I suppose I am fortunate. In the twelve years I spent serving on the Scotch Plains Township Council, nine of which as mayor, no one ever approached me with even a hint of an improper offer to provide me or my family a benefit in exchange for preferential treatment from the town. It is sad to say that in a state that has a well deserved reputation for corrupt public officials I am surprised that I never encountered what I imagine would be a troubling if not terrifying circumstance. While I would like to attribute my good fortune to what my mother asserts is my “honest face”, I think the more likely reason is the reputation Scotch Plains has earned over the years for good, honest government.
By now, most have read of the repugnant details that led to the recent arrests of 44 individuals for their alleged roles in money laundering, body organ sales, and bribery. Included in this mess were members of the General Assembly, mayors, council members, political appointees and operatives, and even men of the clergy. Most of the elected officials were products of what is known as the Hudson County Democratic Machine which has a longstanding and infamous reputation as a hotbed for improper and illegal dealings. I believe that as time goes on and the webs of deceit are untangled by the F.B.I. and U.S. Attorney’s office, that more subpoenas and search warrants will be issued and further arrests will ensue—in all likelihood outside of the sphere of Hudson County ignominy.
For those of you who think that this ugliness has not already played a role in our little piece of the world, guess again. It has recently been disclosed that none other than our own Democrat Assemblywoman Linda Stender of Fanwood was the recipient of several thousand dollars in contributions to her recent congressional campaign from three of the recently arrested Hudson County politicians. Stender received money from Hoboken Mayor Peter Cammarano, former Assemblyman Lou Manzo, and Manzo’s brother, Ronald, all of whom were charged in federal court last week with taking cash bribes for their own campaign accounts. I called on Mrs. Stender to return the funds or perhaps even donate them to charity. You can read some of the press coverage here:
http://www.politickernj.com/max/31860/marks-blasts-stenders-explanation
To date Linda Stender has refused to return this tainted money citing that her congressional campaign account is now closed and it would be illegal to return the money from her state Assembly campaign account. This is such an outrageous and pitiful copout that it defies the imagination. Granted, Mrs. Stender did not know at the time of accepting the contributions that the donors would eventually be arrested in an F.B.I. sting. However, any NJ politician understands that there is an inherent statistical risk when campaign contributions are solicited and then accepted from the Hudson County Democrat machine. Yet, this dirty money was spent here on behalf of Linda Stender and all our Assemblywoman can say is technicalities preclude her from doing the right thing.
Had it been my campaign account that received the dirty money I would have immediately and yes, perhaps symbolically, made an immediate donation to charity (absolutely legal) from my state campaign account in the amount of $3,930 and been done with it. I would have been so incensed that I was the indirect beneficiary of a political bribe, that I would have even considered immediately liquidating my savings account, retirement funds, or my children’s college savings just to return the filthy money and disassociate myself from the Hudson County corruption.
The clock is now ticking for Linda Stender to step to the plate and do the right thing. On this episode she may not have broken the law, but she has certainly broken our trust in her good judgement.