great comment" comment to Polly. I'd forgotten about her glomming onto the Corzine campaign.
ReplyDeleteYes MBB, Mason hypocrisy is not shocking at all. But GA is fascinated by BM jumping into the sack with this breed of Repub- the kind who wants to "rebuild the Two-party system" in Hudson County... after she's courted Dem big-wigs like Menendez and the Big 'O' himself.
I can't see how the Dem 'machine' benefits from empowering this group and WHY she'd go there- from a rational point of view.
And the operative word is 'rational'.
I recall Mason seeming to set up a 'political victimization' defense- if and when she got nabbed by the FBI. Big, Bad Christie vs. Mason. But this sucking up to the Brinkman crew and FINANCING them blows that out of the water. It really makes no rational sense.
Hate makes people stupid.
Fascinating & intriguing perhaps.
DeleteBut in the pathology of partisan politics, courtship is always about the deluded quest for power.
Rationality is irrelevant.
There is already a 2 party system in Hoboken. There are the people who want an honest & clean government that serves the interests of the public & there are the people who don't want that.
DeleteExactly, Red.
DeleteAs if I lose my seat on the committee I'll stop speaking before the council and BOE or writing letters to the Reporter or quit my blog posts. Not gonna happen Beth. I too like the non partisan nature of our elections. As a Republican friend of mine says "if you have a pothole it's not a Democratic or Republican pothole, it's a pothole and it needs to be fixed". BTW my old (current until the June primary) District (2-1) had about 85 registered Republicans. Only 12 other besides me voted last time (2 years ago). Only 45 Democrats voted. I have been redistricted to 6-2 (finally I have woman I can vote for a Ward seat). There are only 15 or so verified Republican voters in my new district. It'll be interesting to compare the vote ratio this time.
ReplyDeleteWelcome to the Sixth Ward, Scott. I'm in as well. What a relief!
ReplyDeleteWelcome fellas to 'my' Ward... Number 6!
ReplyDeleteJen and Carol are the only 2 Councilwomen who don't commute on a broomstick.
Glad to have you here.
awesome reporting, GA. i continue to be extremely happy to have you in town and doin' what it is you do. thanks.
ReplyDeleteYou're sweet, JAM. It's comforting to know that I'm not talking to myself!
DeleteWhat a kaleidoscope of krazy is Mason: A democratic republican, Catholic Jew, poor Virginia woman with gobs of hubby's money to spend, devoted mom who forgot to raise her kids. With so many personalities, Sybil apparently left her cave for Hudson Street.
ReplyDelete"With so many personalities, Sybil* apparently left her cave for Hudson Street."
DeleteHa! Perhaps there's a secret passageway between the two. It starts behind the mammoth wine cellar in the basement....
(They don't call that green rock "serpent-inite" for nothin'....)
*And what of that rose garden she never promised us, too? Guess it was a case of girl interrupted, mired in the snake pit....
Thanks for making it clear, MBB, Beth Mason crawled out from under a (green) rock and does so every day.
DeleteI almost forgot: she's an Italian-American and patriotic descendent of a Daughter of the American Revolution.
The Republic cannot stand more of her version of patriotism.
Indeed.
DeleteAnd it's rumored a film classic is being reinvented as a sort of biopic...
"The Three Faces of Eve," transformed into "Two-Faced Elizabeth."
Any film about Beth Mason could easily be titled "The Thirty-Three Faces of Evil" God knows she has enough pancake base makeup for all of the poisonous personae.
DeleteWhile courting corrupt democrats, pushing repugnant republicans, Beth & Ricky Mason once again show their true colors: the rainbow of hues that = opportunists.
They are Hoboken's own Michaele and Tareq Salahi. All money, no taste no sense of decorum; scrambling to be relevant in a time and place that has no use for them, slowed down with sycophantic hangers-on such as the Inane Blowhardy's and the social Keimers.
It would all be darkly comic if we didn't have to live through it.