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Real Bergen Democrats Statement

by: Juan Melli

Wed Apr 25, 2007 at 04:20:00 PM EDT



The Real Bergen Democrats team of Loretta Weinberg, Gordon Johnson and Valerie Vainieri Huttle just issued this statement regarding the ballot placement situation in the 37th district primary:
As we await the court's ruling on the final outcome of the Bergen County Democratic Primary ballot on May 4, we would like to make our position clear.

From the very start of this campaign we have been committed to making our party stronger by making it more open and inclusive.  That hasn't and never will change.

To that end we created the Real Bergen Democrats as a vehicle for bottom up reform.  We never agreed to dismantle that line and we continue to strongly support all the local municipal candidates running as Real Bergen Democrats.

We have no doubt, as all objective observers agree, that we would have decisively won a contested primary.  That is why we agreed to accept the resignations of the BCDO supported legislative candidates whose continued candidacies would have caused enormous resources to be squandered only to end up where we are now. Therefore, we agreed to move to the BCDO column. 

However, the BCDO never submitted the proper paperwork to our slate in order to legally move our ballot position.  As a matter of fact, the BCDO twice sent us paperwork that was incorrect, and if filed, would likely have resulted in the disqualification of all of our candidacies.

The current situation is solely the result of the BCDO's mishandling of the legal process required to change ballot positions.  We always were, and still are, prepared to stand by our agreement to move into the BCDO column as long as the move meets all legal requirements and preserves the right of the Real Bergen Democrats County and Municipal Candidates to run in a unified column.

I'm skeptical of what's going on here. It took almost two weeks to learn definitively that the legislative candidates had planned all along to run on the BCDO line. Why not say that earlier? There's a lot of crypticness and spinning going on all around and this press release doesn't help too much.
Juan Melli :: Real Bergen Democrats Statement
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Real Bergen Democrats Statement | 40 comments
ok (0.00 / 0)
who are the "real" freeholder candidates? 

"That we accept the world as it is does not in any sense weaken our desire to change it into what we believe it should be-it is necessary to begin where the world is if we are going to change it to what we think it should be." -Saul Alinsky
They did not plan all along. (0.00 / 0)
The decision to move to the BCDO column was only decided the nite before the Press Conference with Corzine.  2 weeks ago.  AFTER discussion with the local Real Bergen Dems candidates. 

We all had every intention of fighting to the primary until the Governor stepped in.  Who knows if the "messups" in Oury and Joe filing the papers was to get our whole line thrown out from the beginning.  They certainly couldn't have screwed up better not getting the Weinberg team moved to their column if they had tried.

And then Oury went ballistic when he realized that the Real Bergen Dems line was never meant to be disbanded and could end up in column 1 - which it did.  At least for a moment - then John Carbone stepped in to rule that we should all be thrown out on a techicality. 

We STILL DON'T KNOW where the Real Bergen Dems candidates will end up - and that includes Senator Weinberg's team since last Monday afternoon.

They are still waiting to hear.  The decision to move was ONLY decided the day after the meeting with Real Bergen Dems local candidates including ours from Tenafly.  Don't let Blue Bergen confuse the issue.

It's only been 2 weeks.  A lot has happened and nothing is settled. 

One Vote. Yours. It really does matter.

question (0.00 / 0)
The press release says:
That is why we agreed to accept the resignations of the BCDO supported legislative candidates whose continued candidacies would have caused enormous resources to be squandered only to end up where we are now. Therefore, we agreed to move to the BCDO column.
That makes it sound like the decision to move to the BCDO line was part of the agreement that was reached. Is that incorrect?
[ Parent ]
Skepticism? (0.00 / 0)
The only thing I'm skeptical about is how the experienced BCDO could bungle this so badly. This can't possibly be inspiring a lot of confidence in Chairman Ferriero.

As for whether Weinberg, Huttle and Johnson would be running in the BCDO column: It had been widely reported that part of the agreement was a switch to the BCDO column. Confirmation of those reports would have come when the proper paperwork was filed. carolh reported that those running on the Real Bergen Democrats line were notified of the impending column switch, and I don't doubt that was the case.

