"I am here tonight to respond to this witch hunt of a resolution perpetuated and sponsored by hypocritical self- anointed queen of transparency and the clown prince of corruption Beth Russo. Beth Mason and Mike Russo are being combined here as a political singularity. They are representative of the stagnation and obstructionism that has besieged Hoboken City Council Chambers with the “Council of No” gaining the Majority in November of 2010. This all accomplished with the help of Tim Occhipinti’s political puppetry. All of his “rubber stamp” anti-Zimmer votes that he has cast since are in no doubt tied to the wheeling in excess of $13.4 K by Beth Mason on his behalf for that election.Juan Melli Press Release sent to media on the Expansion of the Hop:
I am not a legal expert in these matters but I understand it to be the case that the City Council really doesn’t have any powers here. In any case I will defer to Corporate Counsel for the most part. It is clear that Bethy and Mikey (sounds all cozy and family-like, right?) are clearly reaching here and looking for something. But what? I wonder if they care to elaborate? Seems like a witch hunt to me. Well, if it is this oversized warlock is here to shed some light on the situation and defend his family name. You guys are familiar with the concept of La Familia right? Welcome to my German version of it!
Over the course of 2010 to the present I have received hundreds of emails from Juan Melli in his official capacity as Mayor Dawn Zimmer’s communication contact. I would assume that I am one of many that are copied on his emails that go out to traditional media as well as new media (bloggers).
These emails were either press releases or media advisories. I all his emails I only responded to 30 of these with either questions or the occasional snarky political commentary. Based on my precursory view of the emails Juan Melli at all times maintained his professionalism. In the interest of transparency, even though there are no legal requirements for me to do so here are a few samples of my responses via email to Juan Melli at Hobokennj.org…
My sarcastic reply unrelated to the the HOP but another political issue from within reform at the time:
Juan did not reply to this email.
Here is a second email from Juan. He posted an update on Church Square Towers Trees and I thought that one of the pictures looked suggestive as well as the fact I wanted to correct a spelling error. At the time Lane Bajardi was on his anti-poop jihadist phase when Nancy Pincus had done a lampooning graphic of BOE Real Results slate as turds in a punch bowl. I was being flip as well as looking out for Hoboken's best interest in not publishing a photo of a hand and a tree that was sexually suggestive in nature. Lane Bajardi might have gone nuts. Wait, he already is/was!◦
Juan did not reply any more in the thread other than to thank me for correcting the speling error.
This is just from 2 of the 30 of the instances over more than one year where I replied to Juan directly at his Hoboken email. There is nothing in any of these emails from Juan than press releases or media advisories and perhaps a handful of web links to articles that may have been of interested. At no point did I take any direction from the Administration and it was left up to me as to whether to publish or not. In most cases I did.
A few off color remarks by yours truly......
Smoking Gun?
Ok, I guess you got me!
My father always said that prohibitions are usually established by those who have partaken of the forbidden fruit. Internationally we have Osama Bin Laden who despite preaching about Americans being infidels was caught with a boatload of porn. Those titles I can only begin to imagine being like “Jerka Jerka, What’s behind that burka?” You get the idea.
Now we have Beth Mason being elected with incomplete ELEC reports. She had the following expenses and very little of it was on her ELECs before the May election including:
- Website advertisements on Hoboken 411 and Hoboken Patch.
- Newspaper ads in the Hoboken Reporter.
- Paid Consultants.
- Video ads and TV commercials.
- Lane Bajardi and Perry Klaussen not listed on her expenses.
- Campaign fliers.
- Legal expenses required to unearth dirt on Tom Greaney's bankruptcy.
Some transparency huh? Looks like good old dad was right after all."
