Ruh-roh!
It's not even September and the dirty tricksters are out in full force! In this case, it may (or may not) involve Facebook account hacking! Which may (or may not) be a crime!
GA reports, you decide.
Yesterday my friend, Hoboken artist Tim Daly, sent me the above screenshot. He wrote:
Hi Nancy, a friend sent me this screenshot where I "liked" Michael DeFusco for Mayor which I DONT! I bunch of other people are listed too. Is this a hack that needs to be dealt with beyond a denial? What do you think comrade? It's a sponsored page, I can't even get there. Gary Holtzman and Vijay are also there in the likes. Not bloody likely!
Hmmm.... let me think about that, Tim.
Q: How likely is it that the Mayor's Chief of Staff "likes" Mike DeFusco for Hoboken Mayor?
A: Douse a snow-ball-in hell with kerosene and light a match. Same for Gary.
This Defusco for Mayor sponsored ad is a fraud. The "likes" are a fraud. This fraud is a targeted in the fashion of Russian cyber-ops-- "fake news" dispatched to Reform stalwarts.
It appears that the DeFusco campaign is using sophisticated, unethical tactics against Hoboken residents.
Where there's ONE DeFusco for Mayor fraud, there are more.
Yet another report came in- GA will not disclose much more until it can be verified. But, it appears the DeFusco Hit Machine is creating fake Facebook accounts. The Putin cyber-ops tactic is to flood the Hoboken blogosphere with fakery to create an echo chamber of negative commentary about political opponents.
Today's target is Ravi. Tomorrow's will be Jen.
GA has identified one likely fake account, whose likely fake person is posting links to a hit piece on that dying ghost town, Hoboken411. Sound familiar? Yes, Hoboken411, the Beth Mason cyber-sewer, is being revived by the DeFusco campaign.
So people, you must stay vigilant. Anything that comes from Mike DeFusco for Mayor is automatically suspect. Are the "likes" real? Are the FB commenters real?
Tell your friends and neighbors. Report suspicious accounts to Facebook.
Why would Mike for Mayor take such desperate measures?
The campaign is polling at the BOTTOM. DeFusco is not catching on. That is why the campaign is taking a page from Putin's Playbook to alter public opinion with a flood of online fakery; driving up negatives of challengers, and reinforcing positives (trusted Hoboken residents "like" Mike).
Newbies to Hoboken politics may not know this, but creation of fake screen names for fake blog discourse was a year-round tradition on Hoboken411. Hoboken411 fakery was used to influence public opinion (and punish political enemies) with countless fake screen names engaged in choreographed dialogues.
Bajardi v Pincus email exhibits prove this- fake discourse among fake commenters on Hoboken411 was done to influence public opinion. Read this Bajardi v Pincus exhibit from the bottom up:
Newbies: it's hard to believe this stuff went on, isn't it? So, don't be surprised that an unethical candidate is employing similar strategies now.
This is why sunlight and vigilance will be so important right up until this coming election.
Oh like Ravi's fake law firm account that doesn't mention his ties to Suez you mean ? .. ooops .. that piece of information he forgot to say .. happens to be true .. conflict of interest ?!! Strike 2 .. strike one was in 2015 I think ?
ReplyDeleteUm, Ravi has NO TIES to United Water/Suez. He had no involvement in that., just DESPERATION on the part of your dying campaign. How about we discuss Mike's workplace, CBS- do they know about the fraudulent activities committed on his behalf by his campaign? How about those fake ads? And fake facebook accounts?
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DeleteHobokened Out, Your allegations are baseless, and I will not permit attacks on one's livelhood. Let's get back to FRAUD by your campaign. That is today's topic.
DeleteLane had a long memory and he used it for ill. And it looks like DeFusco and/or his surrogates are employing similar tactics.
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ReplyDeleteYou don't call the shots, I do. I am in the Adirondacks with a weak wifi connection. I asked you not to post allegations to damage a candidate's livelihood. Don't you have patients to take care of? Patients afflicted with cancer need your attention more than trying to change the subject from your campaign's FRAUD.
Delete1 thought, 1 fun assignment.
ReplyDelete1. Negative Mike has managed to issue official campaign statements attacking: a. Jen Giattino; b. Anthony Romano; c. Jim Aibel; d. John Allen; e. Ravi Bhalla and it's barely August. So much for a "fresh" and "new" perspective.
My educated guess is that he's seen the consistent below five percent poll numbers and is being advised to go negative by advisers who threw away Beth Mason's political career. His political career is running down the same path. He'll lose this Mayoral election, the either drop out of the 1st Ward election, or foolishly lose when reform runs supports anyone but him (which does not mean a reform win). Not only is he throwing his political career away, he's throwing away his reputation.