If you're suggesting a possible double-cross by Weinberg's team, there doesn't seem to be a case for it at the moment. Some more research may be warranted. If the claim of invalid paperwork is accurate, then either the BCDO made a deal under false pretenses or someone there is incredibly incompetent.

[ Parent ]
Re: Skepticism? (0.00 / 0)
I don't really have any problem with the legislators moving to the BCDO column. I think it hurts the rest of the Real Bergen Democrats, but is that cost worth avoiding an incredibly expensive primary to achieve almost the same result? I can see a case being made for that (though I haven't seen anyone make that case).

My understanding is that the decision to switch to the BCDO line was made before consulting with the county and municipal candidates. Are there county or municipal candidates out there who can say affirmatively that they were asked for input before the decision was made?

As far as the legal situation is concerned, I have no idea what is going on. If someone can explain in English what is happening, I'm interested in learning.

[ Parent ]
The Weinberg team did not (0.00 / 0)
want to go on the BCDO line.  Period.  The Governor and Congressman Rothman had to do a lot of convincing to get Loretta Gordon and Valerie to agree to the switch.  Which is exactly what Corzine said at the press conference.  We knew they would win handily, but Wildes, Zisa, and Wilson would withdraw ONLY if Loretta, Gordon and Valerie would move.  I have no idea who is telling you lies about who wasn't consulted, but OUR TENAFLY candidates were consulted before the switch.  I spoke to people at the meeting and they said Tim Driscoll and Barry Doll WERE there.  I know Loretta does not do anything without consulting her supporters to get consensus.  I have been at many of those meetings myself.  I know how it all went down.  Honest. Whoever is lying to you about not being consulted either missed the meeting or is just making stuff up. 

I was on Column 4 last Primary and it was only due to help from Senator Weinberg that folks knew to look for me in Column 4.  I know when she says she will support a candidate, she will support them.  No matter where on the ballot they wind up.  From firsthand personal experience. I know Loretta.  Just read my postings again.  It should make sense. 

One Vote. Yours. It really does matter.

[ Parent ]
The meeting (0.00 / 0)
The meeting PRIOR to the agreement being struck was not a big public meeting.  It was a meeting just with the Real Bergen Dems county and local candidates.  That was one meeting on this I did not attend, but I know nearly all the local candidates did go.  Whoever is telling you this meeting did not take place is lying.

One Vote. Yours. It really does matter.
[ Parent ]
when? (0.00 / 0)
The agreement was reached on a Wednesday and announced the next day - Thursday, right? Do you know what day that meeting was?
[ Parent ]
Actually, (0.00 / 0)
The meeting with the Real Bergen Dems was Wednesday nite. I got an email about the press conference Wednesday night.  The deal was only reached literally the morning of the Corzine Press Conference. 

One Vote. Yours. It really does matter.
[ Parent ]
It was part of the agreement. (0.00 / 0)
The agreement was only made practically THE DAY OF the press conference with Corzine - just 2 weeks ago.  I am not sure what is confusing folks.....

One Vote. Yours. It really does matter.
[ Parent ]
BLAME THE LAWYERS (4.00 / 1)
Loretta was a key operative for years.  She ran county campaigns and knows the rules (better than anyone). So, let me get this right: Loretta says she intended to run on the BCDO line at the kissing Joe Ferriero press conference, but because the BCDO lawyers did not give her the papers she couldn't? So now, with strong conviction (her team says), Loretta and her "team" are doing what they ways intended and are suing to run on a rival ticket? Wow, a lame excuse really is worse than none at all. It's so obvious that Loretta cut a deal, her locals went wild, and with Corzine sidelined she doubled back. Even Loretta can't martyr her way out of this one. I can't believe they issued that silly release. 
Bull (4.00 / 1)
I wasn't there, but accounts of the press conference claim that the agreement was that Wildes & his team would withdraw so that Weinberg / Huttle / Johnson could run unopposed and resources could be saved for other legislative races. That is exactly what happened. The Weinberg team would never have accepted any deal to completely disband the Real Bergen Dems line -- they could have simply walked away and won the election handily.

The idea that Ferriero was somehow victimized by Weinberg is an interesting one, though. Are you suggesting that Ferriero, the mastermind of so many Democratic (party) victories in New Jersey, is that incompetent?

