Let's peek into the coffers of Ruben Ramos' Vision for Hoboken campaign, shall we?
Last April's Quarterly ELEC showed he had cumulative contributions of $8,523.18...
And now?
Wow! Ramos has added $53, 750 to his kitty for a total to-date of $73,880.17!
Meeeow. Purrrrrrrrr.
How much of that has he spent so far?
$28,157.62 or 38% of his total to-date. Hmmm....
Ruben, I think you ought to slow down... it's summer, and only political junkies are paying attention. That's my 2 cents.
So who is contributing to Ramos? ELEC data on small donors (below $300) is noted 'N/A', but it appears he's getting mainly large contributions from anywhere but Hoboken.
For comparison, here is Mayor Zimmer's July ELEC:
Zimmer's got total contributions to-date of
$69, 605.76 and spent $36,931.36- a whopping 53%!
Slow down, girlfriend!
She'd better know that Reformers are cheap-ass skinflints and tightwads. Ask a Reformer to reach into his pocket and you'll get handful of lint. (No, I'm not talking about YOU. *wink*)
An impressive 47% of Zimmer's contributions came from 'small donors' (less than $300) and her large donors are primarily from Hoboken.
So there's your apples-to-apples.
Now, for the 'surprise'...
Guess WHO was at the top of Ramos' disbursement list....
The former Hoboken beat reporter for The Hudson Reporter newspaper!
*Mr. Carroll is not responsible for the Editorial policies of his former employer, The Hudson Reporter, nor any of it's content following his departure in 2009.
*That former reporters working as Ramos campaign operatives, the appearance of Mr. Carroll on a Ramos ELEC, suggests tentacles from the Ramos campaign into our local media.
But there's more... Tim Carroll was a press contact for...
click image to read
 |
| Original email on page 161 of 302- Pincus Affidavit |
...that guy.
*That Lane Bajardi was the Mason campaign media contact for ANY employee of The Hoboken Reporter and 3 years later, the paper writes an article about a lawsuit initiated by Bajardi and predicated on his claim he is "not a political operative" (a characterization he claims to be "defamed" by) and the paper DOES NOT DISCLOSE that he has been a longtime political operative in Hoboken (which the paper KNOWS TO BE TRUE)... that is dishonest and biased journalism. By misidentifying him as a mere 'activist' and not the media/messaging person for a political campaign, the Hoboken Reporter gave credibility to the NARRATIVE of the lawsuit ("Hoboken couple") and produced a biased piece of journalism. Not to mention other obvious bias, like letting Beth Mason rant about "bully bloggers" on PAGE TWO, posting the Defendant's comments (mine) on PAGE THREE of the print edition.
*And so this email belongs in any discussion of the reporters or former reporters of The Hoboken Reporter working on a political campaign and what that may mean in terms of the articles written by that paper. I don't believe the crossover to the Ramos campaign is an accident or coincidence.
Last August the paper wrote an article captioned: lawsuit claims that Hoboken bloggers and internet commenters defamed local couple.
Huh?
Really? Read the email above- one of dozens showing the "local couple" were seasoned political operatives for Councilwoman Beth Mason. The Plaintiff was a political operative for the Mason for Mayor campaign and communicated directly with The Hoboken Reporter.
NOWHERE did last year's coverage of the lawsuit disclose that chummy relationship with the Plaintiff.
Indeed, the Plaintiff fed press releases, statements, campaign messaging to The Hoboken Reporter yet the paper covered a civil complaint where this same political operative whom THEY TAPPED denied being a "political operative" 12 times (¶ 27, 34, 43, 49, 55, 58, 80, 83, 89, 92, 112, 120). And the paper 'played ball' with that false narrative: no mention of working for Beth Mason, no mention of being political operatives, no mention that they themselves blog anonymously.
Again, The Hoboken Reporter never disclosed their relationship with the Plaintiff.
SHAME.
(Updated, 7/25/13- 2: 30 PM)
*GA Note: Based on the lively discussion below, please note some edits for clarification indicated in bold with an asterisk.
KABOOM!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
ReplyDeleteso disgusted and diappointed with Tim. "Reporters" like him and Claire and others know exactly what is going on yet they whore themselves out. Shame on them!
ReplyDeleteGA, you are 20x the investigative reporter Tim will ever be! and he knows it! Thank you for exposing all thier bullshit!
ReplyDeleteWOW!! we all know the HR gives favorable coverage to certain people./candidates, but this is more than showing a little bit of favoritism. You caught them in an ethical lapse, and there no way they could explain their way out of it. Wow. Someone should write a letter to the editor about this, although they'd never have the decency to publish it and come clean. It's one thing to be a rag, it's quite another to proactively make unethical decisions that hurt people.
ReplyDeleteIt is unfortunate, but I don't believe that anyone is surprised at the "For Sale" sign that is hung out on the door of the Disreporter's editorial offices at Washington and 14th Street. This is beyond a serious lack of journalistic ethics, but the actual participation in an effort to stifle political free speech. It is now more than evident that the Disreporter has been shilling for the Wicked Witch of Hudson Street and her Flock of Flying Monkeys. I wonder if they have consulted an attorney with regard to the possible legal exposure that this revelation brings.
ReplyDeleteI honestly don't get it. The email above shows that I was a reporter who was sent a press release. What am I missing?
ReplyDeleteWhat is unfortunate are Fauxboken residents claiming to be out for the good of the city. Nothing but reactive mudslingers.
