Peter Massa

When you get this close to Election Day, there is no shortage of dumb comments that come from people who are either in public office or likely to win one.  But with Joseph Ferriero no longer in charge, what's coming out of Bergen county is sort of amazing.

The best line of the week came from Assemblyman Frederick Scalera (D-Nutley), who sought to lessen the effect of Ferriero's criminal conviction by noting that he also represents parts of Essex and Passaic counties: "We answer to three county chairs," Scalera said, not considering that some might think he actually answers to the voters.

The biggest stretch of the truth also came from two Democratic Assemblywomen, Connie Wagner (D-Paramus) and Joan Voss (D-Fort Lee).  Their campaign put out a mailer attacking Republican Judith Fisher of being an Internet pornographer.  Their evidence: Fisher and her husband own a firm that produces accounting software for intellectual property management.  One of their customers is Playboy.  Fisher's problem is that she's running in a Democratic district and doesn't have the money to respond - or talk about how Wagner and Voss were hand-picked for their seats by Ferriero, who liked candidates who didn't necessarily think entirely for themselves.

Democratic incumbents Julie O'Brien and Vernon Walton have seized on attacks against tobacco companies as a critical issue in a race for Bergen County Freeholder.  They are blaming GOP challenger John Driscoll, who is a field sales representative for Lorillard Tobacco, for his role in enabling children to smoke cigarettes.  "As a mother and a grandmother I know how hard it is to keep kids away from cigarettes. John Driscoll's efforts aren't helping.  It takes your breath way," O'Brien said.  Maybe it's smart politics that O'Brien has shifted the debate away from property taxes and Ferriero (by the way, he picked her too). 

A Republican Council candidate in North Arlington taped a one-hour conversation with four Democratic leaders, including Mayor Peter Massa, where the Democrats outline a plan to give him "money, appointments and power" in exchange for dropping out the race.  What remains to be seen is whether the bad guy is Republican Chris Johnson, who may have solicited a bribe, or the Democrats, who may have violated the same state law that sent the Mayor of Carney's Point to jail.

A must-read for political insiders is a story from a weekly newspaper in Bergen County about a candidate for Councilman who secretly taped a meeting at a North Jersey diner with a group of political rivals who wanted to cut a deal to get him out of the race.  The Leader reported today that Republican Chris Johnson provided them with an audio tape of his conversation with Democratic Mayor Peter Massa, two Democratic Councilmen, and a longtime Democratic insider who allegedly offered him "money, appointments, and power" if he dropped his challenge to them.  Johnson says he will offer the tape to the U.S. Attorney's office. 

Click here to read the story.

With speculation that Bergen County Sheriff Leo McGuire may be appointed U.S. Marshall, North Arlington Mayor Peter Massa today floated his own name for McGuire’s current job.  

Massa, a former police and sheriff’s officer , issued a press release stating that he’s “very interesting in exploring this option should Sheriff McGuire resign” and outlining his qualifications.

“I've earned a Masters Degree in Public Administration as well as attended law school. I've worked in the Sheriff's office as well as the North Arlington Police Department where I retired as sergeant and I'm currently employed with a major bi-state agency with the rank of captain. I've served on both sides of the table in a collective bargaining capacity as PBA president as well as the head of a school board and municipality,” he wrote.  “I believe my professional, educational and political credentials make my candidacy one that's tough to beat come election day.” 

COUNCILMAN CALLS ON U.S. ATTORNEY
TO INVESTIGATE ENCAP HOUSING DEAL
North Arlington -- Councilman Peter C. Massa is writing to state and federal law enforcement authorities asking them review the agreement that the mayor and council majority have approved with Cherokee-Porete LLC to build a massive housing development in the meadowlands commonly referred to as EnCap.

MASSA WILL CHALLENGE PITMAN IN PRIMARY
Seeks to Overturn EnCap Agreement, Restrict Eminent Domain
Two Members of Property Rights Coalition Will Join Massa on Ballot

NORTH ARLINGTON - Calling the seizure of private property and the construction of the controversial EnCap high density housing project the defining differences between himself and the incumbent, North Arlington Councilman Peter Massa filed papers today to challenge Mayor Russ Pitman in the June 6 Democrat Primary.