Cardwell indicted

Cardwell indicted

Joe Cardwell, a well-connected Jersey City political consultant who was arrested in July along with 43 others on corruption charges, was indicted today for allegedly taking bribes in order to influence a city official.

The indictment charges that Cardwell accepted a $10,000 payment from Solomon Dwek, an FBI informant posing as a crooked developer, to make introductions to officials who could speed through zoning approvals for a purported residential high rise development on Garfield Avenue.  At a later meeting, according to the indictment, Cardwell took another $20,000 from Dwek -- $10,000 for himself and $10,000 for someone identified in the indictment only as “JC Official.” 

The official, who Cardwell allegedly described as “my guy,” turned down Dwek when he tried to hand him $10,000.  According to the July criminal complaint against Cardwell, the official, who in that complaint was identified as “JC Official 3,” “told the CW that he did not do that, and that the CW should deal with defendant Cardwell, who knew both JC Official 3 and the mayor. JC Official 3 told the CW that there would be events and tickets and that defendant Cardwell knew the “playing field.”

Cardwell then allegedly accepted the money intended for the official, and later told Dwek that the official had requested that Cardwell use the money to purchase tickets for a political fundraiser. 

Although not identified in the indictment, PolitickerNJ.com named the Jersey City official in July as Carl Czaplicki, a former chief of staff to Jersey City Mayor Jerramiah Healy who heads up the city’s Department of Housing, Economic Development and Commerce.  Czaplicki has not been charged with a crime.

Read more >>

Politifax: Cunningham is official who 'could not be owned'

After federal agents arrested dozens of New Jersey politicos last month, some readers of the criminal complaints against them took solace in knowing that there was at least one public official who “could not be owned.” 

That person was briefly mentioned in the complaint against Jersey City veteran political consultant Joseph Cardwell who, discussing corrupt officials to hook an FBI informant up with, mentioned there was a “particular state government official who could not be owned.”  

In today’s Politifax, editor Nick Acocella writes he has “excellent reason to believe” that the official is state Sen. Sandra B. Cunningham (D-Jersey City).

Read more >>

Cardwell among those arrested

State Sen. Sandra B. Cunningham (D-Jersey City) confirmed that long time Jersey City Democratic strategist Joe Cardwell, a key advisor to public officials there over the last 20 years, was among those arrested in today’s wide reaching corruption bust.

Cunningham, who is close to Cardwell,  said she watched his perp walk on television.  

“Obviously I’m troubled by these allegations, but I’m just trying to reserve judgment until we have all the facts,” she said.  “I’m shocked.”

Cardwell sits on the Jersey City Municipal Utilities Authority – an unpaid position that provides health benefits.

Read more >>

Healy says Cardwell appointment is not political

Healy says Cardwell appointment is not political

Standing in front of city hall to honor a World War II veteran, Jersey City Mayor Jerramiah Heavy laughed off a question about whether he appointed political consultant Joe Cardwell to a position on the board of the Municipal Utilities Authority (MUA) in order to keep him from working too hard for Rob Andrews.

Cardwell is the closest advisor to state Sen. Sandra B. Cunningham, who in April announced her support for Rep. Rob Andrews for Senate and is considered a potentially strong mayoral challenger to Healy next year.

“I appointed Joe to the MUA because we had a vacancy, and I know Joe will do a really good job down there,” said Healy, who is also the chairman of the Hudson County Democratic Organization.

Read more >>

Does Healy's deal with Cardwell hurt Andrews '08, Cunningham '09?

Jersey City Mayor Jerramiah Healy has named a top advisor to his possible ’09 opponent to the Municipal Utilities Authority – a move that could affect the next mayoral race and tomorrow’s Democratic primary for U.S. Senate.  Cardwell was one of the architects of Sandra Cunningham’s 2007 State Senate race, and of the late Glenn Cunningham’s campaigns for Mayor in 2001 and State Senator in 2003.  Sandra Cunningham is reportedly interested in challenging Healy for mayor next year.  Cardwell is also the primary Jersey City/Hudson County operative overseeing Rob Andrews’ Senate campaign.  Will Cardwell, now a happy camper, not work terribly hard turning out Andrews votes in tomorrow’s primary – thus not embarrassing Healy, the Hudson County Democratic Chairman, who is backing Frank Lautenberg?

Read more >>

Power List 2007

The PoliticsNJ.com Power List of the 100 Most Powerful People in New Jersey Politics will be released on Thursday.  This year, our readers get to pick the person who gets the final slot -- #100 --  from our last ten candidates.  Vote Tuesday and Wednesday to decide who gets on the Power List -- and who doesn't!

Bernie Kenny should have know better

To an outsider it may seem extraordinary that a well-oiled political machine like the Hudson County Democratic Organization could mess up the petitions of a State Senate candidate in a hotly contested primaries, but there is some historical precedence to shabby petitions from Jersey City Democrats Bobby Jackson and Joe Cardwell that may explain it.

