| Author |
Message |
    
John Caffrey
Citizen
Username: Jerseyjack
Post Number: 500
Registered: 11-2005
| | Posted on Sunday, August 20, 2006 - 12:02 pm: | 
|
There needs to be some oversight from the state Department of Community Affairs to prevent abuses such as reported in this morning's Ledger. There should also be efforts to recover money when crap like this is uncovered. |
Squeaky Wheel
Citizen
Username: Squeaky_wheel
Post Number: 51
Registered: 9-2003
| | Posted on Sunday, August 20, 2006 - 12:39 pm: |
|
How infuriating !
Keep in mind that much of the Essex county tax that we pay is to support Newark!
Sharpe James owes every Maplewood homeowner a sizable property tax refund!
Below is the article:
Five days in Rio on Newark's credit card
On trips, James used little-known account
Sunday, August 20, 2006
BY IAN T. SHEARN AND JEFFERY C. MAYS
Star-Ledger Staff
In the final week of his 20-year tenure as mayor of Newark, Sharpe James took a five-day trip to Rio de Janeiro, staying in a luxury hotel and dining at some of the city's finest restaurants.
Newark taxpayers paid the tab, which exceeded $6,500, according to credit card records obtained by The Star-Ledger.
The mayor, traveling with an aide and two police bodyguards, stayed at Caesar Park Ipanema Hotel, a four-star resort, and enjoyed meals at Marius Crustaceos and Don Camillo, upscale eateries on the Copacabana beachfront. Rio, at the time, was in the grip of World Cup soccer fever, as the Brazilian team neared the end of its unsuccessful run in the tournament.
James said yesterday the June 23-27 trip was purely business, following up on a 2004 visit there when he lectured on "affirmative action, sanitation, housing and poor people" -- as a guest of the U.S. State Department.
Of his more recent trip, James said: "I went to the consul general and met with him to discuss these issues. I wanted to see if my (earlier) visit paid off, and I found out it did pay off."
Asked why he needed to travel with two bodyguards, James said that "Brazil is a hot spot for crime -- everybody knows that."
The expenses for the trip were the final charges on an $80,000 tab James and his security detail accumulated over a 2 1/2-year period using a Platinum Plus Visa card issued to "Sharpe James Newark Mayor Sec Pol Bus" and paid for with Newark Police Department funds, records show. The use of this card for the former mayor's expenses has not been previously disclosed.
When The Star-Ledger requested records of all the former mayor's expenses last year, citing the state's Open Public Records Act, the James administration provided only charges made to another Visa card billed to City Hall. Those charges totaled more than $70,000 for the years 2002 through 2004.
Newark Mayor Cory Booker said on Friday he recently became aware of the police department account and has directed his staff to conduct a review.
"Our investigation thus far appears to reveal an egregious and unacceptable use of public funds, especially in light of our urgent community needs, current fiscal crisis and common values," he said. "I am and will continue to ensure that this matter is fully investigated."
Former Business Administrator Richard Monteilh said he knew the mayor was out of town in late June, but didn't know where he went. Monteilh preapproved all city employee travel, with one exception: the mayor.
"What the mayor does is exclusively up to him," Monteilh said. "This is the way it was set up when I got here. Whatever precedent is in place is what we follow."
THE EXPLANATION
The reason for using two credit cards to cover his expenses is easily explained, James said.
"Sometimes the city doesn't pay properly," he explained. "If one account gets rejected, they use the other card."
James also said he never, in his long tenure as mayor, exceeded his travel budget -- but he said he couldn't recall what his limit was.
Former Police Director Anthony Ambrose, who retired last month after two years in charge of the department, said he never saw any bills or paperwork for the credit card.
The bills, he said, were submitted to the police department's business office, which forwarded them straight to the city's finance department for payment. In the end, the bills were paid out of the police department's budget.
No other police employees had a city credit card; they paid for business trips themselves and submitted vouchers for reimbursement, which the director approved and sent to the city finance department, Ambrose said.
