BCDO Blues

by: carolh

Sun Apr 22, 2007 at 09:54:24 PM EDT

Due to pressure from Governor Jon Corzine and Congressman Steve Rothman, Loretta's team accepted the withdrawal of the Wildes Zisa Wilson team and accepted the endorsement of the BCDO - which is what they would have gotten in the first place if Ferriero hadn't played games of trying to get rid of incumbents Valerie Huttle and Gordon Johnson.

The agreement brokered by the Governor was that Loretta, Valerie and Gordon would move over to the BCDO line.  It should be noted that this agreement was arrived at after consultation with key Weinberg supporters such as local labor leaders and local Real Bergen Dems candidates.  However, it was up to Joe Ferriero and Dennis Oury to file the proper papers to make the switch.  The Weinberg team expected the forms to be ready for the press conference.  They were not.  When Dennis Oury and Joe Ferriero tried to file papers to get Loretta, Gordon and Valerie to switch over to their column, they sent the wrong papers.  Twice.  Then they missed the deadline completely.  And so, due to the ineptitude of the BCDO Lawyers, the chance to switch was missed since strict rules in the Title 19 law prohibit folks from switching columns after the deadline.

Ah, but all was not as it seemed, Even though Loretta, Gordon and Valerie all bargained in good faith and agreed to go on the BCDO line, Ferriero had more in mind which he only shared a few days AFTER the press conference.
Long story short, not only did Ferriero plan on simply moving Loretta's team to his column after the Weinberg team accepted the withdrawal of Wildes, Zisa and Wilson and the endorsement of the BCDO, he planned on forcing her to get rid of the entire Real Bergen Dems column, Bergenfield and Englewood candidates included!  Not even mentioned at that press conference. This explains what Joe really had up his sleeve.

Loretta and company planned Real Bergen Democrats to be a formal association with three trustees and a mission to clean up Bergen County Politics. It wasn't just a slogan to tick off The Chairman.  It was created to make his life miserable by electing honest candidates against Pay-To-Play.  I was at the first meetings.  I know.

When the Weinberg team found out what Ferriero was trying to do a few days after the press conference, Loretta again said "NO DEAL".  Weinberg Huttle and Johnson had planned from the beginning on supporting the Real Bergen Dems rest of the ticket no matter what happened.  They NEVER promised to get rid of the rest of the ticket.  This whole thing STARTED because Loretta couldn't throw her team under the bus.  She's not about to change now.

Ferriero's buddies in this story are trying to get rid of the Real Bergen Dems line on a technicality by making a bogus argument that we have no real campaign manager. I know Brenda, I have met Brenda and I knew Brenda was the campaign manager from day one.  She actually exists and everybody who came to the HQ opening met Brenda. Unless that many people can have the same hallucination, Brenda is a REAL campaign manager for the Real Bergen Democrats.  Honest. 

When County Clerk Kathleen Donavan chose Real Bergen Dems to be in Column 1 on the ballot, her attorney, John Carbone tried to stop the Real Bergen Dems by attempting to prove that we had no campaign manager.  That is why I brought up Brenda, who is NOT imaginary.  Shades of Katherine Harris anyone????

You all may remember John Carbone as a lawyer working with Oury to get our "Tenafly Five" provisional votes thrown out.  John Carbone worked hard in 2005 so that Loretta Weinberg would lose the special election to Ken Zisa.  He failed.

As of this writing, Loretta, Gordon and Valerie are now certified by the Attorney General to be listed on the Real Bergen Democrats line.  The BCDO cannot get them on the BCDO column without a legal fight now that Ferriero and Oury missed their deadline.  And believe me, the BCDO boys are trying now that according to election law, Wildes, Zisa and Wilson are history. 

Real Bergen Democrat Lawyers are now going to court THIS MONDAY to prove that Brenda exists and has existed from the very start as the Real Bergen Dems campaign manager.  Ferriero's lawyers are trying to throw out the Real Bergen Dems entire slate by saying that Brenda doesn't exist.  They are contending that the county candidates on the Real Bergen Dems line don't have a campaign manager and that they therefore cannot be bracketed together and therefore must disband instead of landing on Column 1 in the Primary.  Which of course, I know is total bull pucky since I was in the meetings at Bergen Dems HQ BEFORE the grand opening even took place, and know that Brenda was our campaign manager for the Real Bergen Dems. 

