Coming Clean on Corruption

by: Jeff Gardner

Tue Feb 08, 2011 at 05:14:24 PM EST

Jeff is a candidate for the NJ legislature. Depending on redistricting, he may be Girgenti's opponent. Both reside in Hawthorne. --Rosi

It's tough being a candidate. Now, all of a sudden, every time I want to say something about politics, I feel like it will be viewed through the lens of a political campaign. That's too bad, because today's news out of the scandal-plagued Passaic Valley Sewerage Commission really can't go left uncommented on, campaign or no campaign:

Governor Christie on Monday delivered what he called "direct property tax relief" to residents when he fired 71 employees of the scandal-plagued Passaic Valley Sewerage Commission.

As if it doesn't bother me enough that the governor has been handed this PR goldmine on a silver platter, what really gets me is how there could be so many people on the public payroll who no one seems to think were actually needed there. How did they get hired in the first place?

Certainly, earlier stories have tied Senator John Girgenti to the PVSC, including to indicted officials there who had been contributors to his political campaigns. But, I think the public deserves to know just how closely connected Senator Girgenti is to the corruption at the PVSC. With reports that Girgenti was using the Commission as his personal patronage mill and political fundraising machine, taxpayers deserve to know just how deep that involvement goes.

That's why in the wake of today's news, I'm calling on Girgenti to fully disclose who among the terminated workers he played a role in originally hiring, and to release the list of all current and former Commission employees who have contributed to his political campaign.

If New Jersey is serious about cutting taxes without reducing services, we can start by getting to the bottom of scandals like this one.

Jeff Gardner :: Coming Clean on Corruption

Tags: corruption, PVSC, Passaic Valley Sewerage Commission, John Girgenti, (All Tags)

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Coming Clean on Corruption | 5 comments

Contacting Girgenti (0.00 / 0)

Here's the Webform for constituents who may want to contact Sen. Girgenti with these questions (click the red 'Contact your Legislator' link).

Phone number is (973) 427-1229.

It's not a particularly snappy signature, but here's what I think we need in the next NJ Democratic State Chair.

by: Rosi Efthim @ Tue Feb 08, 2011 at 23:11:03 PM UTC

by: you @ soon

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Sweeney should demand a investigation ! (0.00 / 0)

But we know he can't do that because of his ties to GCMUA ,and Dave Sheilds . So we will get nothing there .As for this being handed to Christie ,well if Corzine wasn't so corrupt he could have acted on this as well .CC is the only governor who has the balls to take on these slugs .OK Sweeney batter up !

by: speedkillsu @ Tue Feb 08, 2011 at 23:45:52 PM UTC

by: you @ soon

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Clean up Girgenti (0.00 / 0)

Sen.Girgenti should come clean even if he's only been involved (through the hiring process or as a campaign contributor) with 1 of these employees but especially if he has been involved with say 20, 40, 60 or 71 of these employees!!

by: Jon Galluccio @ Wed Feb 09, 2011 at 01:39:25 AM UTC

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Jon Corzine corrupt? (0.00 / 0)

Kindly furnish any evidence of Jon Corzine's corruption.

Restore democracy and the Constitution for which it stands.

by: The Wizard @ Wed Feb 09, 2011 at 15:51:35 PM UTC

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His fault... (0.00 / 0)

was he enabled all the corruption around him by either financing it himself, or turning a blind eye to it.