In case you weren't among the 25 streaming last night's council meeting, you missed another Kodak moment courtesy of (presumed candidate) Councilman Mike DeFusco.
The target was (candidate) Councilman Ravi Bhalla, who along with (candidate) Mayor Zimmer, led the City's response to the Vape Van 'hate speech' incident.
GA was watching MSNBC (and doing a happy dance) so I missed the beginning... but apparently the City reached a settlement with the Vape Van vendor prior to the meeting.
According to the settlement, Vape Van owner Joe Ruggiero will attend 10 "anger management and diversity classes" prior to May 31, and will refrain from operating his business until classes are complete.
Public speakers were largely supportive of Ruggiero. When the Council weighed in, most handled the matter with gravitas.
And then there was Councilman DeFusco.
DeFusco's prepared remarks alleged that the City was "selective" about responding to hate speech. To illustrate his point, he compared himself (as a victim of hate speech) with the Vape Van victim- and singled out Bhalla, with an allegation that he hasn't "been there" for him or for the LGBTQ community.
Note: As a politician, DeFusco is a public figure. Because he makes decisions which effect the lives of Hoboken residents the Constitution does not spare him the slings and arrows of public opinion, and yes- offensive speech.
It's the same for everyone else on the dais.
Does DeFusco really think that a guy wearing a turban doesn't get more shit every day than a guy who doesn't?
Yet, the whiny public-figure baby petulantly accused Bhalla that he never "stood up" against alleged hate speech targeting him (the whiny baby). Imagine that!
Oh yeah: the victim of the Vape Van owner's tirade is a private citizen.
And so in his prepared remarks, public figure DeFusco compares boo-boo's accumulated in the rough and tumble full-contact sport of Hoboken politics to a private citizen verbally assaulted on the streets of Hoboken- like they are the same.
Not only aren't they the same, it is amazing to witness one politician ('A') attacking another politician ('B') for not "standing up" for 'A' when big, bad, meanies attack.
Has 'A' ever stood up for 'B'- who's gotten more shit than most of the alphabet on that dais?
If DeFusco is not being disingenuous then he's out-to-lunch. He's not out-to-lunch.
But what came across to me was the arrogant, oblivious one-sided expectation on behalf of the white, gay letter of alphabet that the brown, Sikh letter of the alphabet be "there" for him.
Call it whatever you want. I'll let Ravi have the last word:
"He doesn't know me. I would die for this principle. That is what my religion teaches me. Where was he during the Oak Creek massacre? Dawn was out with Stan and the kids and Fulop were all there. There was also a hate crime against a Sikh in Jersey City a few years ago, JC came together to show support. I don't expect anything from him but he's wrong to attack me."
For a guy who you proclaim is certain to lose, you sure offer him a lot of stories about him. Reminds me of the time someone at my office stole something. The boss asked everyone and everyone laughed and said no but one guy said no,no,no,no,no,no,no and sure enough it was him. I hope to see all the Zombies at Mayor Defusco's swearing in as our new mayor. GA, I will give you my front row seat personally and remind you of this post when I do.
ReplyDeleteGA offered a lot of stories about Councilwoman Beth Mason. Anybody seen her lately?
DeleteAnd Carmelo Garcia
DeleteAnd Theresa Castellano
DeleteThe "proclamation" that Mike is likely to lose badly doesn't come from posters here. It comes from his own polling data.
DeleteYour office theft story has me puzzled. Was something stolen? Has Mike denied stealing it? Did Mike steal lie about not stealing it when he really did?
It's a cute story but I really don't see why people talking about Mike's horrible poll results remind you of it.
And....
DeleteA fair question would be when has Mike been there for anyone but Mike. Equating this incident to a couple of offensive anonymous blog posts about Mike's sexual orientation and Mike's friend's height was complete narcissistic stupidity.
ReplyDeleteSorry Mike and Mike's friend. Our leaders should not be scouring social media and the blogosphere for offensive conduct and publicly responding whenever they find an offensive anonymous post in a private forum.
They should respond to an incident on a Hoboken street by a Hoboken licensed vendor that's shown in a video seen by 200,000 people, covered by the press and threatening to go viral.
That's not selective enforcement. That's leadership and common sense two traits Mike seems to be deficient in.
For the record, I have deleted every gay slur ever posted here. Recent ones were posted by Mike's people.
DeleteDo you mean Mike the Asshole's imaginary friend ToadStool?
DeleteAre you saying that Mike's own supporters have posted anti-gay slurs? Wow! Can you identify that by IP?
DeleteIf true that puts Mike's "OMG people have slurred me and my friend" in an even more offensive light, though its pretty offensive as/is.
I wonder if Mike knows his friends are doing this on his behalf and "approved this message?" I'd like to think he wouldn't stoop so low. But he sure has surrounded himself with people who would.