"The main purpose of the credit card, which pre-existed me, was for use by police security to accompany the mayor on city-related trips and functions to pay for travel, lodging and meals," Ambrose said.
Most of the vouchers submitted to the city's finance department in connection with the credit card were unsigned, but checks were cut and sent to Wachovia Bank to pay the bills.
According to records for the Visa card, James used it for eight years. But the credit card statements obtained by The Star-Ledger cover only the period from November 2003 through June 2006.
Among the charges during this period were multiple trips to Puerto Rico, the Dominican Republic, Florida, Martha's Vineyard, North Carolina and Atlantic City.
James said every taxpayer-paid trip he took was city business, and also said he reimbursed the city on occasion when his expenses weren't city-related. He was unable to recall any specific examples yesterday, though, and said he would try to find his records and call back with details. He did not.
Leah Rush, director of state projects at the Center for Public Integrity in Washington, D.C, called James' expenses "audacious."
"It probably doesn't get any more clear-cut than using a public credit card ... and taking yourself to nice events -- not even fancy dinners in town, but resorts in exotic locales," Rush said.
Newark taxpayers bought the mayor and his bodyguards meals as meager as those dished up at a White Castle hamburger stand in Newark ($6.55 on July 8, 2005) and as extravagant as those served at the Old Homestead Steakhouse in Atlantic City ($421.80 on Nov. 16, 2005).
CAR RENTALS AND BROADWAY
The card was used for matters as practical as gasoline, car rentals and overnight mailings. But it also bought tickets for performances at the New Jersey Performing Arts Center, Broadway theaters, Giants Stadium and Cirque du Soleil in California.
James used his City Hall Visa card for many of the same purposes, traveling to the Bahamas, Virgin Islands, South Beach in Miami and a boat show in Chicago.
In May 2003, he spent $968 for tickets at NJPAC. On two occasions, he made purchases at Toys "R" Us.
At the height of his 2002 election campaign against Cory Booker, just two days before voters went to the polls, James used the City Hall card to charge airline tickets for Illinois congressman Jesse Jackson Jr., his aide Frank Watkins and pollster Ron Lester, at a cost of $730.50 to taxpayers. The election was the closest in James' political career and he pulled out all the stops to win, showcasing Jackson at churches around the city.
Rush said this charge is particularly troubling and may have violated campaign finance laws.
"If it was out of his campaign fund that's one thing," she said. "But to put it on the taxpayer dime is really out of line."
'INADVERTENT ERROR'
James, in a faxed message yesterday, said he had no knowledge of the credit card being used to pay for Jackson's visit. "I never heard of said transaction," he wrote. "My campaign treasurer would not allow this."
After he was faxed the credit card statement reflecting the travel expenses, James said it was an "inadvertent error" by his secretary.
"I will write a campaign check for it on Monday," he said. "That's just stupid."
James occasionally used both cards to split the costs on his trips, according to credit card bills. For example, during a 2003 trip to Nashville, Tenn., James used his mayoral credit card to pay $598 for lodging at the Gaylord Opryland Resort. He used his police card to pay the balance, which was $2,287. He also used the police card for his rental car, and for an evening at BB King's Blues Club and other food and entertainment, totaling $601.
He also used both cards to dine at numerous Newark restaurants -- most frequently at Don Pepe's, owned by José Lopez, one of the mayor's staunchest supporters.
Most of the mayor's travels were arranged by Gateway Travel, a Newark firm owned by Christina Malanga, wife of former Deputy Police Chief Rocco Malanga, who retired in June. The Malangas were out of the country and could not be reached for comment.
Accompanying James on the Rio trip were his aide Alturrick Kenney; Robert Moore, assigned to the ex-mayor's security detail; and Jerome Ramsey, a former member of his detail. Repeated calls last week to reach Moore and Ramsey were unsuccessful, and Capt. Derek Glenn of the police department referred all questions about the officers to the mayor's office. Kenney, reached yesterday, referred all questions to James.
