Jerramiah Healy

BAYONNE – It was a bruising fight for Assemblyman Tony Chiappone (D-Bayonne), one he wanted badly to win, but his ally in last week’s mayoral election lost, and now Chiappone must look ahead to his own re-election bid next year and the grim prospect of running off the line.

Whether on or off, Chiappone makes it clear.

 “I’m running,” he said.

The Jersey Journal’s Political Insider points out that Mark Smith’s defeat of Pat Conaghan on Election Day gives the Hudson County Democratic Organization (HCDO) the necessary leverage to dump Chiappone, who comes from that part of the 31st Legislative District composing a third of what is otherwise dominated by Jersey City.

Jersey City Mayor Jerramiah Healy, who backed Barack Obama for president when most other New Jersey politicos were supporting Hillary Clinton, thinks that his corporation counsel, Bill Matsikoudis, would make a good Regional EPA Administrator. 

“I don’t know if the Obama Administration is interested in anybody for that position or for Billy, but he’s got a good background in environmentalism,” said Healy.  He’s filed some suits on the city’s behalf against corporate polluters. He’s very knowledgeable, diligent and is a hard working. I certainly think he can fill that or anything else.” 

Multiple sources say that Matsikoudis is interested in that position, although it remains to be seen if Healy has the Obama administration’s ear.

Jersey City, that often ignored sliver of land in New York City’s shadow, got a flood of national media attention this week.  All it took was Councilman Steve Lipski allegedly urinating on a crowd of Washington, DC concertgoers.

That would be political suicide in some places, though not necessarily here.  Lipski yesterday performed his mea culpa at a city council meeting, revealing that he was a recovering alcoholic who fell off the wagon that night for the first time in two years.  And, at least for now, Mayor Jerramiah Healy is not disowning the councilman, his political ally.

“Councilman Lipski has pleaded not guilty to this offense and like any other defendant is presumed innocent.  This is a legal issue that will be resolved in the courts.  Mayor Healy is focused on moving forward and continuing to make Jersey City a greater place to live and work,” said Healy in a statement yesterday. 

If former Assemblyman Lou Manzo wants to throw Jerramiah Healy out of office, it looks like he might have to run against him next year.

Monmouth County Superior Court Judge Lawrence Lawson today said that Manzo had no standing to challenge the Monmouth County Prosecutor’s decision not to seek Healy’s forfeiture from office following his 2006 conviction for disorderly conduct in Bradley Beach.

“I am pleased that Judge Lawson dismissed Lou Manzo's frivolous case, which was clearly filed for political purposes," said Healy in a statement.

JERSEY CITY – Although the pro-Sen. Barack Obama (D-Il.) crowd in the student center of New Jersey City University was juked with polls showing their candidate in possession of a double digit lead in Jersey, they supplied no demonstration of shock and awe support three days before Election Day.

Waiting for keynoters New York Gov. David Paterson and Gov. Jon Corzine, local politicians warmed up the proudly attentive audience.

“If you don’t stand for this man (Obama), you don’t stand for anything,” state Sen. Sandra Cunningham (D-Hudson) cried. “Get up. Get up!”

The crowd jolted to its feet.

A judge still hasn’t ruled on whether Lou Manzo’s lawsuit that seeks to throw Jersey City Mayor Jerramiah Healy out of office will go forward.

“We’re still patiently and anxiously waiting,” said Manzo.

Monmouth County Superior Court Judge Lawrence Lawson heard arguments on Friday, with Manzo’s side arguing against both the assistant Monmouth County prosecutor and Mayor Healy’s counsel.  Healy and Prosecutor Luis Valentin contend that Manzo does not have standing to raise the complaint. 

U.S. Rep. Scott Garrett’s (R-Wantage) campaign today demanded that Democratic challenger Dennis Shulman return $167,000 in donations from a contributor they consider to be a “radical extremist.” 

The donor, according to a tongue-in-cheek press release from Garrett : Dennis Shulman.

“Shulman has cashed in on his support for extremist policies, and recent fundraising data proves how out of touch Shulman is with the constituents he claims to want to represent,” read the release.”

Jersey City Councilman Steve Fulop just saw his own municipal pay-to-play ordinance signed into law by the city council on Tuesday.  The next day, Gov. Corzine outlined a sweeping ethics reform package that, if passed, Fulop thinks will strengthen the one that Jersey City just enacted. 

The Governor’s plan covers banning contributions to municipal officials from redevelopers.  That, Fulop said, was part of his original plan, but he was advised that it wouldn’t pass muster in a legal challenge because of state laws favoring redevelopers– so he dropped it. 

“For us in Jersey City, I think the Governor’s would certainly be stricter because it would affect redevelopment, which would give us more stringent pay-to-play laws,” said Fulop.