Sleight Of Hand (Pamphlet #8)

Good neighbor, keep your eye on the hands of those who are corrupted.  Do not be misled by their attempts to focus your attention on other issues.  Council President Mason and Council Vice-President Russo are attempting to take our eyes from their exposure to corruption and poor ethics.

In just the last two weeks, Councilman Russo has been exposed for ignoring the fact that his father was receiving taxpayer funded health care for 8 years beyond the time when it was determined that he does not qualify, after being tried, convicted and jailed for taking bribes and embarrassing us all.  In this same time it was learned that Councilman Russo met with the same FBI informant that gave bribes to ex-mayor and currently jailed Peter Cammaranno, and agreed to take at least $5,000.  This is not speculation, dear neighbor, this is based on FBI recordings of a secret meeting in Jersey City where Councilman Russo was caught red handed on tape.

In the same week, Council President Mason came under fire when she and her blog site were connected to an illegal release of a police report, much to the anger and fury of Council Vice-President Russo, who has been up until now her close ally for all things anti-reform. That alliance is CRUMBLING as the Queen of Aristocracy proves she has no allegiance and no laws other than whatever it takes for her to win. She has sacrificed loyalty for royalty!

In the same week, apparently acting out against the power and family control of Council Vice-President Russo, Council President Mason mailed out a postcard in our 2nd Ward that highlights the illegal benefits received by Council Vice-President Russo's father.  The anti-reform movement is in tatters.  They are at their knees and attacking each other furiously.  The end is nigh, but do not yet stray from our goal!

How then to take away the attention of this penultimate struggle?  Council President Mason and Council Vice-President unleash their last hope, a demand for all records to conduct a desperate scouring of each and every electronic mail message ever sent by the mayor's confidential aid and information officer.  Yes, they are now set to force a release of this information so that, in the final days before their last chance ever at public office comes upon them, they can hopefully extract some sound clip, some out-of-context sentence fragment, or anything, absolutely anything, that can be spun into a grand accusation of misconduct.

This, good Hobokenite, is called sleight of hand, and this is what Council President Mason and Council Vice-President are, in their downward spiral of political meaninglessness, attempting to do.  Take time, take energy, take money, take ATTENTION from the important issues that plague our city for this selfish, personal, politically motivated final attempt at revenge.  STAND UP and demand that the Members of Council vote this resolution down.  SPEAK UP and tell the City Council to wear the thick skin they claim to have.  WALK UP to the microphone this Wednesday evening and share your mind with these despicable, desperate, disgruntled children.  Tell them you speak on behalf of honor, justice, and democracy!  Tell them you're good buddies with T.Paine!  YOUR VOICE is needed Wednesday, and YOUR VOTE is needed on May 10th.