Hoboken Democratic Committee votes Fisher out as chair, replaces her with Cohen

By
John Heinis
-
87

In a fairly predictable and telegraphed move, the Hoboken Democratic Committee voted 2nd Ward Councilwoman Tiffanie Fisher out as their chair and replaced her with Phil Cohen – who went into the meeting as the HDC’s 1st vice chair. 

[fve]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hZfZWrPjvnM&feature=youtu.be[/fve]

Fisher, who was elected as HDC chair in June, said that the past few months since the November mayoral contest have been trying, yet she still feels she has found common ground with Mayor Ravi Bhalla on a number of issues.

She also cited a legal opinion from attorneys from the Hudson County Democratic Organization that said rescinding the local chair is illegal, as is voting by proxy and electing a new chair.

“I could see that it didn’t feel right, but I’m certainly not a lawyer and Robert’s Rules is about a 1,000 pages long. I can tell you that the email I sent out to you earlier, the second I got it, two minutes later, I sent it out to to the executive committee,” Fisher said in front of a crowd of over 40 committee members at the Mile Square Theatre.

“This isn’t been something that I’ve been waiting, trying to sneak attack at the end: this something that the Hudson County Democratic Committee actually took a strong interest in because this is actually precedent setting – this is something that if it happened and it were legal, it would create chaos across the state.”

Fisher later used the example that if state Senator (D-33)/Union City Mayor Brian Stack had the option to oust current HCDO Chair Vincent Prieto, he would’ve done so already.

Stack has been aggressively campaigning to succeed Prieto as head of the HCDO, securing clear support from Jersey City Mayor Steven Fulop and Hoboken Mayor Ravi Bhalla – both who also agree with replacing Hudson County Executive Tom DeGise.

Speaking on behalf of the entire HDC executive committee, 2nd Vice Chair Nora DeBenedetto essentially stated what the committee had said in an email last month: that Fisher has been acting an obstructionist for the organization.

Before the vote, HDC Sergeant-at-Arms Kurt Gardiner spoke in favor of Fisher’s leadership, rebutting much of what DeBenedetto had just said.

“To me, honestly, from my participation in the meetings alone, some of this is news to be as well – somehow that Tiffanie’s an obstructionist, I haven’t seen it,” he began.

“So if you want to vote for new leadership because you feel your leadership should be aligned with the current mayor, I’m not gonna stop you, I’m not gonna tell you to stop it. But I’m telling you that if you’re gonna go on a false narrative that Tiffanie’s an obstructionist, I disagree wholeheartedly.”

Ultimately, the outcome was far from a surprise, with Fisher being rescinded as the chair by a vote of 47-4(1) and being replaced by Cohen by a vote of 49-(1).

Two more votes were taken to upgrade Debenedetto to 1st vice chair and Eileen Carvahlo to 2nd vice chair.

Additionally, the four vacancies on the committee were filled, with former Mayor Dawn Zimmer and her husband Stan Grossbard getting elected to serve as the two representatives in District 5 of Ward 4.

Before calling it a night Cohen, a New York attorney, addressed some of the issues taken up with the committee’s bylaws.

“Our former chair cast some shade on the bylaws tonight, but let me just say once, in defense of the bylaws, there was no effort, through the bylaw process, to remove Tiffanie Fisher as chair as [early as] January,” he stated.

“It was pretty much a good faith effort to identify typos inconsistencies and things that could be done better … there’s been no hidden agenda with respect to any of this, we all tried to work together, it broke down recently and we moved quickly.”

Cohen, an ally of Bhalla, also mentioned the committee plans on moving forward by helping fundraise for Democratic congressional candidates in the 3rd, 5th and 11th legislative districts: Andy Kim, Josh Gottheimer and Mikie Sherrill, respectively.

Fisher, who left the HDC meeting early to attend a community event, said she still planned on participating in the committee despite being voted out as chair.

The entire meeting, which was streamed live on our Facebook page, can be viewed below:


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87 COMMENTS

      • The real question people want to know is Stan Grossbard still running the show? Trying to run the show ? Or trying to give his minions like Phil and the Masonistas the impression he still runs the show.

