November 13, 2013 at 3:31 P.M. I am experiencing some highly unusual plumbing problems in my home. I am sure that this is merely a coincidence. Writing is difficult these days. However, I will be adding another essay soon.
November 12, 2013 at 1:28 P.M. I experienced difficulties posting the essay that appears below from my home. Apparently, obstructions to my home Internet connection have appeared. I am now writing at NYPL, Morningside Heights branch. I will continue to use public and private computers. This latest obstruction may be due to someone's "displeasure" at my criticisms of Mr. Netanyahu and New Jersey's continuing spectacle of corruption. ("An Open Letter to My Torturers in New Jersey, Terry Tuchin and Diana Lisa Riccioli.")
Primary Sources:
Abbott-Koloff, "Tighter Reins On Priests: Prosecutor Replaces Church as Monitor," The Record, November 9, 2013, p. A-1. (Priest with history of endangering minors will not go to prison.)
John C. Ensslin, "Bergen Regional Lawsuit -- Can Be Widened: County Agency Seeking $50 Million From Hospital," The Record, November 9, 2013, p. A-1. (More scams from taxpayers facilitated by lawyers. Surely, some of these lawyers serve on the ethics commitee? "Have you no shame, Mr. Rabner?" and "Herbert Klitzner, Esq.'s Greed and New Jersey's Hypocrisy.")
Mark Muller, "Priest Accused of Sexually Abusing Disabled Man Removed From Ministry," The Star Ledger, "County News," November 8, 2013, p. 7. (Father Kevin Duggan is charged with sexually violating a developmentally-disabled man, but will probably not be incarcerated and will remain a priest: "New Jersey is Stronger Than the Storm!")
Secondary Sources:
Tim Teeman, "A Final Plot Twist," The New York Times, November 10, 2013, p. 1. (Gore Vidal remains controversial after death. He would be pleased to know it. "Book Chats and Chits.")
Jodi Rudoren, "On Iran, Netanyahu Can Only Fume: Hard-Line Stance Shows Growing Gulf Between Israel and U.S.," The New York Times, November 9, 2013, p. A8. (Mr. Netanyahu or "Benjamin Netanjahu" -- depending on your choice -- is under the impression that his approval is required to implement U.S. foreign policy, and that the U.S. is receiving Israeli security and financial aid in the billions of dollars. Is this about racism against Mr. Obama? Perhaps it needs to be emphasized that Mr. Romney did not win the presidential election. This is not to dispute Mr. Netanyahu's point about Iran, but to suggest that public criticisms of the Obama administration and American foreign policy may not be the way to achieve Mr. Netanyahu's objectives. Mr. Menendez and Mr. Graham in the U.S. Senate have called for a "tough line" against Iran, but both men are recipients of funds from the Israeli lobby.)
"A Prosecutor is Punished," (Editorial) The New York Times, November 9, 2013, p. A20. (In a "man-bites-dog" story, prosecutors in Texas are finally -- for once! -- held accountable for withholding exculpatory material in violation of the Supreme Court's Brady decision, also for lying to investigators. OAE? "John McGill, Esq., the OAE, and New Jersey Corruption" and "Larry Peterson Cleared by DNA" then "Louis C. Taylor Freed After 42 Years in Prison.")
John Brennan, "State Plans to Revive American Dream Deal: Local Finance Board to Meet Next Week On $750 Million Bond," The Record, October 26, 2013, p. A-3. (Holidays are not looking good for the N.J. mob this year. The mafia wanted $1 billion.)
Mary Gordon, "JP Morgan Gets New Deal: Banks to Pay $5.1 Million Over Mortgage Sales to Fannie, Freddie," The Record, October 26, 2013, p. A-14. (Banks lying to federal regulators or hiding information -- through their lawyers -- will have to cough-up big bucks, allegedly. I'll believe it when I see it. "New Jersey Lawyers' Ethics Farce.")
Abbott-Koloff, "Former DJ Must Face Music in N.J.: Dave Herman in Child-Sex Sting," The Record, October 26, 2013, p. L-1. (Dave Herman joins the armies of "connected" child molesters in N.J., whose recent arrests amount only to a small percentage of the totality of child molesting "enthusiasts" roaming freely through the corridors of power and influence in the Garden State. Senator Bob? "Senator Menendez Consorts With Underage Prostitutes.")
John C. Ensslin, "Bergen Government Rift Grows: Freeholders Override Executive Veto Again," The Record, October 31, 2013, p. L-1. (The war between County Executive, Kathleen Donovan, and the Democrat mafia's representatives among the aptly-named "freeholders" continues at the expense of the taxpayers.)
