Hudson County politics is so vicious that if a political shot doesn’t kill its victim, people consider it a miss. As if to prove this point Jersey City — over the last two weeks – hefted heavy blows towards two candidates for mayor, forcing Police Chief Ronald Buonocore off the November ballot, and possibly forcing Councilman Jerramiah Healy to reconsider his candidacy.
It is no mystery as to why Buonocore chose to run when he clearly had a paper trail showing he did not meet the residential requirements. Although huffing and puffing and threatening to blow down the political houses of those who came out against him, Buonocore ran for office to save his job as police chief. If acting Mayor L. Harvey Smith wins the special election for mayor, Buonocore is history; if Lou Manzo wins, Buonocore will be seeking unemployment compensation as well. His slim hope rested on Healy, and Buonocore’s ability to cut into votes Manzo and Smith needed to squeak through Healy victory.
The fact that Healy may not survive to the election may never have across Buonocore’s mind.
Although people throughout Jersey City had talked about finding Healy naked on his door step – even offered to show photographs, Healy maintained his position as one of the front-runners – the tales did not hurt Healy until the story appeared in the New York Times.
While various polls, including those done for vendors doing business with the city, showed Manzo leading the pack, later polls showed the race to be tightening with Manzo losing ground to both Smith and Healy.
The attacks on Buonocore and Healy started in mid-summer in an apparent attempt to eliminate potential contenders before voters had to choose in November.
Although attacks have been fired in all directions and at nearly every candidate, the two most pervading questions centered on Buonocore’s residency and why Healy was found naked on his own door step.
Healy, when interviewed for the Times article admitted in the story that he had diabetes and had had a few beers that night.
Healy, however, downplayed the article and its impact, saying some of the information was taken out of context.
In fact, he was ready for sleep when he was apparently lured out of the house by a noise outside.
He wasn’t certain if it was someone ringing his door bell or banging his trash cans.
During the summer, people had thrown paint on his door step seeking to get him out of the race.
His campaign manager’s car had been covered with paint as well.
With a towel around his waist he went to investigate the noise.
Healy said weariness, the beer and the diabetes caused him to slump over.
Then someone outside took his picture.
Healy said he would not let the Times article or the incident keep him from running, and his supporters questioned the ethics of enemies who would follow him around with a camera.
“You would think if you saw someone slumped over like that you would call an ambulance, not take his picture,” one supporter said.
A self destructing campaign?
The Times article did have some details wrong – such as quoting Joe Lauro as a former advisor to Glenn Cunningham.
Lauro, a public relations specialist, has advised numerous politicians over his long career.
But Cunningham was not one of them.
The Healy campaign, however, has suffered from its own internal problems.
In a classic case of “one hand not knowing what the other is doing” Carmine Venezia has been credited with orchestrating the move that would have put Raymond Manzo on the ballot – an effort to confuse voters and possibly shave a few hundred votes from Lou Manzo in what was seen as a tight race.
Venezia was also credited with the move to put presidential candidate John Kerry’s name on signs supporting Healy, a move that upset some in the Kerry campaign because the mayoral special election is supposed to be non-partisan.
Buddy Demellier, the campaign manager for Healy, apparently knew nothing of either move, and would have disapproved of both had he known.
Will Rogers, a 1930s political commentator, once pointed out that on Broadway, the quality of comedy is judged by how long it continues to run.
Using Rogers criteria, Hudson County politics is the biggest comedy hit ever, lasting for more than 100 years and gauging by this year’s Jersey City mayoral election, shows no sign of slacking off.
Friends forever?
The long-time and frequently bitter feud between Secaucus town administrator Anthony Iacono and former Councilman George Heflich came close to be resolved earlier this month – except for a joke photograph put into one of the local newspapers.
Iacono and Heflich have been at each other’s throats for years, each plotting the political demise of the other, each orchestrating campaigns that would undermine the other’s credibility.
But in a gesture of peace, Iacono and Secaucus Mayor Dennis Elwell went to Wildwood to support Heflich’s election to a prestigious state level firefighter’s post.
Heflich was among about 15 people running for the position of vice president of the State Fireman’s Association.
Of 7,000 votes cast, Heflich won by 254.
Elwell and Iacono campaigned hard, handing out 10,000 plastic mugs with Heflich’s name on it.
Unfortunately – whether by accident or by intent – the photographer taking the picture of a local paper positioned Heflich and others in front of the town sign congratulating Heflich.
The positioning, however, resulted in the blocking of enough letters to imply that Heflich did something obscene.
Bayonne race will get nasty
You can expect the senate race in the 31st District to heat up very fast with Bayonne state Senator and Mayor Joe Doria facing off against his long-time rival Bayonne Assemblyman and Councilman Anthony Chiappone in a four-way race, vying for the seat vacated by the death of state Senator and Jersey City Mayor Glenn Cunningham.
In June, Democratic Committee members of the 31st District voted to give Doria the seat until the November election would let the voting public choose who will fill the unexpired term.
These two have a long and negative history, and you can expect the rhetoric to escalate.
Chiappone has already said this is both a political and personal issue, and both sides will be recalling old slights and pulling no punches.
Two candidates from Jersey City as well, including John Watson, who was supposed to be on the ballot with Buonocore.
Also running is Kabili Tayari, an assistant business administrator for Jersey City.
Hoboken disputed
Hoboken Councilman Tony Soares disputed some statements made in last week’s column by Mayor Dave Roberts.
“There is going to be a concerted effort to get people to vote against the pay-to- play referendum,” Soares said.
“I believe the mayor will be leading that opposition.”
Roberts said in last week’s column that he had not taken a position on the referendum and would abide by what the voters decided.
Voters in Hoboken will be asked to vote on strict restrictions on campaign contributions from people who do or are seeking to do business with the government.
Several members of the Hoboken City Council proposed adopting a version adopted by the state legislator, but Soares, Councilwoman Carol Marsh and others have opted for the stricter version proposed by People for Open Government – who won in court the right to have their version on the ballot.
“I fully support the POG version,” Soares said. “And I challenge the Mayor to support it if he really wants to see reform.”