"Any time you travel for Newark, it's good," James said. "As the last of the civil rights mayors in America, I had to travel and sell this city and tell the world about the Newark success story."
Ian T. Shearn may be reached at ishearn@starledger.com or (973) 392-1671. Staff writers Jonathan Schuppe and Jonathan Casiano contributed to this report.
© 2006 The Star Ledger
© 2006 NJ.com All Rights Reserved. |
SO Ref
Citizen
Username: So_refugee
Post Number: 2114
Registered: 2-2005
| | Posted on Sunday, August 20, 2006 - 1:04 pm: |
|
"I'm Sharpe James, bitch!"
 |
Spinal Tap
Citizen
Username: Spinaltap11
Post Number: 181
Registered: 5-2006
| | Posted on Sunday, August 20, 2006 - 1:51 pm: |
|
Oversight. In NJ no less. Please. How can this surprise you? Haven’t you yet figured out that politicians don’t play by the same rules as the rest of us? The politicians who don’t pull this stuff don’t because they choose not to. Not because they can’t. Elected office is the ultimate boondoggle. |
S.L.K. 2.0
Citizen
Username: Scrotisloknows
Post Number: 1878
Registered: 10-2005
| | Posted on Sunday, August 20, 2006 - 3:58 pm: |
|
Why did James have to go so far away to talk about such topics? Hasn't he looked out his window in Newark lately? Is he an expert on the matter?
I think we should really consider burning Newark down and starting all over....
-SLK |
Nohero
Supporter
Username: Nohero
Post Number: 5750
Registered: 10-1999
| | Posted on Sunday, August 20, 2006 - 4:48 pm: |
|
Quote:I think we should really consider burning Newark down and starting all over....
-SLK
The people who were most victimized by Sharpe James, the residents of Newark, took matters into their own hands this year and elected Cory Booker as their new mayor. James saw the handwriting on the wall, and declined to run. Not only that, but Booker-backed candidates won the city council races, against candidates preferred by James.
I think they're trying to start over. They probably wouldn't be amused by the "Let's burn down Newark" line, though ... |
Spinal Tap
Citizen
Username: Spinaltap11
Post Number: 183
Registered: 5-2006
| | Posted on Sunday, August 20, 2006 - 5:21 pm: |
|
What???????? Newark has been electing this criminal for the past 20 years including 4 years ago over Booker. I think there were other forces at work in his decision not to run than "the residents". And if not for those forces, he would have run again and won. Who knows what kind of dirt someone may have dug up on this jerk. |
Spinal Tap
Citizen
Username: Spinaltap11
Post Number: 184
Registered: 5-2006
| | Posted on Sunday, August 20, 2006 - 5:28 pm: |
|
And Newark was burned down 40 years ago. That's the problem. I don't think a reoccurrence would be beneficial. |
Strawberry
Supporter
Username: Strawberry
Post Number: 7735
Registered: 10-2001
| | Posted on Sunday, August 20, 2006 - 6:10 pm: |
|
Just another lib politician. Most of them are crooks. James is nothing out of the ordinary. |
tom
Citizen
Username: Tom
Post Number: 5580
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Sunday, August 20, 2006 - 6:30 pm: |
|
Three sentences, three pieces of nonsense. James isn't a liberal, he's kleptocrat.
Most liberal politicians are not crooks.
And James was extraordinary. You'd be hard-pressed to find a handful of mayors nationwide with their hands as deep in the till, and with as many conflicts of interest as James. Maybe Providence, RI comes close. |
S.L.K. 2.0
Citizen
Username: Scrotisloknows
Post Number: 1880
Registered: 10-2005
| | Posted on Sunday, August 20, 2006 - 6:33 pm: |
|
My want of burning down Newark is purely out of frustration, sorry if I offended the PC crowd.
I am tired of my taxes paid in Maplewood being dumped into such a mess.
