Saturday, November 22, 2008

~ Dirtbag Skeeves ~

Ever since a Monmouth County freeloader candidate used those words to describe a certain democratic organization, I've come to the conclusion that no words better describe our many politicians ... too many in fact.

The latest dirtbag skeeve, Wayne Bryant, will be heading to Club Fed next March to join some of his comrades. After the jury found Bryant guilty on 12 counts, including, among other crimes, bribery, working a "low show" job, padding his pension and authorizing time sheets for work he had not performed as an attorney. U.S. Attorney Christopher J. Christie called Bryant's conduct "the most reprehensible" and "disgusting" he had seen. What did Bryant's attorney, Carl Poplar, have to say for his client? "The guy has a lot of dignity". Don't be surprised if Mr. Poplar becomes our next U.S. Attorney.

Bryant was chairman of the influential Senate Budget and Appropriations Committee, the very agency which tacks on millions of dollars in last minute grants to the State budget. These grants are a/k/a Christmas tree items, a slush fund and recently we learned the our legislators refer to these grants as their very own ATM, despite being taxpayer funded. Federal prosecutors had to battle our State legislators, in Court, for records pertaining to those grants, including grants Bryant received.

Shortly after that battle, Linden's own Sentator, Nicholas Scutari, was subpoenaed regarding grants he recieved. Turns out, Scutari’s ex-wife worked for a nonprofit agency in Elizabeth, Community Access Unlimited, which received roughly $75,000 in grants for two years. Too bad the Senator didn't deliver that $150,000 to Linden, the very place he earns a nice taxpayer funded paycheck and benefits as well. We could have used it. It's no wonder our legislators wanted to keep this information secretive and even went to court to try and keep it hidden.

After Bryant reluctantly resigned as chairman of the Senate Budget and Appropriations Committee, Senator Bernard Kenny, was named as chairman. Another dirtbag skeeve served as Vice Chairman at this time. His name? Sentator Sharpe James. James is currently locked up in Club Fed. It wasn't long after Kenny was appointed Chairman to succeed Bryant when he was injured early one morning and told police the source of his injuries came from a fall in a pothole while jogging. Kenny's injuries, which were quite serious, were not consistant with a fall. The story was later modified to reflect Kenney's injuries were maybe from a motor vehicle hit and run accident. The explanation given for the varying stories was that Kenny suffered some kind of amnesia and therefore could not recall. The source of Kenny's injuries remains a mystery today. Kenny did not seek re-election, but his name surfaced during the Bryant trial. Kenny, like Bryant, was given $4 million of taxpayer funded grant money to dole out at his discretion. It's not known whether any of the grant money Kenny controlled ended up in questionable places. What is clear is that those taxpayer funded grants help dirtbag skeeves get re-elected.

Govenor Corzine, resembling a dirtbag skeeve himself more and more every day, pledge to clean up corruption and enact ethics and campaign reforms. That was three years ago. He finally rolled out some reforms this past September, stating: "The public understands all too well the intersection of money and politics is bad for their pocket books."

Corzine should talk. He used alot of money, a record amount, to buy himself a Senator's seat and when being a Senator did not satisfy his insatiable ego, the governorship as well. He spent millions of dollars. Those dollars were, I'd say, his only way of being elected. He had neither experience nor knowledge on how to serve the public, and that remains true today. Hell, he believed so strongly in making campaign contibutions that he even had his dear old mom, who resides in Illinois, send some along to NJ too. Grandma Corzine sent $37,00 to the Bergen County Democratic Organization, which was headed by, until his indictment, Joseph Ferriero. Poor granny.

Another notable recipient of Corzine's donations was Ex-Paterson Mayor Martin Barnes, another dirtbag skeeve also locked up in Club Fed. The original 40-count indictment charged Barnes with soliciting and accepting free trips, home improvements like a backyard swimming pool and waterfall, designer suits and money to pay for ''female companionship.'' Corzine and Barnes had at least one common interest it seems. Expensive women. Corzine's ex-flame, Carla Katz, picked his pocket, it is reported, for a whopping $6 million dollars. Corzine tried to keep that a secret too. Seton Hall Law School threw in a scholarship for the 6 Million Dollar Woman for good measure. Cozine, on behalf of the State, and Katz, as then President of the CWA Local 1034, engaged in contract negotiations. The CWA Local 1034 stripped Katz of her title and locked Katz out of her office. No conflict of interest or ethical violations have been brought against Corzine. At least not yet anyhow.

After Corzine was de-throned from Goldman Sacs, he hooked up with another dirtbag skeeve, disgraced ex-Senator Torricelli, to show him the ropes and introduce him to the rest of the political players, many of them dirtbag skeeves. According to New York Magazine, Corzine's early public appearances before larger groups were so cringe-inducing that Democratic Party leaders were ready to pull the plug on his candidacy. Money took care of that. The cringe-inducing factor remains.

Somewhere along the line, Corzine was getting ready to go into a partnership with another dirtbag skeeve, perhaps the skeeviest and sickest of all, real estate mogel, Charles Kushner. The two were thinking of buying the Nets. Kushner ended up spending time in Club Fed too. Kushner pleaded guilty to making illegal donations in the name of his partners, taking personal expenses as business deductions, and retaliating against his sister who was a witness in the case. How did Kushner retailiate against his own sister? By hooking up his sister's husband with a prostitute, video taping it and mailing it to his sister.

Kushner was also selected to head the Port Authority by Ex-Governor McGreevey's, our most famous dirtbag skeeve yet. Kushner also sponsored our ex-homeland, cough cough, security czar, McGreevey boy toy, Golan Cipel, for a visa.

Bob Ingle may be coming out with a sequel to his best selling book. "The Soprano State and the Dirtbag Skeeves Who Run it" would make a good title.

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

sounds alot like notheastern pa

NFS said...

Well anon, we have the distinction of being "The Soprano State". Can't beat that.