Joe Garcia

County Chairman John Currie: Politicker file photo 

As five candidates for mayor continue to slug it out in Passaic City, John Currie, chairman of the Passaic County Democratic Party, said he doesn't want to get in the middle of the action.

"I'm keeping out of that one," the chairman told PolitickerNJ.com moments before joining elected officials at an Obama rally in Paterson on Monday.

He's mostly focused on presidential politics and on his freeholder candidates, not the county's biggest local battle, he insisted. 

"I'm spending more money than I'd like on the freeholders' race, but that's all right," said Currie. "Registration's through the roof."

Jose Sandoval

PASSAIC - Mayoral candidate Jose Sandoval stands on the porch of a voter who’s frustrated by gangs, sexual predators, drug dealers, cops and politicians. 

The voter says the cops own local bars and nitpick residents with parking violations if they get in the way of business traffic. If the drug dealers harass the pit-bull that guards his property, he’s convinced the cops will kill his pit-bull. 

It’s frustrating. 

He calls to his son-in-law, who stands dutifully at attention as the man grasps the child’s slender shoulders in two calloused hands. The boy shows no emotion in the face of three strangers who tower over him.

“He’s autistic,” explains the man. “He can’t play outside here. There’s a child molester who lives up the street with three children. His wife’s a crack head. There are gangs in the streets. How can this boy play outside?” 

As for politicians...don’t get him started.

Jose Sandoval is self funding his bid for Mayor of Passaic
In his filing this week with the state Election Law Enforcement Commission (ELEC), Passaic real estate developer Jose Sandoval showed the richest mayoral campaign, although he slightly trails city supervisor/School Board President Vincent Capuana in cash on-hand. Sandoval lent his campaign $47,830, which is entirely how he’s funded his run. He reported a closing balance of $1,007.85.

Capuana has raised $10,633, and reported a closing balance of $2,116.58. City Councilman/landlord Joe Garcia reported $18,800 raised, which includes a self-loan to his campaign in the amount of $7,500. He closed this period with $539.45 in the bank.

Passaic mayoral candidate Vincent Capuana has no problem with Marcellus Jackson working on his campaign
PASSAIC - Two mayoral candidates here say it’s hard for one of their rivals, Vincent Capuana, to be a change agent when a former councilman, who pleaded guilty to corruption, continues to volunteer for Capuana’s campaign Marcellus Jackson left the council last year after admitting that he took bribes from federal agents posing as members of an insurance firm.

On Thursday night, he worked the door collecting money as a volunteer at a Capuana fundraiser.

“Twenty years of friendship are 20 years of friendship,” said Capuana campaign manager Jose Alex Ybarra. “Loyalty is very big with many of us.”

Mayoral candidate Carl Ellen: Politicker photoPASSAIC - One candidate’s revelation that someone offered him a bribe to get out of the mayor’s race has touched off a battle of words between the campaigns of two old friends, who grew up in the same neighborhood here.

Carl Ellen, a candidate for mayor in the City of Passaic, said the U.S. Attorney’s Office today postponed until next Thursday what Ellen described as his scheduled Grand Jury appearance.

"I was told to appear at the U.S. Attorney’s office in Trenton at 10 a.m.," said the candidate.

Ellen yesterday said he received a subpoena from U.S. Attorney Chris Christie’s office to answer questions about a $25,000 bribe the local businessman said someone offered him as a reward for getting out of the mayor’s race.

Mayoral candidate Carl Ellen: Politicker file photo 

PASSAIC - Mayoral candidate Carl Ellen received a subpoena today from the office of U.S. Attorney Chris Christie to answer questions about a bribe he told the Herald News someone offered him if he would get out of the race, the candidate this evening confirmed to PolitickerNJ.com.

Ellen said he is scheduled to appear in Christie’s office tomorrow. The subpoena came following Ellen’s refusal to answers questions when pressed by local police authorities about who offered him $25,000 to withdraw from the contest.

A local bailbondsman, Ellen is running against city super Vinny Capuana, Dr. Alex Blanco, real estate developer Jose Sandoval and City Councilman Joe Garcia to succeed jailed former Mayor Sammy Rivera.

The Dominican radio station Caliente, which broadcasts in the City of Passaic on 92.3 FM, released the results of an informal poll the station says was conducted with calls from 226 participants in Passaic regarding the mayoral race.

The results with less than a month until Election Day: 30.53 percent for city super Vinny Capuana; 22.12 percent for Dr. Alex Blanco; 21.68 percent for real estate developer Jose Sandoval; 19.03 percent for Councilman Joe Garcia; and 6.54 percent for bailbondsman Carl Ellen.

School Board President Vincent Capuana: Politicker photoPASSAIC - If body language is one of those factors observers use to score debates, on Sunday evening they could at least imagine four mayoral candidates frantically typing answers to questions posed by a moderator at Passaic Jews.com.

"Arranging an online chat session with mayoral candidates is one of the crazier things I've done in my life," admitted debate organizer Moshe Feigin in an email written shortly after the conclusion of the two-hour forum.School Board member Dr. Alex Blanco: Politicker photo

The public could make judgements about the various candidate’s speed in response, as answer after answer appeared on screen, registered by physician Alex Blanco, School Board President Vincent Capuana, and real estate developer Jose Sandoval on a broad range of topics.

Citing a family emergency, bailbondsman Carl Ellen did not participate in the online debate.

Councilman Jose "Joe" Garcia: Politicker file photo 

PASSAIC - The streets throb with Mariachi rhythms as the floats and red, white and green-draped cars move slowly through Passaic and the public men and women wave to the crowds that spill finally into the yard of Public School Number 11 in the 2nd Ward: a confluence of food, flags, bodies and music.

All pay homage to Mexican independence.

The lead singer dances on stage and sing about Mexico and women, and arms in the crowd sway to the horns and guitars and in the background in the middle of supporters wearing red shirts with his name printed on them stands a subdued man in a gray suit.

Councilman Jose "Joe" Garcia shakes hands with a lot of people who pass. They know him. He has nine children, and has served on the School Board for 12 years, and as councilman for the last seven years.

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