Michael Wildes

The announcement that U.S. Rep. Steven Rothman will spend Election Day in Chicago with Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama fuels speculation that the Congressman from Bergen County may be up for a post in the new administration.  Rothman has said he has no interest, but then again, that's what they all say just before they take the job.

Rothman has been interested in moving up to the United States Senate, and he clearly has his eye on the seat of 84-year-old Democrat Frank Lautenberg, who is expected to win re-election to a record fifth term tomorrow.  Rothman and other Democrats are already planning as if the Senate seat will open up in 2014, and the harsh reality is that many of the potential candidates get that it might not take that long.  An Obama administration post doesn't necessarily take Rothman out of contention for a U.S. Senate seat (indeed, it could actually propel him past other Democratic Congressmen), unless the seat opens up within the next year or two.  

If Rothman leaves, the front runner to replace him was supposed to be State Sen. Paul Sarlo.  But recent health issues for the 40-year-old Bergen County Democrat are considered serious, and that could take Sarlo out of the race if there is a special election early next year.

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Some Democratic insiders suggest that one casualty of yesterday's indictments of Joseph Ferriero and Dennis Oury will be Bergen County Executive Dennis McNerney, who has always been more popular with Ferriero than with local Democratic party leaders.  McNerney has two years left in his second term, and there's a good chance, sources say, that the post-Ferriero Bergen County Democratic Organization will seek a new candidate for County Executive in 2010.

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The county committee races in legislative district 37 led to a war of words today between Englewood Mayor Michael Wildes and state Sen. Loretta Weinberg, which even led to an argument about what kind of car each of them drives.

In response to Wildes’s claim that the Real Bergen Democrats have dispatched more than a dozen out-of-state canvassers who appear “grungy,” state Sen. Loretta Weinberg said that grunginess is in the eye of the beholder.

“I happen to think (Wildes) grungy, and it has nothing to do with his appearance,” said Weinberg. “It has to do with his political affiliations.”

Wildes is a consistent foe of Weinberg, and last year aborted a primary challenge against her after she brokered a peace with Bergen County Democratic Chairman Joe Ferriero. That agreement broke down six months after it was made, however, and the county committee fights in Englewood, Bergenfield and Teaneck are the feud’s latest manifestations.

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In Bergen County, where State Sen. Loretta Weinberg is seeking to wrestle Democratic County Committee seats away from party leader Joseph Ferriero in several District 37 towns, there are reports of more than a dozen people from outside New Jersey who are being paid, and housed, to help turn out voters for the Weinberg camp.  “Locals in Teaneck, Englewood and Bergenfield say the workers appear somewhat ‘grungy’ and the desperate measures the Real Bergen Democrats are employing in folks being the primary messengers against Joe Ferriero may backfire in Weinberg's face,” Englewood Mayor Michael Wildes, a Ferriero ally, told PolitickerNJ.com. 

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There is little doubt that Congressman Steve Rothman has become a major guy in Barack Obama’s campaign.  So if Obama were to win the presidency, it’s not crazy to view Rothman as a possible candidate for appointment to a major executive branch post  -- eight of the last nine presidents (Lyndon Johnson was the exception) named sitting Members of Congress to cabinet posts. 

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Englewood Mayor Michael Wildes today said he would not Mayor Michael Wildeschallenge U.S. Rep. Steve Rothman as long as Rothman has the organization line in Bergen County.

“I would need the party support to go forward,” said Wildes, an ally of Bergen County Democratic Organization (BCDO) Chairman Joseph Ferriero, who yesterday issued a statement of support for U.S. Frank Lautenberg.

Earlier in the week, Rothman had threatened Ferriero with legal action if the chairman removed Lautenberg from Bergen’s line A on the ballot to replace him with U.S. Rep Rob Andrews, who this week jumped in the Democratic primary against Lautenberg.

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Congressman Steve Rothman beat up on Bergen County Democratic Chairman Joseph Ferriero today, effectively stopping the powerful party leader from endorsing Rob Andrews for U.S. Senate today. But if Ferriero suddenly develops some testicular fortitude and backs Andrews before the April 7 filing deadline, there could be some payback for Rothman too.

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These days, State Senator Loretta Weinberg won’t speak to Englewood Mayor Michael Wildes or Bergen County Democratic Chairman Joseph Ferriero unless she absolutely has to. So many people were wondering why Weinberg, minus Assemblywoman Valerie Huttle and Assemblyman (and Lyndon LaRouche donor) Gordon Johnson, who both live in Englewood, dragged herself to a fundraiser for Senator Frank Lautenberg at Wildes’ home last night and stayed until nearly the last person left.

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Englewood Mayor Michael Wildes says his fellow Democrat, Assemblyman Gordon Johnson, should resign from the Englewood Council following revelations that he gave $1,850 to Lyndon LaRouche's PAC.

"I have known two Gordon Johnsons in politics.  One is avuncular and knows what the politically correct thing to say is. The other is divisive, mean-spirited and profoundly lacks common sense, " said Wildes. 

 

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I, along with many in the state, in District 37 and especially in Englewood, the city where I serve as Mayor, have been waiting for a coherent explanation from Assemblyman and Englewood City Councilman Gordon Johnson regarding his reported contributions to Lyndon LaRouche PAC.

