Jersey City's Cast of Characters
By: Jan Aguilos
Issue date: 11/25/09 Section: Opinion
New Jersey City University's campus sits in the middle of a fascinating hub of politics - Jersey City.
Obviously, there are a lot of JC residents roaming around campus, but most of them are disenchanted with local politics. Even those who are interested in politics much prefer the sexiness of national and international politics, not the mundane pace of local governance.
Luckily, Jersey City politics is a lot juicier than the average 19-year-old undergrad would think. The city that spawned the Frank Hague political machine of past decades is bound to produce some crooks.
Dear reader, I must confess, I don't know much about Jersey City politics - being from Secaucus - but I'm beginning to understand the antipathy directed at your community's municipal government.
The members and former members of the elected City Council (made up of nine seats) have suffered enough arrests, lawsuits, and pot shots to merit full coverage from The National Enquirer.
Let's start with Councilman Mariano Vega, a man who doesn't know when to quit.
Vega was arrested and indicted on July 23 as one of the 44 people initially rounded up as part of Operation Bid Rig, two-tier investigation of public corruption and money laundering conducted by the FBI, IRS and U.S. District Attorney of New Jersey.
Vega allegedly took bribes from a government informant, Solomon Dwek, in exchange for using his influence as City Council President to help expedite real estate deals.
On October 6, under a cloud of disrepute, Councilman Vega "temporarily" resigned from his post as President of the City Council but decided to remain on the City Council as Councilman-at-Large.
Ward E Councilman Steven Fulop considered the move disingenuous, saying, "I never heard of a temporary resignation. It's like saying you're a little pregnant."
Nice burn, Councilman Fulop.
Steven Fulop is another interesting figure. He's the young, wiry councilman who props himself up to be the corruption fighter. Fulop aggressively pushes for pay-to-play bans and is more than happy to hear "Steven for Mayor!" calls during rallies.
Obviously, there are a lot of JC residents roaming around campus, but most of them are disenchanted with local politics. Even those who are interested in politics much prefer the sexiness of national and international politics, not the mundane pace of local governance.
Luckily, Jersey City politics is a lot juicier than the average 19-year-old undergrad would think. The city that spawned the Frank Hague political machine of past decades is bound to produce some crooks.
Dear reader, I must confess, I don't know much about Jersey City politics - being from Secaucus - but I'm beginning to understand the antipathy directed at your community's municipal government.
The members and former members of the elected City Council (made up of nine seats) have suffered enough arrests, lawsuits, and pot shots to merit full coverage from The National Enquirer.
Let's start with Councilman Mariano Vega, a man who doesn't know when to quit.
Vega was arrested and indicted on July 23 as one of the 44 people initially rounded up as part of Operation Bid Rig, two-tier investigation of public corruption and money laundering conducted by the FBI, IRS and U.S. District Attorney of New Jersey.
Vega allegedly took bribes from a government informant, Solomon Dwek, in exchange for using his influence as City Council President to help expedite real estate deals.
On October 6, under a cloud of disrepute, Councilman Vega "temporarily" resigned from his post as President of the City Council but decided to remain on the City Council as Councilman-at-Large.
Ward E Councilman Steven Fulop considered the move disingenuous, saying, "I never heard of a temporary resignation. It's like saying you're a little pregnant."
Nice burn, Councilman Fulop.
Steven Fulop is another interesting figure. He's the young, wiry councilman who props himself up to be the corruption fighter. Fulop aggressively pushes for pay-to-play bans and is more than happy to hear "Steven for Mayor!" calls during rallies.
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