As a professional, I entered your mayoral campaign in an interim position - not because I've all along been secretly against whoever it is you are for at the moment - but because I have a deep understanding of the issues.
I'm no longer a journalist, and as such my jobs are not in any way a reflection on the Hoboken Reporter and their staff or any other journalistic standard you numbskulls think you speak for.
If you were so dedicated to the Mile Square, then you surely would have been excited that such a fan of open government, clean campaigns, and strong policy was working for ANY CAMPAIGN in Hoboken. Strong competition breeds strong leaders.
If you were so dedicated to the Mile Square, then you surely would encourage and embrace ALL FORMS of investigative journalism, rather than badmouthing (so courageously and anonymously) a three-time investigative journalism award winner (PS: all for my Hoboken coverage, although my work in Trenton was equally hardhitting).
If you were so dedicated to the Mile Square, then you surely would have bigger things to spend your time on than conflating a former employee, a community newspaper, and a few very separate spokes on a local political wheel.
(But given all I've heard about your investigative abilities, I would have at least expected you to piece the timeline together right: you are calling for disclosure from the newspaper last year for a professional relationship that their long-gone former employee entered into THIS YEAR - if I'm understanding the Swiss cheese you posted here correctly.)
Anyway, enough of the nonsense and get back to work on the city. Stop stooping to these levels. Later-
Tim Carroll
The tone and wording of Timothy Carroll's post here under his own name seem very similar to many of the posts on the internet under various other names attacking people and blogs that oppose his interim employers.
DeleteI wonder if Carroll is not also working as a political operative for others who do not have to file an ELEC report ?
"Fauxhoboken residents"? Fuck off, you ignorant condescending jackass. Show me your frigging tax bill. If you are trying to demonstrate an ability to conjure any intellectual witticism with your obnoxiously poor choice of words, you have a major FAIL on your hands. Not really all that surprising. I never expected more from you based upon your lack of spine and balls while at the Disreporter. And the crap that you are slinging now confirms I was right.
DeleteAnon - the appropriate word to use in Timmy C's case is "floperative".
DeletePART 1
DeleteTim,
First, your post went Blogger's SPAM bin. You alerted me below that you'd thought I'd deleted it- nope. So, sorry about that, as you see I've have fished it, and it's up.
I'll take your response at face value- that you are an ex-reporter who dabbles in Hoboken election politics and not a Ramos political operative.
In which case, you don't know that the Ramos campaign (I hear) has hired other ex-reporters in what appears to be an effort to slant stories in our "community newspaper". (Though the new guy, Dean DeChiaro gets props for fairness and a very good job so far.)
Sadly, as a "fan of open government, clean campaigns, and strong policy" NONE of these admirable qualities rubbed off on the Ramos campaign.
No, you have lent your good name to a filthy, vile campaign that is targeting select individuals for online threats, intimidation, bullying-- blogger(s) who use a variety of Jewish surnames (cindy goldberg, Daria Gluck, Dov Aaronson, Mark Joo), that can only be viewed as a swipe at a Jewish mayor, and a Jewish HHA commissioner.
One of Ramos' bloggers posted my name, address, telephone number online and has threatened me twice with organizing a protest at my home, photo-shopped horrible antisemitic rantings on a screenshot with my name, posted it numerous times on Patch, then threatened me that he had put it in The Hoboken Reporter. Another Ramos supporter lobbed an ominous threat that I took to the FBI in Newark, and the special agent concurred it was a "veiled death threat".
A former Ramos aide and current supporter, stood up at a packed HHA meeting on June 13, 2013 and LIED to the residents that I had called the HHA a "plantation" and insulted them- he made sure they got my name. And I am not the only target of the hideous Ramos campaign. Ask an HHA commissioner about that.
THIS IS THE CAMPAIGN YOU LENT YOUR NAME TO. Is that your style?
Any so-called "mud-slinging" you opine about on the blogs is child-play compared to actual threats to the lives and families of people targeted by Ramos supporters.
Nope, none of your good qualities rubbed off on that campaign. And you were it's "interim" manager.
So if there's blowback that a credible, award-winning journalist signed on to this bandwagon- even for the 'interim' that's a consequence of your decision to sign on with such an outfit. Deal with it.
(Reference something about laying down with dogs and waking up with fleas.)
Frankly, my 'swiss cheese' above didn't mudsling you, please point out the excerpt you feel was unfair to you. If I was unfair, I will correct or retract. I don't believe that I was. I do feel it noteworthy to point out that a credible journalist appeared on a ELEC for Ruben Ramos' low road campaign.
As for your former employer, and the pretense they do not talk regularly to political operatives like James Barracato and share a mutually productive symbiotic relationship: he spins, manufactures to your former paper (his wealthy boss Beth Mason is a heavy ad-buyer)... not only am I not buying, I know this to be false and from personal experience.
continued...
PART 2
DeleteBarracato and other anti-Zimmer administration political operatives have been using our "community paper" to take shots at people he doesn't care for personally and for political opponents, and our "community newspaper" havs acted like the media wing for Old Guard.
Did you know that Barracato tried to plant a story about this blog and MSV using Nazi/ holocaust themes and gave your paper a PHOTO-SHOPPED screenshot of this blog. After a face-to-face meeting between Steve LaMarca and both Barracato and Mason.