-SLK |
Hoops
Citizen
Username: Hoops
Post Number: 1940
Registered: 10-2004
| | Posted on Sunday, August 20, 2006 - 7:23 pm: |
|
I here Morris county is nice SLK. |
Lydia
Supporter
Username: Lydial
Post Number: 2133
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Sunday, August 20, 2006 - 7:52 pm: |
|
Sharpe James is one of those old-time politicians who can ride on his former life as a reformer and get into office year after year.
I heard Sharpe James speak a few times in person - what struck me the most was his presence. If you've ever been to a heavyweight title fight it's like that. Sharpe had loud music playing, his handlers make a path for him - people shoved to touch him, women were pushing forward to take pictures with him.
Sharpe sprinted down the aisle, shook hands, remembered first and surnames, who's mother is sick - that flattery translated to 800 votes for every personal touch. He ran an effective machine, I'll give him that.
I don't think the voters in Newark are dumber than any group of voters. It's the same everywhere - people like to vote for politicians who tell them good news and remember their names.
Glad that the people of Newark changed the tide - now I'll cross my fingers for the USA.
|
Michael Paris
Citizen
Username: Publius
Post Number: 42
Registered: 3-2005
| | Posted on Sunday, August 20, 2006 - 10:32 pm: |
|
Lydia makes sense here. James is just like the machine politicians (Irish, Italian) of yesterday, or at least not much worse. As far as I know, he never did lose an election.
But I have the solution. How about we start a movement for the consolidation of Newark with the rest of Essex County? One municipality, one school district. Then Fred Profeta could become the ward boss from the Mapelwood neighborhood. Anyone want to join?
Best,
Michael Paris
|
tom
Citizen
Username: Tom
Post Number: 5584
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Sunday, August 20, 2006 - 10:43 pm: |
|
Morris County is looking better all the time. |
3ringale
Citizen
Username: Threeringale
Post Number: 361
Registered: 1-2006
| | Posted on Monday, August 21, 2006 - 8:12 am: |
|
Just before the inauguration of Cory Booker, the Star Ledger printed a bunch of quotes from Sharpe James ca. 1986. He talked about the need for reform and rooting out corruption at City Hall, etc. He sounded positively Bookerish.
One of Mayor Booker's first acts was to turn over a lot of city legal work to several law firms that had contributed to his campaign. The people of Newark have spoken, but in the age of Bush and Clinton, it looks like Vox Populi, Vox Dei doesn't carry as much weight as it used to.
Cheers |
Brett Weir
Citizen
Username: Brett_weir
Post Number: 1737
Registered: 4-2004
| | Posted on Monday, August 21, 2006 - 11:00 am: |
|
The voters in Newark were fools for many years. Every election year he stirred up the "We gotta look out for each other" schtick and fed the poor just enough to know they were hungry. Then he spent four more years lining his pockets on construction that built nothing of any benefit to the people who backed him. He also managed to acquire a house in Deal, a 60 ft. yacht and travel all over the world on the Public dollar. Not bad for a teacher in the Public School system. To quote a famous movie crook, "...if they were not meant to be sheared, then God would not have made them sheep".
The biggest joke is that "Crimebuster" Chris Christie can round up every small town official who ever got a free driveway and then sit on every political dais next to Sharpe James and not smell a thing. |
cjc
Citizen
Username: Cjc
Post Number: 5812
Registered: 8-2003
| | Posted on Monday, August 21, 2006 - 11:07 am: |
|
Culture of corruption |
notehead
Supporter
Username: Notehead
Post Number: 3732
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Monday, August 21, 2006 - 3:27 pm: |
|
Yes, James' government had a culture of corruption, and James has been vilified by just about everyone who has expressed an opinion. It's too bad that the right wing is unable to apply the same standards to itself.
