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| https://hudsonreporter.com/2017/04/02/fundraiser-held-for-nj-lgbtq-caucus/ |
On March 27, 2017, Hoboken's First Ward Councilman Michael DeFusco hosted "Pride Night Out" at a local restaurant, Dubliners, an event which he'd publicized was a fundraiser for the New Jersey State Democratic Committee LGBT Caucus. This was two months before DeFusco announced he was running for mayor. DeFusco did not publicize that money was being raised for his campaign but rather, was his response to bias incidents against individual members of the LGBTQ community.
On good faith, we all believed him and supported the cause, including me.
On good faith, we all believed him and supported the cause, including me.
But now, with the benefit of hindsight and a Mike Defusco for City Council ELEC report, was it really a "Pride Night Out" or a "Mike's Night Out?"
Because $23,400 contributions were "received" by DeFusco's campaign on March 27, 2017, including $500 from the "NJ LGBT Democrats." Plus a $250 in-kind contribution from Dubliners.
Because $23,400 contributions were "received" by DeFusco's campaign on March 27, 2017, including $500 from the "NJ LGBT Democrats." Plus a $250 in-kind contribution from Dubliners.
MICHAEL DEFUSCO FOR HOBOKEN CITY COUNCIL
APRIL 15, 2017 ELEC REPORT
Further, a contemporaneous Facebook post that was quickly pulled down, urges "support for Councilman DeFusco" not LGBTQ Democratic Caucus.
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| screen-capped before post was pulled down |
A video shot by John Heinis of Hudson County View is telling.
Listen to DeFusco's speech to the group and then his interview with Heinis. Did he once utter the words "NJ LGBTQ Democratic Caucus?" He didn't. He didn't praise, nor say one word about the organization he purported to be raising money for.
Instead, he talked about himself. He talked about failures of the Hoboken mayor, and a litany of things that Hoboken needs to do to raise it's score on the Human Rights Scale. Just Hoboken. Just him. At a fundraiser allegedly for a statewide LGBTQ Democratic Caucus?
Note, Heinis is a thorough journalist who usually reports the amount of money these kinds of events draw. Funny, Mike DeFusco didn;t provide that information.
One could probably find that on an ELEC filing somewhere. I haven't yet. Just curious to know how much this "fundraiser" raised for the NJ LGBTQ Democratic Caucus, cause the Councilman sure cashed in on March 27. 2017.
LOCK HIMUP
ReplyDeleteMDF's invitation doesn't mention LGBTQ Dem Committee fundraising but all the newspaper articles do....? then $23.4K in checks get written to his council account the same night as his fundraiser. Some operator.
ReplyDeleteIf DeFusco forked over the $23,400 to the virtually non-existent Democratic LGBTQ Caucus, then it's easy to see why they'd support his fabricated outrage. If he didn't give them the money, then he committed fraud. If he kept the money and didn't report it, then he's committed an ELEC violation. Again.
ReplyDeleteWho is Ed Potosnak, the "special guest", and what's his connection to DeFusco and this fake fundraiser that now seems like nothing more than a campaign fundraiser for his failed mayoral race? And apart from DeFusco, does anyone recognize anyone at all in this photo?
Ed Potosnak is a really good guy, looks like he got used here.
Deletehttps://edpotosnak.com/biography.html
"Ed is Executive Director of New Jersey League of Conservation Voters, the leading political voice for the environment. Ed has also taught as a Part-Time Lecturer at Rutgers University, a member of the Rutgers Glee Club Alumni Advisory Committee, Board Member on the Franklin Township Board of Education."
I'm hearing a chat in my head..getting louder..."Lock him up. Lock him up. Lock him up"
ReplyDeleteI hear ... it is getting louder...."Vote for Mig. Vote for Mig, Vote for Mig"
DeleteWhich will happen first:
ReplyDelete1) Mike will come clean about leveraging this fund-raiser to request “a little favor” from the caucus in the form of a letter of condemnation.
2) Lauren/the caucus will come clean about past financial dealings with the councilman as they absolutely should have in conjunction with making any public statement whatsoever.
3) Any media other than this website will mention it.
4) Pigs will fly.
It seems the NJ LGBTQ caucus is an organ of the State Democratic party. It is a democratic party political organization masquerading as an LGBTQ advocacy group.
ReplyDeleteIt's chair and vice chair are not chosen by "caucus" members - they are appointed by the Chairman of the State Democratic Party - currently John Currie.
I seriously doubt they would be getting involved with a post on a local blog without a go ahead from Chairman Currie.
Peter Cammarano had the full throated support of the State Democratic Party in 2009, in his race against a Democratic woman who, unlike Cammarano, actually cared about the issues that democrats are supposed to care about. Hoboken has changed very much for the better since then. The State Democratic Party, unfortunately, has not.
I know Ed, he is a nice guy but he got crushed in his BOE election.
ReplyDeleteHe lost big when I Left, but he did reelected since.
ReplyDeleteHi, ss1959. When I wrote about this fundraiser in 2017, I read about Ed and watched one or two of his speeches on video. Glad to hear he got re-elected.
Delete