Old Jersey City PD rot spills into 2018 with more on the way

Taxpayers pay for this. They pay for the JCPD to act like a goddamned fourth branch of government as dozens, scads, bunches of cops here scam, lie, cheat and steal. Where do they learn this kind of shit is okay? Shit trickles down from the top in Jersey City friends, former Police Chief Phil Zacche, a 38 year veteran and yes, former chief of police admitted in federal court to being part of the stand around jobs he rarely went to. While the rest of those under investigation or already convicted of felonies have stolen from local developers outside construction sites, Zacche was stealing from the Jersey City Housing Authority to the tune of more than $31K.

The police chief. The Housing Authority. It went on for years. What a police force we employ.

This isn't nearly the end of these pleas and convictions over these scam jobs, Ace Reporter Terrence T. McDonald points out EIGHT more will face their day in court January 25. Zacche will find out his fate April 9.

Finally

In an interview with the Hudson County View, Mayor Steve Fulop made waves by saying in 2018, these disgraceful stand around jobs cops get (and remember, on Fulop's watch JCPD would take cops on active duty and place them around construction sites) might just be going away.

Hallelujah and pass the ammunition.

Johnny has been railing against these nonsense ripoff jobs from the beginning. It's a poor poor use of police assets and with the FBI investigating this program and the bad actors who gamed it, sounds like Johnny is finally going to get his way.

During the same press conference in his office discussing a multitude of policing matters, Fulop revealed that the off-duty security details could soon become a thing of the past in Jersey City.

“On the off-duty stuff, we’re very proactive. The one thing I’ll tell you, just based on conversations we’ve had with the FBI … I would not be surprised if the off-duty jobs go away entirely in 2018,” Fulop said.

About time. Johnny actually used to complain about this program to Fulop's office back when he was a city councilman and got no replies (Fulop was just awful at getting back with Ward E constituents). On it's face this program is a loser and now that the cops have decided they can schedule these types of "jobs" without paying taxes on all that filthy lucre and brought the administration shame it truly looks like it's going away. It was an unnecessary cost to developers who then pass those costs to the renter because that's the money food chain.

As a side note, Johnny has actually, with his own ears, heard a cop explaining the benefits of hiring them to stand around (When you have a dog you can linger and nobody notices). One was nothing gets stolen. Sooooooo your jobsite, in broad daylight, with 10-20-30 workers, a cop will keep some scrap metal scavenger from stealing company property. Right. That happens at night. That's why security companies, flush with amber lamps, employ people.

So, Fulop and Public Safety Director James Shea are taking these tasty jobs away right at the same time they took away a lot of cops extras (some really out there FYI) via an arbitration ruling and thus we'd deduce the JCPD somewhere hidden away has a dart board with the mayor's face on it. In this case, however late to the game, Fulop is right, these jobs are more a sham.

West New York Mayor Dr. Felix Roque arrested by the FBI

Normally when you see a local politician's name in the paper and the FBI not far behind it means dirty money has been changing hands. Not in this case, no, this sounds far more intriguing.

Dr. Roque and his son Joseph were arrested for hacking into a website that was helping coordinate a recall election against him. the website "Recallroque.com" was only up and running for five days before the servers puked. Well, now we know why:

In February, Joseph Roque was able to access the e-mail account of one of the recall organizers and used that to hack into Go Daddy, the internet service provider that was hosting the website RecallRoque.com. Prosecutors say he then cancelled the account without authorization, taking it down.

The actions of Dr. Felix Roque in threatening recall supporters are almost as bad as the hacking allegedly done by his no-count son. Listen to some of THESE "threats" issued by Roque to recall supporters:

...he had the connections to take down the recall website by “highly placed government officials and that everyone would pay for getting involved against Mayor Roque.”

“A friend of mine. he works in the—I can’t tell you — three letters — CIA. You know. That's how I get information. So what I’m doing is not very kosher.” 

