Finally, Councilman Michael DeFusco has made it official by opening Mike DeFusco for Hoboken Mayor with the New Jersey Election Law Enforcement Commission (ELEC)!
If you weren't aware, a campaign's first ELEC filing is Form D-1. The D-1 registers the candidate(s), the chairperson (manager), the Treasurer and the campaign's bank account.
And a campaign's single most important administrative position is the Treasurer.
The Treasurer's duties include (but are not limited) to: taking in money, cutting checks, making deposits, timely filing of complete and accurate financial reports to ELEC, fundraising compliance with ELEC law. Moreover, the Treasurer certifies every ELEC report with his/her signature, making him/her "subject to punishment" for "willfully false" statements.
Simply put, the Treasurer handles the money side of a campaign.
Which brings us back to DeFusco for Mayor's D-1 report filed on June 5, 2017.
Note that in 2015, Mike DeFusco for Hoboken City Council's Treasurer was Nicole DeFusco. She filed a complete D-1: with a Hoboken residential address, day/evening telephone numbers and her mailing address (Mike DeFusco's residence).
It seems to have all fallen apart.
Mike DeFusco for Hoboken Mayor's Treasurer is a fellow named Pedro M. Gonzalez. Mr. Gonzales's D-1 Form is woefully incomplete; he only gave a "mailing address": 23 Belmont Avenue, Clifton NJ 07012. No day/evening telephone, no residential address.
How come?
Well, it turns out that 23 Belmont Avenue is Pedro M. Gonzalez' home address in Clifton, NJ, and further online searches show...
Pedro M. Gonzalez is 71 years old.
Huh?
An elderly man in Clifton NJ has the most important administrative position ("money man") on Mike DeFusco for Hoboken Mayor?
It doesn't appear that he's involved in politics nor has ever lived in Hoboken. He appears to be from Elizabeth, New Jersey.
It certainly is curious to GA that a senior citizen in Clifton was designated Mike DeFusco for Hoboken Mayor's Treasurer, when DeFusco has so much ground support right here in Hoboken.
Don't you think?
Why wouldn't a Hoboken local want this very important campaign role- like Perry Belefiore or Pupie Raia or Mike Russo or Ruben Ramos?
What is this septuagenarian's connection to Hoboken, if not through politics?
Media can ask Mike DeFusco for Hoboken Mayor Treasurer Gonzalez tomorrow night at the Mike DeFusco for Hoboken Mayor fundraiser.... unless the event is after his bedtime!
Look at the "e"s in Pedro Gonzalez and Belmont. Look at the "e"s in DeFusco. They wrote it for him and had the poor old bastard sign it.
ReplyDeleteDoes he know that beyond the few bucks they gave him to sign it, he's liable for any lies that turn up on it? Maybe when you're living on a fixed income and people offer you some money just to sign something, you take it.
Same old sleaze from Mike D.
I was thinking the same thing. They set up some poor old bastard to take the fall. Nobody in Hoboken would touch it. Who would do that to a senior citizen?
DeleteMan I hate it when old people get taken advantage of.
ReplyDeletewhat kind of shitty campaign would use an old dude?
ReplyDeletePoor old guy is liable for compliance errors and violations. ELEC is ramping up enforcement too, the state wants $$$.
ReplyDeletePsssst! Hey gramps. Yeah you. Wanna make a few bucks? Social Security don't come for two weeks, right? That's a long time gramps. Gettin' hot out. You wanna run the AC, right? Cool off and listen to the besbol. How ya gonna do that without no money? Good thing you got friends to help you. All you gotta do is sign this and you're good to go? No, no one said nothin about reading it. Just sign it gramps. I'll take care of everything else. Trust me.
ReplyDeleteWay to go gramps! Welcome to Team DeFusco!
shady
ReplyDeleteNever heard of using an old man for a proxy to "manage" campaign cash.
ReplyDeleteMDFs been talking about running for months. The best he can do is a senior from Clifton? Lol. This gang can't shoot straight.
ReplyDeleteI am surprised he didn't pick a random homeless person to be his proxy
ReplyDeleteHeard Fallick is probably going to be on the ticket. The original anti-development citizen and probably the only one that will be truly anti-development in the race. I wish she would run on her own, and for Mayor, so we could toss the developer candidate (DeFusco) and the machine candidate (Zimmer) into the trash heap.
ReplyDeleteThe electoral college tossed the "machine candidate" (Hillary) into the trash heap and we got TRUMP. How's that workin for you?