        All three scenarios are frightening and prove to be REALLY EXPENSIVE to Taxpayers and Insurance policies….

      • Never saw one story on the Alt Right dead blog focused on local or national LGBT issues or one article supporting the LGBT community. Not one! Now the dead blog nut defames an entire law firm as anti-gay (like the nut cares about LGBT community) because one idiot works there? Cuckoo cuckoo boing!

        • Did Ravi return the Republican money or just the anti-gay money?
          Why don’t you ask him Nancy and write about that on your Ravi-Russo loving cave dweller site with your handful of Ravi-Russo lovers. When it comes to the green, Ravi and Russo have SO MUCH in common.

        • Oh look trying to change the subject about Ravi and his illicit loot by attacking someone else. Gee, who else could that be other than Booker for Bhalla paid political operative Nancy?

  2. Russo delivers 10 proxies for Bhalla and Cohen. So much for caring about bigotry and corruption.
    Ravi gets Mason’s biggest cheerleaders from 2009. Cohen and Russo.

    “Solomon, Like I told Bet, I do fa you, you do fa me!”

    • Michael Russo bided his time and now he’s back! He has Ravi exactly where he wants him, under his thumb. Michael delivered here for Ravi and made this thing he wanted. Ravi has to finish our new Pilot at Church Towers. Don’t even think of crossing us Ravi. We own you. If you screw us, you know there will be more information getting out about your sweet no show job with that Republican law firm. Don’t cross us.

  3. There were reasons to vote Tiffany out related to last years election but I also don’t think the replacements are good moves. Just to ask a question, how much has Stan cost the city so far? Cohen is known as someone who has turned his head the other way and said nothing time and time again when he sees something wrong. This is not a time to be silent.

  4. I actually felt really sorry for Kurt. He looked like a giant sad sack up there, basically saying, “Don’t believe the evidence of your own experience, just believe me, I’m a Reform veteran and I know what’s best. Tiffanie has been nice to me so as far as I’m concerned, see no evil, hear no evil, speak no evil — in fact, YOU are evil for even questioning me. Don’t you know who I am?” He actually said that — it was “Some of you may know me,” but in this “awwww shucks” kind of way, like, “OF COURSE you know me, I’m REFORMUS GIGANTUS.”

    I hope Tiff helped him scrub the brown off his nose before they drowned their sorrows afterward.

    Sad.

    • You have evidence and citations of evil? I didn’t see Kurt do anything but speak the truth about actual events on the executive committee. He certainly didn’t work with you to get a suspect no show job with a Republican law firm like Ravi has! That’s actual evidence. How much loot has Ravi collected for his second job? It’s time for the public to know the actual profits for trading on the Office of Mayor. The public has a right to know how their offices are being illicitly used.

  5. These are Democrats? I thought this was a scene cut from “Death of Stalin.” From what we’ve learned, this was orchestrated right out of the mayor’s office. We pay Ravi’s political operatives right out of the mayor’s office with taxpayer money. Disgraceful all around! They were trying to remove Fisher to please their dictator, Ravi. They could have done it within the rules but they got smoked out with the last scam. So what to do but cut a deal with Hoboken’s King of Corruption, Mikie and La Famiglia and FORGE ahead. They fed Nora a bunch of lies to read and she so loved doing it. All supporters of Ravi Bhalla’s illicit second job and scummy second job contract. Leftists, no class and a clear and present danger wherever they surface. Spit.

  6. All of this could probably have been avoided if Ms. Fisher had treated the predictable and sincere concerns that committee people had about her support for a Republican Mayoral candidate with respect. Instead she and her proxies went on the attack with nonsense about “weapononizing” the committee.

    Perhaps had she treated those concerns and the people who raised them with the respect that they deserved (and that her responsibilities as chair required), she would have earned the respect of even those who disagreed with her decision to become nit only a supporter but effectively the public spokesperson of the Giattino campaign.

