The leadership of the Hoboken City Council, President Ruben Ramos and Vice President Jen Giattino, are continuing to go after Mayor Ravi Bhalla hard for his new of counsel position.Â
By John Heinis/Hudson County View
“Mayor Bhalla is breaking the traditional norms of the Mayor’s office the same way President Trump is doing to the Presidency. We don’t know the financial interests of Trump Organization and we won’t have a clear understanding about what clients Mayor Bhalla is referring to his new firm,” Ramos said in a text message.
Calling Bhalla’s new of counsel position “a blatant disregard for the stewardship,” Ramos took the gloves off when questioning if the job is a no-show if it really won’t interfere with the mayorship.
“So it’s basically a 60K no show job..the only thing that’s missing is Solomon Dwek and the FedEx envelope.”
Dwek was of course the notorious FBI informant who was pivotal in getting dozens of public officials indicted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Operation Bid Rig in 2009.
The scandal took down ex-Hoboken Mayor Peter Cammarano just one month into his first term.
In an email blast that went out yesterday, Bhalla defended his new of counsel position at the high-powered law firm Lavery, Selvaggi, Abromitis & Cohen, D.C., stating it isn’t a second job and he is fully committed to the people of Hoboken.
“Let me be clear: I only have one job: Mayor of Hoboken. My affiliation with this firm is not a ‘second job’ or a ‘side job’ or anything else that would interfere as my duties as your Mayor,” he wrote.
“Naturally, some are trying to take advantage of confusion to manufacture a controversy about me having another job.”
Bhalla voluntarily released the details of the agreement last week: as Hudson County View  first reported, he will earn a salary of $60,000 a year and will have the potential to earn an uncapped amount of revenue for referring new clients.
Meanwhile, Giattino, who felt the wrath of Bhalla and his supporters during the November mayoral contest for being a Republican (she has has since switched to the Democratic party), is not impressed with at least one of the mayor’s new colleagues.
“He also promised to stand up to President Trump in particular, and hatred in general. Yet when choosing which law firm to lend his name to, he chose Lavery, Selvaggi, Abromitis & Cohen,” she began in a statement.
“A Republican firm, previously known as Courter, Kobert and Cohen. Yet the Courter is the same Jim Courter who stated “An avowed homosexual should be screened so that they do not affect negatively impressionable youth.’ Jim Courter continues to work for the firm as ‘Of Counsel’ the same title as Mayor Bhalla.”
Courter, a former Republican Congressman and gubernatorial candidate, made those remarks back in September 1989, according to a report by The New York Times.
Rob Horowitz, a spokesman for Bhalla, told Hudson County View it’s time for the council to move on from the mayoral race and govern.
“Mayor Bhalla went the extra mile and publicly released his of counsel agreement – something he was not required to do. His council opponents responded by launching weak attacks with no substance,” he said over the phone.
“It’s time for the council to put the election behind them and start doing the people’s business.â€
When asked how the of counsel position is not a second job for Bhalla, Horowitz responded that the agreement is clear: there are no required hours that the mayor has to work and the of counsel position is commonly offered at law firms.
“There is nothing in this arrangement that interferes with his full-time commitment to Hoboken,” Horowitz reiterated.
The Do-NOTHING DESPERADOS of Hoboken City Council booted a former PRIEST’s board nomination off the last meeting agenda!
No Rent Leveling Board seat for Father Hall, formerly of Hoboken’s St Peter and Paul church!
Nope, Giattino and Ramos pulled Father Hall’s nomination- disgraceful. Check out Ruben’s diss on video:
https://grafixavenger.blogspot.com/2018/02/crony-politics-ramos-and-giattino-deny.html
People on THIS site tend to be civil, even when we disagree. Beyond that, we at least try to make rational points, not just lob baseless smears at one another. That’s why clicks here are up, especially compared to THAT site.