As the Council video clearly shows, Ravi recused himself from the discussion of Suez even though is he has no professional connection to them at all until he can get advice from counsel. That's the professional, not political, way to address his obligations. This does not matter to negative Mike. He was just trying to score points.
2. About negative Mike, here's a fun assignment! I'm serious.
I am fairly certain, as noted as a possibility by GA, that negative Mike's campaign is creating fake FB accounts to post negatively on Ravi's Facebook page. Check out this Facebook post and the negative Mike supporting comment to it: https://www.facebook.com/RaviBhallaHoboken/photos/a.1573927089521948.1073741829.1552898834958107/1939643269616993/?type=3&theater
The commenter who links to a negative Mike-created story on Hoboken 411 is one "Stephan Borr" who is supposedly a Stevens student, but seems to only have created the Facebook account on July 13, 2017. Is there anyone out there who can determine if this is a real person? Gratitude for cleaning up Hoboken politics and taking Mason/Russian-style tactics out of our political discourse is its own reward. :)
Anyway, it seems that Jen-Ravi-Anthony-Jim Aibel-John Allen all have at least one thins in common this election season: They've all been hit in the last month by the negative Mike train.
Pinocchio DeFusco has been using shady and unethical tactics against Hoboken residents for years, so this really isn't a surprise to be quite honest. It's lie after lie with this guy, and if he's not selling out the town to help some developer fill his pockets, then he's doing something like this. Enough is enough...
ReplyDeleteQuick question, is "Negative Mike" or "Pinocchio DeFusco" the right brand? I know it's not new or fresh or innovative. I'd like to crowd source this question and go with one consistent name.
ReplyDeleteMy gratitude to Negative Mike/Pinnochio DeFusco for taking us back to Mason/Dark Side tactics. It's not even #TBT.
I think there is for both names to be used. All the all-time greats had more than one nickname to be used. Muhammad Ali had plenty, Baby Ruth had several, and Mike DeFusco is right up there as an all-time great liar, so it's fitting for him to have more than one nickname to use.
DeleteI believe Pinocchio fits perfectly due to his penchant for lying and the fact he always has someone above him pulling his strings and make him dance. I look forward to input from everyone else though!
Are you sure they're both vibrant enough? :)
DeleteKremlin Mike?
Deletehow about Mike DeStupido?
Deletei chuckled when read this comment on the /r/Hoboken reddit:
ReplyDelete"How is it I never hear, "Here's my idea for X" from DeFusco? All he ever gets press for is accusing Bhalla/Zimmer of random, piddily-ante shit. If we're not careful we get Romano, who's a pigeon brained moron with the moral compass of wharf rat."
yup, MDF's really breaking through with his vibrant message, LOL!
This is nuts.
ReplyDeleteEven RAVI likes Mike's Facebook page. It's because they used to be allies, it used to be Mike's council page, and not everyone is obsessed with Facebook likes.
Also, don't know what above commenter said attacking someone's job (agree that's out of bounds), but the hypocrisy given your immediately preceding comment concerning Mike's job is pretty blatant.
Finally, the railing against Russia when Tim called you comrade is amusing.
Come back to earth, GA! We miss you down here.
Nice try. The "likes" are for Mike's KICK-OFF VIDEO-- NOT for his FB page. They are FAKE because Tim, Vijay and Gary did not "like" Mike's kick-off video on FB, nor do they like him personally.
DeleteNo one "attacked" Mike's job but since his pal would not stop attacking Ravi's , the question was certainly fair comment.
Mike's campaign is cold BUSTED. And, I am not sure how you got "likes" from folks who don't like Mike, other than hacking or setting up dummy accounts.
That's just not true. When you see these ads on Facebook that top part tells you who likes the page. Anyone can verify this just by checking any Facebook ad.
DeleteI am not supporting Mike for mayor, but Ravi's job is clearly relevant to his running for mayor because there will be potential and actual conflicts of interest that come up on the council and may come up if he's mayor. Ravi should acknowledge that and tell us how he will deal with them.
Mike's job is far less likely to be a source for conflicts, because his employer doesn't contract with Hoboken or its vendors. Your thinly veiled threat, in my opinion, comes very close to nasty personal attack territory.
Sure, it's true. Nice try, you're cold busted.
DeleteIt is! GA, just look at any Facebook ad. Facebook puts your friends who like the page in front of the ad to induce you to like it also.
DeletePlease, what happened here is pretty clear. Tim (who I know and respect greatly), misunderstood how Facebook works and you turned it into a nefarious plot... Similar to Donald Trump and the Russians, apparently.
Never ascribe malice where a Facebook algorithm suffices.
NONSENSE. Mike's page has 1,850 "likes." The sponsored ad for Mikes video has 146 "likes"- and no, Tim, Vijay and Gary did NOT "like" the video. You are trying very hard, aren't you?