But wait, there's MORE from Dr. Felix Roque's dreamworld where he alone is king:

*After learning that another individual contributed more damaging information to the RecallRoque.com website, the mayor e-mailed him and threatened to refer him to the IRS for a tax audit.

*Later in the month, Roque sent a text message to his son asking him to look at the Facebook page of another individual tied to the opposition against him to “let me know what we can do.

We'll give anyone their day in court (and Dr. Felix Roque is about to have a few of them it would seem) but this is just heinous. Does Dr. Roque think winning a recall election makes him some kind of tin horn dictator? Does he think he's simply allowed to behave like this?

The website is still down as of this morning.

It's a funny thing about campaign contributions -- Those who make them expect something for them

Unless it's someone's mom or relative who want to make a good-faith contribution because they really like their kid campaign contributions come with expectations from those who make them.

So Jersey City once again we head down the long, slow road of sleaze.

The FBI has been in touch with Jersey City Councilmen Peter Brennan and William Gaughan about brokerage services with Bergen County insurance broker Joseph Bigica whom the Jersey Journal calls a "prominent campaign contributor." When asked about Bigica Councilman Brennan had this to say:

"I don't really know the guy. I might see him once a year. All I know is he makes a lot of campaign contributions."

But yet he fills the coffers doesn't he Mr. Brennan? Do you have any other contributors you know of that simply just give a lot of money you have little to no contact with?

Again, campaign contributions come with strings. Like a no bid contract perhaps? It's been known to happen.

The Jersey City City Council in September 2010 unanimously awarded, without public bidding, a three-year brokerage contract to Frenkel & Co., a New York firm that has a consulting arrangement with Bigica, calling it "an extraordinary, unspecifyable service," according to The Record.

A NO BID Contract for a big campaign contributor? Certainly the Mayor's office is all over this and is mad as all get out. Oh wait, this is Gaughan and Brennan we're talking about.

Jersey City spokeswoman Jennifer Morrill said she had no idea why the no bid contract would be approved (uh huh) but it's OK in the end since the city saved 30 pieces of silver.

The FBI is snooping around City Hall, ah, just like old times here in Jersey City. Let's gather round the Christmas tree and Menorah in Grove Square sing the refrain from the Talking Heads song 'Once in a Lifetime'

Same as it ever was, same as it ever was, same as it ever was....

Oh look, a kitty......

Johnny wanted to bleat on about this yesterday when the story broke but held his tongue. Odd he thought, that just when Mike Bloomberg and the NYPD needed a big dose of PR-juice after the disgusting and disgraceful way they cleared the park and attacked innocent civilians they magically got one.

Mr. Terror Lone Wolf guy they arrested who was a dangerous al-Qaeda sympathizer isn't turning out to be much of a threat at all. So much so the FBI even declined to get involved in this nationally important terror case:

Two law enforcement officials said Monday that the NYPD's Intelligence Division had sought to get the FBI involved at least twice as the investigation unfolded. Both times, the FBI concluded that Pimentel lacked the mental capacity to act on his own, they said.

The FBI thought Pimentel "didn't have the predisposition or the ability to do anything on his own," one of the officials said.

Mayor Bloomberg, just quit. You're really burying the memory two pretty positive terms under this manure pile third one. Just pull a Sarah Palin and slink off to go make money. Ok, then just slink off. Maybe then they'll call off the drums.

Three jewelry stores on Newark Ave in India Square up to no good

The FBI under the watchful helpful eye of JCPD raided three jewelry stores in India Square yesterday searching for evidence of credit card fraud and money laundering. Ashu Jewelers, Raja Jewelers, and Nikita's Inc. were all raided yesterday morning. Thus far authorities have been tight lipped as to what if any evidence was uncovered during the raids.