And so as a source close to the campaign told me "The question is whether a court will allow this switch in opposition to Title 19 law when there is no dire need or emergency reason to do so. These questions remain on the table and unresolved."

And so unless a judge barges in and FORCES Loretta, Valerie and Gordon to DISBAND the entire Real Bergen Dems slate which filed all the proper paperwork, Loretta, Valerie and Gordon will head up Column 1 of the Real Bergen Democrats line including local candidates: WW II veteran Timothy Driscoll of Bergenfield, Charlotte Bennett Schoen of Englewood, and own own Michael Lattif.

Irony of ironies.  Joe Ferriero, he of the arbitrary unreasonable and capricious "Lets throw them off the column and see how they do" tactic - the very guy who appears to have INVENTED it, finds his candidates in Column 2 without the top three positions. 

Aw.  I'd feel for you Joe. But I just can't reach that far.

Below, see the deadlines involved:

BCDOh My God

by: Juan Melli

Thu Apr 19, 2007 at 05:27:14 PM EDT

What's Next in the 37th?

by: Juan Melli

Fri Apr 13, 2007 at 06:27:51 PM EDT

Joe Blinked

by: carolh

Thu Apr 12, 2007 at 05:46:27 PM EDT

Well, the Governor was going to be there, so there was probably going to be a lot of folks there. I had a rare free day to go.  It was fate - I had to go because I actually could.  So I put on my lucky yellow raincoat - the one I wore to my very first Howard Dean meetup - and the very last one I found for sale on Cape May during Hurricane Floyd.

Surprisingly, the room was half empty, but all the key players from each camp were present - and the full press.  Star Ledger, Record, TV.  This was historic.  The Democratic Machine-backed candidates for State Senate and Assembly were actually withdrawing after the BCDO convention that elected them.  The Bergen County Democratic Boss was admitting defeat before a single vote in the Primary had even been cast.  The reason given was Party Unity.  Uniting to run against the Republicans. (Who?) Making up, avoiding a rift, all that stuff.  It was explained as a family fight that was being resolved.  Governor Corzine and Congressman Rothman were apparently brokering peace between the Weinberg and Ferriero camps like we were in the Middle East.  Governor Corzine explained how he made many phone calls to ease the tension between the camps.  While Governor Corzine was remarking on the current "angst" in the Bergen Democratic Party, a whole stack of chairs fell over on the side of the room with a crash. The Governor did make a clear point of explaining how he is STILL against pay-to-play and dual office holding, and that he differs from Joe Ferriero on that important point.  He mentioned that this race is also going to be a Clean Elections race.

The real moments of humor were of course Joe joking as usual.  I don't know if anyone realizes just how FUNNY these BCDO things are.  When we are all in the same room together, it is not all glaring and tight-lipped silence.  We actually bust on each other.  It is usually quite entertaining. Joe usually can be quite charming when he needs to be.  And boy did he need to be today.  But the best moments were actually provided by Michael Wildes and Ken Zisa.  Ken mentioning that he was still out campaigning that morning when he got the phonecall. (Poor Ken - he was always the last to know.)  Wildes at first seemed unusually humble and then managed to say that "we would've won" in his speech.  That was funny in itself, but the uncontained laughter of a few folks on the left side of the room after he said it was just priceless. 

During and after the speeches, everybody hugged, it was a feel good, photo-op moment to show our Governor we were all making the effort to get along nice like. (I secretly suspect that this was all a ruse so Michael Wildes could get the one most valuable photo-op that has eluded him all these years - he and Loretta in the same picture). I had the hardest time keeping a straight face during the speeches though, I kept seeing the Englewood Report's photoshop images in my head of Senator Coniglio and Ferriero and Wildes, Zisa and Wilson.  I just could not get those images out of my head. 