I've got high hopes for Booker, and I'll be cheering when charges are brought against James. |
cjc
Citizen
Username: Cjc
Post Number: 5815
Registered: 8-2003
| | Posted on Monday, August 21, 2006 - 3:52 pm: |
|
They just found out about this corruption in New Jersey which is why James was soundly defeated in his reelection bid by the astute voters of the state. |
notehead
Supporter
Username: Notehead
Post Number: 3735
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Monday, August 21, 2006 - 4:34 pm: |
|
Right. Chortle, chortle. You DO know that his corruption extended to the last election he won, don't you? |
tom
Citizen
Username: Tom
Post Number: 5593
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Monday, August 21, 2006 - 5:51 pm: |
|
voters of the state? I wasn't aware he was running for statewide office. |
Lydia
Supporter
Username: Lydial
Post Number: 2137
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Monday, August 21, 2006 - 6:31 pm: |
|
Micheal Paris said
Quote:James is just like the machine politicians (Irish, Italian) of yesterday, or at least not much worse. As far as I know, he never did lose an election.
I was thinking about that today - Sharpe served office for a long time, but even in the relatively short time I've lived in Jersey, it seems to have more than it's share of crooked guys in office who keep chugging along.
Who was the mayor of Jersey City? Was it Cain or McCain who ran or considered a run for re-election while he was in prison?
Also, for those of us who lived in Hoboken, who can forget Russo Sr.?
The populists who are re-elected year after year while they fleece the voters are smarmy but they have an everyman charm. They're smart but not too (intimidatingly) smart. They're rough and tumble, but they don't get their hands dirty, and when they mess up, they shrug and blame the system.
It's a delicate balance to work within one system but still appeal to the voters as a semi-outsider. It's counter-intuitive, but when Sharpe flaunted his car, yacht, trips, mistresses, etc., I think in a way people cheered him on for getting one over.
Only problem is they didn't realize he was getting one over on them.
|
John Caffrey
Citizen
Username: Jerseyjack
Post Number: 515
Registered: 11-2005
| | Posted on Monday, August 21, 2006 - 7:54 pm: |
|
Waddaya know. Chris Christie subpoenied 4 years of records of credit card charges made by Sharpe James. (WNYC 4 p.m.) |
notehead
Supporter
Username: Notehead
Post Number: 3740
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Tuesday, August 22, 2006 - 11:09 am: |
|
That's a good one. Now that James is off the throne, Christie doesn't need to be a suck-up. |
Chris Prenovost
Citizen
Username: Chris_prenovost
Post Number: 1042
Registered: 7-2003
| | Posted on Tuesday, August 22, 2006 - 11:15 am: |
|
I would still like to know what kind of a deal kept Sharpe James from running again. Had he run, Booker would still be looking for a job. |
Rastro
Citizen
Username: Rastro
Post Number: 3784
Registered: 5-2004
| | Posted on Tuesday, August 22, 2006 - 11:18 am: |
|
I think someone might have finally had something that would stick. He was given the opportunity to go down fighting with all the nasty comments about Booker.
I'd be surprised if anything being investigated now did him any real damage, though. I can imagine he's got dirt on many high powered people as well. |
Lucy
Supporter
Username: Lucy
Post Number: 5236
Registered: 5-2005
| | Posted on Tuesday, August 22, 2006 - 1:55 pm: |
|
Let's be real it is New Jersey politics as usual. |
Foj
Citizen
Username: Foger
Post Number: 1712
Registered: 9-2004
| | Posted on Tuesday, August 22, 2006 - 3:26 pm: |
|
© 2006 NJ.com All Rights Reserved
.....see that copyright logo Sqeaky.
