Posted on 09/15/2006 4:30:08 AM PDT by Brilliant
For pure entertainment value, not much can compete with the blood sport of New Jersey politics. Last week federal investigators launched a probe into whether U.S. Senator Robert Menendez illegally benefited to the tune of more than $300,000 from a rental-income deal he had with a nonprofit agency that received millions of dollars in federal contracts. Even liberal good government groups agree that the relationship may have violated congressional conflict-of-interest rules.
The allegations have sparked a mini-panic among state Democratic operatives, who not so long ago thought Mr. Menendez -- who was appointed by Jon Corzine ... had the November election in the bag. Now they see Republican Tom Kean Jr. surging... If Republicans were to pick up a seat in this deep blue state, Democrats' chances of winning control of the Senate would be all but slammed shut.
That's why...there's now widespread speculation that the party brass may decide to throw Mr. Menendez overboard and replace him with an alternative -- nine-term Rep. Rob Andrews, perhaps -- who is regarded as more electable. This has become a familiar practice in the Garden State and has become known derisively as the New Jersey Switcheroo.
The details of the case are as follows. In 1998, while Mr. Menendez was a member of the House, he helped a nonprofit housing and health-care agency known as the North Hudson Community Action Group win designation as a federally qualified health-care center. This designation allowed the nonprofit group to obtain $9.6 million in federal grants. The nonprofit's employees have contributed some $30,000 to Menendez campaigns over the years, including $9,000 from the agency's director. The alleged conflict of interest arises from the fact that the Hudson County nonprofit paid Mr. Menendez a total of $329,353 starting in 1994 to rent a building he owned...
(Excerpt) Read more at online.wsj.com ...
Torricelli is not available. This was not widely reported, but a year or two after he pulled out of the senate race he was given a cozy government "consulting" job in NJ at a huge salary. The job was to consult on garbage management issues. No, I am not making this up. NJ politics is sometimes used in scripts for the sopranos for this very reason.
I was really joking, but I hadn't heard from the Torch lately. Last I heard, he was involved with some real estate deals from an office in Lambertville. Garbage management. That makes perfect sense.
The unfortunate state of affairs is that if SATAN himself ran for Senate in New Jersey as a Democrat, he would be elected. Christie Whitman doesn't count as a Republican in my tally.
What needs to be brought under control first is the outrageous lower-class population growth in Camden, Newark, Plainfield, East Orange, Paterson, Irvington, Hillside, Perth Amboy, and similar cities. Those residents vote as a bloc and the liberal candidate doesn't even need to campaign there. This population explosion is a combination of birthrate and immigration both legal and illegal...
~ Blue Jays ~
Blue Jays, Tom Kean is just as liberal as Whitman. What is your point?
Kean Jr. will hit the campaign trial against another DEM pig with his popular Former Governor Father in tow.
This is a GOP pickup and will negate the Abramoff Corruption whining by the DEMS
Kean will be a decent senator and will support Bush on WOT, tax cuts, and judges. That's enough for me.
My point is that Christie Whitman wasn't a conservative Republican and neither is Tom Kean, Jr. if he miraculously gets elected. He already telephoned my house and my parents' house with a taped message that "He stands against Donald Rumsfeld and supports his resignation..." or some other liberal nonsense.
The only good thing about him winning is that other more influential senators might be able to smack him around and help him get his thinking straight. The fact that he dismissed Vice President Cheney with a "caught in traffic" excuse is outrageous. Hold your nose when you vote for him.
~ Blue Jays ~
Blue Jays, I stand corrected. Stupid of Kean to send messages against Rumsfeld. I guess a RINO is better than a Corrupt DEM anytime. Menedez and Corzine are sleazebags. I wonder if the Hispanic community will be pissed if Menendez is dropped from the ticket.
I don't think Lieberman would run on the Republican ticket, but it's a thought :D
You mean New York Media and Phila Media? I get both markets on my cable
I don't think it makes much difference-plus cable news is national
Tax cuts? You must be dreaming.
Yes, that's what I mean. You lack one media with a New Jersey focus. Among other things, that makes TV advertising expensive.
that's cute, but I would prefer Ann Coulter.
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