 |
| *satire based on actual threat made online |
What's going on here?
In his 3 years on our city's Planning Board, Jim Doyle never received a dime from an Applicant. Moreover, Doyle's attendance record was perfect-- zero absences in 3 years. Then last January, Tiffanie Fisher, Jen Giattino, Peter Cunningham and Ruben Ramos decided that Mike DeFusco was a better choice for the Planning Board so they gave Jim Doyle the boot.
How's their guy working out?
DeFusco's record so far: 50% meeting attendance (at best), a public denouncement of his board colleagues as power-hungry bureaucrats, a legislative favor to developers increasing lot coverage, and (deep breath) a growing list of Applicants reporting political contributions ($$$) to DeFusco.
Here they are.
320 BLOOMFIELD ST.
"PB has just received an application from Hudson Street Investment Funds Inc for addition of an additional residential unit at 320 Bloomfield St. and the documents clearly show that Alexander Rekeda from Hudson Street Investment Fund gave Mike DeFusco $1,000. These folks are on the PB agenda for the preliminary completion meeting on 8/15 & MD is not part of the completion meeting* team so has not sat on the hearing yet."
*a completion meeting is when a few commissioners and the PB board professionals sit in a workshop setting with the Applicant to go through the application and make sure they have all of the legally required documents so there are no surprises at the full board hearing.
415-417 MONROE
"415-417 on agenda for completion meeting this coming Wednesday. MDF not on completion team, so he has not sat on their application......yet. And when the application comes to a full board meeting he could recuse himself, or just not show up like he does more often then not. Point is he is conflicted much of the time. Doyle was NEVER conflicted due to donations."
518 MADISON
DeFusco's 518 Madison conflict of (a $1,200 campaign contribution) has been reported. In response, the Councilman defended himself in an email rife with verifiably false statements. Contrary to claims in DeFusco's email: (1) the 518 Madison hearing has not been held yet, therefore DeFusco could not have recused himself (recusals are made on the record at hearings), (2) the Applicant owned 518 Madison before the 11/8/2017 contribution to DeFusco and (3) the Applicant filed as both property owner and "developer."
PB Commissioner Mike DeFusco will have to recuse himself on all of these applications. The donors did nothing illegal, but DeFusco has a clear conflict-of-interest in voting on these applications.
So, between the recusals and meeting absences, will Mike DeFusco ever attend another Planning Board meeting?
Can't the City Council appoint a rep to the Planning Board who can do better?
Recall and replace Mike DeFusco.
 |
| Actual threat against man who filed ethics complaint against Mike DeFusco |
Corp Counsel should advise whether MDF must recuse himself on all zoning matters before the city council. IMO he is too conflicted. He places the city at risk of litigation by every resident adversely impacted by his changes to zoning law. The appearance of impropriety in taking contributions from so many developers while tinkering with zoning law is a liability the city doesnt need.
ReplyDelete"appearance of impropriety" has become his middle name. #drainthehobokenswamp
DeleteMonetizing influence over the Zoning and Planning Boards in Hoboken in exchange for political contributions has been tried before with dire results for the perpetrator. Remember former Mayor and convicted felon Peter Cammarano ?
Deleteyes, but key to cammarano's downfall was that he was personally on the take, accepting envelopes of cash in the parking lot on the Malibu dinner (btw, take a moment to marvel at how Peter was so arrogant that he couldn't even be bothered to go out of town to collect his payoffs, LOL!).
Deletefor all of MDF's political and ethical failings, of which there are many, i don't imagine he's taking bribes.
Many people thought Cammarano was too smart to be taking bribes until he did.
DeleteSolomon Dwek was an FBI informant and Cammy got nailed in a sting operation called "Bid Rig" and the $25,000 cash in an envelope was a straight-up bribe. Not the appearance of impropriety" but a verifiable cash transaction caught on tape.
DeleteThis is different. These are not "bribes." These are legal donations to a Planning Board Commissioner, who in my opinion, is too conflicted to serve on the board. When he has to recuse himself from 3 applications from campaign donors/Applicants-- he's only been on the board since January-- that's a problem, in my opinion. It creates an appearance of impropriety. On top of that, he's changed a zoning ordinance to increase lot coverage. Jim Doyle didn't have a single conflict in 3 years of service with a perfect attendance record.
While technically not "bribes", they have the same effect in that the developer who forked over the cash, expects DeFusco to perform for them. His term expires in less than five months, and between his conflicts and poor attendance, he should not be reappointed. Hoboken deserves better than what he is able to do, even on his best day. That said, the planning board is a mess. No new documents posted since 2016, and the zoning officer's husband is a member, conflicts all around, and your tax dollars not at work.
