HOBOKEN — The Hoboken Democratic Committee sent out a press release late Friday afternoon calling a rival group of Democrats’ fundraising event planned for tonight illegal because the group did not register with the state Election Law Enforcement Commission (ELEC).
The longstanding Hoboken Democratic Commitee is currently led by allies of Mayor Dawn Zimmer, while their political opposition are behind a two-week-old group calling itself the “Real Democrats of Hoboken.”
The “Real Democrats” planned a fundraiser at 7 p.m. tonight at a Clinton Street restaurant honoring Assemblyman Ruben Ramos Jr., the previous chair of the regular Hoboken Democratic Party. (The current chair is Councilman Ravi Bhalla, who is a close Zimmer ally.)
The release from the Democratic Committee charges that: “This event, which is being actively promoted by Maurice Fitzgibbons, another prior Chair of the Hoboken Democratic Party and a former freeholder, is intended to raise money from developers to support candidates running against the incumbent committeemen and committeewomen who presently serve the Hoboken Democratic Party.”
The release later notes: “Vice Chair of the Hoboken Democratic Party, and Chair of the By-Laws Subcommittee, Phil Cohen, added, ‘We are proud of the changes that the Hoboken Democratic Party have made, instituting by-laws that prohibit the funneling of funds through the Hoboken Democratic Party to support candidates for non-partisan elections, like Hoboken City Council races or Hoboken Mayoral Races. Back when Mayor Russo and Mayor Roberts controlled the Hoboken Democratic Party, developers funneled hundreds of thousands of dollars through the Hoboken Democratic Party to support their Mayoral campaigns. We don’t ever want to return to those bad old days.’ ”
On another website, Ines Garcia Keim, a close ally of Councilman Beth Mason and thechairwoman of the new group, acknowledged that it was founded less than two weeks ago, but said it was legal for them to hold a fundraiser as long as they don’t donate more than $4,900 to one candidate in one calendar year. However, a subsequent commenter said that they still need to file a short form in order to raise any money.
With six of the nine City Council positions up for election this May, the controversies will likely continue for many months.
Watch this spot and the print edition this weekend for more on the outcome.