September 15, 2008 - 2:36pm
News
Tom Wilson's Bergen County Challenge
By Matt Friedman, PolitickerNJ.com ReporterRepublican State Chairman Tom Wilson challenged Gov. Corzine and Democratic State Chairman Joe Cryan to drop all support for Bergen County Democratic candidates unless or until Bergen Democratic Chairman Joe Ferriero resigns.
Corzine and Cryan have both said that Ferriero, who was indicted last week on eight counts of corruption, should resign. But at a meeting this morning, leaders of the Democratic organization, including U.S. Rep. Steve Rothman, said they would not seek Ferriero’s resignation.
“The true test of their commitment to rooting out corruption within the Democratic Party is whether their actions reflect their words. Corzine and Cryan should make it clear to the Democratic candidates in Bergen that there will be no financial support for a slate that supports corrupt party leadership,” said Wilson in a statement.
Wilson said that Corzine and Cryan should withhold all financial support from the for the county slate, which includes Freeholders Bernadette McPherson, David Ganz, Vernon Walton and county clerk candidate Diane Testa – unless they also call for Ferriero’s resignation.
“Talk is cheap and Governor Corzine has certainly given us plenty of talk when it comes to politicians who abuse the taxpayers. He also had no problem doling out tens of thousands of his own dollars to support Ferriero’s corrupt machine. It’s time to ante up Governor and put your money where your mouth is,” said Wilson.
Governor Corzine’s office did not respond to Wilson’s challenge. Cryan, for his part, didn’t take it seriously.
“I really don’t care what Tom Wilson’s opinion is,” he said.
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"(Dennis) Shulman, a blind rabbi and psychologist, acted as if articles about him and his candidacy in Time magazine and the New Yorker, as well as an endorsement from the mayor of New York City, made him a celebrity and a serious threat to incumbent Republican Rep. Scott Garrett. They didn’t. Most people in his district don’t read those magazines or care what Michael Bloomberg thinks. Garrett’s district strongly leans Republican, and Bush won it with 57 percent in 2004, running more than 11 points ahead of his statewide total. Credible Republican statewide candidates always carry the district even if they are getting pounded statewide. Despite all the self-generated hype and over-the-top campaign rhetoric, Shulman drew 42 percent against Garrett — almost 2 points worse than Paul Aronsohn (D) did two years earlier and only 1,300 votes more than 2004 Democratic nominee Anne Wolfe did."- Stuart Rothenberg, the editor and publisher of The Rothenberg Political Report, a non-partisan political newsletter covering U.S. House, Senate and gubernatorial campaigns, Presidential politics and political developments.
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Great move Tom
Shows real smarts and leadership. With responses like that, they'll hire you to write Wally Edge
!
!
Funny but true
the real question is how much street money will be filtered in to Bergen county to pay off the 925K in "loans" as reported in the Record over the weekend and will Wilson be scrubbing that for more headlines!
Isn't that special Tom
Like Tom Wilson hasn't drop all his support of his Bergen Republican Candidates in the past.
Wilson doesn't want to feel alone in that choice to abandon that county party too!
Credit
Wilson is always quick to point out where Corzine's actions and words are at odds. Credibility is key to electoral success and Wilson has done as much as anyone (except Corzine that is) to hurt his credibility. Keep up the fight Tom.
Tom screwed up!
He should have called on Corzine's mom - the retired schoolteacher who lives in the Midwest but somehow maxed out to the BCDO with what must have been her own retirement money, because it would have been ILLEGAL for Corzine to pass his own money through her - to stop contributing to the Ferriero regime.
Any truth to the rumor that GGC is reorganizing as Greedy Guys Consulting and is seeking a contract with the Ferriero Legal Defense Fund?
Finally a smart Wilson move
As a harsh critic in the past, I am really glad Wilson highlighted this hypocrisy. This isn't a matter of triviality. For a party to hold on like this shows extreme arrogance. I am amazed Weinberg and Rothman were suckered into supporting this.
In my mind, the voters have no choice. The Democratic freeholder and county clerk candidates are creations of Ferriero and endorsed this move. Therefore they are illegitimate candidates and do not deserve support from Democratic voters. County Democrats should petition to remove Ferriero, Ganz, McPherson and Walton and replace them with a legitimate chair and candidate.
Infuse cash into Bergen
Make it a race - send in the money so the Dems will make missteps trying to pay debt while raising new funds - put them and keep them on the ropes.
wilson
Tom Wilson has not had a statewide winner since he has been in office. Who really listens to him?