Read more >>

Wake-Up Call

Morning News Digest: March 19, 2010

Christie vetoes 5 service contracts approved by Turnpike Authority  Governor Christie on Thursday vetoed five professional services contracts that were approved by the New Jersey Turnpike Authority a month ago. The governor’s office said Christie exercised his eighth veto because the contract fees ranged from...

Wally Edge

Democratic State Chairman John Wisniewski (D-Sayreville) put out a statement today accusing GOP congressional candidate Jon Runyan of “hiding from the press while trying to privately impress party bosses, and taking advantage of thousands of dollars...
The passing of Warren Wilentz means that David Norcross becomes the earliest nominated U.S. Senate candidate currently living.  Wilentz was the Democratic nominee for U.S. Senate in 1966 against Clifford Case, and Norcross was the Republican U....
The national political environment favored the GOP in 1966.  It was the mid-term election of Democratic President Lyndon B. Johnson, and the war in Vietnam had just begun to divide the nation.   In New Jersey, Republican Clifford Case was...
Essex County Executive Joseph DiVincenzo issued a press release today urging the State Assembly to pass pension and health insurance reform bills, but did not mention in his 574-word that the person blocking the legislation, Assembly Speaker Sheila...
Two Republicans will formally announce campaigns for Congress this evening against Democratic incumbents: John Runyan, a retired NFL star who played for the Philadelphia Eagles, is challenging freshman U.S. Rep. John Adler (D-Cherry Hill), and Diane...

Contributors

This is going to be a budget that is going to be unlike any other you’ve probably seen in NJ in at least the last 20 years and maybe... more »
Everybody needs to start a new job with a list of priorities and Chris Christie is no exception. There might be a thousand things that need to get done... more »
On Tuesday, Governor Christie outlined a strategy to rescue New Jersey from the worst economic crisis since the Great Depression. Like other states, we were not immune... more »
Governor Christie seems to have played the rotten fiscal cards he inherited fairly well. As reported by the Star-Ledger, he is proposing to cut school aid by more... more »
It's impossible to support consolidation of government services and also support COAH.S1 paints with a broad brush and thus will miss some fine points.  COAH paints with... more »
As part of his solution to New Jersey’s current budget deficit, Gov. Chris Christie announced that, effective yesterday, he will not allow any additional parents to enroll in FamilyCare,... more »
Do I love Governor Chris Christie’s budget proposal?  Of course not.  Who would?  I’m sure he doesn’t like it, but that’s not the point, is it?  How could you... more »
The budget speech given on Tuesday by Governor Christie clearly illustrates his priorities – including disproportionately shifting the tax burden away from businesses and the wealthy, and... more »
On Rebate Issue, Christie Will Win.  The leading New Jersey Sunday newspapers yesterday confirmed that Governor Chris Christie will propose in his FY2011 budget the... more »
You’ve got to hand it to Christie; he calls it as he sees it.  I don’t mean the newly crowned Governor, Chris Christie, but his nine-year-old son, Patrick.  ... more »
Anyone involved in governing and administrating a town or county in New Jersey understands the economic problems outlined in The Star-Ledger editorials of February 28 and March 1.  The... more »
It is widely anticipated that Gov. Chris Christie’s first budget message, to be delivered on March 16, will show the harsh reality of New Jersey’s bleak financial outlook. No... more »
In keeping with the commitment I made to you in the November election, I am looking at every possible way to cut wasteful government spending and relieve your tax... more »
Wanted:  Courage to Pass Healthcare Reform In 1935, they spoke out against Social Security.  In 1965, they spoke out against Medicare.  And now in 2010, they are taking a politics-first... more »
Our new Governor suffers from no lack of advice.  Much of it, contained in the transition reports, deserves prompt attention.  Obviously, economic prosperity benefits everyone, and – as... more »
I have to genuinely wonder if this legislature will go down as the most taxing legislature in the history of the state of New Jersey surpassing the legislative actions... more »
Now that  the dust has finally settled after the grueling campaign for governor, there are a number of lessons that we can draw from this election. First and... more »
 March 18, 2010   Stop screaming. You’ll wake up the neighbors.If you're a local town mayor in New Jersey and you think that screaming about the impact Christie’s budget... more »
Limited government principles and fiscal conservatism are philosophically sound, because they preserve the people’s natural rights and they prevent government from overspending, over borrowing and overtaxing.   For more than... more »
New Jersey is in severe financial crisis because for years elected officials have been able to make irresponsible and short-sighted decisions without any restraint.  Future governors may... more »
On January 6, 2010, several newspapers published articles with titles like “no more aid for struggling cities”, “Christie will cut state aid” and the like; furthermore, in the body... more »
New Jersey Governor Chris Christie, you target teachers. That’s not a positive note to start your tenure. You forget that the Teachers’ Union makes decisions on its own, such... more »
On the day of his inauguration, Governor Christopher Christie inherited a gaping $2 billion hole in the state’s budget and swiftly set about the people’s business in meeting our... more »