DeleteIMO Expecting a grossly unethical and narcissistic individual to suddenly act in an ethical manner is highly unlikely.
ReplyDeleteMsv’s totally over the top denial that Fisher is forever advocate essentially confirms that Fisher is forever advocate.
ReplyDeleteI don't know whether recusal is required, but Councilman DeFusco certainly should be upfront and publicly acknowledge his relationship to applicants at the outset. Failing to disclose until the information made publicly others makes it look like he has something to hide.
ReplyDeleteAs for the identity of "forever advocate" guessing the identity of anonymous posters is hardly a science - that's why it's called guessing. Mistakes are always possible but its notable that none of the denials repudiate either the content or tone of the posts. Fisher using Brice as a proxy to make denials on her behalf in his usual venal, inarticulate and just plain nutty style certainly reflects incrrdibly poor judgment on her part whether she is telling the truth about not posting anonymously or not. Personally I'm inclined to think she is not telling the truth but that's just one man's admittedly speculative opinion.
If there is one overarching theme in Tiff's political behavior over the last year or so, it is "incredibly poor judgment".
Delete"I know where he lives" is an actionable threat. Hope Donnelly is pursuing his own legal action, apart from his ethics complaint.
ReplyDeleteIn my news feed was a paid ad from Defusco, for the postponed dance party on pier 13 this Thursday. Guess gay people aren't as welcome on the more popular Friday and Saturday nights. No mention of the sponsors, donors or Hudson Pride, but he does request donations to his campaign.
The above 'tweet' is satire- including the statement "I know where he lives" although a reasonable person may assume that oppo research on Mr. Donnelly, compiled in the threatened "dossier" includes personal information like his address. I'm not a lawyer, but anonymous threats against Donnelly (" a thick file" on him--HCV) in response to filing the ethics complaint may (or may not) be actionable.
DeleteFacebook events alert is inviting Hoboken residents to "Join Councilman DeFusco for his Annual Birthday Pier Party", where he solicits donations for his "campaign", apparently from non-developers too. What a mensch. And we thought it was only about gay causes, like Hudson Pride's work.
ReplyDeleteIs this really going to be an annual event, like Pupie's Party?
Maybe there'll be a smack-down of DeFusco by Castellano at the Spaghetti dinner. Now THAT is something most folks would pay to see. Hold the foam.
I never thought I would support a Castellano (mother or son) for City Council but if given the choice between them or DeFusco. I am Team Castellano.
Deletestill not one mention of tiffanie's colleague's corruption on tiffanie's website. imagine if bhalla had these conflicts.
ReplyDeletemaybe yappy calls the shots on the Single Men's Lonely Hearts Club Blog now, I guess horse just does what he's told.
DeleteThese allegations have hit a very deep nerve with Team DeFusco & Co.. They make it very difficult to continue the manufactured victimhood story line that has defined his political career from day one.
ReplyDeleteyeah, definitely time for a shiny object distraction. maybe we'll soon get an update on how OJ is still looking for the real killers (https://www.gofundme.com/JusticeForElectionTampering)
DeleteIt’s “Tiff isn’t Forever Advocate” week on the site that insists with zero proof or logic that Bhalla made the flyer. Total hypocrites.
DeleteForeverAdvocate Fisher betrayed Bernie Kenny's confidence by posting stuff he told her privately... almost as bad as wearing a wire...
Deletehttps://hobokenresistance.blogspot.com/2017/11/city-council-candidate-john-allen-named.html
"... Senator Bernie Kenny contacted Ravi about the move at the time and was very upset with Ravi for initiating it. Senator Kenny's years of elected service told him that it was a bad move."
Looks like the Horsey loon is making a scandal out of a public speaker at a council meeting being friends with a member of the administration. I don't get it. Where's the smoking gun? It's not like he ran a blog that shamelessly shilled for a campaign that gave him a thousand bucks, or anything blatantly incriminating like that.
ReplyDeleteKeith Furman once criticized Beth Mason in a city council meeting. 411 wrote an attack piece on Furman that didn’t address his criticism of 411’s master.
DeleteMike Donnelly criticizes Mike DeFusco in a city council meeting. MSV11 writes an attack piece on Donnelly that doesn’t address his criticism of MSV11’s masters.
