Albio Sires

Rep. Albio Sires has endorsed Hillary Clinton for the 2008 Democratic presidential nomination.

The former Assembly Speaker and Mayor of West New York joins U.S. Sen. Bob Menendez and Reps. Frank Pallone and Rob Andrews as members of the New Jersey congressional delegation backing Clinton.

Congressman Albio Sires was a big winner in Tuesday's Democratic primary in Hudson County and the threat of a primary challenge in 2008 is likely over: his West New York hometown political rival, Sal Vega, was trounced by Sires' candidate, Brian Stack.  Vega -- with the backing of the Hudson County Democratic Organization -- won just 23% of the vote and lost every town in his district, including West New York.  Sires played a strong and very public role in support of Stack, and now sees his longtime staffer, Caridad Rodriguez, take Vega's seat in the State Assembly.

Two New Jersey Congressmen are potentially vulnerable if they seek re-election in 2008 -- both in Democratic primaries.  Albio Sires, a former Assembly Speaker who took Bob Menendez's 13th district House seat last year, is knee-deep in an epic Hudson County Civil War; the freshman Congressman is actively backing his former running mate, Brian Stack, for the Democratic State Senate nomination in the 33rd district. Stack is running off the line against the Hudson County Democratic Organization against Sal Vega, his handpicked successor as Mayor of West New York and as an Assemblyman. He's also backing Assemblyman Louis Manzo for State Senate against the HCDO candidate, Sandra Bolden Cunningham.

U.S. Sen. Bob Menendez won’t pick a horse in the Hudson County Democratic primaries. But the Senator was in Jersey City today with Tom DeGise to tour the new St. Joseph’s School for the Blind facility, and he had some kind words for the Hudson County executive.

Menendez praised DeGise’s use of federal Community Development Block Grants to help build new facilities like the one he toured today.

Congressman Albio Sires endorsed Brian Stack for Senate in the 33rd district today, characterizing the campaign tactics of Silverio “Sal” Vega, his own Commissioner when he was Mayor of West New York, as deplorable.

“In all my years of politics, I haven’t seen tactics -- smear, dirty tactics like this -- in a long, long time,” said Sires. “My former commissioner, Sal Vega, is responsible for that type of campaign.”

Emerging from the Lincoln Tunnel on this side of the Hudson River, the first sign you see isn’t “Welcome to New Jersey,� which might be an appropriate enough greeting in, oh, say, New Jersey.

No, here in Hudson County, the sign reads “Vote for Brian P. Stack.,� and it looms over the highway like a movie poster for one of those thrilling old cliffhangers starring Buster Crabbe.

It’s no different on the neighborhood streets. Go into most any newsstand and you’ll find among the various rags a copy of “Sunlight News,� which purports to be a “Newspaper for 21st Century Hudson County,� and features none other than actress Jennifer Lopez on the cover -- along with your favorite local all-action politician: Union City Mayor Brian P. Stack, who also happens to be on every page of the paper.

The Associated Press is reporting that federal prosecutors have served a subpoena in the City of West New York for records relating to Rep. Albio Sires, who served as Mayor and Assembly Speaker before his election to Congress last year.

A major political feud between Congressman Albio Sires and his hand-picked successor, Sal Vega, is setting the stage for yet another potential war in Hudson County this spring. Vega, who succeeded Sires as Mayor of West New York and as the Assemblyman from the 33rd district in November, has fired some of Sires' people at City Hall and replaced them with allies of the late Mayor Anthony DeFino -- who was (and is, posthumously) Sires' bitter political enemy. Vega has even hung a portrait of DeFino in City Hall -- something Sires steadfastly refused to do, even though that honor is traditionally extended to former Mayors.

But Vega's allies say that the fight is over Sires' insistance that Vega allow him to influence -- or dictate -- who will run on the slate in the next election. One insider says that Sires is pushing his wife, Adrienne Sires, the Assistant Superintendent of Schools.

Vega has been a bit of a maverick during his two months as an Assemblyman. He has reportedly annoyed some of his Democratic colleagues by "shooting his mouth off in caucus" instead of taking some time to learn the ropes, and has voted with Assembly Republicans on some procedural motions -- viewed as a capital offense in the Democratic caucus. Vega has still not received a committee assignment.