The more you tighten your grip, Tarkin, the more star systems will slip through your fingers. -Princess Leia

[ Parent ]
BCDO Botched the paperwork (0.00 / 0)
Dennis Oury and Joe Ferriero would not have gone through such an elaborate procedure if they did not intend to make the switch.  They sent Loretta the wrong forms TWICE. They were blaming each other for the screw up.  They were quite beside themselves I understand.  Wildes, Zisa and Wilson's withdrawal went through. 

Loretta, Gordon and Valerie are now UNOPPOSED regardless of where they are.  They thing is, because Oury did not get the paperwork in on time, Loretta Gordon and Valerie COULD NOT SWITCH to the BCDO line anyway. 

They were left on their original Real Bergen Dems line due to the filing deadline being missed by Oury and Ferriero.  Rumor has it that Joe actually apologized to Loretta for missing the deadline.  Especially now, because the BCDO line has nobody at the top.

The thing is this.  Loretta, Valerie and Gordon agreed to switch columns, but had no intention of disbanding the Real Bergen Dems candidates.  Ever.  They intended on supporting the Real Bergen candidates from Bergenfield and Englewood especially.  Our candidates knew what was going on from day 1 because Loretta kept us all in the loop.

Sounds like Bergenboy wasn't in the loop, and Bluebergen just has an ax to grind.



One Vote. Yours. It really does matter.

[ Parent ]
nothing wrong with the paperwork (0.00 / 0)
From what I've heard there was nothing wrong with the paperwork.  In fact no formal paperwork was required at all!  I've heard that the AG and the County Clerk only required a letter from Loretta, Gordon, and Valerie requesting the switch to make the switch.  Oury's office sent Loretta and her attorneys that letter the day after the press conference.  Instead of signing it, Loretta and her attorneys ducked phone calls for a week.  Then on April 19th Loretta had her attorney send a letter saying in essence, "oops, the time limits have passed.  Guess I have to stay where I am."

It's all very clear that Loretta made a deal for Loretta, without thought to those beneath her.  With the bad press, and the Governor out of the picture, she saw an opportunity to back out, and she took it.  Any other interpretation gives far too little credit to all those involved.

[ Parent ]
YOUR LOOP (0.00 / 0)
...is what Loretta tells you.  How credible is that?  Esspcially when she's covering up.
[ Parent ]
Spoken (0.00 / 0)
like a true fan of forgeries and election fraud.  So how much does Oury pay you, or are you on the County Payroll?

One Vote. Yours. It really does matter.
[ Parent ]
WOW... (0.00 / 0)
...dissed by someone who quotes Star Wars. But to answer your question, no, I wasn't suggesting incompetence at all, although I am now suggesting that you vainly attempt to taunt with words like that to avoid responding to the point: Loretta made an agreement (with Corzine negotiating it) and went back on it (when he wasn't able to call her on it). That doesn't make Ferriero incompetent, it makes Loretaa duplicitous. It's as if you can't accept that she is a mere mortal. Anyway, what jmelli said is correct: it seems Loretta made an agreement to accept the withdrawals in exchange for moving to the BCDO line.  It wasn't a huge issue, but in trying to be all things to all people, Loretta has made it one.
Duplicitous? (4.00 / 1)
That is where I vehemently disagree.  I spoke to people privy to the conference calls about the switch.  It was incompetence pure and simple.  Joe and Dennis sent the wrong forms twice and missed the deadline.  It literally turned into a circular firing squad of blame with Joe and Oury yelling at each other.  Why would Joe apologize to Loretta for the missed switch if Loretta was being duplicitous?

It's late, but I will write a new diary tomorrow hopefully I will have more news.

One Vote. Yours. It really does matter.

[ Parent ]
ODD... (0.00 / 0)
Oury, et al used the RIGHT forms to get Wildes, Zisa and Wilson off the ballot.  A LAME EXCUSE IS WORSE THAN NONE.  Real progressives can't possibly believe Loretta is telling the truth.
[ Parent ]
well (0.00 / 0)
I think you always vehemently disagree, carol.  If only we all had your inside knowledge of how the Weinberg crusaders back room meetings go.  It would be even better if Loretta told the truth at your back room meetings.  Unless you are just spinning after the fact?

