To some public officials who have come under the scrutiny of the U.S. Attorney’s office over the last few years, finding grim-faced federal agents standing at their door has a way of shaking their confidence. The promise of an indictment can make such officials question their own behavior. Even when innocent, a public official may wonder if perhaps he blundered into doing something wrong: Did they return that library book from last year?
To the target of an investigation, federal agents may seem to have taken lessons from used cars salesmen in the art of high-pressure sales. Under constant questioning, even honest politicians may question their own integrity.
A helpful federal agent may encourage political figures to save their family the public humiliation of a trial. If an official resigns and pleads guilty, he may save himself from weeks of ugly headlines. So if you are a loving father and devoted husband, you might think: “That sounds reasonable.”
Perhaps this was the thought process of Freeholder Bill Braker, who first submitted a resignation from his county freeholder seat but last week changed his mind.
Such a deal might have seemed reasonable, until a few days after Braker handed in his resignation and rumor had him scheduled to plead guilty in federal court. Then it hit him: “I’m not guilty of anything.”
Somewhere in the back of his mind the feeling of resentment began to stir: Why was a man who served on the Jersey City police force, earning recognition for valor in saving a woman’s life, and honored for his outstanding police work over the years, knuckling under to threats?
If he were innocent, he would stand his ground. Then, as an act of faith in his integrity, voters re-elected him Tuesday despite his letter of resignation.
“They spoke loudly that they still have faith in me and my ability to represent them as a legislator,” Braker said during an interview. “That made me realize that I should fight this to the best of my ability. I have been a good freeholder. I have been a voice of social consciousness on the board. I have been a positive force.”
Stirred up by his own indignity and by the support of the community, Braker says he will fight. This is the reason, he said, why he took back his letter of resignation and intends to take his seat in January.
Abe Antun, won’t you please come home?
In 1969, a friend of mine named Tommy Jordan arrived in Vietnam. At the airbase, he saw troops going home. Whereas Tommy and the new recruits were dressed in crisp new uniforms and had clean- faces, the soldiers going home had long hair, beards and ragged uniforms (when they wore uniforms at all). Although most of the men were barely more than a year older than Tommy, to him they looked decades older.
“I couldn’t figure out what aged them so much,” Tommy recalled.
Within a few days, when his unit clashed with the enemy, Tommy found out.
The transition team for newly elected County Executive Tom DeGise may indeed have a similar experience as they pass the outgoing veterans of Hudson County’s administration this week. If they wonder why the outgoing staff looks so ragged, a few weeks in office should teach them.
Of course, a few of the veterans re-enlisted for another tour of duty such as Abe Antun, who returns from a comfortable job in the state to face the freeholder free-fire zone, where freeholders can take potshots at them. David Drummeler, whose name no one seems to be able to pronounce, will take on the tedious task as personnel director. Some veterans of previous administrations, such as Mark Morchel, will simply retire from the firing line and return to safer posts in the legal department.
Yet as the majority of veterans leave, they carry out more than boxes full of files. Many of them carry away a decade or more of experience in county government much of the new staff lacks. Because DeGise is filling the unexpired term of former County Executive Robert Janiszewski, his team does not get the usual 60-day transition period. Many have governmental experience in city government such as Jersey City Councilman Bill Gaughan. But Hudson County is an intricate maze of multi-headed departments through which few have emerged unscathed. Finding things such as important documents may prove a challenge for the new recruits.
Of course, State Sen. Bernard Kenny, chairman of the Hudson County Democratic Committee, said the full resources and vast experience of all public officials will be available to help. DeGise’s staff may also find an unexpected resource should they need to locate a file.
“Just go ask the feds,” said one outgoing worker. “They probably have copies of all our files.”
Bobby J: Missing again
Earlier this month, Janiszewski’s indictment and guilty plea information vanished from the website of the U.S. Attorney while the list of other indictments over the last year remained unchanged. When asked about the vanished item, representatives of the U.S. Attorney’s office said this was the result of a clerical error – a part-time employee had been working there when the site was updated. The full-time staff person promised the file would reappear. Two website updates later, Janiszewski’s indictment remains missing. One enterprising local official pondered the significance, suggesting that feds may have removed the file as part of their agreement with Janiszewski.
“Maybe it was a small perk,” this official suggested. “The feds will remove the file from the website if the person is cooperating with them.”
If this is true, it suggests people should keep an eye on the website to see which name vanishes next, to know who is cooperating with federal investigators.
Hearing the alarm bells go off
With so many firehouses used around the state as polling places, you had to expect that an alarm would sound on Election Day. This happened at the Washington Hook and Ladder Company in Secaucus just after the polls closed and the counting started. Some election challengers grew concerned when one of the poll workers – a volunteer firefighter – had to abandon the voting machine to take up his post on a fire rig.
At the other end of Secaucus, the Huber Street School did not see a fire, but rather, some fireworks, as supporters of the two candidates clashed. Attorney Lebro Moratta, a supporter of Tom Troyer and a well-known critic in North Hudson, thought he heard Joe Pepe, a supporter of the Secaucus Democrats, make a slur. A commotion ensued. No charges were filed.
Representatives of the Hudson County Board of Elections had to clear the polling place of supporters of Tom DeGise. Several poll workers claimed DeGise supporters were lobbying votes inside the polling place in violation of election law.