Fisher files complaint against DeFusco alleging Hoboken pay-to-play violations

10

Hoboken 2nd Ward Councilwoman Tiffanie Fisher, a integral part of Council President Jen Giattino’s mayoral campaign, has filed a complaint against 1st Ward Councilman Mike DeFusco alleging he has violated local pay-to-play laws. DeFusco-Fisher

By John Heinis/Hudson County View

“In Hoboken, we suffer from a long history of corruption and malfeasance in our elections and as such, I have been actively fighting for honest elections. In 2011, this law was passed specifically to help minimize the role and influence of special interests in our elections and our local government,” Fisher said in a statement.

“The fact that a mayoral candidate has willingly violated these laws for his own advantage in this important election for Hoboken residents is shameful. I have requested that the law be enforced, and that Councilman DeFusco’s campaigns be fined the maximum amount provided under the law which is $285,600.”

In a letter, sent to Hoboken Corporation Counsel Brian Aloia, as well as City Clerk James Farina, earlier today, Fisher further explains her position on the matter, noting that committees and PACs are supposed to be limited to no more than $500.

As Hudson County View detailed, DeFusco received robust labor union support in his 2nd quarter and 29-day New Jersey Election Law Enforcement Commission reports, with three contributing at least $10,000 each to the DeFusco team campaign account.

In total, Fisher cites 15 contributions that are above the $500 threshold established by Hoboken’s pay-to-play laws.

Chapter 20D: was adopted in 2011 by ordinance Z-134. The stated purpose was to:

“Control the use of wheeling to usurp the goals of the New Jersey Campaign Contribution and Expenditures Reporting Act for elected officials of the City of Hoboken. As a result, the City hereby enacts this chapter to enforce contribution limits on a local level in an attempt to stifle wheeling during the City’s local municipal elections,” Fisher wrote.

“I ask that you investigate this and enforce the statutory code of Hoboken as a matter of urgency as the amounts received provide a decided, unfair advantage to his campaign in the election for Mayor and negatively prejudice all of the other campaigns who have honored and upheld this law.”

DeFusco campaign manager Ryan Yacco said that the DeFusco campaign is “in full compliance with all relevant election laws,” noting that Fisher and Giattino did not have a problem when labor unions supported incumbent Dawn Zimmer in 2013.

“We are aware that a complaint has been filed regarding the city’s local campaign finance ordinance, however we have no indication that the contributions in question are in violation and believe that this complaint is a blatantly political attempt by a Republican campaign to stifle the first amendment rights of labor unions,” Yacco said.

“Many of these same unions contributed to Mayor Zimmer’s 2013 re-election campaign, which Councilwoman Giattino and Councilwoman Fisher apparently had no issue with at the time.”

Yacco also called the November 7th municipal elections a time for voters “to move on from establishment politicians like Jen Giattino” who have not delivered.

Back in July, DeFusco called out Giattino for not filing a 2nd quarter report with ELEC, though Giattino’s campaign had previously cited that candidates who file within 5 months of the 29-day report do not have to file quarterly.


Warning: A non-numeric value encountered in /home/hcvcp/public_html/wp-content/themes/Hudson County View/includes/wp_booster/td_block.php on line 353

10 COMMENTS

  1. Fresh from her attempt to call Zimmer and directors to take the stand before the City Council, Tiffanie and Jen of the Republican Mayoral Slate turn to Defusco.
    Typical Republican attacks

    They hate the fact a gay man is running for Mayor and with more union support than their own union man Sal (the father to Jen’s Godchild)
    Talk about a Trumpian invasion!

  2. Oh this? This is nothing? Mike DeFusco is merely showing his true self.

    Wait until you see all the votes being bought out of the Hoboken Housing Authority!

    Go Mike! You’re the best Old Guard candidate since… well at least since our last hero Peter Cammarano!

  3. Tiffanie is not as smart or clever as she thinks.
    A complaint is not a charge, this is all because 4th place Jen and Tiff are desperate.
    Rather than go after Stick or Ravi who they are saying are #2 & #1 they go after Mike who their right wing blog claims is 4th place?

    Makes no sense.
    Bet Sal ain’t too happy his “campaign manager, “Tiff” ” is doing this Republican/ Anti-Union/ Anti- Middle class worker free-speech suppression.

  4. Nice try Ravi supporters who are Bonkers for Bhalla:

    The last poll I am aware of had Ravi and Jen in statistical tie with Romano close behind. That was several weeks ago and was leaked by his own camp aka Ravileaks.

    I am sure Things have changed in these last weeks since that poll so it’s anyones contest of the major 4 IMHO. Every vote will count. I have seen with my own eyes that Jen has momentum on the street but whether that produces a win is uncertain. But what is certain is the that she has grassroots momentum and she is probably the best one on one campaigner I have seen in Hoboken.

    If Jen was in 4th place you would not see the all out assault on Jen from camp Ravi. Negative Mailer Ravi’s only path to victory is the false narrative Jen can’t win. Smart voters can smell the desperation in the air and are tired of Ravi’s negativity.

    There is an ordinance of the books limiting PAC contributions to $500. Mike’s contributions from outside PACS exceeds that amount. Filing a complaint as Tiffanie
    did is entirely proper. There is no kangaroo court when you follow proper procedure. The ignorance on how government works from the Bonkers For Bhalla crowd is quite telling. Can they really be that ignorant or just disingenuous?

    The bigger issue for me is Ravi getting indirect support from a big developer PAC to the tune of $50k. No allegations of illegality but it is a fact that is being endorsed by a PAC that wants huge residential development at NJ Transit Site. This is an example of why Ravi the ever transactional politician can’t be trusted with the future development of Hoboken.

    In 2009 Dawn Zimmer spoke out against outside PAC money but in 2017 it’s ok. The ultimate in hypocrisy for her to get behind a candidate willing to sell out to big developers.

LEAVE A REPLY