...DeFUSCO ❤️ BHALLA!
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| What's this shit? |
POLL-DRIVEN FLIP-FLOPS?
Political campaigns that smell defeat near to election day may become desperate, compelling candidates to say or do silly things; it's called "silly season."
Welcome to Hoboken's silly season!
Welcome to Hoboken's silly season!
Two incumbent Council candidates, Michael DeFusco and Tiffanie Fisher, have literally flip-flopped 180° on positions they've held since their 2015 elections. Moreover, it appears to me that such dramatic flip flops are cynical responses to external feedback--like polling data. Any political consultant worth their salt (like DeFusco-Fisher's Vision Media) polls in advance of an election. These two FLIP FLOPS suggest that the flippity-floppity flipping FLIP-FLOPPERs have polling data showing:
- Mayor Bhalla is popular city-wide. More popular than DeFusco in his own ward. Michael DeFusco's relentless attacks on him have hurt him with First Ward voters.
- Tiffanie Fisher's recusal from voting on the Monarch Project is hurting her with Second Ward voters.
FLIP FLOP #1: Rebranding DeFusco
Forget the past 2 years of whiny, petty council diatribes (no pizza for you!), finger-pointing press releases (Hang that toilet signage faster, Ravi!) and bad faith legislation aimed at undercutting Mayor Bhalla's ability to govern Hoboken (no Jason for you!) Just forget it! Read your mail! Read it, you'll see! It says DeFusco "brings people together" and always "works with the mayor!"
FLIP FLOP #2: Hopelessly-conflicted Tea Building double condo-unit owner candidate Fisher announces "I will be voting on the final Monarch settlement next year" in spite of the material fact that she has a fiduciary interest in the outcome of the settlement.
Holy cow. Yesterday's 1,093-word newsletter from 2nd ward candidate Tiffanie Fisher took election-time pandering to a whole new level. Fisher's self-interested, reckless promise to un-recuse herself from voting on the Monarch project places its potential outcome up for automatic appeal on grounds that she is conflicted, voiding the result.
Fisher put her political self-interest ahead of 2nd Ward residents, and put the City at risk with this promise:
"On the Monarch - You Can Count On My Vote"
"As you know, I am personally impacted if Monarch is built, which I have always been forthcoming as it relates to all actions I have taken whether as an HTB board member or Council representative. But also as you know, the impact is not unique to me - I share a view impact with over 500 2nd Ward neighbors..."
But Fishers "500 neighbors" are not Hoboken legislators, and cannot vote on legislation which literally may increases or decreases their property value by tens or hundreds of thousands of dollars. Fisher owns "million-dollar views" to keep or lose. If she sells her property prior to the settlement vote, then she has no financial stake in its outcome. (Too bad Hoboken doesn't have it's own "Emoluments Clause")
If Fisher ignores the legal advice which prompted her recusal on all Monarch-related legislation to-date, why do the City and our 2nd Ward residents have to suffer?
Fisher is such an idiot.
ReplyDeleteThe unemployable financial genius, fiscally foul Fisher, will get the city sued if she refuses the recusal advice, which will be a slam-dunk for Applied / Ironstate, and her neighbors, whichever ones in the tea buildings are still speaking to her, will have her to thank for the loss of their views, and their plummeting real estate value. Hey, maybe Giattino can make them a deal!
ReplyDeleteCounsel, and the city's insurer should put her on notice that if she refuses their advice, she's on her own.
Agree on that. If the City gets sued because she votes with an obvious conflict, then she should not be indemnified by Hoboken's insurer.
DeleteThe Tiffster is the ultimate Google Lawyer, which is actually a scary thing when it is used as a substitute for actual legal advice. She really is not as intelligent as she thinks that she is. Several conversations with her proved that to me a few years ago. Her confusion over some basic financial concepts was pretty alarming to me at the time, but now, watching some of her more hilariously insipid comments and boringly uninformed diatribes, to me, she is just another sheepish dilettante in Mason clothing.
DeleteAs I said, she is an idiot. She really needs to go find something to do with her time where her stupidity can't cause any damage. Might I suggest opening a B&B in a town far far away like per predecessor?
DeleteShe is also committing to vote in favor of an agreement that 1) has been penned yet, 2) hasn't been financially or fiscally vetted, and 3) may or may not be in the best interest of the City and its residents. Her commitment to voting is proof of nothing but self-interest.
ReplyDeleteMeanwhile everything coming out of the MdF camp is liar liar pants on fire. I'm sure he and Vision Media aren't done yet. Hold onto your hats.
I think Ravi's popularity will be seen in the election - if MRS. PAGAN-MILANO trounces Councilman DeFusco, i'll buy into it. As someone who lives in the 1st ward, I very much question the polling results on Bhalla. I do not like him, or his style of leadership (or lack thereof). Perfect example was him NOT being at the NJ transit redesign meeting.
ReplyDeleteCorrect me if I am wrong, but wasn't that meeting sponsored by NJ Transit and doesn't the mayor oppose their vision for the site? So why would he lend their plans any legitimacy by attending? He'd be better off hosting a meeting explaining why their plans suck and the city should do everything possible to block them until that government transit agency stops pretending it is a developer that needs to make a profit on their investment.
DeleteThe City Council Rail Yard Committee is headed by Councilmen. DeFusco, Ramos and Russo and the proposal that was presented was approved and green lighted by that committee. Councilman DeFusco was the master of ceremonies at the meeting and was in the process of taking a victory lap of sorts until it became clear the room had turned against him. Councilmen Ramos and Russo were there but said almost nothing.
DeleteAnother example of he was for it until he was against it.
Anon 7:35 what polling results are you "very much questioning"? Can you provide a link? Or are you somehow privy to Mr. DeFusco's internal polling?
ReplyDeleteIt seems like you have just confirmed GA's speculation about DeFusco's polling which is certainly helpful to readers like me since I never take GA's speculation on stuff like that seriously on its own. So thank you.
Hey! 😹
DeleteMichael DeFusco has no spine, no core animating public interest beliefs or analysis that guides his positions. His positions are guided by what polls tell him because all he cares about is winning himself election to higher office. The fact that he is now trying to align himself with a Mayor who he has called corrupt, unethical, unfit, is proof positive that polls show that Mayor Bhalla is popular despite DeFusco's two year campaign to try to take him down. He is so full of shit. If he survives this round, I guarantee you that he will work overtime to take the Mayor down because his interest in the next Mayoral election will require him to do so.
ReplyDeleteHe is the worst thing to happen to Hoboken since Beth Mason. What a spineless shapeshifter.
I get what you’re saying. But I think anyone who steps into the arena, regardless of what I think of their policies or personality, has major stones.
DeleteDo people know that Tiffanie refers to her ward as The Entitled Ward? She told me herself when I met her on the street once.
ReplyDeleteHer disdain for the people of Hoboken in general and the 2nd ward in particular is pretty evident if you've ever tried to converse with her. Emphasis on tried. She also whispered to me and others that Bhalla wasn't electable because of his turban, so add racist into the mix of her toxic, condescending behaviors.
DeleteAt the meeting where she was ousted from the Democratic committee, Giattino was heard saying to her Fisher "fuck 'em". And that's how they roll.
They say "fuck you" to their constituents, and now they are seeking re-election.
Nope. F you.