Dr. Sigmund Freud must be turning in his grave for the opportunity to psychoanalyze two prominent Hudson County politicos after both had alleged involvements with the law. Jersey City Mayor Jerramiah Healy – in conflicting tales – allegedly acted disorderly during a visit to a shore community.
Bayonne Councilman Anthony Chiappone was allegedly apprehended tearing down signs dedicated to his arch rival Mayor Joseph Doria’s reelection.
As Freud might observe, both alleged incidents come at a curious time. Healy had just been named the chairman of the Jersey City Democratic Organization. Chiappone had successfully resurrected his political career from the ashes of two previous primary defeats and was on the road to becoming an even more powerful voice in Bayonne – as well as the 2010 contender for the mayor’s seat.
If – and this is a big if – these alleged activities were true, then what does it say about Healy and Chiappone.
Freud might say they were both fearful of their own success, and might attribute some deed seeded feeling of unworthiness for the office they held.
Was it all a plot to discredit Chiappone?
Freud, of course, is only one theory of subconscious motivations.
For Chiappone, especially, the alleged act of vandalism serves to erode the public trust for his ideas since no serious political figure would stoop to perform such activities himself.
What does it say about Chiappone’s organization if he can’t hire someone to do such dirty tricks for him?
In Hudson County, where political tricks are old hat, how can anyone trust a man who hasn’t learned the ropes, and must actually get himself sweaty pulling down signs?
Certainly, the celebrated Hudson County Democratic Organization has in the past been accused of similar activities, but few could track the actual act back to any particular organizer.
Chiappone, of course, may be right in saying that this was an orchestrated attempt to discredit him. Earlier in the Bayonne municipal election, Pat Desmond – a one time staunch supporter of Doria – was accused of paying kids to tear down Doria signs. While Desmond has remained silent due to still-pending legal proceedings, his friends claimed he was framed by a clever HCDO in an attempt to undermine his efforts to bring in a new union to represent Hudson County employees.
All these plots and counter plots take on dimensions worthy of the DiVinchi Code in their complexity. Who can believe anybody is telling the truth?
Will there be a shakeup in Hudson County politics?
Healy’s taking over the JCDO from outgoing chairman Jersey City Councilman Bill Gaughan has all the implications of a deal being made, and perhaps may soon have Gaughan adding “assemblyman” to his parade of titles that include Jersey City councilman and Chief of Staff for Hudson County Executive Tom DeGise. This would mean that current Assemblywoman Joan Quigley may have to vacate the position and hints of larger moves that involve her more ardent supporter, state Senator and North Bergen Mayor Nicholas Sacco – without whose approval Gaughan’s ascension would not be possible.
Over the long years of political turmoil in Hudson County, Sacco, Gaughan and DeGise have enjoyed relatively good relations, suggesting that some fundamental change in the political order may soon be afoot.
As if it wasn’t bad enough losing the recent Jersey City School Board Election, Michael Esposito recently received a congratulation letter from the State Department of Education for winning the election.
Two signatures are better than one?
In Secaucus, first ward council independent candidate Gary Jeffas gave new meaning to the cliché “playing two sides of the net” when his signature appeared on the nominating positions for Democratic Primary contenders Councilman Mike Grecco and his challenge Robert Zych – one of whom Jeffas would have to face off against in the November election.
Javier E. Inclan, the county clerk shortly after the primary disqualified Jeffas as a candidate, but the matter will likely be reversed on appeal since it is up to the other candidates to look more closely at who signs their petitions.
Inclan said Jeffas violated election law when he signed the required certificate accepting his own nomination, because he had previously signed the other candidates’ petitions.
Meanwhile, former 1st Ward Councilman George Heflich leaped into the fray by filing to challenge the primary winner, Grecco in November, repeating a conflict from 1997, which Grecco won.
Heflich’s entry – while rumored for a while – puzzles many since he had allegedly made peace with Mayor Dennis Elwell, who supports Grecco.
Menendez dodges Republican bullets
After voting five times as a member of the House of Representatives against a constitutional amendment to prohibit flag burning, U.S. Senator Bob Menendez has changed his mind.
This, of course, is a move to take some air out of state Senator Tom Kean Jr.’s campaign against him in November.
In the initial salvo against Menendez, Kean and his fellow Republicans have attacked Menendez on every front including being soft on terrorism, forgetting some of the tough stances he took while a member of the House of Representatives.
Expect this election to become more savage as Republicans seek to find a chink in Menendez’ armor.
Menendez has already steered around several important political land mines. During the Democratic Primary, some Democrats wondered why he failed to endorse West New York Mayor Albio Sires over Perth Amboy Mayor Joseph Vas for the 13th Congressional District.
Simple: Menendez needs Middlesex and Essex Counties where Vas did extremely well to beat Kean in November. By not taking a side in the Democratic Primary, Menendez kept from alienating voters in these key districts.