Take this headline of this post (Which really would fit in on that site): “Ramos & Giattino boot ex-Priest board appointment off agenda!”. It just doesn’t describe what happened:
The process of appointing RLSB members currently requires Mayor to appoint and council to approve. Both must do their part. The council accepted 5/7 of the Mayor’s choices and the council pres chose not to consider two choices who lacked support. Is this really ‘booting?” Not a word of personal criticism was uttered against either one. If there was any “booting’ it wasn’t coming from the council and sure didn’t concern these applicants.
Then the post continuse with more name calling, more claims of ‘booting’, and the sensationalizing of an ex-priest:
“The Do-NOTHING DESPERADOS of Hoboken City Council booted a former PRIEST’s board nomination off the last meeting agenda!”
The best though is this:
” Check out Ruben’s diss on video:
https://grafixavenger.blogspot.com/2018/02/crony-politics-ramos-and-giattino-deny.html
I clicked on the link and feel like I now need to take a bath. No, not from Ruben’s so-called diss. I was treated to hysterical and offensive paragraphs and graphics galore just wading through looking for the DISS.
BUT THERE WAS NO DISS! Not one bad word about either unconsidered candidate!
Why do supporters of GA resort to stunts like this to drive traffic? Because they sure need to do something?I have a better suggestion: Build a better site, just like John did.
No Nancy, they offered him an alternate spot
Keep attacking Mike Lenz after all he did for you? You’re deplorable and unhinged. Get help and maybe a life for yourself. You have morphed into the new Hoboken 411
How did the council offer him anything, it’s a mayoral nomination? Was a side offer made by the Council to Father Hall?
Oh please, go eat some meat. You’re angrier than a yoga mom
Why are you allowing facts to get in the way of a dumb distraction? That’s all poor Nancy can do but rely on lies, distraction and attempted spin. She went plumb loco Hoboken411 for Ravi months and months ago. Sad.
Well, at least we know Ravi and Peter Cammarano have a lot in common!
You know it’s ultimate desperation time when Nutter Nancy shows up desperate to change the subject to an inexperienced guy who didn’t get approved to the Rent Leveling Board. No one should go to the Cave for her nonsense, BS and garbage attacks.
They don’t want the truth about Ravi’s lies about this FAT CAT deal getting out! Good luck with that Nancy!
Oh, you have a lot to learn about Father Hall. He’s uniquely qualified. What a disgrace that you would attack a beloved former Roman Catholic priest.
Folks, take a look. Hoboken has an utterly corrupt council- they would even pull a board appointment off the agenda for a man, a former priest, who currently serves homeless Hoboken residents, then like Hack “my blog is dead” Roman, suggest that this fine man is “inexperienced”.
Take a look: https://grafixavenger.blogspot.com/2018/02/crony-politics-ramos-and-giattino-deny.html
Ok maybe not. Bye bye Sybil!
Everyone wants to know how much loot Ravi is lining up in his primary job – outside Hoboken!!
Hey Nancy, how much has cleared Ravi’s bank account? Do you know? How much more is he lining up this year? Explain how this no show money making scam is Reform?
Go on Nancy, we’re all waiting.
You must really need to drive traffic to GA. Sad.
Too bad the hermit of willow caves attacks all the people who stood up for her
Giattino came in 3rd place in her own ward. She has completely soiled her brand of sweetness/gentility with the Ramos-DeFusco merger, relentless negativity and flip-flop on eliminating runoffs. Lotsa luck getting votes in 2019. Maybe Roman will move to the 6th Ward!
It was an interesting story that John wrote. If you are lonely over there and come over here to see someone besides the same shrinking Stan Band, please, at least try to pretend to be responding to the main story or the comments.
If we want commentary like this we know where to find it.
Go back to Pennsylvania
You’d think Crazy Nancy would get tired of lying. Here she’s both lying and trying to distract from Ravi’s no show job.
Sounds like the only real desperado here is the guy with the NO SHOW JOB!
Hey Ravi, how’s that new job doin ya?!