1:55- Yes. The one who's posted them is "Jimmy the Nose"-see above. He comes in on proxies, and uses different names. He plants slurs here to falsely accuse me of tolerating bigotry. Thinks he's clever.
DeleteI don't think I saw any anti-gay remarks about Mike. A pro-Defusco operative tried to twist everything imaginable as being not about Mike but about his sexuality. But it was pretty stupid and transparent
ReplyDeleteThe ONLY anti-gay comments were the ones that tried to serve up lesbian as an insult. But those were actually pro-Defusco remarks.
Everyone knows this blog proprietor is decidedly left of center. As with the Masonesque sneak attack on Bhalla, there's no story except the sleaziness of the attackers.
There were one or two when Mike ran in 2015. In 2017 "Jimmy the Nose" has left a couple.
DeleteI have deleted them all.
I wonder if "Jimmy the nose" switched sides and the same guy from 2015 is posting the same offensive stuff, but in this case deluding himself that it will somehow benefit Mike to say people are slurring him. It would fit with Mike's apparent decision to de-emphasize his sexual orientation in 2015 (I don't remember him ever really talking about it), but to switch gears and emphasize it now. In 2015 he was a candidate who happened to be gay. This time, he's a gay candidate. Either choice is OK by me - its his right to talk about things like this as much or as little as he'd like.
ReplyDeleteOne's personal life shouldn't matter, Lots of politicians dont talk about relationships, Tiffannie doesn't discuss her life either - should she advertise " I'm straight" ? NO! So why should Mike run as a "gay candidate"? It's his life who the FUCK are you to decide how he discusses it? I don't think Ravi's faith matters either, I'm glad Hoboken voters look past Turbans, Same Sex Couples, Skin Color, Disabilities and Gender. Too bad you cant. This stuff WILL get out there and Zimmer will be tarnished by it... Murphy ain't gonna be happy
Delete1:31--You're right. One's personal life doesn't matter. When DeFusco attacked Ravi for "not being there for the LGBTQ community" HE made his own service to the LGBTQ comunity fair game.
DeleteAs far a Zimmer being tarnished by anonymous political discourse on a blog, you must be high.
You know who hasn't been there for the LGBTQ community? Mike DeFusco. He's been a known quantity with a platform to speak from since 2009 or so, and we never heard a peep about anything LGBTQ-related until he started grandstanding this year. I'm not sure if he was a full-on closet case, but he certainly wasn't very public in his identification with these issues until it became politically useful for him.
ReplyDeleteRemember that Mikie was "endorsed" by the Victory Fund for LGBT candidates... but didn't TELL ANYONE.
DeleteHe ran in a glass closet and NOW he's "Mr LGBT rights"
I don't see Garden State Equality chiming in on Mike's "victimization."
FYI: the ED of GSE has a LONG history of service to the LGBT community IN Hudson County unlike our poster boy Mike.
That's disgusting post. Mike has been in a committed relationship for years and you know it! SAD the Zimmer campaign minions is hitting Mason level lows
DeleteNo, 1:26. I didn't know he was gay (nor care) until someone posted a slur on my site in 2015. Then I heard that Terry C. was running a whisper campaign against him, attacking his sexuality. I don't give a shit who or what he chooses to love, it is irrelevant. However, when he attacks other people's service tot he LGBTQ community, he calls his own service to the LGBTQ community into question.
DeleteTrump and DeFusco, both victims. Yup.
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
ReplyDeleteLook, it's "Jimmy the Nose", and you've outed yourself. You've been talking the same shit for years. Such a loser... faking blog posts and Photoshops... now dropping gay slurs on this site. What a pathetic failure you are. SAD
DeleteWhat has Mike ever really done for Hoboken? I'd argue nothing.
ReplyDeleteravi was at hpef last night. was defusco?
ReplyDeletehttp://www.nj.com/jjournal-news/index.ssf/2011/07/photos_video_marriage_equality.html
ReplyDeletePicture #5
Ravi Speaking at the Marriage Equality Rally on Pier A, July 24, 2011
Did Mike live here then? Is that why he has crap falls out of his trap?
Yes. He was appointed to the Zoning Board in 2011.
Deletenot that it was required for the job, but did you know he was gay? maybe his current strident positions are grounded in guilt feelings about not being more open before.
DeleteThere was a major petition for marriage equality that had active Dems from all around the state. I see Zimmer's signature but not DeFusco's:
Deletehttp://observer.com/2009/12/over-200-key-dems-push-legislature-to-pass-marriage-equality/
:) thanks GA.... Just noticed I'm in 2 of those pics :)
DeleteLol... if you decide to run in 2019, I am with you!
DeleteDana Wafer spoke eloquently on first amendment protections and possible over reach by some on the council
ReplyDeleteAnd that relates to this discussion how?