My take:  We were in the middle of a big family fight and Governor Corzine had invited Senator Clinton to dinner.  He would be horrified if we all started throwing dinner rolls at each other across the table with Presidential Candidate company there and all.  It would be quite embarassing.  I don't blame him for being concerned.  Bergen County is a big necessary chunk of the NJ electorate to win over.  But the thing is, the Weinberg camp would have won handily.  Joe just couldn't stand to lose the Primary.  It saved face for the BCDO organization - temporarily. But there is still the matter of Pay-To-Play though.  I'd have to say that is still the biggest division between the Ferriero supporters and the Weinberg supporters. 

This early concession could be due to Michael wanting to save up for his race against Rothman next year.  Or maybe the Ferriero camp gave in so we would stop digging?  Digging for answers? Digging into Ken Zisa's ELEC reports?  Digging to locate Dennis Ourey's undisclosed bunker?  Digging to see who gave what to whom or where the BCDO money really goes?  I found it very interesting that several speeches mentioned the 39th and 40th districts and how we need to elect Dems in those districts.  The money from those districts last year went to the Borgata - remember? 

Like my favorite fortune cookie said - "Love all.  Trust a few."  Lots of love flowing at 50 Main Street in Hackensack today.  Trust? well, that takes a little more time.

Statement From Labor and Progressive Grassroots on the 37th

by: Juan Melli

Thu Apr 12, 2007 at 02:14:10 PM EDT

That is why we won this battle.  That is why this victory is so important.  And we are not yet done.

This campaign saw the heart and soul of the Democratic Party and its allies stand together in an unyielding coalition of the inspired.  From labor organizations representing thousands of hard working women and men to progressive groups representing environmentalists, civil rights advocates, consumers and other grass and net roots groups to local Democratic elected officials and volunteers, this fight brought together people all across this district, this county and this state. 

Our strength was not in the contributions we could bundle nor in the contracts we controlled; our strength is in the people we can muster to talk to other voters, our strength is in the hard work we can pour into a campaign and our strength is that the candidates we supported had the respect of the voters they serve.

Loretta Weinberg, Gordon Johnson and Valerie Vainieri Huttle share our values.  More than sharing those values, Loretta, Gordon and Valerie have put those values to work as our legislators.

This victory clearly demonstrates that business as usual in Bergen County Democratic insider politics must change.  That it is time to open the back room door to let in some fresh air.

We welcome the leadership of the Bergen County Democratic Organization to recognize those lessons so that we can move forward to concentrate on the issues and causes that can change people's lives for the better.

Signed:

Charles Mattson, President, Bergen County Central Trades and Labor Council

Paul Eisenman, Bergen Grassroots

Juan Melli, Blue Jersey

Marcia Marley, Blue Wave NJ

Bob Master, Legislative Director, Communications Workers of America, District One

Steven Goldstein, Garden State Equality

Ann Twomey, President, Health Professionals and Allied Employees/AFT/AFL-CIO

Phyllis Salowe-Kaye, Exec. Director, New Jersey Citizen Action

Pedro Rivas, President, NJ ACORN

Amy Goldsmith, State Director, NJ Environmental Federation

Jeff Gardner and Rosi Efthim, NJ for Democracy

David McCann, Exec Director SEIU NJ State Council

Patricia Campos, Director UNITE HERE NJ State Council

BCDO Slate to Withdraw in the 37th

by: Juan Melli

Wed Apr 11, 2007 at 06:49:07 PM EDT

Update: PoliticsNJ confirms the news. So does the Record. This is curious, isn't it?

In February, a poll paid for by the Weinberg campaign and posted on a liberal Web site suggested that Weinberg had a 44 percentage-point lead over Wildes, 64 percent to 20 percent.

"If there was polling showing her with 64 percent of the vote, she's clearly unbeatable," said Rick Shaftan, a Republican strategist. [...]

Meanwhile, the county party appeared to be behind a recent campaign encouraging Republicans in the district to register as Democrats and vote for Wildes in the primary.

Update 2: Teaneck Blog gives their take:

The most relieved people in Teaneck may be found in the Municipal Building, where certain Council members may be pleased that they will not be called upon to risk crossing constituents by bashing Weinberg & Co. in a compulsory public demonstration of loyalty to Joseph Ferriero and the BCDO. Phew!