That means under fair use that only 4 paragraphs should be posted. I doubt that the star Ledger would sue MOL... but folks have been sued for exactly that..... Freerepublic was....
just a thought...... |
cjc
Citizen
Username: Cjc
Post Number: 5820
Registered: 8-2003
| | Posted on Tuesday, August 22, 2006 - 7:40 pm: |
|
Let's be even more real. James could be indicted and be re-elected in this state. He'd just have to play the race card which works not-so-surprisingly well in Blue States. |
Brett Weir
Citizen
Username: Brett_weir
Post Number: 1740
Registered: 4-2004
| | Posted on Wednesday, August 23, 2006 - 12:17 am: |
|
Prediction: Mel Gibson will open on Broadway in "Fiddler on the Roof" before Sharpe James spends a millisecond in jail... |
Chris Prenovost
Citizen
Username: Chris_prenovost
Post Number: 1044
Registered: 7-2003
| | Posted on Wednesday, August 23, 2006 - 7:07 am: |
|
 |
Gordon Agress
Citizen
Username: Odd
Post Number: 532
Registered: 8-2004
| | Posted on Wednesday, August 23, 2006 - 8:33 am: |
|
Prosecuting James would be fine and dandy, but nailing a guy without a power base is hardly the precedent of political courage that will start reform moving.
It seems to me that this state has flushed $6 billion down the toilet with the school construction fiasco, and God knows how many billions before it by handing late 90s stock market gains to the employees unions via enriched pensions. It just added a few hundred million more with Christmas tree items in the state budget. I don't see anyone, Democrat or Republican, being held accountable for any of that.
James is awful, but he has become a sideshow to the real problem.
|
sportsnut
Citizen
Username: Sportsnut
Post Number: 2555
Registered: 10-2001
| | Posted on Wednesday, August 23, 2006 - 9:18 am: |
|
Gordon is right. They're going to try and nail him for $80K in possibly faulty credit card bills. That's all they can find over the past 20 years? $80K? This is nothing but window dressing, a lame attempt to say, "Look we're cracking down on corruption." And like Gordon said no one was minding the store when $6B walked out with no one paying attention.
I wonder why Spike Lee doesn't do a documentary on Sharpe James and how to become a wealthy mayor of a cash strapped city by negotiating sweet "insider" real estate deals. |
notehead
Supporter
Username: Notehead
Post Number: 3742
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Wednesday, August 23, 2006 - 9:36 am: |
|
Good points. I would certainly hope that, assuming there is some kind of effort made to go after James, they can come up with more than a few credit card bills to point to. He should be taken down in a manner that indicates we're starting to address NJ corruption seriously and with commitment.
(Note to Mr. James: I will change my position entirely for a mere one-sixth of that $6B.) |
themp
Supporter
Username: Themp
Post Number: 3202
Registered: 12-2001
| | Posted on Wednesday, August 23, 2006 - 10:51 am: |
|
People not to elect:
Sharpe James
Tricky Jones
Greedy O'Larson
Lightfinger McDaniels
"Stealy" Ray Taylor
Burglary Smith
Felony-Jo Nelson
|
notehead
Supporter
Username: Notehead
Post Number: 3747
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Wednesday, August 23, 2006 - 11:02 am: |
|
Felony-Jo... ROTFLMAO! |
Chris Prenovost
Citizen
Username: Chris_prenovost
Post Number: 1047
Registered: 7-2003
| | Posted on Wednesday, August 23, 2006 - 12:51 pm: |
|
If Sharpe James ran again, in any inner city district, he would win.
Remember, Coleman Young got re-elected mayor of Detroit six times while driving the city from a population of over two million to under 600,000.
Marion Barry got re-elected mayor of DC, after being caught on camera smoking crack.
The list is endless. All a black politician has to do is play the race card, and they will win the election, no matter what they have been convicted of. |
Factvsfiction
Citizen
Username: Factvsfiction
Post Number: 1494
Registered: 4-2006
| | Posted on Wednesday, August 23, 2006 - 5:27 pm: |
|
Um.... were Essex County democratic politicians not aware of what they had in Mr. James over his tenure but blew it off needing his voter turnout?
Just a question.
How about our Governor, Jon Corzine in the last election ?
Just a question.
Will you apply this to how you vote for said pols at the next election?
Nope.
You are all good democrats!
