Donald Cresitello

There are unconfirmed reports this morning that biotech millionaire John Crowley has decided not to seek the Republican nomination for U.S. Senate, ending several days speculation that he might mount a challenge to four-term Democratic Sen. Frank Lautenberg. With just a week before the April 7 filing deadline, it appears that the GOP field with include Goya Foods millionaire Andy Unanue, State Sen. Joseph Pennacchio, and Ramapo College Professor Murray Sabrin. Morristown Mayor Donald Cresitello is launching a challenge to Lautenberg in the Democratic primary, while former Democratic State Chairman Tom Byrne is also considering a Senate bid.

MORRISTOWN - If he challenges U.S. Sen. Frank Lautenberg in a Democratic primary, Morristown Mayor Donald Cresitello will have the challenge of proving he is more than the anti-illegal immigration candidate.

He believes he can do that.

Worried about America's fading infrastructure and dwindling jobs base, the self-described Lyndon Johnson-style Democrat said he would like to restore the country's competitive edge in part through public works projects.

MORRISTOWN - Democratic Party leaders will stage a rally inMayor Donald Cresitello Trenton on Monday in support of U.S. Sen. Frank Lautenberg as two potential primary challengers - Morristown Mayor Donald Cresitello and former party Chairman Tom Byrne of Princeton - continued to lay the groundwork to run against the veteran lawmaker.

"We’re going to have the Democratic congressional delegation, Gov. Corzine, Sen. Menendez - all in support of Sen. Lautenberg," said Democratic State Chairman Joseph Cryan.

The event is scheduled for 2:30 p.m. at the Marriott.

The entry of Morristown Mayor Donald Cresitello into the U.S. Senate primary could complicate former Democratic State Chairman Tom Byrne's decision making process on whether to challenge incumbent Frank Lautenberg.

Morristown Mayor Donald Cresitello is preparing to challenge incumbent Frank Lautenberg in the Democratic U.S. Senate primary, and will launch a petition drive tomorrow morning in Morristown, according to Gayle Kesselman, Co-Chair, New Jersey Citizens for Immigration Control.

“This is very good news,” Kesselman said in an e-mail.  “Mayor Cresitello has steadfastly understood the illegal immigration problem in the country and his town. He has instituted 287G training for his police officers and argued with the Democrats in NJ about the immigration problem. The current NJ Senator, Frank Lautenberg, is up for reelection in 2008.  He is probably in his middle 80's.  And Lautenberg has a very pro-illegal immigration voting record in the U.S. Senate. Mayor Cresitello wants to challenge him for the seat.”

Bogota Mayor Steve Lonegan is a likely candidate for the 2009 GOP nomination for GovernorBogota Mayor Steven Lonegan has not announced plans to run for governor again in 2009, but if he does, he doesn’t think that the latest flap about him hiring illegal immigrants to assemble political signs hurts his chances.

Lonegan said that this weekend’s incident may give political opponents ammunition, but it won’t resonate with voters. But revelations of officials hiring illegal immigrants have been political poison before. It killed Zoe Baird’s nomination for Attorney General by President Bill Clinton in 1993, as it did the nomination of his next candidate, Kimba Wood. And the discovery that Bernie Kerik used an illegal immigrant nanny was the first of many issues to emerge that ended his nomination for Homeland Security Chief.

The old rivalries endure in neighborhoods broken in half by an atmosphere of drugs and dread.

In Newark, the Bloods hold turf in the south ward and the Crips control much of the west. The Latin Kings take up the slack in parts of the north. In the smaller towns around Newark the gangs split their fiefdoms along municipal boundaries. The Crips are dominant in Linden, while the Bloods hold sway in Roselle.

With the arrest last week of Jose Carranza of Peru and two Latino minors, held in the execution-style killing of three Newark college students, MS-13, the gang with roots in El Salvador and ties on the West Coast, again came to the fore - at least on the street - as a prime organizational suspect.

No matter how one feels about the complex issue of illegal immigration, it would have been hard not to sympathize a bit with Morristown Mayor Donald Cresitello last week. At least the Mayor Cresitello who appeared on New Jersey Network's  "On the Record" show that was taped last Friday. He estimates that his town is home to some 1,500 illegal immigrants and previously noted how his many of Morristown's legal residents complain about the decline in the quality of life in their community and the strain on local services posed by the newcomers.