GA heard about a phone call that's sweeping through Hudson County faster than Chlamydia at a frat house.
Yep, Hudson County. And not just District 33. And not a robo-call. A live person reading a script.
Here is some reader email:
Just answered a call on our house line – woman calling on behalf of Beth Mason asking me sign a petition that “Beth will take to the Senate.” I wanted to make sure I heard correctly what was going to happen with the petition, so I asked the caller to repeat it. The petition "Beth will take to the Senate" is in support of the Paycheck Fairness Act. I politely listened and said I’d pass on the opportunity. Are others getting these calls? Are these calls just an effort to pre-validate phone numbers before Beth gears up for something else? On this issue, at least, I guess Beth is going the petition route since she doesn’t get to introduce legislation herself as Lautenberg’s successor.
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Just got a call on behalf of Beth Mason to sign a petition for Womens Pay Equality. I told them that I am for Women's Equal Pay but I would not under any circumstances sign my name to something with Beth Mason's name on it. I should have added unless it was a petition to throw her out of HOBOKEN!
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I said the same thing! I can NOT believe the amount of money this woman pisses away trying to become relevant!
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I got the same call. Wouldn't even let them finish.
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Did you get the call (yet)? I didn't. Or maybe I did, but didn't pick up.
So what's it all about?
So what's it all about?
Here is GA's guess: this "Beth to the Senate" petition campaign is timed to pre-empt expected bad news from ELEC.
To recap, on February 26, 2014, the Election Law Enforcement Commission (ELEC) charged Beth Mason's 2009 and 2011 campaigns with "reporting transactions" carrying potential estimated fines for all 7 Respondents to be $14.3M.
Both Complaints provide 20 days for Respondents to provide written answers, to be followed by a hearing.
To recap, on February 26, 2014, the Election Law Enforcement Commission (ELEC) charged Beth Mason's 2009 and 2011 campaigns with "reporting transactions" carrying potential estimated fines for all 7 Respondents to be $14.3M.
Both Complaints provide 20 days for Respondents to provide written answers, to be followed by a hearing.
February 26, 2014 was 47 days ago. Respondents have returned written answers, and...?
GA's recent Earwitness news reported rumblings coming from Respondent Ricky Mason:
Ricky is really, really upset by the fines that they’re facing...In view of this massive, expensive telephone-counter offensive, it could be that the Masons have either gotten bad news or expect bad news... bad enough-- perhaps even historic, to generate headlines. And if anyone's been paying attention to how the Mason machine 'works', they always roll out a 'good' narrative when they are expecting a bad one... then, the Mason machine has their media-'friends' ignore the bad and write about the good... or at least give them parity.
Its all about controlling the message.
That's how these folks work. Because you know, The Hudson Reporter will write a glowing piece about the Mason petition then, like an afterthought, drop barely a sentence in the last paragraph about the ELEC fines.
Concurrently, press releases about the "Beth to the Senate" petition will roll out and local media outlets will be carpet-bombed in advance of any 'bad news' from ELEC.
So, GA supposes that this Hudson County-wide phone call foretells that Mason knows or expects bad news from ELEC is coming. If so, the news must be big.
I hear there's more bad news coming down the pike for Ricky. More than $200K down the crapper and nothing to show for it.
ReplyDeleteI know they're rich and all but $200k is the equivalent of four years at a top college for one of their kids. When you think of it that way, it make the situation even more pathetic, and safer.
Delete"sader", not safer
Deletethat SLAPP money could have put some poor Hoboken kid through college or done real good in this city. but no, whooosh down the toilet. whoooooooooosh
ReplyDeleteThe US Senate has voted against this bill coming to the floor three times. Beth Mason "taking it to the Senate" isn't going to change a damn thing. It's a noble cause, if she's actually sincere, but why doesn't she just focus on her elected duties and serve her ward. Instead of always trying to be a playa on the county, state or federal level, how about just doing her job here.
ReplyDeleteshe's never done her job, councilperson, because she never wanted that job.
Deleteshe wanted to be mayor, so she tried to function as mayor-in-exile carpet-bombing the city with glossies from her mayor-in-exile office and undercutting the real mayor at every turn.
now she's not doing her job, because that job expires next year and she knows she will not be able to renew it. she needs a new job and quick. so now she is trying to function as state senator-in-exile or congresswoman-in-exile. bet your breakfast she is thoroughly pissing off the real senator and congressman with this stunt. i would not be surprised if they put the word out to keep signatures to the minimum so this would be another humiliation for her like hudson county recovers seniors' night. but that's all she has left. ricky's money and dumbass publicity stunts and bad advice.
people say the money might be running out, and even bad advice costs money. but this little stunt was not cheap. data-mining, phone bank, fresh faces to come to every signer to get their signature. this isn't just a robocall like the ones jimmy b arranges. and then there's the soiree down in trenton and greasing everyone she needs to make this more than some citizen's 2 minutes at the podium. not cheap at all.
but what's the net at the end of all that expense?
further repudiation of her ability to even buy friends at this point.
further proof of her lack of relevance.
not one mind or vote changed.
another flush of money down the crapper.
Are you suggesting that Beth Mason give up her two-storefront office rental, her full-time staff, her bodyguard and her assortment of retainer political consultants? How is a city councilperson supposed to get anything done without that infrastructure?
ReplyDeleteOh wait a second, all the other city council members seem to make do without. Hmm...