Pathetic? Pretty much IMHO. |
Chris Prenovost
Citizen
Username: Chris_prenovost
Post Number: 1049
Registered: 7-2003
| | Posted on Wednesday, August 23, 2006 - 5:46 pm: |
|
FvF: The good democrats are trying to clean up their party.
The same way the good republicans should clean up theirs, and I count myself among them. By getting rid of the lying, draft-dodging, dishonest, inept, corrupt, incompetent, big-spending, war-mongering crew they have now. |
Brett Weir
Citizen
Username: Brett_weir
Post Number: 1745
Registered: 4-2004
| | Posted on Wednesday, August 23, 2006 - 5:58 pm: |
|
A friend who does construction in the Brick City was "invited" to Cory Booker's Inauguration; he was told that to continue doing business he would have to purchase 20 tickets at $3000.00 a piece. Pretty much a bad "Sopranos" episode, don't you think?
We'll see what has changed... |
Lydia
Supporter
Username: Lydial
Post Number: 2141
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Wednesday, August 23, 2006 - 6:03 pm: |
|
There's a new book out by Juan Williams - "Enough: The Phony Leaders, Dead-end Movements, And Culture of Failure That Are Undermining Black America--and What We Can Do About It" He heaps harsh criticism on Sharpe James, Marion Barry, and Jesse Jackson among others.
Haven't read it yet, but I plan to this week - end that old summer reading list with a bang. |
Spanish Inquisitor
Citizen
Username: Sinq
Post Number: 87
Registered: 4-2004
| | Posted on Wednesday, August 23, 2006 - 6:23 pm: |
|
Brett, I assume he went directly to the FBI. Otherwise he's part of the problem. |
tom
Citizen
Username: Tom
Post Number: 5617
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Wednesday, August 23, 2006 - 7:28 pm: |
|
$60,000 to attend an inauguration? Did anyone at all show up?
Smells a little urban-legendish to me. |
cjc
Citizen
Username: Cjc
Post Number: 5826
Registered: 8-2003
| | Posted on Wednesday, August 23, 2006 - 7:57 pm: |
|
Yeah...Juan wrote a column where he was asking why civil rights leaders wouldn't speak truth to their interest groups and instead heap blame on Bill Cosby. If he was serious, he's even more lost than I thought.
Maplewood would have reelected Sharp James if they could vote and he was running against a republican. Don't slough it off on the voters in Newark.
I know, "the good democrats are trying." You're both doing the Lord's work. |
Factvsfiction
Citizen
Username: Factvsfiction
Post Number: 1495
Registered: 4-2006
| | Posted on Wednesday, August 23, 2006 - 8:11 pm: |
|
Chris-
Would you also like to buy a bridge? 
SO Ref-
You had a problem with me using Johnny Cash lyrics, I have a problem with you using my idol Rick James to represent the odious (IMHO) Sharpe James.
Frankly I doubt James could carry " Super Freak" if he tried. Plus he did not have the Maryjane Girls. |
tom
Citizen
Username: Tom
Post Number: 5620
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Wednesday, August 23, 2006 - 8:55 pm: |
|
cjc, maybe so, but would he have won the primary? I'm not surprised he kept winning general elections in a town like Newark, but first you've got to get the nomination. |
joel dranove
Citizen
Username: Jdranove
Post Number: 932
Registered: 1-2006
| | Posted on Wednesday, August 23, 2006 - 9:25 pm: |
|
Mr. Weir:
Do you need the phone number for the U. S. Attorney's Office?
jd |
Lydia
Supporter
Username: Lydial
Post Number: 2143
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Wednesday, August 23, 2006 - 9:33 pm: |
|
FvF -
Rick James is your idol?
Quote:I have a problem with you using my idol Rick James to represent the odious (IMHO) Sharpe James.
Really?
Rick James was a convicted sex offender who died from complications of self-(illegal) medication.
His music was great while he was aware and coherant, but an idol?