Same shit, different day. At least Lane used to dress his attacks up to look like journalism. Roman can’t be bothered. He’s from the alt-right school. Claim something is true and claim the proof is that the victim didn’t deny it. Notice how the flyer works its way into every story now with the finger pouting at Bhallary? Alt-right all the way.
Oh my goodness... just checked the horseshit site-- hysterical. THAT's the dossier? That's it? Diversion from the growing scandal around MDF. I'll bet he didn't contact either John A or Donnelly to ask what the photo was about. I will. When I get back to Hoboken-- I'm on the move now. Sorry peeps, no new stuff until I get back. Peace out.
DeleteDoes it really matter what the photo is about?
DeleteI don't know what's more pathetic - photogate or howdareGAoutforeveradvocategate.
#inoonecares
#deadblogsdontbite
#theyshoothorsesdontthey
#canueuthanizeadeadblog?
Unrelated but interesting - rumor has it Mello is mulling a run in the 4th on a unity platform, saying what we need is to bring everyone together through a guy who knows how to communicate with all sides.
ReplyDeleteI have not heard that rumor but why not. David Mello has a much better chance of unseating Ruben Ramos then anyone else in the the Fourth Ward.
DeleteYou left out a word. It should be "communicate with all sides of his mouth."
DeleteI think having Mello back on the council is exactly what we need. A breath of fresh air and just-the-facts work ethic to transcend all this endless bickering and nonsense.
Deleteonce Mello left reform, his voter base disappeared (as evidenced by his last run). what makes him (or anyone) think that will change? I'm all for Ramos getting beat, just not sure Dave has a constituency. also not sure I'd trust him suddenly trying to play nice with reform again.
DeleteAnonymous 5:47, Mello had a notoriously terrible work ethic.
DeleteI think David would be a great 4th ward candidate against Ruben. I hope he decides to go for it.
DeleteUnsubstantiated blog rumors are usually little more then someone who is just trying to stir the pot
DeleteI would not be too surprised if Bhalla actually chose Mello to run on his ticket in the Fourth Ward. It would be a pragmatic political move to run a full slate rather than leave a blank spot like Zimmer did against Russo. If Bhalla decided to put a a new name in the Fourth Ward race it a sure loss. Running multiple campaigns of new candidates against a majority of long time City Council Ward incumbents is already difficult task. If Mello runs and wins an upset against Ramos on a Bhalla slate it is a very obvious win, if he runs and loses Bahlla loses nothing and it bolsters his narative that he can and will work with others and dilutes the talking points his City Council critics.
Any "unity" will have to start with acknowledging Defusco is Cammarano 2.0. Another smug, self-important grifter. Ramos is old guard 2.0 and totally not to be trusted. If Mello is selling some kind of "unity" that involves pretending those two don't stink on ice, he hasn't learned a thing. If we've learned anything from Trump it's that, no, we can't all get along. Something has to give.
DeleteIf Defusco and Ramos are part of the winning formula, keep it. That's not winning. That's selling out and calling it getting along. If that's what Mello wants, there's a website dedicated to pretending those two are actually better leaders than Doyle and Jabbour. Take it over there.
The faux reformers tried peddling "unity" when they aligned with DeFusco and Ramos. That isn't unity, that is betraying everything you stand for. You either stand for real reform and reject the ways of the past or you don't. We do not need some fake unity platform. We need people of conviction.
DeleteTwo points to those getting hot under the collar:
Delete1. It is a entierly unsubstantiated rumor you are reacting to.
2. The only Ward seat Mello could run for unless he moved would be the 4th Ward seat currently Ramos occupies.
it's good that people are passionate about ideas. that's the hallmark of reform. ideas not personal loyalties. the only one hot under the collar would be mello who reads this site and is on notice that "reaching across the aisle" by running with the likes of romano, defusco or ramos is a non-starter.
DeleteRumor or fact, I think it’s a great idea. Dave Mello is the hero we deserve and the hero we need right now. Someone needs to run in the 4th, why not someone with reform cred and a track record of results?
Delete#draftmello
"hero"? yr joking, right? heroes are people like war veterans and fire fighters who run into burning buildings, not ward councilperson in a mile-square town.
DeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
DeleteLast night Councilman Doyle voted against the Stevens Zoning change and Councilwoman Jabbour voted for it. Has one of the betrayed reform ?
ReplyDeleteOr had a difference of opinion. If you’re conflating that with having a difference of opinion on defusco, try again.
DeleteExactly my point. Council members given the same facts can have valid differences of opinion and vote accordingly.
