Corruption in Jersey? Say It Ain’t So.
Nicolo MachiavelliA federal grand jury charged a Democrat fundraiser for New Jersey’s Governor for extorting cash and political contributions from a citizen in exchange for favorable treatment by the state.
Here are the high points:
A Jersey Farmer named Halper has land that the state wants to condemn. The State offers farmer $3,000,000. A Democrat fundraiser for Governor McGreevey, named David D’Amiano, (who, when not raising funds for the Governor operates a waste hauling and recycling business) approaches the farmer and offers the state’s help with the condemnation in return for a payment of $20,000 in cash and another $20,000 contribution to the State Democrat Party.
Unbeknownst to fundraiser, farmer goes to FBI and wears a wire for future meetings.
Farmer tells Democrat fundraiser that he wants a meeting with the Governor and some county officials to discuss the price of his farm. He also tells the fundraiser to tell the government officials to use the word “Machiavelli†during the meeting as a code word in order to signify that the government officials knew of the deal and approved of the political payoffs.
At a future meeting, one of the county officials was recorded using the code word “Machiavelliâ€
Apparently yet another government official also used the same word:
About a month later, D’Amiano introduced Halper to the governor at a fund-raiser at the East Brunswick Hilton. During their conversation, McGreevey allegedly told another official there that Halper “was reading from ‘The Prince’ by Machiavelli to learn how to deal with the negotiations involving the farm,” the indictment said.
When recently asked about his use of the code word, the Governor responded, “It is not a code word, it is a literary allusion.” He continued, “For those of you who know me, in New Jersey politics ‘Machiavelli’ is not a far-off, remote word but all too often describes certain political antics.”
Halper eventually paid approximately $40,000 in cash and political contributions, and the state changed the price it was willing to pay Halper for the farm from $3 million to $7.2 million.
And, a good deal of it is on tape.
This could be one to watch.
Update 7/8/04: Governor McGreevey responded to the indictment, which he concedes refers to him and does so 83 times, as: (a) politically motivated, (b) conjecture and innuendo, (c) an attempt to besmirch his character and integrety, and (d) entrapment. Time will tell, I suppose.
Like the State upping it’s offer by 4.2 million after a bribe was paid is “just a coincidence.”
Like the Governor using the specified code word to signal that the fix was in is “just a coincidence.”
McGreevey should ask his Uncle Junior, Sen. John Lynch, what to do next.
Maybe Silvio can take the snitch for a nice ride up to the mountains.
Comment by cousin gary — July 8, 2004 @ 8:15 am
I searched your site and had no luck with the word “westar”, i.e. the Westar bribery scandal where DeLay was caught red handed (but so far getting away with it), so I take it that only Democratic corruption interests you.
Comment by bos — July 8, 2004 @ 3:54 pm
Jim, this is a fascinating story. Good reporting.
As far as Westar goes, as I pay Westar every month for my utilities, anyone who illegally helped them cheat the rest of us should be prosecuted – just like the Governer of New Jersey should.
I have never cared for Tom Delay, myself – he is an asshole.
However, not as much of an asshole as Kerry and Edwards combine themselves to be.
Comment by Beth Donovan — July 8, 2004 @ 7:57 pm
I couldn’t find any commentary on your site covering how Bush stole the election. On the other hand, I didn’t find anything on the Whitewater scandle. You obviously only care about this McGreevey thing.
Comment by Dan — July 9, 2004 @ 5:31 pm
Um – bos – Jim lives in New Jersey, he’s blogging about a scandal in his own backyard. It is not obligatory (as far as I know) to blog about all scandals everywhere. DeLay is from Texas, why don’t you try to find a Texas blogger who is following that story?
Oh and Jim – I’m just soooo disillusioned! You mean to tell me that New Jersey is no better than Illinois! *sigh* Maybe Governor McGreevey can get together with former IL Gov. George Ryan (licenses for bribes scandal). George can provide him with a list of high profile tricks that will keep McGreevey in the good graces of the press. Things like commuting all the deathrow inmates to life in prison… stuff like that.
Oh and just so bos knows… George Ryan is supposedly a Republican.
Comment by Teresa — July 9, 2004 @ 5:35 pm