The REAL reason Jim Doyle was attacked

Nothing about the Union's attack ad on Hoboken Councilman Jim Doyle made sense to me. Over the weekend, GA was able to get some information which explained what it was all about.

Would you like to know the real reason Jim Doyle was clubbed in that sophomoric 30-second ad which aired on FOX cable news?  

It wasn't Jim's lone dissenting vote on the Hilton hotel-- in fact, it had nothing to do with Hoboken at all.  There is a project in North Bergen--a $1.8 BILLION project-- a gas-fired power plant; it has stirred controversy because it serves New York City, but pollutes New Jersey.  Councilman Doyle, an environmental activist who works for the EPA,  knows things about the public health hazard of having this type of facility in close proximity to HUMANS (like us!)  

Unlike your average Hudson County politician, this power plant does not cause Doyle to see dollar signs. Instead of dollar signs, Jim sees "neurological, cardiovascular, and respiratory disease, cancer, birth defects, and other adverse health impacts."  Instead of patronage jobs, Jim sees "chronic health impacts like cancer as well as damage to lungs, liver, kidneys, reproductive, nervous, and cardiovascular systems." 

So really, since Jim Doyle knows things the rest of us don't, like the toxic impacts of the air pollutants emitted from natural gas infrastructure facilities, he took it upon himself to draft a Resolution to bring public awareness to a public health threat being foisted upon unknowing Hudson County residents.  

But, an interesting thing happened on the way to the October 3rd City Council meeting...

Ruben Ramos pulled Jim's Resolution from the October 3rd pack, and it never appeared on the Agenda.  Then, three weeks later Doyle got clobbered in an ad by ELEC825, purporting to be about his Hilton Hotel "no" vote. But, that didn't make sense because the project already passed.  Done deal.  

But, the $1.8B power plant is not a done deal. It's in the early planning stages and currently seeking building permits. And that project is a much bigger deal to its beneficiaries than the Hoboken Hilton Hotel.  Think about it. Does the ad-maker really give two shits about "abandoning Hoboken children"?  No, they want to build a toxin-emitting power plant whose toxins will be inhaled by Hoboken children.   

And that is why the Union sent Doyle a message.   

Oh, he gets it. We all get it. 

ELEC825's spokesman explained to Hudson County View why the Union "stood by the ad": 

“Our organization is committed to infrastructure investment and economic development – which are both cornerstones of this project. That coupled with his staunch opposition to a power plant project, not in his city, left us no choice but to inform residents of his decision.”

Yeah, right.  The ad was intended to shake him up... which, by the way, it didn't do.  

So, who else is the beneficiary of trying to SCARE Doyle off of his public opposition to the North Bergen Power plant?  Clearly, Hudson County officials in favor of the toxin-producing facility.  They don't want Jim Doyle to raise public awareness about the prospective health disaster being foisted upon them.

It would shock me if Ruben Ramos, Mike DeFusco and other members of the Council would carry water for people who would want to hide the health hazards created by building this power plant in nearby North Bergen.  

GA obtained a DRAFT COPY of Councilman Doyle's resolution, pulled from the packet by Ruben Ramos.  I hear the resolution may be amended prior to it's re-submission. 

COUNCILMAN DOYLE'S RESOLUTION OPPOSING NORTH BERGEN POWER PLANT

(DRAFT COPY)

When this resolution comes back to the Council, I hope the Council sends a message to the people trying to keep this public health information to themselves.