    It is obvious, no matter what anybody thinks of Ms. Fisher personally, that she has lost the support of a majority of the Committee and could not possibly continue to function as an effective chair.

    There are those who think Ms. Fisher cares more about herself than about the Party’s ability to effectively promote democratic ideals and candidates. Hopefully she will prove them wrong by accepting the decision of the Committee and living up to her commitment to stay involved and help in a supporting role.

    • Oh look the gender challenged Shadow mayor is back to spew lie after lie. Too late Stan, far too late.
      You backed a corrupt scumbag so go rock climb in an indoor facility and take a flying leap when you get to the top. Oh, and take your no show Republican law firm job paying dirty politician with you. Try not to leave a trail of lawsuits at your door to dump on Hoboken’s poor. Bang up job there Shadownstan. Go enjoy your rancid Shadowstan Party. Good luck with that. There are those who think you’re a total power-hungry scumbag but I say that’s not all true. You just can’t get over yourself and want power by hook or by crook. Shameful ShadowStan. Nice little pack of lies you guys gave Nora to read. How brave.

      • I thought it would be fun
        To play a game
        Deciding which Doofus
        Is the most lame
        Doofus #1 was in the lead
        But his doofiness was often
        Just too hard to read
        Doofus #3 made a run
        But at the end of the day
        He’s really no fun
        So the winner it seems
        Is Doofus #2
        He’s the doofiest Doofus
        Lamest of the crew.

        • Did you notice? Tiff ordered her nut squad to stop posting here in the days prior to the HDC vote.

          Tiff knows she is inexorably linked to the 2 nuts that spam self-righteous, sycophantic gibberish here.

          The 2 nuts obediently complied with Tiff’s order to shut up. No comments here for about a week and a half. Alas, it did her no good. Tiff got canned, 47-4. A landslide defeat. She’s pissed and so is her nut squad! That’s why she let her 2 nuts loose again!

          Dont be fooled- the nut squad operatives work for Tiff. They obey orders. That’s how she shut them up for 10 days.

          Sadly, the nut squad will destroy her 2019 re-election chance, and Jen’s re-election chance, too. Everyone knows… Jen and Tiff’s nutsquad are in bed with Campos/Carmelo BFF Ramos and P2P violater DeFusco. 2 corruption lovin nuts.

          2 Ramos-Campos-Carmelo corruption luvin nutjobs at Tiff’s beck and call. When will Tiff tell them to roll over on their backs so she can scratch their tummies? Lolololol

          • Go back and take your lies back to the Cave nut job. No one believes your made up BS anyway.

            Peter, Jen and Tiffanie are good government leaders on the council. They lead and work with others who will cooperate for good outcomes.

            You and your fearless Dear Leader Ravi is in bed with the Clown Prince of Corruption and so are you. Weak projection/deflection.

            It ain’t Peter, Tiffanie and Jen who are hiding out in the mayor’s office working on a conflict filled PILOT for Church Towers. That’s your heroes, Ravi & Russo, bros forever.

          • Nancy is so crazy, she’s even ranting on RaviBots and trying to point the finger. No one is a fanatical loser like Nancy, no one. Oh, she’s going to start threatening everyone for pointing out she went Bonkers for Bhalla. The screw ain’t loose; it got lost in Acme.

          • Symptoms of successfully getting under a nutjob’s skin:

            (1) Name drops once
            (2) Name drops more
            (3) Talks about where someone lives (names neighborhood landmarks)
            (4) Talks about how someone looks
            (5) Names family members on his dead blog
            (6) Posts ugly pictures taken in stalkerish fashion without consent!
            (7) obsessively accuses one who has a successful blog of getting paid!

            Its so easy to get under a nutjob’s skin! Sticks and stones! Lololol

          • Look, Nancy is complaining about her unphotoshopped photo being published. After how many photos of others she’s photoshopped? WAAAHHHHHH I look like a sack of potatoes piled five feet high!
            You can’t beat this kind of hypocrisy and entertainment anywhere. Only in Hoboken folks, only in Hoboken.

