Menendez Haunted by Party's Ghosts.

As of September 28, 2006 at 7:39 A.M., an additional 55 intrusion attempts on my computer were detected by Norton Security. Most frequent attacker is 24.192.121.242. I have experienced great difficulties in gaining access to the blog today, also in writing at my MSN group, but I am deternined to continue writing.
Steve Kornacki, "Menendez Haunted by Party's Ghosts," in The New York Observer, September 25, 2006, at p. 5.

"... If Robert Menendez, New Jersey's appointed Democratic incumbent, fails to hold off Republican Tom Kean, Jr., Euclid himself couldn't devise a majority-producing formula for the Democrats."

"For now, the Menendez-Kean race is essentially a tie, something of an achievement in its own right for New Jersey's GOP, which typically enjoys all the September success of the Tampa Bay Devil Rays. What's more, the most recent polls haven't even measured the impact of a recently revealed federal criminal investigation of Mr. Menendez, the consequences of which Democrats privately describe with words ranging from 'pretty bad' to 'fatal.' "

Mr. Menendez is a member of the New Jersey Bar Association, so that (as I understand it) the Office of Attorney Ethics (OAE) is duty-bound to look into these allegations in order to determine whether legal ethics rules have been violated. The same is true for Senator Wayne Bryant. I wonder whether the OAE is investigating the allegations against both of these gentlemen? I doubt it. Who is investigating the OAE's corruption and incompetence, John? ("New Jersey's Office of Attorney Ethics" and "Terry Tuchin, Diana Lisa Riccioli, and New Jersey's Agency of Torture.")

"... Just consider what else is in the news these days."

"There's Jim McGreevey, some 22 months after skipping town with federal investigations into his gubernatorial administration swirling, who barged back into our lives last week to let us know that the sexual affair with the unqualified Israeli sailor he appointed as his state's homeland security advisor actually began while Mrs. McGreevey lay in a hospital bed clutching the couple's new-born daughter. If that's not enough, Golan Cipel, Mr. McGreevey's supposed romantic partner, has himself re-emerged -- to declare that the governor had actually liquored him up ... and tried to rape him."

"There's also John Lynch, the onetime New Jersey Senate President (and Mr. McGreevey's political godfather), whose plea agreement on federal corruption charges landed on the front page of last Friday's Star Ledger -- right next to the news that Mr. McGreevey had been smitten with Mr. Cipel from the 'first kiss.' ... "

"And then there is this week's report from a federal monitor essentially charging Wayne Bryant, a powerful state senator and loyal cog in the feared Camden County Democratic Committee, with shaking down administrators at the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey to secure a no-show job for himself."

Sucking on the tit, Wayne?

"... Mr. Menendez was always playing a risky game, betting that he -- and, more importantly New Jersey's voters -- had heard the last from some of the uglier chapters from his days as Hudson County's Democratic Boss."

Josh Benson, "The Second Time Around, It doesn't Seem So Brave," in The New York Observer, September 25, 2006, at p. 8:

"[McGreevey's] state budget was hopelessly out of balance. His political and ideological allies, frustrated by three years of vascillation on environmental issues, ethics legislation and spending priorities, had turned on him."

"And most seriously his administration was starting to give off the distinct whiff of ethical rot."

"The governor had only shortly before been caught on tape uttering the word 'Machiavelli' to a constituent. (He professes philosophical leanings towards Kant and the author of 7 Habits of Highly Effective People in his new book, but in this context Machiavelli was considered -- at least by federal prosecutors -- to be a code word in an illicit fund-raising scheme.)"

"And, most spectacularly, at least until the famous 'Gay American' speech, Mr. McGreevey's chief fund-raiser and financial patron, real-estate magnate Charles Kushner, had just been charged with interfering in a federal investigation into campaign finance violations."

David W. Chen, "Senator Leaves Budget Post in Ethics Inquiry," in The New York Times, September 26, 2006, at p. B7:

"Responding to pressure from colleagues as well as the governor, State Senator Wayne R. Bryant, one of New Jersey's most powerful legislators, agreed on Monday to step down temporarily as the chairman of the influential Senate Budget Appropriations Committee."

"... According to the monitor's report, the university paid [Bryant] $35,000 a year to do little more than show up perhaps one day a week and read newspapers. At the same time, the university received a substantial increase in state funds. ... the school's financing climbed to more than $4 million annually from $2.8 million."

Many speculate about whether some of that loot was spread among New Jersey's Supreme Court members and/or other prominent politicians in Trenton. In a state with New Jersey's history, courts and government have lost all credibility with the people. It is widely assumed -- probably accurately -- that real decisions are still made behind the scenes, having nothing to do with the laws on the books in New Jersey, by the various "Godfathers" in the state.

It is a mystery to me how some people in New Jersey have the nerve to wear those black robes or are hypocritical enough to judge others. (See "Is New Jersey Chief Justice Deborah T. Poritz unethical or only incompetent?"

http://www.alumni.rutgers.edu/alumnews/2001/summer/features/images/hda2-7912.tif.JPG (New Jersey's Supreme Court Justices having a little meal on your tab, who will probably block this image so you won't see them doing it.)

"Trenton: Senate Confirms Attorney General," in The New York Times, September 26, 2006, at p. B6:

"Stuart Rabner, a former federal prosecutor who tackled political corruption and international terrorism cases, was confirmed yesterday as New Jersey's new attorney general."

Stuart Rabner has never been known to "tackle" anything that might blow back in his direction. Mr. Rabner is a disgrace to the office he has tainted through lethargy and cowardice. ("Stuart Rabner and Conduct Unbecoming to the Judiciary in New Jersey.")