CIPEL NIXES LAWSUIT AGAINST MCGREEVEY (FBI probes hush money, extortion allegations)

NY POST ^ | August 31, 2004

[Liz]

Golan Cipel won't file a sexual-harassment suit against New Jersey Gov. Jim McGreevey, his lawyers said yesterday — but the Israeli still insists he is the

wronged victim of unwanted advances. Attorneys Rachel Yosevitz and Allen Lowy told a hastily called news conference the governor's resignation announcement was sufficient admission of wrongdoing — and money was never the issue for Cipel.

"Had the governor not resigned and admitted his wrongdoings, Mr. Cipel emphatically stated that he would have sued," said Yosevitz, who just returned from visiting McGreevey's former homeland-security adviser in Israel.

Cipel, 36, "has no desire to have the taxpayers of New Jersey pay for Mr. McGreevey's reprehensible conduct," she said.

In a statement issued by an Israeli public-relations firm, the former poet and sailor said he had no doubt he would have won a harassment suit and the governor's resignation vindicated him.

"Despite my strong desire to prove my case in a court of law, I have decided not to proceed with my suit. The main reason is the governor's resignation and his admission of his acts," he said.

"It's clear to all that McGreevey resigned because he sexually harassed me and that a man of his standing would not have resigned because of sexual orientation or an extramarital affair," the statement said.

McGreevey spokesman Micah Rasmussen dismissed as "nonsense" Cipel's claim he would have won a suit and said his announcement is no surprise.

"The governor made clear that he did not want to put the people of New Jersey at risk, he did not want to expose the state to the threat of a lawsuit," he said.

McGreevey announced his resignation on Aug. 12, effective Nov. 15, saying he was leaving because of the circumstances surrounding an affair with a man.

[Liz]

--SNIP-- On July 23, Lowy called McGreevey's office and revealed that Cipel planned to file a sexual-harassment suit against the governor. In acrimonious negotiations that followed, Cipel dropped the amount he demanded to make the suit go away from $50 million to $5 million to $2 million.....Talks continued until just minutes before the governor made his bombshell (resignation) announcement. Cipel had until yesterday to file a suit because there is a two-year statute of limitations on sex-harassment suits and the ex-aide last worked for the governor on Aug. 30, 2002......"Golan has a very strong case." (his lawyer) said (and) Cipel has agreed to talk to the feds without immunity and both parties are discussing whether the session will be held in the United States or Israel. The feds are looking into McGreevey's claim that Cipel tried to blackmail him. The Post has learned they have concluded preliminarily that no extortion occurred — just heated talks.

Cipel's not suing? (Snicker) "Somebody" sent Cipel a check (or maybe real estate deeds or maybe stock in a bank (smirk). McGreevey's campaign financier Charles Kushner---a real estate mogul who owns NorCrown bank--- introduced the two lovers when McGreevey was on the requisite obeisance tour. And Cipel worked for the Israeli town of Rish LeZion ----the same place where Kushner---a developer---is building apartments in partners with local Israeli builders. Kushner was Cipel's employer and work visa sponsor as well. Kushner was recently convicted of corrupt business and campaign practices and made videotapes of a $25,000 hooker he'd hired to intimidate federal witness against him, one of which was his BIL.