What's even worse? YOUR PAPER WAS GOING TO RUN WITH IT. Until this blog exposed the smear. That is the only reason the story got killed.
http://grafixavenger.blogspot.com/2012/05/breaking-barracato-leaves-electronic.html
Our "community paper" has a history of ignoring stories that expose actual corruption, like Beth Mason's taxpayer funded 501(c)(3) which employed political operatives, hosted the Move Forward political campaign, broke P2P with a $7K+ in kind donation to Move Forward, and appeared to front a political operation (piles of anti-Zimmer, anti-Sacs midnight fliers were seen inside 1200 Washington prior to distribution).
http://grafixavenger.blogspot.com/2012/06/bombshell-mason-finboy-non-profit-sham.html
Unfortunately, "swiss cheese" blog is the only place this stuff is ever seen.
As a target of stories political operatives who try to plant stories in our "community paper" and whom I believe ARE STILL TRYING TO DO SO-- Ramos supporter 'Dov A.' lobbed that threat last week (the subtext of the threat is that he has ACCESS to your paper)... Your suggestion that I am
"conflating" that our "community paper" may be playing footsie with the Ramos campaign is laugh-out-loud funny.
As for the email posted above. You are not at fault for taking a press release form a political operative, and no such aspersion was cast upon you for doing so. I was very clear in what I wrote.
In case you don't know, this political operative is suing 22 people he claims defamed him in a Complaint based on his denial that he is a political operative (12 times) and your FORMER PAPER did not disclose that fact, repeated spurious allegations and buried my comments on page 3 of the print edition. Your former paper was able to pull alleged out-of-context remarks into their article but did not reveal that the Plaintiff has been a press contact for the paper. No, your "former paper" cherry-picked it's coverage and left out a point which goes to the veracity of the Plaintiff.
PUH-leaze. Substitute your name in that email with any other former reporter and it bears the same meaning.
My assessment is that you've taken this way too personally. You stepped into a political position. For 5 minutes of 5 years. That was your choice to get involved in Hoboken politics. That doesn't detract from the fine journalism you have done in the past, and if that's your take-away here then you are- in my view- conflating it into a personal indictment.
You stepped into a leadership role of a very dirty campaign that is poaching former employees of The Hoboken Reporter, and the HR is a paper I observed has shown itself to become involved with political operatives at an unseemly level.
Once again, Dean DeChiaro has been doing a great job so far. So, who knows. Maybe there's hope.
Tim,
DeleteAs an investigative journalist, you know damn well what Ramos and his people have done to Hoboken and yet you choose to work for them.
Sadly, this means you are well aware of what you are doing and choose to do so anyway. A person's gotta eat, right?
You have chutpah posting this nonsense:
If you were so dedicated to the Mile Square, then you surely would have been excited that such a fan of open government, clean campaigns, and strong policy was working for ANY CAMPAIGN in Hoboken. Strong competition breeds strong leaders.
If you were a fan of open govenrment, clean campaigns and strong policy, you wouldn't be working for Ramos.
Glad you got some cash, but give it up with the BULLSHT. You chose to work with dirty scum, dont think it wont reflect on you.
DID YOU REALLY DELETE THAT? WORSE THAN I THOUGHT
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDelete*Shaking fist* YOU DAMN TRUTH, GET OFF MY LAWN!!
ReplyDelete(But given all I've heard about your investigative abilities, I would have at least expected you to piece the timeline together right: you are calling for disclosure from the newspaper last year for a professional relationship that their long-gone former employee entered into THIS YEAR - if I'm understanding the Swiss cheese you posted here correctly.)
ReplyDeleteNo, Mr Carroll, you are not reading it correctly. What is at issue is that you were being politically spun by the Bajardis as a member of the staff of the HR. The HR goes on to publish a decidedly one-sided view of a lawsuit in which the Bajardis claim not to be political operatives. I hear the HR is getting ready to do it again. Is Beth's birthday coming up?
This week the HR has 2 articles on the Sierra Club presser/Ramos photo op. 1, it's coming. 2, it's here. That's 2 more articles than people who actually attended who didn't have to by job description.
When do you suppose we should expect an HR analysis of Ramos's vs Zimmmer's ELECs?
Or will an elaboration of how your "deep understanding of the issues" was parlayed into a $500 service come first?
Setting that aside....
Do you have any thoughts about Project 20/20? It's backers urgently seek its approval and provide no details. The HR is generally disinterested in the disparity of urgency to details provided upon which to make an informed decision.
Do you consider vote-buying to be one of the "issues" in Hoboken? Tim Occhipinti's 2010 ELEC reflects 575 paid workers. He got 1240 votes.
Do you see how the fall campaign can simply come down to ignoring the mayoral and buying a council seat @ $40 a pop and passing them off as say 1000 "workers"? Think they won't do it? Check the 2012 BOE race. Issue? Not an issue?
In your service to Ramos did the overwhelming likelihood of mobilizing the vote-buying machinery of this city on his behalf come up? Are we going to pretend its a coincidence because bloggers are meanies? You did mention, after all, that we should be "excited" to have the involvement of "such a fan of ... clean campaigns". So just wondering how that played out in this instance.
With an extra seat they get to restock the zoning board just in time to make NJ Transit and Rockefeller's wildest dreams come true. Not to mention resuming control of HHA so that Project 20/20 can be approved without public disclosure. They'll find out when the construction is done. Issue? Not an issue?
