UPDATE: Ferriero Seeks to Undercut Pay-to-Play Laws

by: Juan Melli

Sun Sep 09, 2007 at 12:16:07 AM EDT

( - promoted by Juan Melli)

Big Update [Sept 10, 2:35pm]: Joe Ferriero has called off tonight's meeting. Instead, he is forming a "platform committee" to consider the issue. This is not over, but consider this battle won.

Bergen County boss Joe Ferriero, who runs the county by routinely trading jobs for loyalty and contracts for campaign contributions, wants BCDO lawyer Dennis Oury to sue the state to strike down pay-to-play laws threatening his patronage mill.

But why now? Why time this to coincide with election season? He almost pulled a similar stunt last year, but was talked out of it. Some think he's pressing the issue at this politically awkward time to pressure Codey and Roberts to pony up their leadership PAC money.

Since 37th district legislators Loretta Weinberg, Valerie Huttle and Gordon Johnson objected to his decision, he decided to call a meeting of the BCDO executive committee for this Monday at 5pm to take a vote on the issue. Presumably, he wouldn't have called the meeting if he didn't have the votes. Bergen County rank and file Democrats are expected to stage a protest outside the meeting to express their disapproval of this latest power grab.

Those eligible to vote include elected officials in Bergen County. The legislators in the 37th district have already made their views known, but how will Senators Paul Sarlo and Joe Coniglio and Assemblypersons Robert Gordon and Joan Voss vote?

There are several other candidates from Bergen County who could find themselves in a similar position if they win in November, and we deserve to know how they would vote: Joseph Ariyan, Esther Fletcher, Carl Manna, Zonie LeSane and Lisa Sciancalepore. Do they agree with Joe Ferriero that the pay-to-play laws should be struck down? I'll post updates here as we learn where they stand.

Juan Melli :: UPDATE: Ferriero Seeks to Undercut Pay-to-Play Laws

Tags: Lisa Sciancalepore, Zonie LeSane, Carl Manna, Esther Fletcher, Joseph Ariyan, Gordon Johnson, Valerie Huttle, Loretta Weinberg, Bergen County, Joe Ferriero, (All Tags)

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UPDATE: Ferriero Seeks to Undercut Pay-to-Play Laws | 5 comments

I will vote against Ferriero and Oury's lawsuit (4.00 / 4)

As an elected official who is on the Bergen County Democratic Committee - I will Vote NO on Monday - if I get the chance (and they don't challenge me.) I will basically do what I did for the Bylaws vote and tell Dennis Oury to take a long needed vacation. Let our State Legislators work to restore the integrity of our electoral process. Let our Governor worry about the budget. I want to worry about my Borough, not these constant, narcissistic and greedy attacks on democracy while our sons and daughters are dying in Iraq to protect it. These land use attorneys don't care what's going on in Congress. That should tell you where their priorities are. Dennis and Joe didn't have the guts to face the NJ state conference. They stayed home - plotting in their underground bunker.

One Vote. Yours. It really does matter.

by: carolh @ Sun Sep 09, 2007 at 06:38:26 AM UTC

by: you @ soon

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what does thie mean? (0.00 / 0)

A small victory for the grassroots or am I just imagining it that way?

activist for hire.

by: Jay Lassiter @ Tue Sep 11, 2007 at 00:12:53 AM UTC

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It's a HUGE victory (0.00 / 0)

for the grassroots. Byron Baer would be proud.

Now, we've got Joe's full attention. But it is only one battle. He'll regroup. He always does.

I already have folks emailing me - pleading to see it their way. They are afraid of losing the money to campaign with.

Every little victory shows the folks on the Committee who thought things were hopeless that they aren't. You CAN fight the power. You can field a reform slate or reform candidate and win.

But most of all it shows that sunshine is the best disinfectant.

One Vote. Yours. It really does matter.

by: carolh @ Tue Sep 11, 2007 at 16:31:58 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

Anyone know this Gerald T Reiner guy? (0.00 / 0)

now he's harassing me by email. He can't post here so he's being obnoxious to me directly. AND- he's from Middlesex County. What's the deal?

One Vote. Yours. It really does matter.

by: carolh @ Tue Sep 11, 2007 at 16:44:36 PM UTC

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