Sires views Vega's actions as a personal afront, and is now talking about opposing his re-election. But despite the enormous popularity of the former Assembly Speaker, the power in Hudson County politics lies with the Mayors -- and with Vega in City Hall, some insiders say the others will protect him. The key player in this drama will be Union City Mayor Brian Stack, who serves with Vega in the Assembly and is seeking a seat in the State Senate. If Stack backs Vega over Sires, there might be little the freshman Congressman can do to protect his hometown turf.

For the 33rd district, this is like de ja vu all over again. Just seven years ago, then-Congressman Robert Menendez, a former Mayor of Union City and ex-State Senator, sought to influence local politics through a protege he picked to run for the Legislature and supported for Mayor.

The meltdown of Rudy Garcia's political career will probably become one of those stories old time politicians tell young up-and-comers for years to come. Garcia was a promising 29-year-old lawyer when he was selected to fill a vacant seat in the State Assembly in 1993, and when incumbent Union City Mayor Bruce Walter died in 1998, Garcia was popular enough to win the support of Menendez's political organization to be appointed Mayor.

Within a year, Garcia split with Menendez and sought to exercise the clout that comes with being Mayor. He forged an alliance with County Executive Bob Janiszewski and dumped Menendez ally Neftali Cruz from his seat on the Hudson County Board of Freeholders; Cruz's seat was filled by Stack, who was a local rival of Menendez and Garcia, and who ran unsuccessfully for City Commissioner the year before. And he fired Menendez's best friend, powerful North Jersey lawyer Donald Scarinci, as the City Attorney.

|But Garcia's own ambition proved to exceed his own leadership abilities, and he quickly lost support in Union City. Stack forged a relationship with Menendez and together they engineered a recall effort that forced Garcia's resignation as Mayor in 2000 and took away his seat in the State Assembly in 2001.

The House of Representatives passes the bill that implements the unfulfilled recommendations of the 9/11 Commission

Washington, D.C. - Congressman Albio Sires voted today in support of HR 1 which implements the unfulfilled recommendations of the bipartisan 9/11 Commission and puts America on the road to safety.

"Two of the most dangerous miles in the nation are located in the 13th District of New Jersey, and the bill passed today reassures our residents that we are taking vital steps to keep them safe from terror attacks," said Congressman Albio Sires. "There is no doubt that our district is one of the most vulnerable, and it is imperative that we have the appropriate funds to protect and defend ourselves from terrorism."

The bill includes important provisions that will improve our security such as :

-Increasing the share of state homeland security grants provided on the basis of risk

- A stand-alone grant program that will provide first responders with equipment which allows them to communicate with one another during an emergency;

- Strengthening of aviation security by phasing in a requirement of 100% screening of the cargo on passenger aircraft, and

- Accelerating the installation of explosive detection systems for checked baggage and improving the explosive detection systems at passenger checkpoints in our nation's airports.

This bill also phases in, over then next five years, a requirement that 100% of the containers leaving the largest ports overseas will be screened. Our district is home to Port Elizabeth, the largest container seaport on the East Coast and the destination for many of these containers. Containers in international ports will be scanned for radiation and density prior to being loaded onto ships bound for the United States.

The 9/11 Commission bill also includes provisions to better prevent terrorists from acquiring weapons of mass destruction and provides for the establishment of a Middle East Foundation. The foundation would help to counter extremism abroad by promoting economic opportunities, education reform, human rights and democratic processes in Middle East nations.

"We must do what it takes to ensure that terrorism doesn't once again reach our soil. New Jersey's terror threat requires greater efforts to keep our residents safe. I am confident we are on the road to restoring peace of mind to our community and to the individuals who live closest to potential danger," said Congressman Sires.

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Albio Sires was sworn in on Monday to represent the 13th district in the U.S. House of Representatives, even though his election has not yet been certified by the state. He was administered the oath of office based on a letter from Deputy State Attorney General Donna Kelly saying that according to preliminary numbers it appeared that he had won. Unofficially, the former Assembly Speaker won 97% of the vote against his lone opponent -- Pro-Life Independent Dick Hester -- in a Special Election to fill the remaining weeks of Robert Menendez's term.