Day 6 since the March 9 arrest of his best friend and NJ Assembly Chief of Staff , Christopher Campos, and what have we heard from Carmelo Garcia?
A lot.
On March 12 he congratulated his "alma mater" Seton Hall (not Harvard) for their "2016 NE Champions" basketball victory.
On March 13 he facebooked a statement from the NJ Transit Interim Executive Director, thanking negotiators and union reps for success in averting a transit strike.
On March 14 Carmelo facebooked twice:
#1- "Oy vey, another water main break!"
#2- misinformation that "some schools were reportedly closed."
The question that everyone seems to be asking is: why hasn't Carmelo said a peep about his 'brother' Chris Campos?
Ruben Ramos, 1/3 of "Three Amigos," had no problem giving a statement to the Hoboken Reporter.
On March 10, the day the news hit Hoboken, Ramos told the HR: “Unfortunately these charges were brought up today. I’m just as shocked as a lot of people. Chris has always been a hard worker, raised himself through a tough situation to become an attorney. I’m sad. I’m disappointed.”
Ramos has not hesitated to comment publicly about his friend, Chris Campos.
Not so with the other 1/3.
GA hears through the grapevine the other 1/3 of the "Three Amigos," Carmelo Garcia, is not talking to the press, nor has he issued a statement about Campos.
WHY NOT?
The complaint enumerated a chronology of alleged criminal activities with an assortment of individuals referred to only by description: "Straw Purchaser 1," "CC-1,"and "CW-1," for example.
The U.S. District Attorney has declined to use their actual names in the complaint.
According to Paragraph 8, "at least 20 straw purchasers" were involved in the alleged scheme, yet only four "Straw Purchasers" were noted.
Why?
Further, the complaint alleges that "Straw Purchaser-2" and "Straw Purchaser-3" were recruited by Campos. "Straw- Purchaser-2" is described as a relative. What about "Straw Purchaser-3"?
Here's where it gets interesting.
"Straw Purchaser-3" is also an FBI informant.
Paragraph 12 reads, "Based on information I (F.B.I. Special Agent Michael Birley) obtained from another individual, ("Straw Purchaser -3") I learned the following:"
Wow...
"Straw Purchaser -3" really ratted out Campos!
As the wheels of justice turn at their excruciating pace, leaving us in suspense, it is equally curious who is remaining mum (so far) and why.
Well, silence is not a crime.
WE have the right to remain silent.
ReplyDeleteAnything we say can and WILL be used against us.
Just stop WATCHING us....or at least me.
Straw buyer 3 will have to testify against Campos and the others. Wonder why wasn't he called a cooperating witness? He's definitely cooperating.
ReplyDeleteTwo points:
ReplyDeleteOne: We do not see the old guard politicos coming to the defense of Campos like the have done in the past for their other members have faced criminal charges.
Two: The excruciatingly slow wheels of justice upside it that they will keep this latest old guard criminal investigation alive well into the 2017 election cycle. If it continues to grow as many have speculated, it could certainly effect who ends up running for office.
Straw buyer No. 3 is a NJ resident and stupid enough to tell a lender that he is not personally using the car he is applying for a personal loan to buy. Who is that stupid?
ReplyDeleteSorry folks. When this stuff was going on Garcia was not only executive director of the HHA he was a sitting Assemblyman. If he was involved he'd be the juiciest target in the mix - the lead defendant - not a cooperating witness.
ReplyDeleteCampos may know stuff the feds are interested in hearing, so the other two amigos may be sleeping a little less well, but I seriously doubt either of the other amigos were directly involved in this particular scam.
How you can be so sure of yourself unless you're inside the investigation in which case you wouldn't be shooting your mouth off here. Who said Garcia's a cooperating witness?
DeleteYou're premature and the timing of your claims are incorrect. The car swindle was going on with Mister Carmelo's Assembly seat assured but not finalized in the November election.
DeleteMis amigos had other ideas and plans. If there's a lot of money and a scam going down in Carmelo's back yard, he wants in and a lot of straw buyers are in our hood.
Hector J don't forget- Memo was all wired up back then...... who knows what he got on tape.
DeleteIMO the silence speaks volumes. Has Carmelo been advised or ordered not to speak about Campos?
ReplyDeleteIn the wizard of Oz the straw man, the one lacking intelligence was the Scarecrow as he did not have a brain. It turns out the Wizard of Oz was a fraud, a huckster, just like Garcia pal Campos, a simple man full of carnival tricks and a hot air balloon (powered by Garcia talking points and bluster).
ReplyDeleteIf Garcia in the context of this complaint is in fact an actual straw man then not talking actually shows that he does in fact have a brain insomuch as he is engaging the FBI as an informant to save his own ass. After all we know this guy knows how to wear a wire. Once a rat always a rat,
This is speculation of course but certainly fits the puzzle of the missing names. Garcia and Campos were close. Vey close.
Silence may be Golden for Garcia but you can be sure if he is feeling the pinch from the FBI he will throw everyone else under the bus. That is what weasel rats do.
Carmelo had to know SOMETHING about it. Thats opinion. Carmelo gave Campos the paid chief of staff gig AFTER the car buying scheme. Why wouldn't Campos give his old pal a piece of it? Carmelos lips are zipped. Think about it.
ReplyDeleteToday's "what, me worry?" ... employment opportunities.
ReplyDeleteCampos is just learning what Branco finally figured out. It's all about Carmelo. If you're drowning, don't expect him to throw you a rope. He might need that rope for a dinner party or a campaign event. You'll just have to drown. But remember as you go down for the 3rd time - he has an important destiny which God hath ordained in a restroom one day. If you were part of that destiny, you wouldn't be drowning and making this inconvenient request for a rope.
Silent? I hear he's the new Soloman Dweck.
ReplyDeleteYou know the kind of guy that gets picked up by the Feds, then they offer him a deal, he wears a wire and tries to pick up everyone and anyone he meets.
Notice how now he's never with Branco or the other thugs he ran with?