Really this is sad news. India Square is a very vibrant and thriving community. Johnny lived inside the boundaries of what is considered India Square for his first year after moving to the Garden State. We'd hate for people to look at these raids and think the restaurants and stores and bakeries along Newark Ave. are nothing but fronts for crime. It's the only 'anchor' neighborhood near Journal Square and that helps meet tax coffers for Jersey City and helps keep street crime in that area down. Until we know what happened in these cases Johnny would urge readers not to rush to judgement on this neighborhood.

Shame on those who may have done wrong here, you stain the very neighborhood you are a part of.

Bad Russians abound locally as a Seton Hall grad was one of the alleged spies recently cuffed by the FBI

Mikhail Semenko, a Seton Hall grad and a guy who loves his New Jersey Devils was one of the alleged spies recently arrested by the FBI. Semenko was arrested in Washington DC after making a $5000 drop in a park for another agent. He had been given the 5 large by an undercover US agent. The stated goal of the alleged spies was to blend in as much as possible into the American fabric which it appears they did.

They spoke in code before meetings were set up:

The phone call began with a question, spoken in secret code. "Could we have met in Beijing in 2004?" asked an undercover FBI agent, posing as a Russian government official. "Yes. We might have, but I believe it was in Harbin," was the prearranged response from Mikhail Semenko, a 28-year-old Seton Hall graduate who authorities say was a budding Russian spy.

However lack of true American culture may have led to Semenko's downfall as he was heard asking an undercover agent "Where are Moose and Squirrel?"

Mikhail Semenko (Jersey City Desk file photo)

With apologies to the theme song writer for The Brady Bunch -- Here's the story, of a three week mayor...

Who was grabbing up some healthy stacks of cash.
He was young, hip, had it all together
Until the police came...

Peter Cammarano, former three week mayor of Hoboken will plead guilty today at 12:30 in Federal Court in Newark for last year's graft arrest for taking $25K from faux developer and part time FBI informant Solomon Dwek. He is expected to garner himself 2 years in the clink for his actions.

$25K? See this is the difference between Jersey City and FuHo, the MAYOR of Hoboken can be bought for $25K while in Jersey City the DEPUTY MAYOR and some other city officials need $30K before they sell their mortal souls. Business is just better, and life costs more in Jersey City.

So for those scoring these graft cases at home our score is now FBI 100%, defendants ZERO.

Normally you remember someone illegally channeling 30 large into your re-election account

Not Mariano Vega, nosiree Bob. Even though FBI agents say they have him meeting no less than six times with Solomon Dwek over meals, Vega, the day before he was arrested this summer apparently lied to the FBI saying he'd never seen Dwek before in his life. Despite the fact Vega's buddy Maher Khalil has pled guilty to basically what Vega is charged with (except the lying) and was there at the time, Vega says he has no intention of pleading guilty.

The FBI says they have it on tape, all of it. So far of everyone who has been charged in the big sting--not one has been found not guilty. Many have pled guilty, many have been sentenced so it sure appears the FBI has their ducks in a row, and it sure seems Mariano Vega is intent on dragging Jersey City's name through the dirt on his way to jail.

Just resign, you'll still get your day in court but your usefulness as any kind of city representative has long since passed if it ever existed to begin with. Mr. Vega, you're a disgrace.

The FBI sure has taken a shine to visiting with Mayor Healy...

Maybe they'll like him so much they'll just take him off our hands entirely. Mayor Jerramiah Healy said the FBI paid him a visit in city hall yesterday, this after checking out his Bradley Beach home in August. Now we're never ones to speculate here but if we didn't know better we'd say his time as mayor might just be getting shorter. Either the mayor is about to become a star witness for the FBI or he's smelling like toast.

Sources told the Jersey Journal that 'six to eight agents visited the City Hall offices of the business administrator, tax assessor, tax collector and city clerk'. We don't suppose any of these people could be sharing info under threat of arrest now could they?

Speculate away Jersey City.

