Folks, GA needs more time (and sleep) to make... um, sense of what unfolded on the City Council stage last night.
Where to begin?
Anticipated drama between HHA applicants Joe Branco and Greg Lincoln was snuffed out by the stunning pyrotechnics that preceded them.
In fact, both men seemed sedated as they approached the mic, tentative about whether there was even a vacancy on the HHA, uncertain if they were being presumptuous by assuming there was! Branco even offered to "drive Camporeale" to "take her test" so she could serve out her term.
What knocked the wind out of these two spirited men?
Take a look.
Wow. And that was for starters.
Former HHA Commissioner Marianne Camporeale heckled loudly from her front-row seat as though she were at a Madison Square Garden wrestling event instead of a public meeting, offering the City Council President at one point to "wrap that gavel around your neck".
Yikes.
I don't doubt for a second she could and would do it.
Just like I don't doubt for a second she could and wouldn't attend the classes she needed to remain on the HHA.
Camporeale is one of the 'rules are for other people' crowd. In fact, word on the street is that she didn't like the classes so stopped going. Which means transportation was not the issue- ask her how she got to the 3 classes she DID take. Ask her.
Any number of people would have driven her to those remaining 2 classes had she asked. She didn't ask.
And Camporeale knew they were required. What does THAT tell you?
And then, this iron-willed gal with balls-of-steel has the chutzpah to use her age and 'disability', as an excuse for lack of due diligence.
Anybody buying?
GA's 80 year-old mom is disabled by Camporeale's definition. Mom's legs are twisted (literally) and she gets around slowly with a walker, but that doesn't stop her from going to classes and activities at her assisted living facility. And I can give you a list of maladies she's 'survived' including a car wreck that shattered her ribs and nearly killed her, a fall that left a metal pin in her wrist, another that left one in her ankle.
Through all of that, I have never heard Mom complain about her age or infirmity or use it as an EXCUSE to duck her duties. Never.
So last night, in one fell swoop Camporeale proved herself both the antithesis of a helpless, old woman AND in the words of Council President Bhalla:
After the Camporeale's tour-de-force no one in that room believed that she was a woman NOT in absolute control over what she was doing. And what she DIDN'T do.
So it came as no surprise to GA (it was announced) that Camporeale was lawyered-up.
Just as Timmy promised us on Facebook!
Yep, the man who washed up on Hoboken's shores in a tsunami of HHA $40 votes, barreled through Bhalla's reading of the DCA letter confirming Camporeale's removal AND Corporation Counsel Melissa Longo's explanation that the only recourse for Camporeale was to finish the courses at her own expense then re-apply for the position, like an armored truck, undented and undaunted.
Timmy had a script and he was sticking to it.
Because he OWES the HHA and NEEDS 'his people' to control it.
So he ignored the DCA's letter, ignored Longo, ignored the prevailing statute, and attacked Mayor Zimmer with the future-Plaintiff's claim of "discrimination", using the hit-man's metaphor, "taking her out".
Zimmer as hitman, get it?
Oy vey.
In fact, Timmy's um, 'outrage' was so manifest, he stormed off the dais and out of the chambers when the time came to vote for Lincoln. And later bumped Councilman Dave Mello, and the police had to be called to the dais.
Moments that will live on YouTube forever and come back to bite him in the ass.
Occhipinti is truly unfit for office, comporting himself like a petulant prince, lacking the temperament, dignity, maturity and intellect for his position. And he's too arrogant to get it. Which will be his downfall, mark my words.
So the Dark Side went down ugly last night. With promises that it's "not over": lawsuits, anti-Semitic snark (I didn't hear perennial victim Mason step up for Jake- did you?), picketers, robbing the kids' college tuition...
But make no mistake. They went down.
And Greg Lincoln is the new HHA Commisioner for the remainder of Camporeale's term.
Congratulations, Greg! Let the games begin.
As for Camporeale's 'lawsuit', GA's legal department Not-Stempler weighed in on its merits yesterday:
For more on this story, check out nj.com and Da Horsey.
Where to begin?
Anticipated drama between HHA applicants Joe Branco and Greg Lincoln was snuffed out by the stunning pyrotechnics that preceded them.
In fact, both men seemed sedated as they approached the mic, tentative about whether there was even a vacancy on the HHA, uncertain if they were being presumptuous by assuming there was! Branco even offered to "drive Camporeale" to "take her test" so she could serve out her term.
What knocked the wind out of these two spirited men?
Take a look.
video courtesy of MSV
Wow. And that was for starters.
Former HHA Commissioner Marianne Camporeale heckled loudly from her front-row seat as though she were at a Madison Square Garden wrestling event instead of a public meeting, offering the City Council President at one point to "wrap that gavel around your neck".
Yikes.