Last, you disparage blogging anonymously. Despite the $multi-million lawsuit to silence bloggers. Unless you as a recipient of Bajardi spin agree that the Bajardis are not political operatives. The sad fact is that the other side does not fear the official media. But they are obsessed with bloggers. Carmelo Garcia incites his followers against bloggers at every HHA meeting. Don't believe me - look it up. Just don't try looking it up in the HR. Not covered. Beth Mason, in her period as council president after giving Tim Occhipinti $16k with which to pay "workers" tried very hard to get any email going between bloggers and the city.
This is what they fear. For people with all the money in the world and no scruples about how they spend it, a little fear is good. They will be very pleased to see your remarks here. They will think you're with them now, whether or not you are. Your actions, not your words, will prove whether they are right. In the meantime, bet your ass we will be suspicious of anyone who takes money from these folks. After an analysis of VBMs to paid workers is done this fall - which will NOT appear in the HR - we can talk about where the suspicion comes from and whether it is deserved.
Now that Tim Carroll now longer has to maintain the pretense of being a journalist he is free to release his inner mudslinger.
ReplyDeleteI say good for Tim he has found someone to pay him to do what comes so easily.
"Poli is a Greek prefix meaning many, and 'tics' are blood sucking animals." - James Carville. More than mud is used as a projectile in political wars.
ReplyDelete"All I have heard about your investigative abilities..." LOL, what a schmuck, as if he HAS any investigative abilities that were showcased during his stint at the Disreporter. HL, thanks for the eloquent thrashing of this faux journalist. There is simply no way to rationalize his participation with RR and maintain a shred of integrity, except from a diseased addled mind infected by the money from the dark forces of Hoboken. Welcome him? What a presumptuous ass. Man the pitchforks!!!! But hey, a guy's gotta eat, so fuck the ethical issues. Seems he learned that lesson from his ex-employers extremely well.
ReplyDeleteIt is very hard to take any journalist seriously who takes money from politicians to do any sort of campaign work even after they stopped being a journalist. That ranks up there in terms of the appearance of impropriety with former high ranking officials in DC becoming lobbyists.
ReplyDeletetim, as HL says, here's what you missed:
ReplyDelete1) bajardi routinely fed you and the HR with political information (aka, served as a political operative).
2) last year, AFTER a period of time working with bajardi, the HR writes a story that does not question his claim that he is not a political operative.
see? we're actually ragging on the reporter more than you.
I guess that TC is having a hard time understanding that he is just another tool that has been used by the Wicked Witch of Hudson Street and her Flying Flock of Monkeys posing as floperatives. So I understand that he has coaxed some other Disreporter staffers to join him in his new career as a political floperative. Interesting, kinda really puts a shiv in the Disreporter's back. Sounds like he is off to a "Flying" start.
ReplyDeleteTC as a HR employee lived in JC, had tattered clothes and rode an old, well-used bike to work. Putting name-calling politics aside, IMO, he is just a young man with a family trying to earn a living. He is still learning!
DeleteLighten up a little. As for the local election scene, RR does not have a chance.
Dont buy it at all. So in his need to make money, he is helping to elect someone to the office of Mayor who he knows is part and parcel of the Axis of No and someone who will willingly and gladly try and reverse any semblance of reform that Mayor Zimmer and her council colleagues have achieved. Too bad, I could care less about his need to make money is predicated upon his advancing a completely repulsive political candidate that would love to dive into my pockets to re instate his Mommy in her ridiculous no show 100k job as director of constituent services. Remember - the first thing Tripodi did as fiscal monitor was to fire her her. And how many jobs (pensions) does Ruben the Rat have already? Let Tiny Tim make a living in some other way - as long as he wants to try and promote thieves and grifters into political office in Hoboken, I will rip him a new asshole any time I care to or can, on an "interim" or permanent basis.
DeleteTC and Finboy = Perfect together.
ReplyDeleteTim - first off let me say I think this story is unfair to you, though spot on about the Hoboken Reporter. You did nothing wrong or improper by accepting a job on the Ramos campaign, and the idea that you as a former HR employee are responsible in any way for the HR's editorial bias is an unlikely stretch.
ReplyDeleteThe HR's coverage of the blogger lawsuit was not only biased but actually dishonest given the paper's long working relationship with Mr. Bajardi in his undisguised capacity as a Mason political operative. As a former employee, you share no responsibility for that dishonesty by virtue of having briefly taken a job working for a local political campaign, so I believe GA's story is spot on about the Reporter but very unfair to you.
Having said that, your response here is a bit disingenuous. The "investigative" pieces you won while with the HR involved virtually no independent investigation by you. The stories were pitched and choreographed by shady politicians and operatives like Peter Cammarano and Lane Bajardi. The only "investigation" you appeared to do was to read materials your biased and dishonest sources provided and call contacts prepped by them whose phone numbers they provided. Real stories that screamed for investigative coverage were ignored while fake stories transparently chosen by your editor for political purposes were given front page headlines.
I suppose your response to this would be "if there's no proof I'm going to say we didn't do it" as Beth Mason did, but that was a laugh line when she said it and its a laugh line for you as well. The facts simply speak for themselves.
Hi Anon,
DeletePlease elaborate on what was "very unfair" in the piece. And why.
I heartily disagree (just posted a lengthy reply above), but will listen respectfully to your POV.
Thank you!
I only meant that it was unfair to the extent that it impliedly connects Mr. Carol to the current editorial policies of the Hoboken Reporter. The story doesn't actually say that but I think the implication is there, especially if you don't read the story carefully.