As most of us who are remotely aware of politics in the United States know, Mr. LaRouche has espoused divisive and hate filled charges and conspiracies against homosexuals, Jews, the Royal family, leading Democrats, and more throughout his three decades on the national stage.  I found it difficult to comprehend how Mr. Johnson would somehow have been unaware of any of that at age 57, especially as a politician.

Because it seemed incomprehensible, when Mr. Johnson was first accused of this by his Republican opponents, I waited for his response, assuming there was a good possibility it was mistake of some sort.  On Friday, through news reports it was, by his admission, true.

I want to state for the record, that Mr. Johnson and I are not political allies, although we are both Democrats.  I did not support him in his Primary in 2006 when he ran for the City Council, he already held office as an assemblyman, for a variety of reasons, including the fact that his election would result in the reduction of the number of positions held by African Americans in Bergen County, because he was challenging a competent incumbent African American.  Furthermore, I went on to be a legislative candidate on a ticket opposed to his last spring.  It was for those reasons that I did not react before this charge was both verified and Mr. Johnson had a fair opportunity to state his position. 

In the end, what was most disturbing, beyond the nearly $2,000 Mr. Johnson gave over a two year period in seven different contributions, were his statements regarding the matter over this past weekend.

The Record on Friday, October 29th, reported that:  Johnson said he was "impressed" with LaRouche's grass-roots effort and the way he had managed to inspire youths. He acknowledged LaRouche's controversial persona but said that did not necessarily mean his positions are without merit.

"I find LaRouche to be kind of an extremist, kind of an outsider, so to speak," Johnson said. "Just because he's different doesn't mean he doesn't have some good ideas."

By the next day, Mr. Johnson’s position had changed:

"Had I been aware of the LaRouche record of anti-Semitism, I obviously would not have made my contributions," Johnson said in a statement.

What are the positions that Mr. LaRouche holds that Mr. Johnson considers to have merit? 

I can’t imagine a responsible politician who calls himself a good government official helping to underwrite an organization that calls Al Gore a “Nazi” and calls upon Speaker Nancy Pelosi to resign.

But then again, last year I could not imagine that Gordon Johnson would seek revenge for my not supporting him in his 2006 Primary for City Council by falsely accusing me of employing “thug tactics” against African Americans to help the Independent candidate he promoted and backed in that same year’s General Election in an effort to incite racial bitterness.

Of the people Mr. Johnson alleged were supposedly threatened by my supporters, every one appeared at a hearing and testified under oath that he or she was not threatened or intimidated, everyone except one woman who refused to attend in person or by phone.  That same woman did, however, manage to find the time several months later to attend a press conference with Mr. Johnson just two weeks before the election.  This was done with Mr. Johnson’s full awareness of the true facts, and completely disregarding them.

Following this blatant attempt on Mr. Johnson’s part to racially and religiously divide Englewood for political benefit in the last days before an election, Mr. Johnson was severely rebuked by the leading clergy of the City for the “timing of the events complained of” and for the use of “incendiary words.”  (See the attached.)

I was re-elected by a 2-to-1 margin despite Mr. Johnson’s efforts, with large pluralities in African American districts, which means so much to me.  With the election over, Mr. Johnson never again raised the subject.

I let it go last year, because I did not think it was in the best interests of Englewood to continue political debate involving race baiting that would only result in more suspicion and mistrust among our residents.

Therein lies the central point of my statement today.

I wish Mr. Johnson’s repeated contributions to Lyndon LaRouche were his only lapse of judgment in his public career regarding insensitivity to divisiveness. Unfortunately they are not.

I have known two Gordon Johnsons in politics.  One is avuncular and knows what the politically correct thing to say is. The other is divisive, mean-spirited and profoundly lacks common sense.

I believe the latter Gordon Johnson repeatedly donated to Lyndon LaRouche PAC.  It was that Gordon Johnson who solicited contributions from city employees on government property for a “Clean Election.” And I believe it was that same Gordon Johnson who saw nothing wrong in what he had done.  (The Record on October 26, 2007.)

This is the Gordon Johnson that a diverse city like Englewood cannot afford.  It is easy to tear people apart. Keeping people united in purpose and in understanding is not nearly as easy a task.

I have consistently fought to bring people together in Englewood, especially in efforts to win city referendum to reconstruct our schools, which have mostly a minority enrollment.  That is why I personally found Mr. Johnson’s and his small band of operatives’ tactics to be repugnant.

Senator Weinberg described herself as “embarrassed” by Mr. Johnson’s affiliation with Mr. LaRouche.  The Senator can’t imagine the embarrassment the people of City of Englewood feel.

I will not concern myself here with Mr. Johnson’s legislative career.  However, as Mayor, and with all differences aside, I believe the time has come for Mr. Johnson to resign from his position on the Englewood City Council.  First, he must step down because within our city it is now clear he repeatedly stands as a symbol of destructive politics at its worst.  Second, he must go because he should not hold two offices.

This is not a political maneuver on my part. If Mr. Johnson and his supporters are honest, they will admit that they control the Democratic County Committee and that they would select Mr. Johnson’s replacement.

The real issues are Mr. Johnson’s judgment (or lack thereof) as the ONLY citywide elected council member and his lack of intellectual integrity by, in one breath claiming to be against dual office-holding while in another refusing to cease doing it.

Englewood

needs to end the divisions and political infighting Johnson has come to personify, and come together.  His prompt resignation from this City Council will be a healthy step in letting the healing process begin. Read More >