DeleteDon't see anything "machine" about the way Zimmer governs Hoboken.
She is not just anti-development she is rabidly anti-everything.
DeleteIf Cheryl ran a protest candidacy for Mayor to give voice to what she believes in people would respect that, like they respected Dan Tumson's protest back in 2001.
DeleteBut if she runs on DeFusco's ticket it pretty much means she doesn't really believe in anything (except her own self-interest) since Mike represents the antithesis of her supposed beliefs and is supported by Frank Raia who she detests.
I'm not sure I agree. While I'd like to see Cheryl run for Mayor, or anything, she wouldn't win and what good is a protest campaign? It takes time and energy and, in the end still leaves issues completely unattended. It seems she's expending a ton of energy advocating with no results. Why add to the mix? It doesn't forward the items that are important to her and, IMO, those items need some attention that they are not getting from this Mayor and that they won't get in a 3rd Zimmer term.
DeleteSomewhere along the way the Mayor decided that renters are completely expendable.
I don't know why Cheryl doesn't work with the Mayor. Maybe she tried and gave up. All I can guess is that Hoboken's displacement just doesn't matter to Zimmer and Cheryl knows it.
It's sad. I know Cheryl supported the Mayor at one time and she's a huge supporter of Jen. I can't imagine she has much in common with DeFusco. One thing I will say, you'd never convince me she does what she does in self interest. Maybe it would be a last ditch attempt, but I hope she finds another option.
I don't think she ever really supported the Mayor or anyone else other than herself. She has a bad word to say about almost everyone behind their backs, She plays fast and lose with facts to try to make her point and when called on it gets very defensive and indignant. Just like Mike.
DeleteNice spin. But if Cheryl runs with DeFusco everyone will know it's all BS. Actually, we already know its all BS simply from the fact that she is known to be considering running with him. Perhaps you can't imagine what she has in common with DeFusco but obviously she has a fertile enough imagination herself to see those commonalities. And a commitment to the best interests of the people of Hoboken isn't what they have in common.
DeleteIf the rumors are correct, Mike has promised pretty much everybody something in exchange for their support. It would be fascinating to learn what he's promised Cheryl.
Love all the Cheryl narratives being crafted here. Didn't ever support the Mayor, says nasty things about everybody, was promised something. You really must to do better.
Delete
ReplyDeleteGONZALEZ, PEDRO
23 BELMONT AVE
CLIFTON,NJ 07011
RETIRED
GONZALEZ, EDUARDO,
GENERAL, 2015,
MUNICIPAL OFFICE,
HOBOKEN CITY,
NONPARTISAN
INDIVIDUAL
09/21/2015
$2,500.00
RETIRED
RAMOS GONZALEZ MIANI & MINDAK VISION FOR HOBOKEN,
GENERAL, 2013,
JOINT CANDIDATES CMTE,
HOBOKEN CITY,
NONPARTISAN
INDIVIDUAL
$200.00
RETIRED
RAMOS GONZALEZ MIANI & MINDAK VISION FOR HOBOKEN,
GENERAL, 2013,
JOINT CANDIDATES CMTE,
HOBOKEN CITY,
NONPARTISAN
INDIVIDUAL
09/30/2013
$400.00
Total: $3,100.0
Interesting thought, if Eduardo is running with Mike he can not be the Treasurer . Everyone is aware that not many people want to be on Mikey's ticket so using an out of town relative could be a work around.
Delete3:59- isnt that fraud?
DeleteMore like desperation.
DeleteThe senior bashing is stupid and uncalled for. Both our candidates for president were close to 70, and Trump's age isn't the problem with his presidency. Hillary's age isn't what disqualified her to so many voters either. Biden is in his 70's and would have made a fine President.
ReplyDeleteThere's no reason a senior isn't fully capable of being a campaign treasurer.
It's probably Eduardo's Dad which means Eduardo is probably on Mike's ticket together with Grana and Fallick. Faux reform is the theme of the day.
Nobody's bashing seniors you idiot. They are DEFENDING the poor man. The unanswered question is why Mike DeFusco is using a 78 year old Treasurer from Clifton NJ. You act like thats normal when its not-
DeleteIf Eduardo wants, he can be both a candidate AND treasurer. Can't any of the sleazebags and grifters surrounding DeFusco be his Treasurer or do they need a 78 year old fall guy?
How do YOU know whos on Mike's ticket? Which is the Mello placeholder? I think it's Eduardo.
DeleteDisagree 4:22. Cheryl goes overboard when Mello is ready.