DeleteYes and the other point was that over $90k in pay to play violations is not subject to interpretation by anyone who wants to be taken seriously by reform.
DeleteSomething to consider, with the exception of Councilmen Ramos and Russo everyone now sitting on the City Council was put there with the full support of reformer Mayor Zimmer and labeled a reformer.
DeleteAnd now they all have track records that validate or invalidate their labels. Beth was actually considered a reformer once too. Many good people supported her. They stopped.
Deletehey anons, pick a name, will ya? makes it easier to address the right person.
Deletesuch as: why does one of the anons above seem to have such an axe to grind with reform? feel free to give us the back story on your opposition, thx.
Labels people put on other people are funny things as they are entirely dependent on understanding who is doing the labeling. In 2017 Hoboken I am sure every member of the City Council would label themselves as being a reformer. Then the question becomes is there a universal definition of who and what constitutes being a reformer ?
DeletePerhaps a better label to use in the Hoboken's political checker game is one that has nothing to do with ideologies but simply one based on a power dynamic. US vs THEM.
DeleteContext is everything. Was the political war to root out waste, corruption and fraud at the Hoboken BoE and City Hall a power game? That wasn't so long ago. Yes, for some it is about power-- a lost election and revenge. Currying favor with developers and County bosses. But the broad brush to make moral equivalencies between people who believe they are doing the right thing for Hoboken, and those who side with pay-to-players and vote buyers is, IMO, extremely cynical and wrong. Personally, these days I favor 'progressive' to 'reform.'
DeleteAnon 4:37, that's an interesting question and deserves its own post for another day.
DeleteThe definition of reform has changed because of its success. But pay-to-play remains a universal no-no, common to any definition of reform. Which leaves certain miscreants out with no way to deceive, inveigle, and obfuscate their way back in.
If we are talking about Defusco (are we?), the only "reform" credentials he was asked to have were "not Castellano." Smarter people than me smelt a rat. I seem to recall even Indie had her doubts. But we were all so tired of that sour visage at the end of the dais and the stuff that was "cleared up" that we all figured "what's the worst that can happen?" Now we know.
If you voted for Ruben Ramos as CC president or DeFusco for planning board, you lost your reformer credentials. Both of them are self-serving POSs as are their core supporters like yappy.
Deletealso unrelated but made me chuckle: the city did a beta of broadcasting the council meeting on facebook live. checked it this morning, has 122 comments and at least a third (if not more) of them by yappy. it's hilarious, he basically replied to every single commenter who had anything even remotely negative to say about any form of development, MDF, etc. sounds like a brainwashed member of a cult, LOL! dude seriously needs to get a life.
ReplyDeleteThey don’t call him Yappy for nothing.
DeleteWhen you have a fundraiser on a big pier and the turn out is small, you post a video on your Facebook page with close up of yourself giving a little spiel like the crowd was as big as your ego.
ReplyDeletePLEASE don't say ANYTHING to upset Yappy the Alt-Right Real Estate Agent. He is extremely upset about the cancelled army parade. Fragile, lashing out wildly, you ALL know the pattern.................
DeletePaging Sean Spicer... Paging Spicey: "The crowd was yuuuuge! The biggest ever! Gigantic! Enormous! The yuuuuugest ever! Yuuuuger than any crowd ever in the history of crowds! Yuuuuuger beyond measure!!! "
DeleteWhat's better? When I say other people are acting like Lane or when I reuse Lane's hit pieces from the NJDC? I just want to be popular. My blog is drawing a lot more flies than readers.
Deleteeager to hear what MDF's says and, more importantly, does about what was apparently quite a scene at dubliner last night, someone on the Hoboken reddit said there was "heavy police presence, multiple arrests, ambulance. Something crazy went down."
ReplyDeletewill MDF stand by, look the other way and allow his ward to get violent and out of hand? this type of thing has become so normalized here: if this happened anywhere else, it would be the talk of the town and immediate action would be taken. but since it's the first ward in Hoboken, I'm guessing MDF will shrug it off as business as usual, move along, nothing to see here. maybe if he spent a little less time being all vibrant for developers and instead cared a little more about the residents of his ward, things would be different. who am I kidding, that'll never happen (or should I say, puppet master yappy will never allow that to happen).
Sad to say that the mayhem and lawlessness in Hoboken's 1st Ward has become to be accepted as normal. A man beaten until he was bloody and unconscious on the sidewalk surrounded by a screaming crowd 30 to 40 people at 2:30 in the morning would not have been unusual except a Jersey City Police Officer was allegedly involved.
ReplyDelete