The Governor's Secret (NYT on McGreevy - No Barf Alert)

New York Times ^ | 08/13/04 | New York Times

[conservative in nyc]

The Governor's Secret

Published: August 13, 2004

ooner or later, it was bound to happen: a major elected official's calling a press conference to tell constituents that he or she is gay. Yesterday, New Jersey's governor, James McGreevey, described his coming to grips with his sexual orientation with uncommon grace and dignity, offering an extraordinary glimpse into the private torment that can accompany a public life lived in the closet. "My truth is that I am a gay American,'' he said. If that had been the beginning and the end of the story, we would be celebrating Mr. McGreevey's candor, not assessing his resignation. But the story - like Mr. McGreevey's statement - was incomplete.

The governor's announcement was reportedly driven by the threat of a sexual harassment lawsuit by a former aide, Golan Cipel. Mr. McGreevey, who has two children from his two marriages and whose wife stood next to him during his press conference, acknowledged that he had committed adultery with another man. He did not say that the man in question had worked for his administration.

Gay or straight, that kind of relationship raises troubling questions, apart from the issue of whether it was consensual. Mr. Cipel was originally appointed as the governor's homeland security adviser, a job for which he had no discernable qualifications. If Mr. McGreevey put someone in that critical post because of a personal relationship, that would be an outrage, regardless of his sexual orientation.

The timing of the governor's coming out was apparently driven by the potential lawsuit, and the timing of his resignation - Nov. 15 - was driven by a desire to avoid an interim election. As it stands, the State Senate president, Richard Codey, another Democrat, will inherit the executive office until the end of 2005. While the mechanics of trying to hold gubernatorial primaries and an election this year would be daunting, Mr. McGreevey's strategy doesn't serve New Jersey residents well. The state will be led by an embattled governor mired in personal and legal problems for three months. Then, because of the peculiarities of New Jersey's Constitution, Mr. Codey will simultaneously lead the Senate and the executive branch - an enormous amount of power for someone whose voter mandate comes only from a State Senate district in Essex County.

Mr. McGreevey's governorship has, in a way, been similar to his dramatic performance yesterday. His goals were noble, and some of his accomplishments laudable - like the millionaire's tax he pushed through as a partial solution to the problem of the state's huge deficit, and his efforts to protect critically important watershed areas. But the story has always been marred by ethical questions swirling around his office.

The cast of characters is long, and the details unsavory. They include a trash hauler and fund-raiser charged in a scheme to extort money from a farmer, and another fund-raiser who is accused of using a prostitute to try to silence a witness in a federal investigation. The governor, tape-recorded without his knowledge in a private meeting, was linked to one scandal when he uttered the word "Machiavelli," which prosecutors claimed was a code word. He has maintained that the use of the word was a coincidence.

In the murky politics surrounding him, being gay may be the least complicated issue Mr. McGreevey could address - and that may explain why he did not delve into the other troubles in his speech.

[conservative in nyc]

Like a stopped clock, the New York Times gets it almost right -- every once in a while.

Jim McGreevy's cynical "coming out" announcement should not be lauded by anyone. Fools who associate themselves with him (like some gay rights activists) do so at their own peril. Jim McGreevy is one of the most crooked politicians in New Jersey --- and that says a lot in a state where almost all politicians are crooked.

The Cipel "adult consensual affair with a man" is just the tip of the iceberg. This is not just about sex or McGreevy's sexual orientation, as McGreevy would have you believe --- it's about corruption.

One of McGreevy's biggest fundraisers is "Sextorter" Charles Kushner. He's a big New Jersey developer who sponsored Cipel's visa to enter the country from New Jersey and gave him a no-show job. While under investigation for tax evasion and campaign finance irregularities (i.e. paying bribes), Kushner was caught red handed hiring a prostitute to have sex with his brother-in-law on tape, and then sending his goons to Canada to mail the tape to his own sister's house in a failed attempt to get his brother-in-law to lie to the U.S. Attorney. He's supposedly copping a plea. I'm sure the U.S. Attorney isn't taking this plea out of the goodness of his heart. Kushner likely has the goods on McGreevy and is going to turn states' evidence against him. Expect an indictment.

Oh, and in case you're wondering, Kushner has ties to many Democrats, including John Kerry. From fec.gov:

KERRY, JOHN F
VIA KERRY COMMITTEE
02/04/1997 1000.00 97020072496
02/04/1997 1000.00 97020072549


DEMOCRATIC SENATORIAL CAMPAIGN COMMITTEE
09/26/2003 10000.00 23020403323
02/23/2004 7500.00 24020162303

DNC SERVICES CORPORATION/DEMOCRATIC NATIONAL COMMITTEE
12/31/2003 25000.00 24990372453

Do not dismiss this story. It is NOT just about sex.

Now, if we only can get the Times to call for McGreevy's immediate resignation...