DeleteCheryl usually goes way overboard, sometime two or three times during a City Council meeting.
DeleteIf there's a Mello placeholder it's Antonio Grana. Cheryl and Eduardo have been in the mix all along. This assumes of course that DeFusco actually has the ability to assemble his own ticket. At the end of the day since he has no base of his own his ticket may well be chosen by his puppetmasters.
DeleteMy takeaway from MSV's story on the Committee meeting last night, Antonio Grana pulled the same two faced, backstabbing move as DeFusco did pretending to endorse one side and then jumping to the other once they helped him get elected. They are two peas in the same rotten pod as far as I am conceded. How can a voter trust a candidate who does that ?
DeleteGotta agree w you, 5:43. Why does a Col E candidate on vote against Col E for Col F appointments? A real backstabbing move a la DeFusco. Good luck trusting a guy like that.
DeleteI'd go with Cheryl as the placeholder. Even if everyone agrees she should be on the ticket to prove it's not a developer ticket, she'll walk when they expect her to sing a developer tune. By then Mello will be available to step in. Can't wait to read all of the blog gossip during that little chapter.
ReplyDeleteI always thought the whole Mello story was a total fabrication Soares made up and had Sullivan publish. Funny how often when DeFusco is not doing well on this site it gets thrown out as a diversion.
DeleteI found the following definition of the word "shady". It would appear that the informal meanings of the word are nothing more than an autobiography of MD's life in politics. He really has turned out to be nothing but pond scum.
Deleteshad·y
ˈSHādē/Submit
adjective
situated in or full of shade.
"shady woods"
synonyms: shaded, shadowy, dim, dark; More
giving shade from sunlight.
"they sprawled under a shady carob tree"
informal
of doubtful honesty or legality.
"he was involved in his grandmother's shady deals"
synonyms:suspicious, suspect, questionable, dubious, doubtful, disreputable, untrustworthy, dishonest, devious, dishonorable, underhanded, unscrupulous, irregular, unethical;
informal: fishy, murky "shady deals"
Maybe because Mello is absent from Zimmer's website and her fundraiser ? Oh wait that narrative doesn't help us feel better about our pathetic lives, so we will make one up as we sit here wallowing in our own failures, knocking others. Guse when you let Mason veterans and HCDO thugs from Union City takeover, this kind of hate happens. DeFusco should copy this thread and send it to Fox Hill
DeleteUmmm... Yes he is.
DeleteIf we are only looking at photo's on candidates websites to base assumptions on Defusco has Zimmer and a whole bunch of people who are certainly not backing him.
Warren Buffett is 86... It's really disgusting the Hoboken 411 style slime people are lowering themselves to go all for Zimmer. And Using the word "Besbol" is that an attempt at mocking an Hispanic senior?
ReplyDeleteWow, Mike must be a real threat.
5 nasty bigots talking to each other
I hope you didn't strain yourself trying to find one single word in this whole conversation you could pretend to be offended by.
Delete6:04 sounds like the toxic TS, compares commenters with the vile H411, imagines every person's words are imbued with bigotry- just an angry angry turd, angry at the world.
Deletetypical soreas. a senior gets set up by heartless bastards and soreas takes the side of the heartless bastards.
DeleteSince he's Defusco's treasurer, you should say the comments are all homophobic too. Might as well play all of your greatest hits.
DeleteMeanwhile the adults are talking about getting someone, a senior, to sign a document where his handwriting doesn't match any of the other writing. I've seen Defusco's other ELEC. A lot of those donations need some explaining. You're going to have this gentleman signoff on all of it? You're going to sit with him when ELEC calls him in? You've explained to him that they already have eyes on Hoboken? You told him what the fines would be?
You guys really suck. And shove the faux concern for seniors up your ass. If you had any of that, you'd come at this from the opposite direction.
The first operative assumption is that DeFusco's fundraising is shady so whoever serves as his treasurer is, knowingly or unknowingly, personally exposed to risk. That assumption I agree with.
DeleteThe second assumption is that Mr. Gonzales, because of his age, is less likely to know what he is getting into. That assumption I do not agree with. Mr. Gonzales' age, by itself, does not make any more or less likely to be an unwitting dupe as opposed to a politically savvy guy going into this eyes open.
The idiotic H411 comparisons are standard pathetic TS fare. As is the narrative that criticism of DeFusco on blogs like this are a sign that Zimmer with her 70% job approval is quaking in her boots in fear of an opponent who few voters have ever heard of and even fewer approve of.