Hoo Wee Man! We've got us one big criminal roundup, Jersey City, Hoboken, Secaucus officials BUSTED!

We'll start with the fact that Jersey City Council President Mariano Vega has been arrested, along with Jersey City Deputy Mayor Leona Beldini, Hoboken Mayor Peter Cammarano, Secaucus Mayor Dennis Elwell and rabbis in the Syrian Jewish communities of Deal and Brooklyn.

FBI officials say 30 people have been taken into custody an international money laundering and corruption probe.

Wow, simply WOW.

According to MSNBC:
The probe is said to have been launched when money transfers drew the interests of federal investigators.

The Star-Ledger adds:
The federal investigation then expanded into a public corruption probe.

Dawn Zimmer must be beside herself after losing that close contested election a short while ago to Cammarano in Hoboken. Certainly this would have changed things.

As for the Jersey City aspect we say GOOD. It's important in any case to understand the adage that everyone is innocent until proven guilty but if guilty is the case here, take 'em down and lock 'em away. Jersey City does not want and does not need bozos like these representing our fair city. We already have one city council member on the verge of being run out on a rail, now we have another city council member and the deputy mayor in the pokey.

Mayor Healy, is uh, there something you'd like to tell us? Anything you'd like to say? This case creeps almost too close for comfort, no?

William A. Price who stood for all that is great about America, freedom of speech and freedom of the press, has passed

William A. Price has passed. To many he is probably not that well known if known at all. To people like Johnny he embodied that V for Vendetta spirit. He stood up to the Senate Committee on UnAmerican Activities and invoked his FIRST Amendment rights to not answer what his political affiliations may or may not be. While his colleagues (Otto Albertson, Richard O. Boyer, and Dan Mahoney) used their Fifth Amendment right against self incrimination, Price cited the First Amendment. He frustrated the Senate Committee again and again by daring to stand up to their tyrannical witch hunt. Price argued that in invoking the First Amendment’s protection of free speech and a free press, he told the subcommittee that it did not have jurisdiction to inquire into his political beliefs.

Sadly Mr. Price passed away this week in Manhattan at age 94. He was from Montclair, NJ.

When he invoked those First Amendment rights he was overruled again and again by communist witch hunter Senator James Eastland of Mississippi. Later Price would be sentenced to jail for 3 months and had to pay a $500 fine. Never has $500 defended so much freedom.

In the 1970's Price had his phones wiretapped under FBI director and noted crossdresser J. Edgar Hoover. Price sued the FBI for violating his civil right and won. He was awarded $10,000.

According to the New York Times Price served the United States military in World War II and flew air-rescue operations in the Aleutian Islands, attaining the rank of lieutenant.

We salute your strong spirit Mr. Price. It's easy to talk big on standing up to the government, it's quite another to be as brave as you were and put words to deeds.

The FBI says a Jersey City housing inspector is on the take

The FBI (with Efrem Zimbalist Jr., don't worry kids, the old folks will get that one) says they have Jersey City housing inspector Randolph J. Condi on tape accepting bribes, or what Condi described at 'tributes'. The Feds say the have Condi on tape:

...telling a cooperating witness doing construction work in Jersey City, Condi said the money was "not a requirement" but it "makes it easier for you. ... If you show gratitude we love it. ... If you're giving me a gratuity because I made your life easier, fine,"

No Randolph, NOT fine.

The FBI also says Condi was illegally shaking down a building project on Stuyvesant Avenue warning about big fines because the proper building permits were not happening. Condi did tell the people working that project that for the right price he'd show them how to continue without permits. The Feds then say he'd drop by every so often for 'inspections' where he'd pocket $500 bucks. He even supposedly admonished one worker who only had $400 bucks for him he'd quote "Have to do better".

Thank YOU Randolph Condi, thank you for really living up to the expectations the residents of Jersey City have for this job of yours. Thanks for shaking down your fellow residents. Thanks for turning your department into an episode of The Sopranos.