Can I get a refund?

by: Juan Melli

Fri Jan 11, 2008 at 12:08:18 AM EST

Retired state Sen. Joseph Coniglio (D-Bergen) spent almost his entire campaign war chest last fall on the criminal attorney defending him against allegations he steered millions of dollars in state grants to a hospital that paid him consulting fees, state records show.
Coniglio tapped his re-election campaign account for $90,000 in August and September to pay Newark attorney Gerald Krovatin, according to campaign disclosure reports filed with the Election Law Enforcement Commission. Outside those legal fees, Coniglio spent only $13,000 on his aborted re-election campaign, according to the records.

What a disgrace. Wayne Bryant is asking ELEC for permission to do the same thing, right? Does this mean Coniglio just did it without asking? Act first, apologize later? Coniglio is the only person who could make Bryant look like an angel. (For the record - no, I didn't give money to Coniglio)

Who is the most corrupt? Sharpe James? Joe Coniglio? Wayne Bryant? Take the poll below!

Juan Melli :: Can I get a refund?

Poll

Who is the most corrupt?

Sharpe James
Wayne Bryant
Joe Coniglio

Results

Tags: Joe Coniglio, (All Tags)

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Can I get a refund? | 4 comments

Can I get an all of the above? (4.00 / 1)

They all should be ashamed. Whether they can be convicted in a court of law or not, they all abused the public trust.

by: Jason Springer @ Thu Jan 10, 2008 at 23:12:20 PM CST

What's the difference? (0.00 / 0)

Chris Christie forces corrupt corporate bosses to pay his friends money that belongs to the shareholders to stay out of jail.

Coniglio just wants the same deal, where he can use money from his supporters to stay out of jail.

by: huntsu @ Fri Jan 11, 2008 at 05:41:46 AM CST

The fact (4.00 / 2)

that Joe Coniglio was involved in some way with the Hackensack University Medical Center makes me shudder when I drive by the now-closed Pascack Valley Hospital. Budget problems and lack of funds closed that hospital - meanwhile HUMC keeps growing and growing and growing. Hospitals are only helpful, if they are located close enough to where people live. It's troubling that the Northern Valley has lost a hospital in a very needed location, while people like Coniglio had "contracts" with and may have steered money towards a hospital that gets millions from the state. How many NJ residents will die on the long way to the emergency rooms at Englewood or Hackensack?

One Vote. Yours. It really does matter.

by: carolh @ Fri Jan 11, 2008 at 12:38:32 PM CST

There Oughta Be a Law: Indeed!!! (0.00 / 0)

If there was a poll putting the question:

Should an officeholder be allowed to use campaign funds on legal fees to defend against the possibility of possible criminal charges coming out of a federal investigation? I bet the results would be at least 90% "No way!"

Mind you, I'm not saying we should change the criminal code based on poll numbers alone, but this really is a no brainer.

The fact that this kind of legalized theft isn't criminal is an indictment of every sitting legislator who isn't rushing to propose a law closing this loophole.

by: Nick Lento @ Fri Jan 11, 2008 at 15:38:54 PM CST