DeleteI also think that Mr. Carol had to be aware when he was hired that his relationships with people at the HR were an important reason for his hiring, so even if he was in no position to actually influence the HR, the likely fact that Ramos thought he might be able to is certainly fair game and Mr. Carol ought to understand that.
Fair enough, Anon and your point is taken. It is not my intent to be unfair or create a false perception.
DeleteI'll add a clarification when I settle at my destination. I'm on the NYC bus and awkwardly tapping on my phone gizmo.
Thank you.
Okay, first off it didn't go to spam -- it posted then you pulled it down. I know how the comment system you use works and if it went to spam it never would have been live on the page to begin with. And it was.
ReplyDeleteHere's how the story is unfair:
1. You use me working for Ramos as a bridge to the Reporter and Mason. I was not working for the Reporter, and Ramos is not Mason. No connection on either end.
2. You are calling for disclosure last year because an operative had my email and knew my name. Huh?
This story is ridiculous and the fact that I am defending myself against sloppy innuendo is even more ridiculous.
You and your Fauxboken buds can climb a tree for all I care. There is real work to do.
-Tim Carroll
Bullshit. There is no "pulling down" a post. There is DELETING a post, and the delete is "forever". Your post went to SPAM, and I clicked "not spam" and it went to the "Comments" folder. Which restored it WITH the time stamp.
DeleteThink about that one, genius.
Blogger sets the time-stamp, not the blog moderator. Your post was restored SEQUENTIALLY, by the time written- restored by blogger, I have no control over that.
You have your script and you're sticking to it. Not a dent made. "An operative knew your email". Ho hum.
Move along to your far more important business while the rest of us try to keep Hoboken safe from Ramos and his gaggle of thug-supporters, whom you led for 5 glorious minutes.
That's something to be proud of.
tim, what the hell is this "Fauxboken" crap?? what does that even mean? that we aren'y hoboken resident? or that we support a fake hoboken? wtf?
Deletealso, there ABSOLUTELY should have been disclosure in a 2012 HR story regarding a guy who since 2009 fed them political spin, and who even you yourself refer to here as an operative.
Tiny Tim
DeleteShow me your fucking Hoboken real estate tax bill. Until then, please go play with yourself and your delusional "vast knowledge of the issues" rather excessively. It appears that you actually know squat.
Tim - when you imply that your relationship with Lane Bajardi when you were at the Reporter consisted of his knowing your name and having your e-mail you are making an utter fool of yourself. The e-mail GA cites may "prove" only that in a court of law, but your implication that it WAS only that is a transparent baldfaced lie.
DeleteWhen the HR published the blogger lawsuit story describing the Bajardis as just a "hoboken couple" without disclosing its own relationship with the Bajardis, it engaged in flagrantly dishonest unethical journalism. You are not responsible for that since you were no longer employed by the HR at that time. But please don't demean yourself by denying your knowledge that the relationship existed.
there's an old expression. When you're in a hole - stop digging. You might want to consider thatbefore continuing a conversation in which you are, for whatever reason, unwilling to tell the truth.
Tim, fauxboken buds?
DeleteAs you know, the reporter omits pertinent info and adds "crap" to the reporter's stories.
Sad, that you have provided such a hostile and immature response.
This was an indictment on the HR. Sadly, you have turned it into an eye opening vision of you.
Better to be thought a fool, than open your mouth and remove all doubt.
Fauxboken? Meaning what? Only you, Ruben and others are "real". Those that buy votes, sell zoning vareinces and those that don't call them out on it are more "real" than those that fight against it?
ReplyDeleteTells more about you than it does about those you are attempting to insult.
I agree trying to use your Fauxboken bull to try to defend yourself is ridiculous
ReplyDeleteWith all do respect Timmy, when we see the other Timmy standing next to Ruben people have every reason to connect you to Mason.
No matter how you bob and weave anything you say or do will from now on will be viewed by the company you keep and the moey you take.
What is the real work you have to do?
ReplyDeleteGet 20/20 passed to increase density,put more pressure on infrastructure and provide more PILOTS for market rate luxury housing, all with no public input and in one of the worst flood areas of Hoboken, while simultaneously Complaining about a lack of open space, infrastructure issues, flooding and taxes?
What a disappointment you have become.
You took the job because you have a "deep understanding of the issues"? and decided that they were the team to back or the price was right?
ReplyDeleteThe Reporter is, was and always will be about flipping real estate.
ReplyDeleteKeep'em moving.
Fauxboken [foh-boh-kun] noun, adjective: any person or thing claiming to be for the good of the Mile Square when they are not; for example ardent and myopic political activists, celebrity figures transplanted from other towns, or simply a misfit retail establishment.
ReplyDeleteThe political Fauxbokenites have a distinct feature that makes them easy to spot. They thoroughly believe that since their enemies operate at a Level 10 on the Evil Scale - full-throttle criminality - they therefore can operate at a Level 3 - misreprentations and mudslinging without discretion - free from repercussion.
If exposed in a stretch of the truth or caught bending facts, they will quickly list outright lies and boldface deceit of some other 'enemy' as smoke screen without ever admitting their own transgressions.
The word is a portmanteau formed from the French word 'faux' meaning 'fake' and the Native American word 'Hoboken' meaning 'awesome, but small'.
If Misrepresenting, mudslinging, bending facts and stretching the truth is the definition of Fauxbokenites, you've just defined Ruben Ramos slate and those who work for them.
DeleteYou say you know Hoboken well, therefore, you know the "enemies" operate on the Evil scale and yet you choose to work for them.