[Harpo Speaks]

"His goals were noble, and some of his accomplishments laudable - like the millionaire's tax he pushed through as a partial solution to the problem of the state's huge deficit...."

Sorry, but this alone qualifies for a barf alert.

[conservative in nyc]

Like I said, they got it almost right. It is the Slimes, after all.

At least they're right on the main point --- this isn't just about sex, as McGreevy would have you believe.

[BigSkyFreeper]

It's also about politics as well. The timing of the date of his resignation is beyond the time for a special election.

[BigSkyFreeper]

Gads, McGreedy's scandal would make any mob boss blush.

[KentTrappedInLiberalSeattle]

Sooner or later, it was bound to happen: a major elected official's calling a press conference to tell constituents that he or she is gay.

[nopardons]

bttt

[anniegetyourgun]

As if this were about his homosexual practices. It's cowardly of him to use that as "cover" for his corruption. He plays on the political correctness of "gayness" that exists in our society because it is convenient at this time. Can you imagine him "coming out" to resign because he had just learned his great grandmother was Jewish or black? (Pointing out, once again, that ALL sexual practices are a choice.)

[Fedora]

Kushner was also recently represented by a mob lawyer named Benjamin Brafman:

Democratic fund-raiser charged with trying to block probe

"Everyone knows Mr. Kushner is one of the most successful businessmen in the United States and one of the greatest philanthropists of this century,'' said Kushner's lead lawyer, Benjamin Brafman.

Brafman — who successfully represented Sean "P. Diddy'' Combs and former Mafia hit man Salvatore "Sammy the Bull'' Gravano and briefly represented Michael Jackson this year — said he is conducting his own investigation and called the charges "entirely baseless and without merit.''

Benjamin Brafman

Firm: Brafman & Ross, P.C.

Address: 26th Fl

767 Third Ave

New York, NY 10017-2023

[conservative in nyc]

There's no question in my mind that McGreevy, and maybe even Kushner, have mob ties. It's New Jersey --- the mob has a say in the Democrat machine.

[familyop]

Ping!

[dyed_in_the_wool]

"His goals were noble, and some of his accomplishments laudable - like the millionaire's tax he pushed through as a partial solution to the problem of the state's huge deficit,..."

How is this laudable? It's class warfare and very undemocratic.

[alwaysconservative]

Now, if we only can get the Times to call for McGreevy's immediate resignation...

Exactly. That would be the fair and legal thing to do, so don't expect a Dem in NJ to do it. And McGreevy's attempt to cloak himself with the flag by appending "American" to "gay", like he is some sort of victimized patriot, is particularly nauseating. I guess that makes me, as the old joke says, a "breasted American".

[bvw]

Even when partly truthful the NYT runs to lie!

McGreevey, described his coming to grips with his sexual orientation with uncommon grace and dignity, offering an extraordinary glimpse into the private torment that can accompany a public life lived in the closet. "My truth is that I am a gay American,"

• "coming to grips" A lie. He's in this position because he NEVER came to grips with it. He indulged himself, he stole from every New Jerseysan, every tax-payer to NJ, and most lamentably -- his own children. A thief and a liar.

  At the end he's up on the docket BECAUSE of his failure to control himself, his impulses -- failure to get a grip.

  He's there because he got caught, and the political forces he is on the pot woth would no longer cover his pot.

• "sexual orientation " A lie. The great "gay" myth. Born homosexual! Once homosexual one cannot rise above that impulse, that predilection. Ridculous!

  We could never hold a murderer accountable on that logic -- All, nearly all, have occassioned mental tugs to murder and mayhem -- murder mysteries are a perennial reader's favorite -- and by the logic of the gay lobby they should be helpless to avoid murder and violence.

  It's a denial of G-d. G-d gives us the ability to control our most base impulses, to redirect them to good. The "gay myth" is a denial of that.

  In my opinion, it is a brazen denial!

• "uncommon grace and dignity" They know NOT dignity, nor grace! A bold liar -- a maven of sin -- pleasant, welcoming, smiling, friendly they ARE -- yet EMPTY of grace and dignity.

  Who sees otherwise? The NYT amoung the group that loves to wallow in swill and to gorge on selfishness.

• "private torment " A Lie. If he HAD suffered private torment, instead of private indulgences, he would not be here. He would have reacted to correct the torment. Instead, he must have run from that natural torment.

  Most sadly, it is his children that are burdened by the torment that will follow them, the scorn and dishonor of their father's public brazen sins.

• "My truth is that I am a gay American,". A lie. Not the NYT's, except by the fact they repeat it and then state that they agree with it. So they make it their own lie.

  Others have said why this is a lie. Of political convenience. He claims a truth that is nothing more than a politically correct cloak of his own failings.

  Humility and sincere teshuva would be a a far better cloak.

  But in brazeness it is impossible to be humble.

  Would that he were -- humble, humbled. Better that he might be humble and sincerely seeking correction. Once again -- for the sake of his children, of his own, and for all those he now sets a bad example for.