October 7, 2013 at 6:36 P.M. The usual harassments and obstructions at NYPL, #2, Morningside Heights, earlier today. The approval rating for Republicans in the House of Representatives is about 30%. According to ABC News, 70% of Americans disapprove of the actions of House Republicans in bringing about the government "shutdown."
Joe Cochran, "Top Indonesian Judge Held in Corruption Case," The New York Times, October 4, 2013, p. A11. (Indonesia's Chief Justice, allegedly, claims to follow the example of New Jersey's Stuart Rabner.)
Jonathan Weisman & Ashley Parker, "Boehner Urges G.O.P. Solidarity in 'Epic Battle': The Shutdown Goes On," The New York Times, October 5, 2013, p. A1. ("It's not a game!" Mr. Boehner said. Mr. Paul said to Mr. McConnell on CNN: "We can win this thing!" Are you ahead on points, Mr. Paul?)
Charles M. Blow, [Chuck Shumer?] "A Terrible, Tragic Game," (Op-Ed) The New York Times, October 5, 2013, p. A19. (Senator Shumer's take on all this "Shutdown Madness." I concur.)
Jonathan Martin, "G.O.P. Elders See Liabilities In Shutdown," The New York Times, October 4, 2013, p. A1. (Sanity does not prevail on the Right.)
Ashley Parker & Annie Lowrey, "Boehner Pledges to Avoid a Default, Republicans Say," The New York Times, October 4, 2013, p. A1. (Do we believe anything the far-Right says? No.)
Steven Erlanger, "Default Threat Generates Fear Around the Globe: Growing Worry About Collateral Damage," The New York Times, October 8, 2013, p. A1. (The world is not persuaded by Mr. Boehner's assurances and markets are already falling as a result of the disaster in Washington.)
Sheryl Gay Stolberg & Mike McIntyre, "A Crisis MONTHS in the Planning: Conservatives Focused on Budget as Health Law WEAPON," The New York Times, October 6, 2013, p. A1. (Fiasco for Republicans. Not a game, Mr. Boehner?)
Dunaid Adnan, "Attacks Leave 80 Dead in Iraq," The New York Times, October 6, 2013, p. A12. (Same day rocket attacks in Israel that injured a little girl, among others, bombing attacks in Afghanistan, Syria, Pakistan. Al Qaeda is aware of the shutdown and maybe, mistakenly, assumes that Mr. Klapper was accurate to conclude that U.S. intelligence "may not be able to keep Americans safe if the shutdown continues indefinitely.")
Ben Horowitz, "Judge Denies He Made 'Derogatory' Remarks," The Star Ledger, September 27, 2013, p. 9. (Judge Philip Maenza makes derogatory remarks about a litigant in his courtroom. Time to come clean about what you said about me -- Ms. Poritz, Ms. LaVecchia, Mr. Rabner. Did they ever find the $300 MILLION in the HIP scam, Jaynee?)
Bill Wichert, "Court Upholds Man's Lewdness Conviction," The Star Ledger, September 27, 2013, p. 13. ("Have you no shame, Mr. Rabner?" and "No More Cover-Ups and Lies, Chief Justice Rabner.")
Michael Linhorst, "Saving Face After Twitter Embrace: Booker Downplays 'Chat' With Stripper," The Record, September 27, 2013, p. 1. ("Lynnie Lee," stripper in Portland, Oregon works in something called "a vegan strip club.")
Peter J. Sampson, "Ferreiro Vows Vindication: Former Democratic Leader Pleads Not Guilty of Corruption," The Record, October 1, 2013, p. L-1.
"Joseph A. Ferreiro on Monday formally denied charges that he engaged in a series of bribery, kickback and shakedown schemes during his decades-long tenure as chairman of Bergen County's Democratic party."
Aside from the usual cautious comments from defense lawyer MICHAEL BALDASSARE (a consiglieri in the old tradition, Sicilian?), Mr. Ferreiro, who has long been connected to organized crime families (Colombos?), allegedly -- and (far worse) to Trenton's "feces-covered" politics -- made the usual noises about "looking forward to clearing his name." ("Ferreiro is Bergen's Godfather" and "Ferreiro Indicted Again" then "Celeste Carpiano Likes Da Shore.")
The connections between Ferreiro and Diana Lisa Riccioli and/or Barbara Buono are uncertain. Along with Frank Zisa, Mr. Ferreiro was rumored to provide "protection" for the so-called "therapist" from Clifton, New Jersey (Diana Lisa Riccioli) who is facing troubles of her own, allegedly. ("Diana's Friend Goes to Prison" and "Trenton's Nasty Lesbian Love-Fest!")
There have also been longstanding associations between Ferreiro and "Big Nicky" Sacco as well as Jay Romano and others in Union City/North Bergen. ("Mafia Influence in New Jersey Courts and Politics" and "North Bergen, New Jersey is the Home of La Cosa Nostra" then "Is Union City, New Jersey Meyer Lansky's Whore House?" and "Does Senator Menendez have mafia friends?" then "Jay Romano and Conduct Unbecoming to the Judiciary in New Jersey.")
"Ferreiro, who was elected Bergen County Democratic Chairman in 1998, is accused of extorting $1.7 MILLION from the developer of the Meadowlands complex formerly known as Xanadu." ("Senator Bob Loves Xanadu!" and "Senator Bob, the Babe, and the Big Bucks.")
The fraud and payoff scheme was intended to go off smoothly thanks to all the lawyers facilitating the underhanded deal:
"The payments in monthly installments of $35,000 were made through a Teaneck law firm" -- Is this "ethical," Mr. Rabner? -- "from 2002 to 2006 in exchange for Ferreiro's help in securing endorsements and official support, [emphasis added!] and to prevent him and others from opposing the project, the indictment alleges." ("New Jersey's 'Ethical' Legal System" and "New Jersey's Feces-Covered Supreme Court" then "New Jersey Lawyers' Ethics Farce.")
Ferreiro was released on $250,000 bond. Bob Menendez is alleged to have said that he could "neither confirm nor deny" having met or spoken to Mr. Ferreiro. ("Is Menendez For Sale?" and "Menendez Gets Over on the Feds.")
"The indictment also alleges that Ferreiro seemed to profit from his secret ownership of a grants-writing business that was marketed to local governments in North Jersey." ("New Jersey's Legal System is a Whore House.")
Union City? North Bergen? Elizabeth? How many towns made use of this service at your request whose officials received kickbacks, Joe?
Ferreiro is a small part of the corruption problem in New Jersey which has reached a level at which judges think nothing of lunching, publicly, with indicted (alleged) organized crime figures; bribery and corruption are thought of by lawyers as a routine part of interacting with courts and government agencies; and police normally provide "protection" for illegal gambling machines and drug dealers connected to the right people in towns like West New York and Union City. ("Bribery in Union City, New Jersey" and "New Jersey is Lucky Luciano's Havana.")
If any American jurisdiction has plunged below Third World standards of incompetence and disgusting corruption in government and courts, it must be the state of New Jersey. Federal action is desperately needed to clean up the situation. The shutdown of the government, however, makes any federal action unlikely, allowing the "usual suspects" to continue to get away with "business as usual." ("Law and Ethics in the Soprano State" and "New Jersey is the Home of the Living Dead.")