"That we accept the world as it is does not in any sense weaken our desire to change it into what we believe it should be-it is necessary to begin where the world is if we are going to change it to what we think it should be." -Saul Alinsky
[ Parent ]
You still haven't (0.00 / 0)
explained why you support
1. Forgery
2. Illegally challenging voters at an election
3. Changing Bylaws to dilute votes
4. Pay to play

What you call "back room" meetings were simply campaign strategy meetings for the Senator to discuss events with the persons involved before making a decision.  It would be back room if she was not consulting the persons to be affected.  Do you seriously think she would invite you? When it comes to governance, the Senator is extremely forthcoming about ANY legislation she is working on in Trenton.  You could not find a more open legislator. 

I think what you suffer from is called "transference".  You don't trust anyone because you think they would behave like you would in a given situation.  Talk about spinning after the fact.  Was that letter from the AG's office in fact signed by the Attorney General?  Or was it simply on AG stationary? 

Like I said, when it comes to believing someone, lets see, on one hand we have a beloved state senator with a 30 year career in NJ politics, who wins 75% of the popular vote, and on the other, forgery suspects who lie, try to rig elections, and use government jobs like presents to be doled out to anyone they want to reward or get out of the way, and people who have caused many in Bergen County to leave the Democratic party.  Gee, tough choice.  I think I'll believe the Senator.

One Vote. Yours. It really does matter.

[ Parent ]
ok (0.00 / 0)
1. Forgery - I don't support forgery, who said I did?
2. Illegally challenging voters at an election- What are you even talking about?
3. Changing Bylaws to dilute votes- there are differences of opinion, clearly on the proposed bylaws changes, but where is it indicated that I supported them?
4. Pay to play- oooh, big bad pay-to-play.  Explain what is so terrible about not railing against a legal practice as old as politics itself, certainly corruptible but not always.  I know you think that this is some evil aspect of politics and government, and sometimes it is a very bad thing (just like anything you abuse).  Republican officials hire republican professionals and democratic officials hire democratic professionals.  How many people apply for civic and government jobs that don't have political leanings?  A lot of well qualified people are out there, but I'd bet they go for private sector jobs before trying to get a county job.  If you got elected to a bigger office than tenafly council, are you going to put an ad in the paper?  You'll probably hire the people who wrote checks and worked on your campaign just like Loretta.  I am not opposed to you doing that.

"That we accept the world as it is does not in any sense weaken our desire to change it into what we believe it should be-it is necessary to begin where the world is if we are going to change it to what we think it should be." -Saul Alinsky
[ Parent ]
Star Wars (0.00 / 0)
I've always liked that quote.
[ Parent ]
The press conference was Thursday (0.00 / 0)
The day of Corzine's accident.  I understand negotiations were going on up to the very last minute.  But the deal was only sealed AFTER the meeting with the Real Bergen Dems.  No sooner.

One Vote. Yours. It really does matter.
AND THE DEAL WAS BROKEN... (0.00 / 0)
a collar bone, sternum, femur and multiple ribs later. 
[ Parent ]
yo (0.00 / 0)
Turn off the CAPS. Thanks.


[ Parent ]
sorry (0.00 / 0)
did not know about the caps rule.  no disrespect intended, to you or your site, jmelli.
[ Parent ]
Don't you think... (0.00 / 0)
If Loretta Weinberg had intended to dump any of her running mates she had ample opportunity before the BDCO convention--and she didn't do it.  There's simply no reason to think she'd do it now. 

"Do what you can, with what you have, where you are."  (Teddy Roosevelt)
WEINBERG DID NOT WANT... (0.00 / 0)
her running mates out.  She controls them, so she backed them. She (and her running mates) dumped they people they got to run as Freeholders so they would have a ballot position (e.g. LINE) if they had a contested primary.  She no longer needed that after her deal with Corzine and Ferriero put her and her Assembly "team" back.  But then the people she promised a line to locally balked, e.g. local candidates.  Then LW was caught in the middle.  You don't need to have Loretta telling you what happened to see that...
[ Parent ]
I see (0.00 / 0)
so fearless leader Loretta can do no wrong?  it is like 1984, we have always been at war with oceania.