DeleteGA, did you go look at a sponsored ad? Any sponsored ad? That top line tells you they like the PAGE not post.
DeleteIt would take just a few minutes to confirm this. Why not give it a shot?
@Off, pay attention: tim says he NEVER liked mike's campaign video OR his mayoral campaign page OR his council page. you don't know what you're talking about. also, do you really expect us to believe you're "not supporting Mike for mayor"?? really?
DeleteSo your theory is what? That Mike DeFusco somehow hacked Facebook to make it look like Tim Daly liked his page...?
DeleteFirst, I don't believe that can be done.
Second, even if it could it's laughable to think anyone would go through that effort just to say Tim Daly likes his Facebook page (no offense, Tim).
C'mon now people.
wha? who says i have a theory? i have no idea what caused that to happen on FB, just stating facts. and since i'm not a shill for a campaign, i'm not pushing a narrative.
Deletei will say, however, that if a very talented, well-known and liked local artist appeared to "like" a particular candidate, it indeed would have potential to influence the opinion of members of an important voting demographic.
I have no idea who Tim Daly is. But if someone made a fake profile and claims to be him in order to support Mike, that's beyond unacceptable.
DeleteThis is getting ridiculous .. I think you should change your name to snoop ..
DeleteIt's not a fake profile. Tim likes DeFusco's page. It's right there, plain to see. And it's his real account.
DeleteHonestly, this whole thing is a bunch of people who don't know how to use Facebook making up conspiracy theories for something that has a pretty simple explanation.
It would be hilarious if it weren't so sad.
@Off, i work in digital marketing, don't tell me about Facebook, buddy. tim said he never liked any of MDF's pages, are you thick or just a(other) shill?
Deletea(nother), that is...
DeleteOffTheRails, this is tiresome.
DeleteTim Daly does not like Mike DeFusco for Mayor or his page or his video. Neither do Vijay and Gary. There is no explanation for this ad, other than fraud- end of story.
But he literally does!
DeleteThis is a VERIFIABLE fact. Go to DeFusco's page and look!
NONE of them "like" Mike for Mayor- in fact, they can't stand him.
DeleteSo, the sleaze bag hijacked "likes" from his Council page-- before he turned on Reform? How dishonest!
I'm a bit of a Luddite and no social media expert and these sort of things always intrigue me (and not always in a good way). I understand that it might have p**sed Tim D. off to see his name on the Mike Defusco ad. I felt the same way when the Hoboken Fair Housing Association popped up in a search for Ravi Bhalla for Mayor included in a batch under the header of photos of his "friends and groups."
ReplyDeleteHFHA is not a FB friend of Ravi Bhalla for Mayor or even Ravi's personal FB page (although elected representatives and candidates are welcome if they choose to friend the group); however, HFHA may be in a related FB group of some sort that Ravi is also part of.
Initially, it was odd to see the HFHA photo pop up in the search as HFHA does not endorse anyone (although members & friends are free to do so) and we'd be concerned if any candidate were suggesting that HFHA did support a them whether directly or indirectly through some weird FB manipulation.
Ultimately, I chalked up the inclusion of HFHA as a friend/group to the inner workings for FB and not some manipulation on the part of the Bhalla campaign. Treading into the world of social media does stuff like that. We may not like it, but that's the price of admission and a big reason why we need to be suspicious of anything that we see on FB.
This is a sponsored ad for MDF's kickoff video. It's not murky at all. Neither Tim, Vijay nor Gary "liked" it.
DeleteAttention !! Someone hacked Terri Castellano's Facebook page !!! She shows up as the councilwoman of the 1 ward and she's serving her 5th term !!! Oh .. sorry .. it's just another one that doesn't know how to use "The Facebook ... " Fake news again
ReplyDeletei hope you don't get paid for this shit, otherwise MDF is really getting ripped off.
DeleteSame to you otherwise the Reform is Getting ripped off
Deleteum, gee. ok. thanks for once again proving my point. at least i think that's what you did, not sure, since i don't have a HO-to-English translator on my computer.
DeleteIn all this chatter about FB and whether someone like negative Mike's page, no one has been able to verify that Stephan Borr the supposed Stevens student is a real person. I'm convinced negative Mike is creating fake negative accounts that post Hoboken 411 articles.
ReplyDeleteRoman's doppelganger KaizerSozey is pimping DeFusco's attack on Ravi on MSV... Giattino campaign aligned with DeFusco. Nice to know.
ReplyDeletesadly, it's the old "the enemy of my enemy is my friend" thing. thank goodness no one cares about that blog, certainly not the general voting population. it's mostly just some local political insiders and hacks from various campaigns talking to themselves.
DeleteMakes one wonder who's auditioning to be Jen's communications director.
Delete