That is the point.
Do yourself a favor and stop posting. You are making yourself look worse than anyone else could.
Such a shame.
http://www.hudsonreporter.com/view/full_story/1913109/article-State-of-Ramos-Rumors-abound-regarding-Assemblyman-s-endorsement-for-mayor-?
DeleteRamos said that juggling the three jobs was easier than when he had just two, teacher and councilman. “Before, it was my wife and my oldest daughter as secretary,” Ramos joked. Now, his position as assemblyman allows him to spend $110,000 per year on legislative aides, and he spreads it out to six or seven people, including chief aide Mark Albiez – who is the former aide to Assemblyman Louis Manzo – and former Hoboken City Council President Richard Del Bocchio, as well as a secretary.
http://www.hudsonreporter.com/view/full_story/2416079/article-Uh-oh---city-never-had-the-dough--State-may-seize-underfunded-budget--taxes-may-rise?
http://www.hudsonreporter.com/view/full_story/2416143/article-City-desperately-needs-%2411-7M-Council-meets-again-Sunday--taxes-may-spike?
http://www.hudsonreporter.com/view/full_story/6933501/article-The-Zimmer-zone-New-mayor-s-zigzag-to-office--zephyrs-of-reform--and-City-Hall-zeitgeist-Posted-April-4--2010-?
Yes, Tim- you do know how bad Hoboken is.
Knowing all of this, where did you decide to lay your hat?
If you are doing it for the money?ok,to each his own.
If you are trying to sell Ramos and slate are good guys,because you are working them, You're out of your mind.
Well Timothy J. Carroll certainly proved that he is not a faux thin skinned jerk.
ReplyDeleteThe more he posts the more we see he is a genuine thin skinned jerk.
What strikes me here is how local reporters can play it fast and loose with other people's names and reputations but cry like bitches god forbid, someone should write about them.
ReplyDeleteAnd this post did not play it fast and loose, but simply and factually noted that a former Hoboken reporter was on a Ruben Ramos ELEC.
The Hoboken Reporter's Editors have ordered up a number of these about yours truly, complete politically motivated bullshit, some ginned up by Mason's fishy operative.
Such as the 'police investigation' triggered by 2 politicians, Mason and Occhipinti, and their political operative's police complaint over an absurd satirical blog post; a fake FBI letter- a jpeg file- where the author (myself) feigned to apply for an FBI agent job, and boasted how I'd subdue perps with the Vulcan death Grip... Yeah, that's what passes for local news when you are writing for political operatives and ad-buyers. THAT'S okay, to litter the internet with such garbage about OTHER people.
...cry like bitches....
DeleteI'd add...
gasp like offended church ladies....
I think Tim is right. Taking statements from campaigns and political operatives is part of a journalist's job.
ReplyDeleteAs for working for Ramos, there is no hint he did anything unethical and a man has got to eat.
Lets keep the powder dry for bigger issues and avoid needless nastiness.
-DaveD
Dave, all reporters talk to political operatives and take their press releases. Not the point. I won't keep repeating what I have said ad nauseum on the paper's reporting of the 'blogger lawsuit', which is the issue.
DeleteTo all - IMO, one does not usually get their point across with name-calling. For example, you may or may not agree with T. Carroll, but he is no jerk or fool. He is not guilty by reasone of his professional associations [either]....however; I love the passionate comments on GA - keep it going!
ReplyDeleteI agree! So what's with the Fauxboken?
ReplyDeleteHave posted this "introductory" comment at MSV blog as well; have to admit that navigating around these, "blogs," while surely it's not as challenging as it would seem for this somewhat tech-UN-savvy dude...Will try to pay attention when offering comments here or elsewhere that they end up in the right spot!!!
ReplyDeleteBy way of introduction in joining this fray. To note upfont being less familiar of these issues, but striving to be informed, to be able to join the fray and offer whatever impressions seem applicable. To first commend fellow commentors who do include on-point and informative content, while being less impressed with any who, realizing how these issues can "inflame" and arouse one's stringent impressions. To the extent some feel their rights of free expression grant inclusion of adult language and sometimes attendant obscene name-calling. Realize these issues and some public officials frustrate to the extent of motivating stringent comments. Would hope otherwise to participate in "above-board," discourse.
That said, am very impressed with Ms. Grafix-Avenger's and Mr. Mile-Square's diligent, detailed, and informative reporting and commentary; that their efforts have aroused the stringentand sometimes crude/rude counter-commentary from the so-called "Old Guard," suggests that their reporting and commentary has real impact and influence.
And in a town and county where once there were limited outlets even for motivated reporters to expose local gov't and local officials' foul deeds, that Ms. G-A, and Mr. "Horsey" maintain this informative and deservedly influential site encourages both reading, and sometimes commenting too.
It's always fascinating when "Old Guard"-type public officials, for too long ensconced in entitled, "who's gonna stop us?" arrogance. When such nepotistic parasites are confronted with genuine motivated opposition offering the public a genuine alternative to lingering machine tyranny. Being impressed with those who offer and maintain this informative and lively platform; it follows that in addition to following it's comments to chime in from time to time..Dick Shep JCNJ
So far as posters who decry/label other posters for example some here-on are decrying other posters using a "fauxboken" label. The intent being to discredit or outright deny such a labeled "fauxboken" poster's remarks implying that the poster either doesn't live in Hoboken, or lives in Hoboken but doesn't impress as having some distinct but more likely undefinable "Hoboken" traits/qualities which would grant a "real" Hoboken current or former resident "credibility" to comment on a given Hoboken matter.
