Below is Tim Occhipinti's latest gem from his website:
The unelected 4th Ward councilman Michael Lenz is desperate to hold on to his seat. How desperate? His campaign has launched a series of lies and smears designed to mislead people about my positions on the issues. It’s unfortunate, but not unexpected. His goal is to deflect from his own lack of accomplishments and to discourage you from participating in the electoral process. It’s a tactic he has used many times over his two decades in Hudson County politics.
The only way to respond to Lies from Lenz is with Truth from Tim, a new feature on our campaign website that will set the record straight when Lenz’s campaign press releases, paid bloggers and “anonymous” internet attack squads spread misinformation. There are a lot lies to set straight, so let’s get started!
Here’s the most blatant one by far. See how deceitful this one is:
On the YouTube page of “Lenz4Council” a video titled “Tim Occhipinti on Flooding in Hoboken” purports to show me downplaying the need for flood prevention efforts during a discussion of a $165,000 contract for flood sensors. On the edited version (below) seen on the Lenz site, only the beginning and end of my comments are shown. An obvious edit occurs at :51 seconds of that video. Watch:
However, in the unedited video stream of the meeting, (below) which appears on the city’s Ustream site, my comments are quite the opposite. My complete comments begin at 54:00. Watch:
These are the kinds of distortions that the Lenz camp starts and then hands off to bloggers to perpetuate. Most voters don’t think that a campaign’s YouTube page would have such blatant distortions on it. It’s just manipulative, so we are trying to combat that by putting Truth from Tim next to Lies from Lenz.
Here are some more Lies from Lenz, followed by Truth from Tim.
Lenz Lie: Tim is in favor of International Realty’s plan for a 348-unit, 13-story apartment complex at 38 Jackson Street, and will support Zoning Board appointees who will approve it. (Lenz campaign 9/29 press release)
Tim’s Truth: I have NEVER been in favor of this project. It is way too large and provides far too little in givebacks to our neighborhood. Some of my supporters have attended the Zoning Board meetings where this application was heard and spoke out AGAINST it. Mr. Lenz is trying to divert attention from the fact that he has awarded Zoning Board seats to the highest campaign contributor in backroom deals that keep the average Hoboken citizen from participating in the public process.
Lenz Lie: Tim is in favor of the Rockefeller Group plan for a 40-story building in north Hoboken. (Story planted by the Lenz campaign on a supporter’s blog)
Tim’s Truth: I have NEVER been in favor of out-of-scale development projects like the Rockefeller Group’s rumored proposal. Rockefeller Group is interested in bringing dedicated office space to Hoboken, which is good for balanced development and our tax base. What is not good is the rumored scale of that office space. Lenz’s campaign bloggers have taken out of context my comments about why the Lenz/Zimmer plan for combination retail/residential/condo buildings for the Western Edge zone won’t fly, and put words in my mouth regarding the Rockefeller Group.
Lenz Lie: “Mike Novak, a high-ranking member of Tim’s Campaign team currently has missing ELEC forms from his run with Former Mayor and current Inmate Peter Cammarano’s campaign last year.” (Lenz campaign 9/29 press release)
Tim’s Truth: Mike Novak is a respected member of the community, but he’s not “a high ranking member” of my grassroots campaign to represent the 4th ward. Since Mr. Novak didn’t even make the 2009 runoff election, he bears no responsibility for the lack of Election Law Enforcement Commission (ELEC) filing by disgraced former Mayor Cammarano. Actually, Michael Lenz failed more than 30 times to file ELEC reports from his own failed 2001 city council campaign. Talk about missing ELEC reports! He finally filed his ELEC report 8 years later, just before he announced he was running for office. Lenz’s excuse: “I forgot.” Convenient memory, to say the least.
Lenz Lie: “Despite telling the press the opposite, Tim is already personally running a shadow absentee vote campaign that is working day and night to disenfranchise the residents of the 4th Ward.” (Lenz campaign 9/29 press release)
Tim’s Truth: First of all, “Absentee Ballots” no longer exist. They were removed by the state law that created the Vote By Mail system. Now everyone is encouraged to Vote By Mail for any reason. Common Cause supports Vote By Mail because it increases voter participation. Michael Lenz wants to suppress the vote of people who don’t support them. That’s just wrong. It’s another false attack, and laughably, the source cited for this lie is a “blog” written by a highly partisan Zimmer appointee to the Zoning Board. That’s hardly a reputable source!
Thanks for reading Truth from Tim, and watch this space as we continue to try and set the record straight almost as fast as Lenz Lies.
Hoboken Journal Truth: Neither the Hoboken Journal, MSV, and Grafix Avenger blogs are enumerated for their efforts by the Zimmer Administration or any other political entity. I challenge Tim Occhipiniti's camp to name these so called "paid bloggers". Where is the proof of their allegations? The answer is they don't have any because no proof exists. The fact is that the Hoboken Journal gladly publishes press releases from both sides and lets readers decide the truth in an open discussion forum with my editorial sprinkled in. As a blogger and more importantly a resident of Hoboken of the United States of America I am entitled to my opinions as this is after all a free country. I make no effort to hide who I support and my contributions for candidates are listed on the ELEC reports. The candidates I support have filed their reports on time since I have been involved in Hoboken politics.
My truth is simply put "I am not down with stupid". Sorry Timmy.
I dedicate this video to Tim Occhipinti and his core supporters(developers):
◦