Should Hillary Venture Into Bergen County Before the Primary?

by: mikeshapiro

Wed Apr 04, 2007 at 11:18:59 PM EDT

In March 2003, at the invitation of then-Councilman Michael Wildes (D-Englewood), Senator Hillary Clinton attended and spoke at a free reception that was open to the public at the Radisson Hotel in Englewood.  Councilman Wildes also organized a private reception before the event that netted approximately $50,000 for the Senator from New York.  Given the contentious Bergen County primary between State Senator Loretta Weinberg and Mayor Wildes and their respective Assembly slates in the 37th District, will Senator Clinton repay the previous support of Mr. Wildes with a public boost to Wildes and his team during the Primary campaign? 

Join Jim Dean for Weinberg Campaign Kickoff

by: Juan Melli

Wed Mar 21, 2007 at 08:53:56 PM EDT

Democracy for America chair Jim Dean will be in Englewood tomorrow to join Senator Loretta Weinberg, Assemblyman Gordon Johnson and Assemblywoman Valerie Huttle's campaign kickoff. Here's the details...

Where: Weinberg, Johnson & Huttle Campaign Headquarters
       40 North Van Brunt St.
       Suite 2
       Englewood (near BergenPAC)
When:  Thursday - March 22nd
Time:  5pm - 8pm
RSVP:  RSVP@realbergendemocrats.com or call 201-838-9959, including regrets.

On "Push-Polling"

by: Juan Melli

Sun Mar 18, 2007 at 07:23:46 PM EDT

What's disturbing in this particular case is that all of the issues and talking points that were tested are potential campaign themes and attack lines -- otherwise, they wouldn't be spending valuable money testing them out. It's perfectly legitimate to poll voters to find out which issues resonate and to use those issues against your opponent. Now, there seems to be a theme with this poll. The questions adopt a conservative frame to test negative issues against the candidates ("tax and spend liberal"). That alone is selfishly counter-productive, disconcerting and worthy of its own post, but that's a tangent I'll skip for now. One of the questions asked about civil unions. I don't know exactly what the question was, but here's the relevant information: Loretta Weinberg was a sponsor of the civil unions legislation and Valerie Huttle is a sponsor of the marriage equality legislation. Weinberg, Huttle and Johnson all support marriage equality. These questions were tested on all of the candidates, and if we're to assume that they're testing out "negatives", then they consider civil unions and/or marriage for same sex couples to be potential attack points.

And that's sick. Last time I checked, the only people willing to divide voters over the rights of gays were the Steve Lonegans, Guy Greggs and Rick Santorums. Now, I don't think they will use this as a line of attack. The polling will show that to be a bad idea, even accounting for the more conservative Jewish population in parts of the district. But you often get to see the worst in people when they're desperate, and this campaign knows they face a very uphill battle.

I sincerely hope the candidates had nothing to do with this and were completely unaware that this issue was even being polled. It's not a secret that I don't support their campaign, but that doesn't mean I don't respect them and I certainly don't think they're bad people. But if they were willing to potentially use their opponents' support of equal rights for gays as a campaign issue against them, I'll have to reconsider that.

Loretta, Valerie and Gordon Share a Selective Account of History.

by: BergenDems

Fri Feb 09, 2007 at 05:33:40 PM EST

· Campaigned against an official Democratic nominee chosen by Democratic primary voters to represent our Party. 
· Have given and received political patronage in the form of government jobs and lucrative legal contracts.
· Have held and currently hold dual offices when it suited their political agendas.

One has to ask one's self why are the District 37 legislators choosing to back out of the Democratic process now?  It would be one thing if it ended there, but Weinberg, Huttle and Johnson have also resorted to character assassination, even calling the rank-and-file Democrats who nominated and elected them in the past "criminals."  How is that different from the "bossism" they accuse others of?  It seems that Weinberg, Huttle and Johnson are playing "my way or the highway" with the Democratic Party. 

There are about 1400 county committee members in Bergen County.  Many of these people have given their lives to build this party up and deliver it from obscurity.  The Bergen County Democrats have turned their luck around in the past few years by working the phones, knocking on doors and recruiting candidates who can appeal to all of the residents in Bergen County.  Senator Weinberg has been involved in politics for more than two decades, but what has she done to build the Democratic Party beyond the walls of the reliably Democratic 37th District?

