Look up, Joe - that's the bottom of the bus that ran over you!

He finally (0.00 / 0)

stopped the bleeding.  They always support you, Joe, until they don't.  

I guess he got a little TOO cocky after having closed door meetings with the Clintons while being investigated by the Feds.  He was thinking NOTHING could touch him.

By choosing a female "ethics reformer" on their ticket, the Republicans made having a walking ethics nightmare - and a dude with a sexual harassment cloud over his head a liability for getting out the vote in Bergen.

Too bad it took him over a year to figure out he wasn't an asset for Dems with a general election looming.

One Vote. Yours. It really does matter.

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by: carolh @ Fri Sep 05, 2008 at 22:09:16 PM CDT

Hasn't Anyone Seen "Halloween"? (0.00 / 0)

This guy may be down, for now, but he ain't out.

Until he resigns or is jailed he's still the boss.

And even if/when JF leaves the scene the underlying  structure/system remains in place.

Then again, when the bigshot druglord is busted, sometimes the small fry end up fighting each other and making an ugly mess.......whatever happens, the need for alternative leadership remains and for large numbers of activist progressives to collect and co-operate in the fulfillment of a common progressive agenda.

What's needed, is an itemized, detailed comprehensve uncompromised legislative agenda that is spelled out with maximum specificity......that's a place to start.

As for Ferierro, it's still way too early to count him out.

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by: Nick Lento @ Fri Sep 05, 2008 at 23:50:45 PM CDT

Agreed (0.00 / 0)

We have to see what happens with the entire leadership at the BCDO.

One Vote. Yours. It really does matter.

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by: carolh @ Sat Sep 06, 2008 at 11:04:14 AM CDT

[ Parent ]

nobody knows the details of the case (0.00 / 0)

as its not public - all we know is that he has been accused of sexual assault, which is completely unrelated to what a lot of the folks at bluejersey have been accusing him of.

i think you should all take a step back and wait for this case to pan out and not mix apples and oranges, especially in a mean-spirited away.


help mobilize the progressive vote - Visit www.pdamerica.org

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by: vingopal @ Sun Sep 07, 2008 at 17:42:56 PM CDT

This has nothing to do with apples and oranges! (0.00 / 0)

Leave the fruit out of this!

Sexual assault is not the only thing he is under investigation for.
I suggest you take more than a few steps back and read the newspaper and his own quotes in the last six months...And if you are interested in what distinguishes Joe F from apples and oranges: Here is a great article that you should read...An investigative reporter from The Record sent me the following link to an in depth article that was published in The Record in January 2003.

Please cut and paste:

http://www.northjersey.com/new...

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by: KathyCallahan @ Sun Sep 07, 2008 at 18:18:09 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

"A step back"? (0.00 / 0)

I mention it in passing.  The only way to step back from that light of a treatment would be to totally ignore it.  Whether you like him or not, he's one of the most powerful men in Jersey politics, and that means that such accusations are, by definition, news.

What part of the single line: "Thiis comes just after a family friend has accused him of "sexual misconduct". " is mean spirited?

Will commit political science for food.

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by: Thurman Hart @ Sun Sep 07, 2008 at 19:21:37 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

look (0.00 / 0)

im just saying the guy stepped down as chairman because of accused sexual harassment, not because of any wrong doing he did as county chairman.

I don't know anything about Joe Ferrierro aside from what I read in the papers but it just seems what he is stepping down for is completely irrelevant to what he has been attacked about for years.

Thats all my point is. My other point was i think comments like 'Keep smiling, Joe - they'll love that in the Big House.' is poor in tone and wasn't necessary.


help mobilize the progressive vote - Visit www.pdamerica.org

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by: vingopal @ Sun Sep 07, 2008 at 22:46:34 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

Yet another (0.00 / 0)

"I don't know anything about him, but I'm going to defend him" stance.  That's fine - you're entitled to your opinion.  Last time I checked, we're still able to disagree.