          • Creepy paparazzi stalker nutjobs like Roman Roman Roman Roman— did I say Roman– take and publish photos of private persons (not-Roman) without their consent. Grey haired sloppy bad breath Roman looks like a sack of $hit, but… does he have a stalker taking and publishing pics of his slobby self online? Certainly not! No no no! Stalker paparazzi Roman is not a stalking victim! Oh btw, the nutjob’s victim is slimming down nicely… Cant say the same for nutjob! Did I say Roman Roman Roman? What supermarket does he live near? Lololol

          • When did leaving your house once per quarter to a public event make you a victim of “stalking” Nancy? You attack everyone and photoshop photos you take from others adding 20 pounds to retaliate for your true actual photo being published. LMAO! What conspiracy garbage will you be pushing like Loony Lane and your cousin Kimbo next? You sound more and more like them and their zany stupidity every single day. You’re a “stalking victim” like Beth Mason. HAHAHAHAHAHA MORON!

  8. This was an orchestrated political coup pure and simple. As a participant at every executive committee meeting the narratives provided by both Cohen and Nora are patently false. There was no obstructionism it’s just that Ravi had the support and lobbied hard to shore up the votes to oust her.
    Without the Russo support Ravi does not get a quorum. This is just petty politics by camp Bhalla.

    As far as my support of Tiffanie goes I spoke out against the lies being promulgated about her leadership. Someone had to speak the truth and that hardly makes me a sycophant, more like one of the few honest people in the room.

    In the long term this bodes well for Tiffanie. She got voted offf the Island of Misfit Tools. She can focus on her re-election from a Ravi-bot challenger and has a year and a half to do so. Who after all wants to preside over a bunch of Ravi or Bust Robots who think that selling out Hoboken to the highest bidder with his unethical side bar law contract to personally profit on the office of Mayor under color of official right is good government? Each and everyone of those committee members are complicit and enablers of Ravi’s unethical conduct as mayor. Who wants to be a member of club like that? I know a few committee members that don’t but of course they are in the minority. Nothing like Phil the divider to set the tone for the new corrupt leadership that was laiuncged on an illegal vote last night. The bylaws clearly state leadership to be replaced at a subsequent meeting but Phil the lawyer openly flouts the rules. I guess they get made up as they go along.

    I am just hopeful that the progress Tiffanie made with respect to poll workers doesn’t get peeled back by the new dishonest leadership. That would be very sad. Sad, like a cross dressing blogger/ former defacto Mayor that split reform into smithereens for a mere 32% plurality. Very sad indeed.

    • It’s too bad you didn’t come clean with this long-winded attack screed the other night instead of sprinkling your brief and obsequious dissenting statement before sheepishly stepping aside.

      Passive-aggressive keyboard-warrior coward.

      • The big galoot is a prime example. Fire and fury online. Name calling, verifiably false disparagement.

        Weak kneed, sheepish drivel face to face with the committee. A weak, poor defense of the Chair.

        Ran out of the room with Tiff, Jen and Ruben to sulk without finishing his DUTY to count votes.

      • I am the only one on here that posts under a handle that everyone knows that’s me and I am the coward? Laughable idiotic and hypocritical comment all rolled into one. LMAO.

        If that’s the best shot you can take it’s really weak and very sad.

    • Can you provide some more details about the progress Fisher made in combatting voter fraud by replacing corrupt poll workers with honest ones.

      Exactly how many poll workers were removed at her request due to her belief they were facilitating corruption, and how many new “honest” people did she recommend for hiring?

      Releasing that information together with the correspondence with the county party corroborating it would establish the truth or falsity of that claim, which seems to represent what you believe to be her solitary accomplishment as Party chair.

      • Look at LindaStan defending the bad old fraud efforts at the polls. Getting into bed with Mike Russo had its privileges. Oh that smell, you stink.

        SELLOUT!

          • An angry Doofus is quite a sight
            Filled with malevalence and spite
            No longer able to keep inside
            The craziness he once worked so hard to hide.