John Brennan, "American Dream Clears Key Hurdle: State Finance Panel OKs Bond Plan," The Record, November 1, 2013, p. A-1. (American Dream's proposed $748 million public bonds plan received a "benediction laid on with the left hand" from New Jersey state officials looking for an offer they can't refuse. Allegations of contractors' robbery and illicit pressures on legislators will be ignored by N.J. law enforcement.)
Abbott-Koloff, "Herman Denies He Sought Sex With Girl, 7 -- Says 'Internet Mom' Was His Only Interest," The Record, November 1, 2013, p. L-1. (Dave Herman was pursuing a "two-for-one" deal in America's child prostitution capitol, New Jersey. "New Jersey's Child Sex Crisis.")
It is highly unusual and dangerous for private entities to discharge what are, properly, governmental responsibilities.
I am concerned about private companies making money building and running, say, prisons or schools for failing students, because the incentive to make a buck usually conflicts with the public purposes for which such institutions as prisons and schools exist in the first place.
The last thing you want -- if you build and operate "private" prisons -- is a decline in the crime rate or a reduction in recidivism because such things are bad for the bottom line.
Judges in southern New Jersey and Pennsylvania were bribed to send juveniles to a privately-run facility in order to increase earnings for the company that owned the facility. Judges were getting kickbacks for every young person confined to the facility. This resulted in many more children being incarcerated and traumatized than would normally have been locked-up. ("Bribery in Union City, New Jersey" and "Is Menendez For Sale?")
Similarly, where schools for failing students (Stuart Rabner?) are created, teachers will be bribed to flunk students who will then have to go to these facilities. These are obvious dysfunctions of capitalism that government must control rather than ignore. ("Law and Ethics in the Soprano State" and "Cement is Gold" then "Senator Bob Loves Xanadu!")
In a state as corrupt as New Jersey the problem of political influence and secret rules for "insiders" are worsened for persons affiliated, for example, with the Catholic Church -- which is still a political force in the Garden State -- that is supportive of Mr. Christie and, usually, concerned about corruption, but which should not be in the "parole supervision" business.
There can be no special deals for priests charged with child molesting because of Catholic political clout.
"In a sweeping agreement that legal experts said is unprecedented in its scope, the Bergen County Prosecutor John Molinelli announced on Friday that he has taken over the job of monitoring a fomer Wykoff associate pastor [sic.] who confessed to fondling a 13-year-old boy because he does not trust church [sic.] officials to watch him [-- the Pastor that is, not Molinelli.]"
There is obviously a tension between a politically powerful Church -- the word is capitalized to designate the Catholic Church -- concerned with a perception problem as regards priests (quite a few rabbis have also been charged with child molestation in N.J.!) and the Bergen County prosecutor, John Molinelli, who is ostensibly concerned with protecting the public, except when mafia defendants are involved. ("John Molinelli's Ethics Problem" and "The Zisa Family Goes to the Matresses.")
The mafia and Catholic Church are very much alike in New Jersey, perhaps also elsewhere.
According to Mr. Molinelli, law enforcement "no longer has confidence" in the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Newark to fulfill its obligations under a 2007 agreement that:
" ... barred the Rev. Michael Fugee from working with children. [Mr. Molinelli] also pointed to recent statements by Archbishop John J. Myers, who said the church [sic.] is not equipped to monitor priests and never should have signed the agreement."
Mr. Fugee will be defrocked after admitting to violating a preexisting court agreement that required him to avoid contacts with children.
Clearly, there is a history of "concern" with this defendant who will avoid a custodial sentence. How many others facing such charges would be treated in this special way? ("Judges Protect Child Molesters in Bayonne, New Jersey" and "New Jersey Superior Court Judge is a Child Molester,")
The agreement for Mr. Fugee is unique to my knowledge. I am not alone in this opinion:
"Jeff Anderson, a Minnesota attorney who specializes in clergy abuse cases, called the agreement 'unique' and said there are no precedents for it. Anderson represented a family that received [a] $1.35 million settlement to resolve a lawsuit alleging that Myers [Archbishop of Newark Diocese] failed to keep an alleged pedophile priest away from children when he was a bishop in Illinois."
More child molesting allegations have arisen in South Jersey and in Hudson County -- just during the past several weeks -- where offenders receive seemingly equally special treatment if they have political friends.
I will be posting more essays examining the political and legal corruption that continues to threaten the safety of all of New Jersey's children.
Do you speak to me of ethics in New Jersey?