Keep in mind; the GOP had almost complete control of Bergen County for most of Loretta Weinberg's tenure in office.  Bergen County was not just a swing county it was a safe Republican county until just a few years ago.  This is to be attributed to Democratic activists who dedicate countless hours at the expense of their personal lives and their health to elect democrats.  These are the people who Loretta Weinberg, Valerie Huttle and Gordon Johnson are slandering, calling "criminals," and it is the party of these Democratic activists who they are abandoning because they are afraid of facing the people who actually work and stand for the values of our party. 

Statement from Loretta, Gordon and Valerie

by: carolh

Thu Feb 08, 2007 at 11:27:16 AM EST

Statement of Senator Loretta Weinberg, Assembly members Gordon M. Johnson and Valerie Vainieri Huttle

  To us, being a Democrat isn't only a label you wear; it's a set of ideals you live. 

  We've fought to put our Democratic priorities and principles to work in legislation that takes on special interests from the gun lobby to Big Tobacco to the Republican extremists.  We've stood up to preserve the environment, protect our children, honor our senior citizens, and make health care more affordable and accessible and demand tax fairness and fiscal responsibility.  We've worked to make our party more open and inclusive. 

  Sadly, we have come to the only possible decision that integrity and true party loyalty demands- taking our case directly to Democratic Voters in the Primary.  It is not a decision we wanted to make- but it is a choice we had to make.  It is time to strengthen our party by restoring the integrity and purpose that has been tainted by the sad, recent history.

  To be fair, the leadership of the Bergen County Democratic Organization deserves credit for a series of electoral successes.  But that same leadership has been too self-serving, often putting an agenda of personal gain ahead of building our party.  They have distorted our candidate nominating process through fraud, forgery, intimidation and cynical attempts to rig the outcomes.  Frankly, Bergen County's Democratic leadership doesn't reflect the best traditions and values of our Democratic party.

  We have come to the conclusion that participating in the convention would only serve to legitimize what is, in fact, an illegitimate process.

  But this is not simply our decision.  Municipal Chairs, County Committee & Elected Officials throughout the 37th District have urged us not to participate in the convention.  In addition, many of the groups and organizations- from organized labor to progressive groups representing environmentalist, civil rights advocates, consumers and other grass and net roots groups- that make up the heart and soul of the Democratic Party have joined our cause.

  We are confident that, in a fair, open and honest convention, we would win.  After all, from the special election to the recent attempt by the Chair to rig the by-laws, we have prevailed.  But frankly, the Chair's undeniable record of coercion and fraud demands we take bolder action.  We seek to restore the honor of our party and make this a campaign of issues and ideals.

  The fight we have chosen belongs to all who believe that the value of victory does not have to come at the expense of the integrity and the  proud record of Bergen County's  Democratic Party.

The BCDO Mutiny Begins

by: carolh

Tue Feb 06, 2007 at 02:56:00 PM EST

One Vote

by: carolh

Fri Jan 26, 2007 at 02:50:22 PM EST

One vote.  That's sometimes all it comes down to.  One vote.  I learned quite a bit this year.  I began my political journey three years ago in June of 2003 because I thought my vote didn't matter at all.  Now I know better.  My vote does matter.  I am a Bergen County Democratic Committee member. 

June 2003, I set out to support Howard Dean, a man I long admired from as far back as a decade ago when I was sitting in my apartment - jobless and poor after a devastating 10 day hospital stay.  I heard this man speaking on CSPAN to a Congressional Committee about health care - he had specifics and ideas they were trying in Vermont.  Ten years later after his ideas had proven successful - he was actually running for President.  A man I had told people ten years before that should be President was actually running.  How often does that happen?

