WINNERS
Ras Baraka
The Newark mayoral candidate landed the endorsements of Jersey City Mayor Steven Fulop and the New Jersey Laborers Union, the 20,000-member affiliate of the Laborers’ International Union of North America (LIUNA).
Pat Torpey
The Hunterdon County GOP tapped the partner at 1868 Public Affairs to succeed Henry Kuhl as chairman of the party
Bonnie Watson Coleman
The veteran assemblywoman cleared two big names – state Sen. Shirley Turner (D-15) and Mercer County Executive Brian Hughes – and secured the backing of County Democratic Chair Liz Muoio as she attempts to gain traction for a run in CD12.
Linda Greenstein
The state senator from the 14th District put Middlesex County Democrats on lock down as she prepares to turn back Watson Coleman and Assemblyman Upendra Chivukula (D-17) in a quest to succeed U.S. Rep. Rush Holt (D-12).
Jerry Green
The Union County Assemblyman (and county party chairman) from Plainfield is well positioned in the CD12 Democratic Primary to occupy the role of kingmaker.
James Tedesco
The Bergen County freeholder, a former mayor of Paramus, received the nod from Bergen County Democratic Committee Chairman Lou Stellato to run against incumbent Republican Bergen County Executive Kathe Donovan.
Chile
That little underappreciated sliver of Andean ruggedness on the other side of the globe – home to some of the world’s most beautiful women and its best wine – delivered a freight of salt to a snow-beleaguered New Jersey this week. Con vasos arriba: saludos y gracias, companeros.
LOSERS
Anselmo Crisonino
The City of Bayonne’s Department of Community Development (CBDCD) pleaded guilty in federal court to a four-count information charging him with one count of accepting bribe payments totaling approximately $65,000 from Joseph Arrigo, the owner of a contracting company in Bayonne.
Chris Christie
As if Bridgegate weren’t crummy enough. Applicants for New Jersey’s federally-funded Superstorm Sandy assistance program, reNew Jersey Stronger, are generally dissatisfied with the pace of the state’s recovery efforts, according to a Monmouth University Poll, released this week. The survey of hard hit Sandy victims finds that those who have applied for state assistance are particularly unhappy with their ability to get information about where they stand in the process. Among hard hit Garden State residents who have applied for reNew Jersey Stronger assistance, just 36% are satisfied with the state’s recovery effort so far while 64% are dissatisfied.
Jeff Jones
A poll by the Gallowglass Group of Wood-Ridge shows a 33-33% head-to-head war between Council President Andre Sayegh and former Mayor Jose “Joey” Torres for the office of Mayor of Paterson. While no one gets 50% in the May 13th nonpartisan race, incumbent Mayor Jones lags far behind his two challengers with just 15% of the vote.
David Samson
An anemic apology by the Port Authority Chairman five months after the Bridgegate catastrophe met jeers of derision from the media, unconvinced that the contrite Samson, the “General,” concerned himself with little more than letting the Port Authority spiral out of control while making sure that his own private lobbying firm received a big boost.
Linda Watkins-Brashear
The State Comptroller’s Office released a report this week detailing waste, fraud and abuse at the now defunct Newark Watershed Conservation and Development Corporation (NWCDC). Among the assertions made in the 45 page-report is that the agency’s executive director wrote unauthorized payroll checks, provided no-bid contracts to personal associates and covertly authorized investments in an account that lost more than $500,000 in public funds.