ReplyDeleteWhile's it's likely that long-term current and those who've lived in Hoboken for a long time and are no longer resident. Those long-term current or former residents, along with "newer" residents or "arrivistes," types who have gained Hoboken cred by owning property or otherwise demonstrating strong ties to the town.
To admit upfront being a JERSEY CITY resident, and immediately making zippo apologies for coming aboard this, for me, "out of town" board to join the fray. As a Hudson County and NJ state co-resident, there are plenty of esp. county issues which impact towns across the county, not to mention that there are numerous county-wide officials who while holding, "primary" jobs in Hoboken, maybe. They have influence otherwise across the county. So if there are foul-minded Hoboken officials who are immersed in the county-wide machine-workings, why not pay attention, and if compelled, follow what these miscreants might be up to in Hoboken that might have wider county influence.
As a lifelong Jersey City resident, wouldn't myself "judge," whether any newer JC residents, say, "waterfront arrivistes" wouldn't dream of denying them their "say" in local matters, nor would dismiss they're impressions as being somehow "unworthy" of "real JC," Sure, locals can all take pride in being immersed having "Hoboken roots," or "bleeding JC blood," etc.
"As a rule," and it's just a phrase after all. If someone LIVES in a given town, where one lives is a major commitment and life affair. I don't care if some waterfront arriviste has "just arrived" in JC, would encourage them to jump into the fray any way. As proud Hobokeners would right say, and as this proud JC'er says, "hey, if this person is SMART enough to come live in (Hoboken) or JC," who doesn't want smart nabes?
And in saying "hello to Hoboken" here-on. Would have to immediately and stringently lay claim to the notion that JERSEY CITY IS THE GARDEN SPOT OF THE GARDEN STATE!!!
Hope to continue being informed here-on, and where applicable, "join the fray, hey hey hey!!" DickSheppard JCNJ
To offer observations to this dispute between a former Hoboken Reporter staffer (Mr. Timothy J. Carroll). Noting that any impressions/comments derive at the moment exclusively from this back-n-forth, which, because of evident disagreement, suggests that while this is limited commentary it includes, "both sides" of the matter, or even, "all sides."
ReplyDeleteIndisputable is Mr. Carroll's entitlement to work wherever/for whoever whenever. Some have noted, it's fairly common, especially at the higher-echelons of "officialdom." Journalists & other media engage a "revolving" door that's sometimes decried as encouraging too cushy a relationship twixt reporters and those officials they may be compelled to cover.
Catching up, it seems the major "beef" or impression of some is that Mr. Carroll's migration from Hoboken Reporter staffer into Mr. Ramos' political realm. Suggests, for some here, that while Mr. Carroll was presenting himself as an "objective" reporter expected to objectively report without fear or favor.
There are some who are pointing at Mr. Carroll's joining the Ramos realm as unsurprising, implying or directly arguing that as a Hoboken Reporter "objective journalist." Some who aren't now surprised that Mr. Carroll has joined Mr. Ramos point to real or imagined previous favorable-to-Mr. Ramos-reporting and say, "Gotcha!!! All along Mr. Carroll was, 'in the tank,' for Mr. Ramos, and sure enough (presumably) he's now being, 'rewarded,' by Mr. Ramos now by climbing aboard the Mr. Ramos team at presumably better comp, etc. than perhaps he was laboring under at The HR.
Having only encountered the merest passingly modest amounts of Mr. Carroll's Hoboken or any "Hudson" Reporter/News contributions. Won't - CAN'T - here offer whether Mr. Carroll's migration is ordinary, and disconnected from any perceived "favorable" prior treatment of Mr. Ramos. Or whether Mr. Carroll's prior Hoboken/Hudson Reporter/News output contained pro-Ramos bias, or avoided "damaging" or "revelatory" content unfavorable to Mr. Ramos.
But it is a fascinating "dust-up," to the extent it reminds how even at modest "local" levels. There is a "revolving door," where these kinds of "migrations" from one "influential" workplace, to another can raise eyebrows. This isn't remotely at the level of the disgusting revolving door between say, Goldman Sachs CEOS and the inner sanctums of the White House & Treasury.
Yet even at the local level, whenever the often self-impressed, "fourth estate" or self-impresssed, "we're the fourth branch of gov't." Whenever there are these, "migrations," where former "adversaries" are now suddenly coochy-crunch pals.
Sure, when the media are scrupulously, objectively, and FAIRLY reporting what the often-times disgusting gov't (whatever level) is up to, they deserve encouragement and accolades.
But whenever there is a HINT of smokey haze, implying at least the small fire of foul - not fair - play.
Thanks to all commentors who are participating in this particular conversation. Apart from the understandable frustration that occasionally motivates blue-language outburst/name-calling.
Did Mr. Carroll engage a perfectly entitled yet apparently highly-commented career-move that will favorably impress some, most, all or none of public-policy attentive Hobokenonians?
Or will Mr. Ramos be exposed as a self-interested public-officials with determined, "private interests," accumulating boodle and all the trappings of "power;" including singular or a squad of high-powered communications wizards who through their well-wrought talent and insider tenacity. A phalanx of communications wizards who's intent is not just to "persuade" Mr. Ramos' vehement opponents but to powerfully over-power and squelch. DickShepHCNJ
Verbose !!!