A sad footnote is all that Rick James is going to be. |
Brett Weir
Citizen
Username: Brett_weir
Post Number: 1747
Registered: 4-2004
| | Posted on Thursday, August 24, 2006 - 7:35 am: |
|
My friend is part of the problem; he has a business and a couple of dozen workers who depend on political corruption to earn a living. Just like every municipal employee who had to pay for their job or promotion- do you think top jobs like Fire Director or Police Chief really go to the best person? They are bought. |
Cis4Cookie
Citizen
Username: Cis4cookie
Post Number: 97
Registered: 6-2006
| | Posted on Thursday, August 24, 2006 - 8:50 am: |
|
Sharpe James is an upstanding citizen who has earned ALL of his money through legitimate means. How dare you all non-Newark residents (AKA MOLers) criticize, and stick your noses into something that is not your concern. He was elected by the voters!!
Proceed |
SO Ref
Citizen
Username: So_refugee
Post Number: 2125
Registered: 2-2005
| | Posted on Thursday, August 24, 2006 - 9:01 am: |
|
The pic is actually Dave Chappelle doing a caricature of Rick James.
Someone idolizes Rick James? I've finally found something that defies my personal motto [never surprised, often disappointed]. McGreevey didn't even surprise me as much as your declaration... |
Flameretardant
Citizen
Username: Flameretardant
Post Number: 34
Registered: 9-2004
| | Posted on Thursday, August 24, 2006 - 4:52 pm: |
|
Rick James *sigh* ... he wasn't that great when he was alive, and now ... who cares about a disco-obsessed, woman-beating, crack-dealing has-been?
|
Factvsfiction
Citizen
Username: Factvsfiction
Post Number: 1497
Registered: 4-2006
| | Posted on Thursday, August 24, 2006 - 5:13 pm: |
|
Now this is AMUSING...
Should not all of you leftist liberals not be making excuses for Rick James' excesses, no doubt caused by racism, his upbringing, and background as is your wont? Come on now.
Fact is, the guy was a brilliant entertainer and quite a decent singer that reflected his era, and who, if you listened to prior to his death, had some wisdom and regret to offer.
Obviously according to you extreme liberals, people can't change and have no intrinsic value unless they meet the right political and socially-related agenda? I mean, sorry the guy wasn't Cindy Sheehan.
So Ref-
McGreevey was proud to be a gay American. Is there a problem here? ( In a De Niro voice).
Besides, making an issue of Rick James allows you to avoid the fact that the Essex County and State dems wimped out on Sharpe James' business FOR YEARS, IMHO. And you as a bunch of fellow travelers will NEVER hold them accountable for it.
To make a Strawberry-like post:
" Holy hypocrisy" !!!
|
SO Ref
Citizen
Username: So_refugee
Post Number: 2130
Registered: 2-2005
| | Posted on Friday, August 25, 2006 - 9:16 am: |
|
Not a problem here, but let me share this -
During the debates held prior to the gubernatorial election between McGreevey and Schundler, the candidates were sitting in chairs next to each other and the cameras were angled in such a way that you got a full body shot of both men. There sat McGreevey in his sensible suit, white shirt, and red tie; however, he was wearing these hideous Payless Shoe Source shoes. I hated the shoes, but then thought they might reveal what kind of governor he might be [economically tight-fisted]. That all changed the day of McGreevey's declaration of being a "gay American." My initial thought was shock that how could he be gay? No self-respecting gay man would have worn those hideous shoes... Only later did we learn that he wasn't really "self-respecting".
|
Factvsfiction
Citizen
Username: Factvsfiction
Post Number: 1500
Registered: 4-2006
| | Posted on Friday, August 25, 2006 - 4:36 pm: |
|
So Ref-
I guess self-respecting means a book deal and getting on Oprah !
Whether you are straight or gay IMHO, an opportunist is an opportunist.
So I don't believe anyone should buy the book. |
Closed: New threads not accepted on this page