DeleteDeFusco accusing others of acting politically is pretty funny. i wonder if he came up with that moronic approach or if it game from the "friend" he referenced who has actually described himself as infallible when it comes to politics. the "friend" has actually done Hoboken a favor since its thanks to his "infallible" advice that Mike's political grandstanding keeps falling flat.
And in other news...the city settled with Perry Belifore for violating his rights at a council meeting.
ReplyDeleteGreat news. Hopefully the Liebler case will settle too. The city shouldn't piss away legal fees on these BS cases if they can be settled reasonably. It's called nuisance settling.
Delete1900 square feet of heaven has opened in Hoboken.
ReplyDeleteAt long last
TRADER JOE'S
Praise the Lord
Delete10:15 Actually its called being wrong and having the benefit of not having to personally pay for legal expenses.
ReplyDeleteJust my opinion but I always figured his ethics and phony outrage always came with a price tag.
Delete10:24 Actually settlements are business decisions involving no "call" on the merits of the case so no one was "called being wrong."
DeleteBut if Mr. Belfiore's and Mr. Liebler's arguments are correct that would mean that any member of the public could, for example, use the public session of the City Council meeting to express their concerns about the influence they think someone like Tony Soares or Mr. Belfiore for that matter, might have on Councilman DeFusco in the conduct of his council duties.
Do you feel there is a first amendment right to do that? That's the legal issue involved. If both cases settle we won't actually get an "official" answer but my guess is that in order to avoid this type of litigation the Council would probably just let it go from now on so it would be interesting to see the response of people like Soares and Belfiore if that were to happen
In a previous legal attack on Bhalla, didn't the judge say that Belfiore was a bigot and a political operative ?
DeleteI think that all individuals and groups have the first Amendment rights no matter how aboreant and hateful their views may be. But it doesn't mean I have to be blind to the motivation or agree with their distorted views.
Let's face it: Hoboken has some bottom-feeding lowlifes, and no small number of them are political gadflies in a perennial search for payouts (or, sadly, just attention) on the city's dime.
DeleteSoares and Belfiore are private people these days, being married to a Mayor makes Stan Grossbard a public person, especially when that person is in emails suggesting how to terminate someone- it's a public issue. Speculating on who talks to Mike and calling it out at a council meeting is not a credible analogy. If they were on an email telling him how to vote or fire an employee, then they would be fair game and Stan Grossbard knows that
DeleteSorry but you're quite wrong. The analogy is perfectly apt and any lawyer with experience in these issues could explain it to you. It's not remotely a close call. Soares's role, public and private, speculative or real, in Hoboken political and government affairs, is very much an issue of public concern and he is very much a public figure in that regard every bit as much as Grossbard.
DeleteConsider that Lane Bajardi was held to be a public figure with respect to Hoboken politics and then compare Soares involvement in public life and politics to Mr Bajardi's. Think about the fact that Soares just gave a newspaper interview discussing whether he was going to run for office this year and who he might endorse, not to mention he's held elected office and several appointed public positions.
I'm not saying anyone should get up at a Council meeting and talk about Mr. Soares. In my opinion it would be a waste of the Council's and the public's time.
But if you agree with Mr. Belfiore's and Mr. Liebler's arguments then anyone could get up and talk about Soares's behind the scenes role at a Council meeting to their hearts content without interruption.
Exactly right, 1:18. Soares is a public figure in the context of Hoboken politics.
DeleteWrong- if that person is no longer in. Historically yes, but not current
Delete5:28- Wrong. There is no expiration date- that person is always a public figure in the context of their public involvement. Always. Got that from the judge's finding of fact. Bajardi argued your point and LOST.
DeleteA judge stated that Perry Belfiore was a bigot. Enough said.
DeleteDeFusco's amendment was the change to Bhalla's resolution that actually got it to pass! So it seems Mike ain't so dumb after all...
ReplyDeleteDeFusco didn't introduce any amendment. Fisher did. And based on the comments of Council members it didn't change anybody's vote on ratifying the agreement. Voting down an agreement amicably agreed to by the vape guy and the city would have been insane.
DeleteWhat's dumb is trying to reinvent reality to try to make DeFusco look like a hero when he himself made himself look like an ass.
What's dumb is deFusco making this somehow about himself and his "friend" and accusing Ravi of playing politics when Mike has done nothing but play politics for months.
What's dumb is taking political advice from an idiot who has said his political advice is infallible.
What is dumb is also having that clown Defusco keep failing at manufacturing controversy and repeating the same mistake over and over again. Mike - get a clue - you aren't smart enough to get away with it and you will get caught
DeleteWhy do you think he reads off the notes that Tony writes for him? Look how he checks his notes on the video.
DeleteThrowing people out of Public meetings to silence any comments about Stan Grossbard just cost Hoboken a ton of money... Thanks Ravi
ReplyDeleteTiffany and Defusco co sponsored the ammendment
ReplyDelete