DeleteYes, tend to be over-wrought will "try" to maintain a semblance of brevity...DickShepJCNJ
DeleteThanks for sharing your thoughts, Mr. Shep. I suppose JC has it's lively forums. One I enjoy is the Jersey City Desk, the musings of GA friend, Johnny Action Space Punk:
Deletehttp://jerseycitydesk.blogspot.com/
Please come again and be as verbose as you like!
Thanks for the site referral, will check it out, hopefully now that Mr. Fulop and some other sensible thinking types have been elected, JC will reach it's rightful potential as a city on the upswing...DickShep JCNJ
DeleteYoung Mayor Fulop is working the job! Today's Journal shows him and the public safety director actually undergoing 'hot' fire combat training. In Hoboken, Mayor Zimmer is working the job by making replacement promotions in the police division and actively supporting Hoboken's Emergency Response Team, H.E.R.T. (C.E.R.T.), who are an added complement to Hoboken's First Responders in times of disaster or large emergencies. They help make all of Hoboken more ready for such events. By the way, 'MONEY CAN'T BUY YOU LOVE' OF THE PEOPLE.
DeleteLong time lurker, first time commenter. The HR's biases aren't a nuclear secret, but this is an unfair attack on Tim - full of temporal discontinuities and logical acrobatics.
ReplyDeleteWelcome, Juan the Lurker.
DeleteThis is no "attack". Anyone working for a political campaign is fair game for public commentary. A longtime journalist, a well-known member of Hoboken's Fourth Estate (1) entering politics and (2) picking a 'side'- a person he had certainly written about and was knowledgeable about is absolutely a matter of public interest.
Like it or not.
If you feel this was an "attack" that's opinion, not fact.
As you point out, our Fourth Estate has "biases". So the fact that former journalists have been hired by the Ramos campaign is a fact that only blogs will expose. And that's not a "nuclear secret".
Personally, the dust-up created by this post is pretty telling, talking about those who doth protest too much.
As for inclusion of the email- that is all about the paper's behavior. Maybe it needs another post to make that perfectly clear.
Thank you, Lurking Juan, for taking the plunge.
Oh, wait a minute. I think i have an idea about this "fauxboken" thing:
ReplyDelete- is it when someone tries to bankrupt the city by trying to tank the hospital sale?
- is it when someone votes down repaving washington st, which would have a positive impact on local businesses?
- is it when someone votes down getting free money from the state/federal government because it might support a program that makes Mayor Zimmer look good?
- is it when a councilperson agrees on FBI videotape to sell the city out to a developer and repeats how to make out the check?
- is it when councilpeople cover up the looting of tons of quarters from the parking authority?
- is it when an obstructionist councilperson casts a knee-jerk vote against anything supported by the administration, strictly on political grounds?
If that's what it's all about, then yeah, I agree with Tim. We have some wicked Fauxbokenites politicos in town.
I don't think it is unfair or even an attack.
ReplyDeleteValid questions - why would someone "deeply" involved in local issues as a former reporter, choose to work on the campaign of someone who was often believed to be in the center of so many questionable activites (vote harvesting, varience selling)?
In his past position as a Reporter, did he print whole and/or spin political press releases or ignore certain stories?
Did any favorable story treatment in the past lead to a job later on?
This takes neither full temporal discontinuities nor logical acrbatics to wonder.
Tim wrote a lot of fair, balanced articles for the Reporter. A good number of them were supportive of reform. I always though he was the best reporter they had (well, maybe tied with Andy Newman).
ReplyDeleteIn addition to Andy Newman, HR reporters Mike Richardson, Mike Mullen and the young Ray Smith also covered their beat rather well. Remember, "when a fish stinks, it stinks from the head".
DeleteI've no doubt that good, decent reporters have suffered under the tyranny of The Hoboken Reporter's Editors.
DeleteIf smoke were substance, you'd really have something here, Mr C. But it isn't and you don't.
ReplyDeleteThe piece above clearly puts the onus on the HR, not you, for presenting at face value the Bajardis claims of not being political operatives when the HR had an ongoing relationship with them in which they acted in that capacity - as political operatives. Period. That was cited as unethical. If you disagree, then say so. But leave your dislike of the actors out of it.
The second matter is your paid service to the Ramos campaign. You don't have to say what it was. You haven't. That is your privilege. By the end of November there will be in the neighborhood of 700 additional names in the Ramos ELECs. About $40 for HHA residents, more like $75 for Church Towers. Apparently, the CT folks do something decidedly better than the HHA folks, hence the income disparity. In either case, as with you, we won't be told what that service was.
But as a self-described "fan of clean campaigns" you may have some insight into the service in question. Did you talk about it with Team Ramos? It will be easier to take your advice to be "excited that such a fan of open government, clean campaigns, and strong policy was working for ANY CAMPAIGN in Hoboken" if you did.
As someone who was all over the 4th ward the day Tim Occhipinti claimed to be using 575 campaign workers, I can honestly say I have no idea where they were hiding. But now that we have you minding the store, we can all breathe a sigh of relief, "excited that such a fan of open government, clean campaigns, and strong policy was working for ANY CAMPAIGN in Hoboken".
Unless it turns out that you are just lending your good name and credibility to a group who don't know how to play the game except by cheating on a massive scale. In which case we would at last have a term for your service. Legitimizing Corruption.
Amen.
Delete"Money Can't By You Love" - OF THE PEOPLE.
ReplyDelete