DeFusco, Fallick, Gonzales and Grana with Soares and Belifiore as their rabbis. What on earth would this clown show of a team actually stand for? Their slogan: "Opportunism and insanity. two great tastes that belong together!"
8:45- I'm not as sure as you are that Mr. Gonzalez knows what he's getting into.
Delete8:45, regarding your assumption that a 78 year-old is no more likely to be duped than anyone else, 10 million telemarket scammers hope you're wrong.
DeleteI'd point to the fact that it's written in 2 different hands - one for the treasurer of record and one for everything else. I'd have to check the other ELEC to see if the hands match there. I do remember it was hand written.
Knowledgeable or not, I don't know what kind of prick puts his father up to this.
The slogan for that cabal of wannabes could also be "we like to screw up a good thing b/c we are bitter and didn't get what's ours"
DeleteThis is all much ado about nothing. Being treasurer of a campaign committee is basically an administrative job. And its not unusual for someone other than the treasurer to do the grunt work which the treasurer is supposed to review before signing but often doesn't.
DeleteThe contents of DeFusco's last ELEC filing with its large suspicious cadre of out of town big donors, raises real and serious issues. If those are straw donors, his treasurer, unless complicit, would be unlikely to have any way of knowing. Mr. DeFusco and anybody who conspired with him (such as his fundraiser) would have committed crimes.
Mr. Gonzalez's service as campaign treasurer, no matter where he lives or what his age is, in my opinion does not in and of itself raise any real issues. If in his service as treasurer, Mr. Gonzales is actually complicit in crimes, then he is a perp not a victim and his age will be neither an excuse nor an explanation.
929 i'm sure that's not far from what team defusco is telling him. don't worry about all that unexplained out of town loot. you're just the guy signing off on it.
Delete9:29 pm last night .... A bona fide treasurer will NOT act as a rubber stamp . In this case , Mr Gonzales's "selection" raises the likelihood that something is amiss in DeFusco's money world that in fact requires a rubber stamp. Of that there is little doubt.
DeleteYou are incorrect as to the responsibilities of a bona fide treasurer. The treasurer is responsible to make sure the paperwork is in order, the numbers he is provided with add up, and state ELEC limits are complied with.
DeleteHe or she is NOT responsible to look behind the paperwork provided to see whether the identities of the true donors is being concealed, and even a "bona fide" treasurer doesn't do that. It is a compliance role, not an oversight role.
Obviously if the treasurer becomes aware of wrongdoing he or she has an obligation to report it, but sniffing out wrongdoing is not part of the job description.
11:12 You mean like developer I.E. cash flowing in? Sure the treasurer is responsible for following the law- he or she is the gateway for the inflow and outflow of campaign cash. A rubber stamp treasurer is very useful for those washing money in from I.E.s. Of course it is an oversight role. A treasurer does not operate a laundromat for big developers. It is a shame Mr. Gonzalez is being sacrificed for the greed of others who wouldnt touch the job.
DeleteThe treasurer is responsible to ensure that all required information is obtained from donors, for properly recording and retaining the information, for filing complete and timely reports, and for ensuring that based on the information provided, that ELEC limits are complied with. That's pretty it.
DeleteThe treasurer is not expected to investigate why people from out of town donated large sums or whether the donors are straw donors for developers or political organizations reimbursed by others for their donations, which is what some people believe is going on with DeFusco.
If Zimmer was possibly laundering donations in that way her treasurer would not be policing that either. It's simply not part of the job to conduct that kind of diligence.
That said, Zimmer's treasurer would certainly not have taken on the job if he thought Zimmer would do something like that and would resign if he thought anything like that was going on.
If Mr. Gonzales does not apply the same ethical standards that's on him, and it isn't age related its ethics related. An awful lot of campaign treasurers take a "don't ask, don't tell" approach. You don't need to hire a senior or a relative if that's what you want, and it's beyond me why people think its reasonable to assume Mr. Gonzales is somehow being nefariously taken advantage of just because he's a senior and related to a potential candidate.
There's lots of shady stuff swirling around DeFusco. This just isn't in my opinion shady.
These posts are all anti-Wanky! Wanky was not even considered for the treasurer rubber stamp job! Sad! Don't think this won't not be un-reported to the anti-Wanky Defamation League!
ReplyDeleteHow many negatives was that?!?!?! Hard to keep track! Fake news!!!!!!!!!!!!
Saaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaad!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
MDF's support base when you remove the Zimmer contingent was always small and this choice makes it clear that not much has changed.
ReplyDelete