In an apparent effort to increase the number of people they prosecute in Hudson County, the U.S. Attorney’s office had taken a new strategy with the prosecution of Freeholder Nidia Davila-Colon. Instead of hammering the people who made the most money from bribes and arranged contracts with the county, the feds have decided to slam the one person who apparently made nothing.
While former County Executive Robert Janiszewski and Dr. Oscar Sandoval allegedly used Davila-Colon as a means to exchange bribes, the feds are apparently giving them deals so they will testify against her.
If her testimony in federal court can be believed, she not only was confused, depressed and heavily drugged; she was in love at the time of the alleged bribes.
This tendency to seek out the least guilty in Hudson County promises federal prosecutors a fertile field, since there are likely more innocent people to prosecute than guilty. They are avoiding crowding federal jails with people who may have actually committed crimes by giving them time off for their testimony.
Target letters in the mail?
Rumors claim that the feds have issued a batch of “target letters” to officials throughout Hudson County last week. For those unfamiliar with such letters – such as innocent bystanders – recognizing them might pose a problem. Since there are a variety of these letters, it may be helpful to explain some types.
There is, of course, the target letter that requires records. Such a letter usually asks a specific person at a specific organization or business to produce specific records, often those required to be kept under tax laws. Such letters often end with “If [name of person] fails to produce those records identified above by such and such date, this office will move to have him or her held in contempt.”
Another version of the target letter asks for you to become a witness and schedules an appearance before a court of grand jury. Such a letter often says, “As a witness you will be asked to testify and answer questions involving the violation of federal criminal law, but not necessary limited to [such and such.]”
Much more troubling still would be the third kind of target letter, which says, “You are advised that you are a target of an investigation.” At which point, you should be on the phone to your attorney.
This ain’t no Spiderman movie, Sal
Speculation as to why Freeholder Chairman and West New York Commissioner Sal Vega was found in the water clinging to the side of a sewer pipe has been increasing due to his silence. Close friends have been unable to contact him and he has issued no formal release. Vega allegedly fell off the cliff during his morning jog. But the rumor mill has attributed other reasons for the “accident” from a botched UFO abduction to Freeholder Al Cifelli throwing him off because Vega beat Cifelli in the Hudson County Improvement Authority marathon last month. One can only imagine the soft-spoken Cifelli saying with regret, “I only meant to break his big toe; not toss him off.”
Jersey City to make peace
Apparently Gene Drayton, aide to Mayor Glenn Cunningham, has reached out to Councilman Steve Lipski with a peace offering. The mayor and council have had an ongoing feud for over a year. But with Cunningham’s primary victory to become the Democratic Senate candidate in the 31st District, the council may be more willing to respond – especially with Drayton’s gentle hint a council recall might be possible if the council refuses.
Reports say Cunningham’s effort to make peace with Rep. Bob Menendez (13th Dist.) may have been orchestrated by state Senator Raymond Lesniak (D-20th Dist.) who not only helped shape Cunningham’s lame victory speech, but talked Cunningham out of running a candidate against state Sen. Bernard Kenny (D-33 rd Dist.) for Chairman of the Hudson County Democratic Organization.
Several mayors of Hudson County’s towns have complained about the high cost of the feud. As detailed in the Davila-Colon trial, each town must pay a specific assessment to the HCDO to cover costs of elections. In normal years, this money is issued back to candidates in each town and district in order to fund various campaigns. For the last two years, it has gone to fuel the Cunningham-Menendez feud, and has many of the mayors saying the feud has to stop – especially considering why it started in the first place. Apparently, Cunningham hired legal firm DeCotiis, FitzPatrick, Cole & Wisler instead of Menendez’s favorite, Scarinci-Hollenbeck.
If anyone wonders who designed Cunningham’s move to seek the Senate seat, you don’t have to look much further than former Mayor Gerry McCann, although Cunningham’s staff were savvy enough to execute the plan nearly perfectly.
Paul Byrne, who has been no stranger in the news this week, said he has retired from the political scene to concentrate his efforts on Right to Hope Committee, which hopes to motivate the state legislature to allow stem-cell research. Byrne claims his committee helped Lou Manzo win the Democratic nod for state Assembly in the 31st District.
Hoboken will never be the same
As if the pre-election spin didn’t confuse people enough, the spin as to what this week’s runoff means can make you dizzy. Mayor David Roberts held his own, proving the power of his organization to keep his seats. But the election promises Roberts will be making frequent trips to his medicine cabinet to handle the massive headaches he will inherit by having both Anthony Russo and Anthony Soares on the council at the same time.