Sixth Ward Councilwoman Jen Giattino's Tuesday fundraiser at 80 River Street was described to GA as a "ghost town." A witness guesstimated that "under 30" were there. For a candidate seeking a third-term in office, not auspicious.
It's possible that the mid-week timing was bad for some. But, it could also be that Giattino's very un-Reform-like council conduct has turned off former enthusiasts. I am referring to her most recent disposal of reform governing principles on two fronts:
(1) Voting to table a resolution which asks Hoboken's City Clerk and Corporation Counsel to take all reasonable measures to enforce Hoboken's Pay-to-Play ordinance this election. No amount of perfume could make that BS smell like a rose. Read the ordinance: it mandates enforcement is done by the Hoboken City Clerk. If that means the City Clerk has to take Council members to Hoboken municipal court, so be it.
(2) Refusal to sign the 5 Point Integrity Pledge to Protect Hoboken Housing Authority Residents, put forward by James Sanford, HHA Vice-Chair. The second point in the pledge prohibits candidates from campaigning at official housing authority events. All candidates signed the Integrity Pledge except for Jen Giattino, Tiffanie Fisher and Ruben Ramos.
(1) Voting to table a resolution which asks Hoboken's City Clerk and Corporation Counsel to take all reasonable measures to enforce Hoboken's Pay-to-Play ordinance this election. No amount of perfume could make that BS smell like a rose. Read the ordinance: it mandates enforcement is done by the Hoboken City Clerk. If that means the City Clerk has to take Council members to Hoboken municipal court, so be it.
(2) Refusal to sign the 5 Point Integrity Pledge to Protect Hoboken Housing Authority Residents, put forward by James Sanford, HHA Vice-Chair. The second point in the pledge prohibits candidates from campaigning at official housing authority events. All candidates signed the Integrity Pledge except for Jen Giattino, Tiffanie Fisher and Ruben Ramos.
5 Point Integrity Pledge
1. Unequivocally denounce any GOTV campaign and similarly organized schemes that pay voters to volunteer for a candidate or issue based campaign.
2. Refrain from campaigning on HHA property or at HHA sponsored events.
3. Commit to an apolitical HHA where both residents and staff are free from political coercion, intimidation, and interference.
4. Donate all money received from Mr. Raia, his affiliated third party entities, and any other entity or person affiliated with similar paid voter volunteer schemes. Further, that all donations be made directly to the Hoboken Housing Authority as contrition for the many years of serial abuses committed against HHA residents and our community at large.
5. That all city council candidates who sign this pledge will hold accountable all candidates who fail to honor this pledge.
Who wouldn't sign that? Oh, right...
After ignoring Mr. Sanford's Integrity Pledge, he did not react well to the Councilwoman's email invitation to her Tuesday fundraiser. HHA Vice Chair Mr. Sanford replied yesterday:
What's left to say when your own Council representative won't sign an Integrity Pledge nor agree to protect clean elections? This:
After ignoring Mr. Sanford's Integrity Pledge, he did not react well to the Councilwoman's email invitation to her Tuesday fundraiser. HHA Vice Chair Mr. Sanford replied yesterday:
SANFORD'S REPLY TO "ELECT JEN AGAIN" INVITATION
What's left to say when your own Council representative won't sign an Integrity Pledge nor agree to protect clean elections? This:
ah don't support this legislation ? plus you don't support ranked voting? It all seems like stuff #THOR (The Hoboken Original Reform) fought for, and will continue to fight for. Thank you norse gods - and keep up the good fight.
ReplyDeleteMr HHA Commissioner Sanford calling council people hacks is unprofessional. It's also worth noting you are NOT a city official. You are politicizing this. The 6th Ward Councilwoman doesn't even have an HHA building in her ward or in Manhattan where it's rumored a current HHA commissioner is now residing.
ReplyDeleteLove your moniker "T-bone"- it makes me think of steak. The real fella passed away quite recently.
DeleteRe: Commissioner Sanford there's more to his story, which he told me in confidence. But of course it's fair that folks react to what he's (chosen to) put out.
Not sure if the commissioner is familiar with thsi pledge/oath and handbook:
ReplyDeletehttps://www.rd.usda.gov/files/NE-351_ED_and_Board_Responsibilities.pdf
6. I will recognize that my responsibility is not to make the day-to-day management decisions of the Commission,
but to see that it is well run by carrying out policy-making, planning and appraisal functions and by providing
direction and taking formal action in support of these functions.
7. I pledge to refuse to represent special interests or partisan politics or to use this Commission for personal gain
or for the gain of friends or supporters. I recognize that although I have been appointed by the City Commission,
my responsibility is to the entire community.
9. I will arrive at conclusions only after I have discussed matters fully with members of the professional staff and
Commission members. Once a decision has been reached by the majority of the Commission assembled at a
meeting, I will support it graciously.
T-bone, can you expand on why you think that oath quote has any application here? It seems like a non-sequitor intended to deflect attention from Giattino's hypocrisy but maybe if you connected the dots for us we'd understand better.
DeleteIt is a significant fact that during her failed run at becoming Mayor Councilwoman Giattino did not get the majority of votes in her own 5th Ward.
ReplyDeleteThe HHA vote figures into some individual Wards in Hoboken which will be significant in the November elections and going forward in city wide elections. The HHA has historically been one of those areas that has been the nexus of voter fraud and vote buying operations.
Anon @2:05... Why? Because it says they should remain out of politics. It's not a lone commissioners role or authority to act unilaterally and he could get in trouble by HUD for that.
DeleteInteresting. I think you're misunderstanding the language of the oath. Mr. Sanford hasn't done anything remotely applicable but can you explain how Dana Wefer could have run for city council while serving as HHA chair? Not to mention all the council members who have served on the HHA and the council simultaneously?
DeleteI doubt HUD will care much when you have the FBI investigating all the behaviors that ethics pledge is designed to prevent. In fact, I suspect HUD would welcome having candidates sign that ethics pledge and actually abide by it.
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