I don't doubt for a second she could and would do it.
Just like I don't doubt for a second she could and wouldn't attend the classes she needed to remain on the HHA.
Camporeale is one of the 'rules are for other people' crowd. In fact, word on the street is that she didn't like the classes so stopped going. Which means transportation was not the issue- ask her how she got to the 3 classes she DID take. Ask her.
Any number of people would have driven her to those remaining 2 classes had she asked. She didn't ask.
And Camporeale knew they were required. What does THAT tell you?
And then, this iron-willed gal with balls-of-steel has the chutzpah to use her age and 'disability', as an excuse for lack of due diligence.
Anybody buying?
GA's 80 year-old mom is disabled by Camporeale's definition. Mom's legs are twisted (literally) and she gets around slowly with a walker, but that doesn't stop her from going to classes and activities at her assisted living facility. And I can give you a list of maladies she's 'survived' including a car wreck that shattered her ribs and nearly killed her, a fall that left a metal pin in her wrist, another that left one in her ankle.
Through all of that, I have never heard Mom complain about her age or infirmity or use it as an EXCUSE to duck her duties. Never.
I love you, Mommy!
 |
| GA's mommy at age 13. |
So last night, in one fell swoop Camporeale proved herself both the antithesis of a helpless, old woman AND in the words of Council President Bhalla:
"Your conduct is demonstrating your fitness to serve."
After the Camporeale's tour-de-force no one in that room believed that she was a woman NOT in absolute control over what she was doing. And what she DIDN'T do.
So it came as no surprise to GA (it was announced) that Camporeale was lawyered-up.
Just as Timmy promised us on Facebook!
Yep, the man who washed up on Hoboken's shores in a tsunami of HHA $40 votes, barreled through Bhalla's reading of the DCA letter confirming Camporeale's removal AND Corporation Counsel Melissa Longo's explanation that the only recourse for Camporeale was to finish the courses at her own expense then re-apply for the position, like an armored truck, undented and undaunted.
Timmy had a script and he was sticking to it.
Because he OWES the HHA and NEEDS 'his people' to control it.
So he ignored the DCA's letter, ignored Longo, ignored the prevailing statute, and attacked Mayor Zimmer with the future-Plaintiff's claim of "discrimination", using the hit-man's metaphor, "taking her out".
Zimmer as hitman, get it?
Oy vey.
In fact, Timmy's um, 'outrage' was so manifest, he stormed off the dais and out of the chambers when the time came to vote for Lincoln. And later bumped Councilman Dave Mello, and the police had to be called to the dais.
Moments that will live on YouTube forever and come back to bite him in the ass.
Occhipinti is truly unfit for office, comporting himself like a petulant prince, lacking the temperament, dignity, maturity and intellect for his position. And he's too arrogant to get it. Which will be his downfall, mark my words.
So the Dark Side went down ugly last night. With promises that it's "not over": lawsuits, anti-Semitic snark (I didn't hear perennial victim Mason step up for Jake- did you?), picketers, robbing the kids' college tuition...
But make no mistake. They went down.
And Greg Lincoln is the new HHA Commisioner for the remainder of Camporeale's term.
Congratulations, Greg! Let the games begin.
As for Camporeale's 'lawsuit', GA's legal department Not-Stempler weighed in on its merits yesterday:
But GA doubts the Dark Side will let go of this one. I've got more to say but gotta run."Considering the given the circumstances as you've described them to me, it would be a waste of time to provide you with any detailed analysis of a myriad reasons why her claims are utterly meritless, why they would not survive a motion to dismiss and would most likely result in sanctions being imposed against her and her counsel for filing a frivolous lawsuit. I would be deeply disappointed in any member of the bar that would encourage Camporeale's misguided and legally unjustifiable pursuit against the City."
For more on this story, check out nj.com and Da Horsey.
GA said:
ReplyDeleteOcchipinti is truly unfit for office, comporting himself like a petulant prince, lacking the temperament, dignity, maturity and intellect for his position. And he's too arrogant to get it. Which will be his downfall, mark my words.
You had me at Occhipinti...unfit for office. :)
I originally feared an unhinged minion in the audience might be the first to start a fight at a CC meeting. I never thought it would be a minion on the CC itself who might be unhinged enough to nearly start a fight. Timmay is truly unfit for office.
ReplyDeletehad it gone off, something tells me mello would have ground him into powder.
DeleteWith Camporeale's performance, Beth Mason was not the most insane person in the room for once.
ReplyDeleteWhere in the world was Carmelo Garcia in all of this? You think he'd come out and at least try to defend Camporeale. He sets off crazy, but is never around for the denotation. Doesn't want the stink on him.
ReplyDeleteThanks god that some or most of these crooks are mentally challenged.
ReplyDelete