The Hoboken Tax Reform Coalition
In response to Mason and Russo's allegations against Cunningham and Bhalla
Last night Councilwoman Mason and her ally Councilman Mike Russo lashed out against
Zimmer allies Councilmen Cunningham and Bhalla. We live in a democracy, and
honest criticism comes with the territory, but these attacks were from Mason
and Russo were rather disingenuous.
First we have Mike Russo – yes, Mike Russo – chanting the phrase "Pay to Play"
ad nauseum, when back in 2004 he led the opposition to placing the
Pay to Play ban on a public ballot and even attempted to replace it with a
toothless ordinance against the will of "People for Open Government"
(POG)
Then they start going on about the “appearance of impropriety." If appearances were illegal
Beth Mason and Mike Russo would be in jail today. Think I’m exaggerating? Take these examples:
Beth Mason hosted a closed meeting with Residents of Mike Russo's building
while promising a vote for their tax abatement extension. Mason’s
springing a resolution to hire Howard Safir to a no-bid contract, while
Mason's spouse is a partner in the law firm representing Safir's firm.
Mason breaking local laws by posting her political signs on public property under the
banner of "free speech."
Now onto Mike Russo:
Buying a share in your parent’s beach house for "$1" around the time your father
goes to jail. Supporting the hiring of David Corrigan as City
Attorney after he served as your uncle’s lawyer in a lawsuit against Hoboken.
Sitting in closed sessions discussing Police Contracts when you had TWO
brothers on the Force.
Collecting thousands in campaign contributions from The Hoboken
Democratic Party while your mom served as its chair. Running your
political operations out of The Anthony Russo Civic Association while loudly
demanding to be judged as your own man.
So Beth and Mike, if Councilmember Bhalla's office share and Cunningham's
wife working for the same employer as Mr. Condon's wife "appear" to be improper
I gotta tell ya, they’ve got nothing on the two of you.
Tony Soares
Views: 1
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by georgia on -
Tony,
Thank you very much for exposing Beth Mason for the phony that she is. We all know about the russos. However, people tend to think that Beth is honest because she is rich. I think she is just greedy and with her last stunt in the council meeting she proved her low character once again.
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Permalink Reply by Kathy L. Mallow on
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Georgia:
With all due respect, your post contains a rather shocking statement regarding the perception of wealth's possible (& IMHO, dubious) connection with honesty. Where to begin.... How about Bernie Madoff? Brooke Astor's son & his attorney? Mark Rich? The list is of course endless.... A shorter list, I'd suggest, would be those who have honestly gotten their wealth & honestly care to give back.
georgia said:Tony,
Thank you very much for exposing Beth Mason for the phony that she is. We all know about the russos. However, people tend to think that Beth is honest because she is rich. I think she is just greedy and with her last stunt in the council meeting she proved her low character once again.
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Permalink Reply by Lincolnlogger on -
Just yet another case of Mason grandstanding and attacking someone (Cunningham) who wasn't even there to defend himself. It's a lot of fun to attack people who aren't there, I guess. She did it in her mailers all the time.
Russo always seems up for a good witch hunt, even if he is a hypocrite about it. But his buffoonery about "I haven't had a chance to read the audit yet" is a lie, plain and simple. He's had all the chance that we have. Given his family on the force, it's clear where his interests lie, yet he does not recuse himself from confidential meetings involving the police contracts? That is a clear conflict of interest, unlike the trumpery he and Mason were accusing others of.
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Permalink Reply by Kyle on
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Beth Mason calls for Hoboken Special Counsel Paul Condon to resign immediately and for state investigation of blatant conflicts of interest.
Hoboken, NJ- Councilwoman Beth Mason is calling for newly appointed Special Legal Counsel Paul Condon to resign after reports surfaced that Councilmen Ravi Bhalla and Peter Cunningham voted to approve his no-bid contract despite conflicts of interest.
“Both Councilmen Bhalla and Cunningham chose to vote for Paul Condon’s no-bid contract despite being previously warned about their obvious conflicts of interest,” Mason said. “Councilman Bhalla and Mr. Condon rent the same law office on River Street and share operating expenses totaling tens of thousands of dollars. If Mr. Condon can’t pay his share of those expenses, this directly affects Councilman Bhalla’s personal finances. This is one of the most blatant conflicts of interest I have ever seen.”
Mason says she is also “very concerned” about Bhalla’s claim that Corporation Counsel Michael Kates told him he could vote for Condon’s contract. “I am very interested in learning how any qualified and impartial attorney could not see this blatant conflict of interest.”
Mason says that the matter should be investigated by the New Jersey State Division of Local Government Services and the New Jersey Bar Association. The councilwoman adds that if Condon does not resign she will introduce a resolution to fire him at the next council meeting and consider taking legal action on her own.
Mason believes that Cunningham’s vote for the Condon appointment violates “at least the spirit” if not the letter of the Hoboken pay to play ordinance because Condon and Cunningham’s wives have a business relationship, jointly offering and marketing real estate. Condon also made a $750 contribution to Cunningham’s council campaign.
Condon would not have received a $29,000 no-bid contract for special legal services without the votes of both councilmen. The council can also vote to increase the contract at any time.
“Situational Ethics” and “Cronyism” Criticized
Mason says the Condon appointment is the latest example of the “situational ethics” problems that are plaguing Mayor Dawn Zimmer’s administration. Mason says that a large number of people who made large campaign contributions to Zimmer have received high paying jobs or important appointments from the mayor’s administration.
“I ask that Mayor Zimmer, who recommended Mr. Condon for the position of Special Counsel, join me now in asking for his resignation. The Mayor and her City Council majority must not refuse to give the people of Hoboken the open, honest government they deserve. This cronyism is nothing more than business as usual in Hoboken politics and certainly not the kind of government they promised,” said Mason.
Hoboken411 reached out to People for Open Government President Alice Crozier for reaction to the story, and received this message today:
“Although many members of POG have been e-mailing each other over the weekend about the statements in the Hoboken 411 piece on the Condon contract, there will no official comment on these issues until POG has an opportunity to do the necessary research. Since your piece was posted on Friday, today is the first time anyone can even start on such an investigation. You will hear from us in due course.”
- Alice Crozier
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Permalink Reply by Tony Soares on -
Kyle,
What's the point of your Re-Post?
Can you write your opinion on the subject? After all Mason proved NOTHING at the last council meeting. She couldn't even get Councilwoman Castellano to support her outrageous resolution. So the resolution was gutted.
Why is Beth Mason always asking for Zimmer supporters to be investigated while looking the other way when it comes to her own actions and associates?
Some words you shouldn't forget, Mason tried to force a vote on a NO BID unadvertised Contract for Howard Safir , a client of Richard Mason's Law Firm Wachtell Lipton...
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Permalink Reply by Jack Dawkins on
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Mason's resolution was absolutely despicable. Russo's comments on the resolution were equally despicble. Amazing that the city councel had to waste the time that it did on this repellant resolution. How much longer are we going to be subjected to this type of vile behavior by these elected representatives on our city councel?
I commend Bhalla for handling the situation in a such a levelheaded manner.
Sadly, I think the new version of the resolution crafted by Kats, will be heard at the next cousel meeting and the town will have to circle around on this repulsive merry-go-round one more time. Mason is currently in a race with Russo to secure her place as the most detestable person that the city has ever had sitting on the city councel.
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