It was exactly because our Primary was in June that I felt compelled to get off the couch and do something in the 2004 election.  I knew my vote didn't count, but there were folks in other states that needed to be told - in person - that their vote DID matter.  Folks in Iowa, New Hampshire, and in states where the primary is held early.  You know - the people who decide who the rest of us will rubber stamp from our party.  I went to my first meetup around early June of 2003 and heard of a bus trip to NH and VT to canvass and to be present when Dean announced his candidacy.  That bus trip turned into a more of a three car caravan, but it changed my life.  Less than a dozen of us made it to Manchester, NH from NJ, including Byron Arneo, Bertin Lefkovic, and Mitch Manzella, but we made it.  I had my first experience canvassing and was hooked.  Our group decided to stop by a lakeside cabin in VT the night before Dean's announcement.  Our little group grew closer.  We had only all met on this trip.  We didn't know each other before, but I will never forget what a fun impromptu camping trip we had.  The next day while wondering around Burlington waiting for the announcement to start, our little group ran into not only a reporter for NPR, but the news crew for ABC World News Tonite.  The young students in our troop were well spoken and captured the hearts of the crew who showed the clip on the news that night.  Of our little group, one is running for office this year, another is working now for Frank Pallone, and most of us run into each other still at political events.  After that I attended regular meetups, and even drove up to NH on Primary day and stood in the 15 degree weather sporting a Howard Dean sign.  One of the meetups, though - at the Bergen County Children's Museum, run by Dr. Anne Summers, I remember especially well.

It was the first time I met Assemblywoman Loretta Weinberg.  I suppose most people don't forget first meeting Loretta.  Being completely new to politics in general I was surprised to learn how people are actually elected to office in NJ.  I knew I had a vote in the Primary and in November, but how do candidates get their names on the ballot?  Loretta filled us in.  The County Committee, she told us, decides who gets to be on the ballot - everyone from dogcatcher to governor.  Wow, what an important committee.  How can it be that most voters in Bergen County don't know who these people are and what they do?  Well, I filed away that little piece of information for further use.

When Howard Dean dropped out of the race - I went to the New School in Manhattan to hear him speak about the new direction for the party.  I then went to New Brunswick for the statewide caucus of Dean supporters to talk about what to do next.  We decided to focus on electing progressive candidates we liked and even running for office ourselves.  But the key to Dean supporters which many politicians found confounding was a desire to vote for candidates who were progressive and NOT to just throw our weight behind candidates just because they had a "D" after their names. 

I decided to support Anne Wolfe in the Primary after hearing her speak at a Democracy for America meetup in Glen Rock and after hearing from Congressman Frank Pallone that Democrats are regularly shut out of meetings in the House of Representatives - making "Representative" a relative term.

In my support of Anne Wolfe, whom I had met at a Dean Meetup, I knew I had to vote in the primary.  There were so few people there that day that we literally woke up the poll workers.  That is how primaries are here in Bergen County.  I dragged Eric Nelsen with me.  Before entering the Tenafly Middle School, Eric stopped to pick up the American flag post which had fallen in the wind.  It seemed to be a sign for what we were about to do.  While in the booth, I noticed that in the space for county committee woman and county committee man - there was no name.  How could that be?  We don't have anyone representing us for this really important position?  I decided to write myself in.  I didn't have time to ask Eric but I wrote him in too.  What were the odds? 

Walking back from the Middle School, I explained what took me so long in the booth.  Eric felt bad that he didn't write me in too and said "Wouldn't that be funny if we got elected based on your one vote?"

Funny little thing happened the next day.  Eric and I received letters stating that we indeed had been "elected".  We now represent the 7th District in the Borough of Tenafly. By just one vote.  I later got the chance to tell Howard Dean in person about our "win".  He gave me a high five.

However, being on the county committee was not what Eric and I expected.  Looking back, we should have been given a rubber stamp as a gift when we entered the Bergen County Democratic Committee.  That is how it seemed at our first real meeting.  Not one real peep of dissent was heard - everyone seemed to be in lock step.  When Eric and I went to our first "convention" where I was hoping to have the chance to choose between Codey and Corzine - two excellent choices I was excited about - I was dismayed to find the choice had already been made.  We only had one choice - it seemed all the way down the ticket.  Was I dreaming, or was I in the old Soviet Union, where you get to vote but only one guy is on the ballot?  That upset me. 