        • Linda Lou we remember when Mrs. Lou had to vacate her seat because you and your nerd squad got in bed with Raia and Amato to collect dirty VBM’s.
          When Bhalla talks about “Massive Viter Fraud” why are you and Mrs.Lou outraged?
          You know Mr Bhalla who also worked as your personal lawyer in a personal matter that is really not so ethical either?
          You guys are also such shady shadows you have to stick together to make sure none of you turn on eachother.
          Now that the HHA closed the Carmelo case for you and your email puppet why don’t you all go away. Sadly the feds didn’t send you there, but if you guys stuck around much longer we wouldn’t be shocked of they wouldn’t have busted your antics…

  9. Kurt (Tiffanie-Bot):
    Based on the fact that you have zero respect for any of your fellow HDC members, maybe it’s in everyone’s best interest for you to resign your seat. That way you can focus more of your time on cheerleading for another losing campaign and Tiffanie can direct you to post more things that make both of you look like the butt-hurt losers that you actually are. For the sake of everyone in Hoboken, please work on MDF in the 1st Ward, my hope is that your losing ways will rub off on him in 2019.

    Also, you continue to reference that Ravi won with only 32% of the vote. Sure that is correct. But moving forward, can you also please caveat the fact that Tiffanie was voted out by 92% of her colleagues? I think it would only be fair to make sure you are consistent in your labeling.

    Also speaking of your math skills, did you have some issues counting last night? Based on the video, you struggled counting up to 40. Maybe you should talk with your operator (92% Tiffanie) who flouts her math skills.

    • Ravi and Russo. Republican Law Firm employee and the son of corruption.
      That’s leadership Hoboken hasn’t seen since Daddy Russo and Michele were towing cars and selling the city!

    • There’s 80 HDC members. Most of the people who supported Tiffanie Fisher didn’t attend. That’s why the quorum was barely made and Ravi needed to do another back room deal with Mike Russo to reach quorum.

      But you knew that.

      Having respect for an organization and its members means having the ability to tell the truth. Gardiner showed respect for both by speaking to the truth to the members and stating the attacks on Fisher were a pack of lies. Notice no one disputes the facts he stated. Just stupid personal attacks because Gardiner publicly stated, “the Emperor has no clothes.” Enjoy your pariah status in the Ravi-Russo Party.

      • “Most of the people who supported Tiffanie Fisher didn’t attend.”

        BWAAAA HAWWW HAWWW!!!

        Why not? IF “most of the people” supported her they would have attended!

        Especially after 3 emails pleading to members to support her! Well, 4 showed up.

        NO attendance=NO support.

        Your nutty efforts to defend her make everything worse- for HER!

      • No one bothers to “dispute” the ramblings of the “real doofuses of Hoboken” because, well because they are doofuses.

        Three real doofuses sitting in a tree
        Crying “oh please won’t someone come talk to me.”
        Doofus #2 so wants to be heard
        Sadly his brain would be small for a bird.
        Nobody is left who thinks he is smart
        So being a Doofus is what’s left of his part.

  10. As a local Hoboken resident I’ve been interested in knowing what local Democrats are doing because of my concern about the direction of our country and my desire to strengthen the Democratic Party for the future. To me the Hoboken Democratic Committee has looked like an amateur clown show. They don’t even have a current website. I have funneled my Democratic participation elsewhere.

    If Monday’s meeting was the first official meeting in 10 months then that is legitimate reason to replace the chair. That the vote was 47-4 is indication of STRONG support for her removal. Apparently 30+ members did NOT VOTE at all which is DISGRACEFUL considering that the health of the Democratic Party depends on getting people to vote. The numbers don’t lie that the non-voters didn’t want to go on record supporting either one. Were my local committee-persons among those who did not attend or vote? If that turns out to be the case I will pissed. If I vote for someone I expect them to show up at the one and only official meeting of the year and do their job.

    • this is all feces throwing here. the guy who writes most of the posts hates democrats to begin with, so his interest in the dem committee is mostly related to having nothing better to do with his life.

      give the committee a little time to see if it can remember its mandate and get back to work.