But you should either leave discussion to those who know the facts of the case or at least follow the links provided.  

The sources also said that BCDO Counsel Dennis Oury had received a target letter.

Federal agents are investigating a grants consulting firm to which the men had ties. The firm did work in several Bergen County municipalities.

Ferriero's three leaves of absence began today, according to statements from the party, the law firm and a spokesman from Passaic Valley Sewerage Commissioners.

In a letter to the Democratic Organization, Ferriero explained why he was seeking a leave from its leadership.

"I am presently in the midst of legal controversies, which are totally unfounded," he said. "Although untrue, these controversies are now at the point that they may become a distraction to our efforts to elect Democrats in November. ... As a result, I am choosing to take a leave of absence."

SO it isn't just a case of being accused of sexual misconduct deciding to stand down for the good of the party.  It's a case of being accused of sexual misconduct AFTER the FBI has been issuing subpoenas and searchign your office.

As for the tone - it's the same one I use when I discuss any of our public leaders who get themselves into trouble.  And I intend to keep using it.  Get used to it or get over it, I don't really care.

Will commit political science for food.

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by: Thurman Hart @ Mon Sep 08, 2008 at 09:21:31 AM CDT

[ Parent ]

Vin, I Understand Your.... (0.00 / 0)

...respect for due process, and no one wants to see Mr Ferierro "railroaded".

He's the guy who chose to step down, while protesting his innocence.   He could have simply stayed on the job until the investigation cleared him or he was indicted.

If you're to believe his law firm, Scarinci & Hollenbeck, it was HIS idea to leave his job there. Nobody from Blue Jersey sent him packing.

As I said above, it's way premature to start dancing on Ferierro's political grave.   For all we know this just may be election year bullshit put on so it looks like something is being done about corruption.

As I've been saying for years.  Joe Ferierro is a de facto corrupt self serving opportuninst....if everything he's doing is legal; then our whole system is filthy dirty ugly evil foul and totally fucked up.  

The campaign finance system is legalized bribery.   I no of no one who effectively disputes that simple obvious reality.

The pols who get busted and jailed are the one's who get truly stupid and stupidly greedy....but they are the exceptions.

The interlocking web of favors, sweetheart deal, cronyism etc etc etc has to be destroyed.  It's evil....and we can't afford it any longer.  We never really could.

I suspect that our whole economy would double in productivity as we cut taxes in half if we REALLY had a corruption free society.

Life in America could be utterly transformed if we lived in a just and fair society.

Ruthless dishonest sumbags are the minority.   Most people truly are good and decent.  

The problem is that our systems are set up to reward the ruthless dishonest scumbags and punish decent honest people.  

Vin, I don't think we need to worry about Joe Ferierro's being able to pay for the best legal defenses money can buy....or about any prosecutor's treating him unfairly.   Frankly, I'm far more concerned about what kinds of strings he may be pulling to get out of trouble and what kinds of actions he may be taking to suppress any individuals who may dare to come out to testify against him.

Vin, I believe you're an honest and decent person, so I know that you're concern for Ferierro is the same as you would have for any American under investigation for a potential crime....but, I assure  you, there's no way he's going to be indicted, let alone covicted, of anything unless the case is rock solid.

If you want to flex your civil liberties muscle, here's a case I suggest is more worthy of  concern.

http://jonathanturley.org/2008...

http://www.statesman.com/news/...

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by: Nick Lento @ Mon Sep 08, 2008 at 10:43:08 AM CDT

[ Parent ]

Thank you Nick (0.00 / 0)

I just like to see all the facts come out before making heated conclusions.


help mobilize the progressive vote - Visit www.pdamerica.org

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by: vingopal @ Mon Sep 08, 2008 at 18:38:13 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

I have only two words for you: (0.00 / 0)

"target letter".

One Vote. Yours. It really does matter.

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by: carolh @ Sun Sep 07, 2008 at 19:47:15 PM CDT

[ Parent ]