When we county committee folks were told we had an actual choice between several qualified candidates when Byron Baer retired, we were moved to immediate action.  The fact that our County Chairman, Mr. Ferriero, did not want us to have a choice because it would be "divisive" is unfortunate.  What are we here for?  I became a Democrat because - look at us - we are diverse and we DON'T walk in lockstep with a dictatorial leader.  The strength of the Democratic party is in our diversity - our empathy - our generosity - our VISION. 
And so I went from an ordinary citizen in 2003 to someone who had Candidate Ken Zisa stop by my home the night before a special election to ask for my support.  In person.  I appreciated the fact that Mr. Zisa made the effort to seek my support in that way and felt glad I had two great candidates to choose from.  Mr. Zisa may have been a fine candidate and it is a shame that Mr. Ferriero's influence kept Mr. Zisa from being seen as simply a qualified candidate for office.  Because some county committee people could not be sure about how Mr. Zisa would vote as a senator and that he would not be beholden to Mr. Ferriero for his election, Mr. Zisa may have lost votes. 

That said.  I voted for Assemblywoman Weinberg because I knew her record and felt excited about sending her to the State Senate.  I was voting FOR Loretta instead of against Mr. Zisa.  Many committee members expressed the same thoughts to me.  They were voting for Loretta although they liked Mr. Zisa also. 

The problem here is one of perception and philosophy.  The perception of our County Chairman is that it is dangerous to give the county committee members an actual choice.  This perception is the direct result of the philosophy that we must remain united to win against a Republican opponent in a general election. 

That is unfortunate.  I am a county committee woman because I believed in the philosophy of Howard Dean that we have the power to change our government and that in a democracy, power comes from the grassroots up.  Tenafly is a town that boasts Elizabeth Cady Stanton as a former resident, a town that does not discriminate against women in office, a town that values its historic districts and the environment, a town where education is a top priority, a town that cares deeply about healthcare and issues often viewed as "women's issues".  The very issues Loretta Weinberg cares about. It really was no surprise that Tenafly committee members chose to vote for Loretta Weinberg. 

It was my support - my one vote - for Senator Loretta Weinberg that caused me to be challenged to vote for Valerie Huttle in the County Committee election to fill Loretta's vacated Assembly seat and cost me the ability to run for re-election in the same column as the Bergen County Democrats in the primary Tuesday June 6 - even though I was the incumbent in that position.  And I would do everything again the same way even though it was difficult.  Because in the end, it was the education of the public, the contributions of a free press, our hard work and contact with our constituents that allowed the incumbent committee people in Tenafly to retain their seats.  We all won that night. 

One vote.  Yours. It really does matter.

Ferriero-crats announce their ticket.....Zisa, Wildes, Wilson???!

by: lsanchez490

Wed Jan 24, 2007 at 02:19:13 AM EST

Politifax
A Weekly Electronic Newsletter on Politics in NEW JERSEY
Volume X, # 30 January 24, 2007

  DISTRICT 37. It's all but certain that Joe Ferriero
will put up a ticket to challenge Loretta Weinberg, Gordon
Johnson, and Valerie Huttle. (The Record reports
that the challengers will be Ken Zisa, Englewood Mayor
Michael Wildes, and Bergen Community College
trustee Cid Wilson.) The Ferriero forces are pushing
amendment to the party by laws that would require
legislative candidates to get the approval of the entire
County Committee rather than just those members in
the relevant district. The Weinberg team held a large
preemptive rally that attracted labor leaders (including
Charlie Wowkanech, environmental organizations, and
women's rights groups). But the Senator's forces are
smiling even more over the fact that an investigator
from the Attorney General's office is on the verge of
identifying the forger who submitted letters of resignation
for County Committee members who supported
Weinberg back in 2005 when she and Zisa were battling
to succeed Byron Baer.

I think most readers are familiar with the Zisas, or at least just about every resident in the City of Hackensack. So I'm going to have to break this down, mostly for myself, but hopefully some of you may find this informative, one candidate at a time.

To repeat, I am a relatively new to local politics in New Jersey. If you would have asked me two years ago to name my legislators, let alone my representatives to the Englewood Council, I would have been absolutely clueless. What a difference a couple years makes. What a difference a year makes. I confess that I know nothing about Ken Zisa. I know a little bit about Michael Wildes considering he is my mayor after all. I think I may have voted for him the first time he ran for mayor UNOPPOSED and then supported the wonderfully Independent Dr. Bob Stern during the last mayoral election against Wildes. And I definitely knew absolutely nothing about Cid Wilson. So I did a quick superficial bit of googling and came up with some basic biographical information.