Peter Cammarano

Shell-shocked Hoboken sources pointed to Mayor Peter Cammarano's statement from last week regarding Hoboken Housing Authority Commissioner Hector Claveria, who was arrested for taking bribes. 

"These are serious allegations which are currently proceeding through the judicial system," Cammarano said. 

"This Administration has a clear-cut, zero tolerance policy against any violation of the public trust and I am calling for Housing Authority Commissioner Claveria to resign his position with the Hoboken Housing Authority immediately. Should he refuse to resign, I am demanding that the City Council President immediately begin proceedings for his removal pursuant to New Jersey State statute 40A:12A-17."

According to the U.S. Attorney's Office, Cammarano was arrested this morning in connection with a money laundering scheme.

He was elected mayor just last month after a brusing race.

Attorney Joe Hayden said the FBI arrested Hoboken Mayor Peter Cammarano at his home early this morning.

Hayden received a call from the mayor's wife.

"There is no truth to the allegations that Peter Cammarano engaged in criminal conduct," said Hayden, who is representing Cammarano in court. "He intends to fight these false allegations witjh all of his strength to prove his innocence. We look forward to cross-examining under oath whoever is making these false charges."

Peter Cammarano became Mayor of Hoboken on July 1 after a narrow victory in a June runoff election. He was arrested today on federal corruption charges.

A two-track federal investigation of public corruption and a high-volume, international money laundering conspiracy resulted in the arrests of about 30 individuals today, including Hoboken Mayor Peter Cammarano, Secacus Mayor Dennis Elwell, Assemblymen Daniel Van Pelt (R-Ocean County) and L. Harvey Smith (D-Jersey City), former Assemblyman Louis Manzo (D-Jersey City), Ridgefield Mayor Anthony Suarez, Jersey City Council President Mariano Vega, Jersey City Deputy Mayor Leona Beldini, and longtime Democratic strategist and political advisor Joseph Cardwell.

Also charged were Jimmy King, who ran for Jersey City Council last May in a race against embattled Councilwoman Nilda Lopez, and John Guarini, a Jersey City Housing Inspector who was the Republican candidate for Congress against U.S. Rep. Albio Sires (D-West New York) in 2006.

A press conference is scheduled for approximately noon today at the U.S. Attorney's Office in Newark.  Court appearances will begin at about 2 p.m. today.

Hoboken Mayor Peter Cammarano

HOBOKEN - Hoboken Now reports that Hoboken Mayor Peter Cammarano assumed the oath of office today shortly before the council unanimously elected 4th Ward Councilwoman Dawn Zimmer as council president.

While Cammarano defeated Zimmer in a run-off election last month, the councilwoman's three running mates won in the earlier May 12th election.

Second Ward Councilwoman (and failed mayoral candidate) Beth Mason's endorsement of Zimmer over Cammarano in the runoff signaled her alliance with Zimmer and yet another Zimmer vote on the council.

It was Mason who nominated Zimmer today for council president, according to Hoboken Now. 

Councilwoman Dawn Zimmer

HOBOKEN - 4th Ward Councilwoman Dawn Zimmer has conceded the mayoral election to At-Large Councilman Peter Cammarano. 

While Dawn Zimmer has the option of seeking a recount, it appears that Peter Cammarano has won election as Mayor of Hoboken by a narrow 161 vote margin.  Zimmer will remain a force in local politics since her political allies will have control over the City Council. 

It is again worth noting that Cammarano keeps one streak going: no women has ever been elected Mayor of a Hudson County municipality since the county was founded in 1840.

At-Large Councilman Peter Cammarano

UPDATED 

The Hudson County Board of Elections just reported to the camps of Cammarano and Zimmer that the at-large councilman has gone ahead by 161 votes in the wake of the board's provisional ballot tally.

The absentee results brokes down as follows: Cammrano, 63; Zimmer, 15.

Provisional vote totals showed 82 for Cammarano and 36 for Zimmer.

The Hudson County Board of Elections just reported to the camps of Hoboken mayoral candidates At-Large Councilman Peter Cammarano and 4th Ward Councilwoman Dawn Zimmer that after having counted 79 absentee ballots this morning, Cammarano now leads by 115 votes.

The Board will shortly report the results of their tally of 122 provisional ballots.

Councilwoman Dawn Zimmer

UPDATED 

Representatives of the Hudson County Board of Elections will count the roughly 150 provisional ballots in the Hoboken mayoral election at 10 a.m. on Friday morning.

"Friday is the big day, I will take it from there," said 4th Ward Councilwoman Dawn Zimmer, who at present trails At-Large Councilman Peter Cammarano by 67 votes.

Hoboken City Hall

UPDATED 

The legal brains and attendant suppporters are in a conference right now at the Hudson County Board of Elections Office trying to figure out what to do next in this prolonged mayoral contest between At-Large Councilman Peter Cammarano and 4th Ward Councilwoman Dawn Zimmer.

As of this moment, Cammarano's up by 67 votes, 6,043 to Zimmer's 5,976, according to Jerry Lore at the Hoboken Clerk's Office.

But that number is not final.

"There are 150 provisional ballots that have not yet been counted and they will not be tallied until tomororw - latest Friday," Lore told PolitickerNJ.com.

The ongoing conference between the mayoral combatants is the chief reason for the delay in the provisional tally, Lore added.