"That we accept the world as it is does not in any sense weaken our desire to change it into what we believe it should be-it is necessary to begin where the world is if we are going to change it to what we think it should be." -Saul Alinsky
[ Parent ]
Good point (0.00 / 0)
Weinberg, Huttle and Johnson (and their bogger friends) are like Oceania's Ministry of Truth (speaking the opposite of the truth as truth).
[ Parent ]
You guys (0.00 / 0)
are like Rush's Dittoheads.  Even your screennames are nearly alike it's hard to tell you apart.  Do you all look like Joe Ferriero too?

One Vote. Yours. It really does matter.
[ Parent ]
Blue Jersey SOLD OUT (0.00 / 0)
Today I was checking Bluejersey.com to find an alarming Ad from John McCain, has the progressive voice of NJ Sold Out?
Check it out here for the screen shot:
http://docs.google.c...
lol (4.00 / 1)
That's a google banner ad that displays ads based on the content of the site. I guess it's not surprising that a political ad would appear here. If you're interested in filling that ad spot with your own ad, drop us an email.
[ Parent ]
hey (0.00 / 0)
I'm sure those ads are not sponsored by bluejersey.  They are probably roaming ads that the server puts up the way google does.

"That we accept the world as it is does not in any sense weaken our desire to change it into what we believe it should be-it is necessary to begin where the world is if we are going to change it to what we think it should be." -Saul Alinsky
[ Parent ]
one more thing (0.00 / 0)
With a few exceptions, we will run any ad that is paid for. If we get into the business of rejecting ads simply because we disagree with them, then every ad we DO run would imply an endorsement by this site, which is something we do not do.
[ Parent ]
good call (0.00 / 0)
I think most people know that Bluejersey doesn't want McCain to be president.

"That we accept the world as it is does not in any sense weaken our desire to change it into what we believe it should be-it is necessary to begin where the world is if we are going to change it to what we think it should be." -Saul Alinsky
[ Parent ]
Can I ask a question that has nothing to do with the substance of this thread? (4.00 / 1)
At what point does a thread become so long that few people but the bloggers themselves are still following it?  Circumstantial evidence:  When two or three bloggers and no one else are going back and forth, pretty much talking to themselves.  Oy.

[ Parent ]
It's official (0.00 / 0)
The Attorney General has certified Weinberg, Huttle, and Johson as Bergen County Democratic Organization candidates, ruling that the BCDO timely filed the required paperwork with the Division of Elections.  Any representations that the BCDO failed to file the proper paperwork were fabrications.
They did not (0.00 / 0)
file on time.  I know that for a fact.  They are getting a reprieve because it would have been too embarrassing to admit they screwed up so badly on filing.  The AG's office just did them a huge favor by letting Loretta Gordon and Valerie switch. 

But what does that say about Ferriero that he would completely disregard the voters in the BCDO?  They VOTED for Wildes, Zisa and Wilson.  It just goes to show how LITTLE Joe Ferriero thinks of the County Committee members and how extremely little he cares about their votes.  They mean nothing to the man. It really is all about him.  This behavior completely makes my case that the voting in the BCDO at this moment is a complete and utter sham. 

Ken Zisa said at the press conference that he got a call while he was out campaigning, that his candidacy was over.  What does that say to you?  At least Loretta invites the candidates to campaign strategy meetings.  Ferriero doesn't even have the courtesy to tell BCDO elected candidates of deals that can them until the deed is done.  Nice guy.  Again the difference between Loretta and Joe is clear as day.

Loretta doesn't need to buy silence or submission with jobs paid for by the taxpayers of Bergen County, because people volunteer freely to help elect her to do the people's work.  Joe giveth and Joe taketh away. That is the total source of his power.  If he was an ethical guy he wouldn't need to keep total control of the Bergen County government in order to force people to do his bidding.

Like I said, it's like night and day.  Guess who operates in the dark. It's not Loretta. 

One Vote. Yours. It really does matter.

[ Parent ]
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Real Bergen Democrats Statement | 40 comments
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