Dear Editor:
Can it get more interesting? Who would have thought, less than a month after Inauguration Day, Hoboken residents would be treated to the dissonance of reading Dawn’s Hoboken Reporter interview, affirming no causality between lack of a gubernatorial endorsement and Sandy Relief Funding, while, watching Dawn on MSNBC accusing her “BFF” of not only delaying and reducing Sandy funding but extortion?
On several cable channels over the Jan 18, 2014 weekend the sordid details of this threat to Hoboken residents unfolded. According to Dawn, starting May 2013, the Christie Administration exerted a steady pressure by linking “Up Zone Variances”, for a favored developer, to the amount and distribution of Sandy Relief Funds. We learned locations and conversations with Christie emissaries, the Lt. Governor in the parking lot (deny, deny, deny), the DCA Commissioner at a conference, (wearing microphones but…) and finally the Funding Czar at a meeting (determine level of development…).
Yes, we learned that Dawn has an inner circle and a diary. To her inner circle she confided details of the ongoing corruption while her diary absorbed remorse from poor character judgment. We learned a lot, except a believable explanation as to why it took Dawn 8 months to come forward. Whether Dawn has both a fiduciary responsibility to protect Hoboken residents and an ethical responsibility to report attempted bribery, has yet to be addressed, but until then; please don’t try to excuse her silence with “I feared not being believed” routine.
Belief would be an issue if Dawn went to a local blog site, but we are dealing with the same U.S. Attorney’s Office that arrested and convicted dozens of elected official by “wiring –up” Dwek. Any claims of criminality perpetrated by a sitting governor would be too delicious for any U.S. Attorney to ignore. Do we really think the mayor’s contacts in the FBI would pass on taking down Chris Christie?
So, why the wall of silence? Better, who benefitted from the silence? Ironically, the man she now wants indicted, Chris Christie. Rather than Governor Buono, her silence ensured a Christie reelection landslide. Dawn also benefitted! She capitalizing on her plan to move the mayoral election to November. With Christie atop the ticket, Dawn used her Trenton connection to help fundraise, garner Republican and Union support and rode Christies’ coattails to victory.
So what harm did the Christie/Zimmer imbroglio cause? Well, Barbara Buono lost, amorphous philosophical concepts like honesty and justice took a hit but when it comes to Hoboken, reporting is mixed. While an Associated Press analysis reports Hoboken received Sandy Funding comparable to many cities across the state, the Star Ledger reports $10,400,000 from The New Jersey Housing and Mortgage Finance Agency, earmarked to “Sandy Proof, Hoboken Housing Authority Developments, never disbursed because the Administration failed to supply documentation.
I read this letter many times before submission and still can’t reconcile Dawn’s behavior. How could a person consumed by resiliency be callous to the living conditions of residents? How could Dawn not only keep silent but benefit while she thought her residents were harmed. My conclusion, from all appearances, this was the unilateral dissolution of a partnership. Christie helped Dawn govern and get re- elected he was wounded and no longer needed: it’s Friday, time to throw out the trash!
Thank you for your many courtesies.
I remain,
Perry Belfiore