      • I’m a Democrat but I support the Constitution, the US version. Yeah, give the committee time to help Ravi. They can help him collect more money with no-show jobs from Republican law firms.

  11. According to the story 52 committeepeople participated in the meeting either by attending or by proxy. Since there were 4 vacant seats that’s 52 out of 76 – so only 24 current members failed to participate.

    The idea that those 24 all stayed home as an expression of support for Fisher as claimed by Kurt Gardiner is extremely unlikely. That claim is a pathetic attempt to distract from the obvious fact that Fisher had virtually no support left on the Committee.

    I agree that in today’s world staying out of the fray just doesn’t cut it. People need to speak up for what they believe and let the chips fall where they may.

    By staying home, those absent committeepeople unwittingly facilitated Kurt Gardiner’s cynical attempt to put words in their mouths they didn’t intend.

    • There’s no attending by proxy. That’s not even legal. 43 eventually showed up of the 80 original seats. Barely made the 39 quorum at the meeting’s start. You and Ravi needed a back room deal with Russo to even make it that far. That was part of the entire Ravi-Russo power grabbing scam.

      How many bribes did Ravi make to get people to participate in his illegal scam? Does he pay it out of it his no show job with the Republican law firm? You can’t make up this kind of stupid, arrogant corruption.

      • You seem confused. Perhaps you should ask someone with better reading comprehension skills to read my post and the one I was responding to so they can explain the discussion to you using simpler language so you can understand.

        • I’ll give you something to read you Republican law firm contract color of right Ravi crook lover. Try and peddle your lousy lies over at the batshite cave. Those lies won’t work outside that safe censored space.

          What was your cut with the no show job? Bet it’s radiant! 🤡😱😭🙈😜

    • I suggest you file that defamation lawsuit right away on his behalf Nutter. Always wanted a place near the supermarket. It’s convenient if you know how to not live in the Hostess Twinkies section.

      • Funny, fat shaming Alt Right cuckoo stalkers with big sloppy bellies should not talk! I havent seen your fat a$$ at the gym!

        • How would you know how anyone looks or what they say? You sit in your living room and make up lies day and day out worse than Hoboken411 ever did. Oh look, Nancy is writing more lies about people who don’t worship Ravi. What a complete and utter disgrace you are!

  13. The mission of the Hoboken Democratic party, at least as I understand it, is to promote the ideals of the Democratic party and in furtherance of those ideals, to support democratic candidates committed to advancing those ideals.

    Lots of new people ran for Committee last year because they genuinely believed in that mission and wanted to contribute to it. For some reason, Fisher and Gardiner, despite their Party leadership roles and obligations, still seem like they don’t understand that. They are trapped in their insular echo chamber and can’t see past their egos and perceived self interests centered on their local political machinations. Gardiner’s posts on this site make that strikingly clear.

    That inability to see the bigger picture is what led to this unfortunate situation.

    • Hoboken is non-partisan and hold municipal elections that way for years. You knew that. You were part of the Ravi campaign who attacked Jen Giattino with your filthy lies and hyperpartisan attacks. Ravi wanted to stop her so you attacked her with a bunch of lies because she took the lead in his poll. Then you had the mayor sign a letter lying about Councilwoman Giattino even more. After all she did to save Dawn’s administration that’s what you did in a Hoboken non-partisan election. You and Ravi showed everyone what you’re all about. Power above all and that’s who you are but you ain’t Shadow Mayor no more LindaStan.

      This is what you did before dumping that $700,000 scam payoff to Carmelo on Hoboken’s poor in the HHA and Ravi cashing in with a no show job at a Republican law firm. Utterly disgraceful, you are both as bad as your new ally and BFF Mike Russo.

      Your inability to face the facts is all you have left. Zero credibility. Hope you get everything you deserve for your craven lies. You’re almost as bad as Ravi’s disgusting political operative. You use her

      • doofus
        a clueless person, most always lacking even the most basic social skills. a doofus often thinks they are a bit smarter then everyone else.
        when a doofus makes silly comments at the dinner table and everyone rolls their eyes they think everyone got something in their eye at the same time.

        Any questions?

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