Ravi has already been cashing in the loot!
I’m available to make 60K or 200K for a no show job. Just say’in.
It’s not nice to make fun of people with problems. That woman has some issues obviously and this story about Ravi Bhalla is triggering her. Show her some compassion. She went into the tank for Ravi Bhalla and it’s blown up in her face. That can’t be fun to be proven so wrong so fast. This is like Peter Cammarano all over again.
Bhalla!Bhalla!Bhalla! Does She even stop to bath?
SIX (6) comments on this article so far… and counting!! Under 5 different screen names, frothing at the mouth mad dog Roman! Ravi, Peter Camarrano, Sybil, bla bla bla droooool
Evrybody laughs at you… Please please please buy a subscription to my dead blog… Pleeeeeaze! Lol
Nancy, get help. You’re yelling at clouds. Horsey isn’t everyone everywhere, it’s in your head.
All the people here are making good points and obviously not Horse. Ravi did this, not anyone else. Deal with it.
How big a group is “the real men of Hoboken?” When the existence of the group was announced in the comments on this site many thought it was just Roman Brice and Kurt Gardiner because they are so obviously real and manly.
It’s as big apparently as those who are fine with the truth. Growing in numbers among those who are fine discussing the facts of Ravi’s deal. Who has come out for Ravi’s slimy deal anyway? Where’s the Shadow? Oh and where’s Dawn Zimmer? Isn’t she going to brag how she only trusted Ravi to pull this scam? LOL! These people owe Hoboken answers.
http://i63.tinypic.com/fyfnso.jpg
Press on box above to see graphic.
Thanks for taking the time from your important work as one of the “real men of Hoboken” to share your graphic. That was really manly of you.
Councilwoman Gianttino neede to take care of her two campaign workers Lenz and Fallick so she did a full Beth Mason and changed the rules to get what she wanted. It stunk then it stinks now.
I know this is a complicated concept for Mr. Ramos who once said”no law will stop me from taking a bribe” but Mayor Bhalla’s “of council” affiliation, whether one approves of it or not, is completely legal. Taking a bribe, which is what Mr. Ramos’s ally Peter Cammaramo did, is a federal crime.
The fact that Mr. Ramos, with his many years of public disservice, is proudly announcing that he doesn’t know the difference between a federal crime and legal conduct is downright scary.
Why didn’t Dawn run again?
Why was the Garcia complaint settled?
Why Shadow Why??????
Ramos’ best buds are (1) Chris Campos, just sentenced to 30 months in federal prison, (2) Carmelo Garcia who got fired from the HHA for awarding $2M in no-bid contracts to HHA vendors who gave him $$$ and (3) Roman.
Awe, so sad to see the former friends, wedding and baby blessing attendees and that INFAMOUS back room secret lunch between Carmelo Garcia and Zimmer’s shadow.
Carmelo is getting 700K thanks to Shadows directives and emails to the then incompetent HHA Chairman who couldn’t wipe his own smelly butt without asking the Mayor’s husband.
Say what you want, Carmelo Garcia got 700,000 and Zimmer SUDDENLY dropped out of the race.
Let us not forget, Hoboken residents are still on the hook from Bhalla violating the First Amendment right of free speech of a resident – throwing him out forcefully and further name calling. This occurred Oct 2015 for those who want to view the incident. The case is proceeding.
Why did the HHA pay Garcia 700k and the city paid Alicea almost a million ?
Why did Carmelo and Alicea win large settlements? Huh Huh Huhhhh? Answer that BhallaBots?
Clever reminder about Ramos. You know he fumbled words, he never said he would take money.
We know How Linda and Dawn Zimmer had a record of being sued by hispanics for firing them or attempted influencing the HHA members that lead to firings.
But if Linda, Shadow or Dawn were so innocent and honest, why did they settle and hand out almost 2 million to Alicea and Garcia?
If that’s how you feel about what Ruben said, why didn’t you stick up for him when you were running on a ticket against him when he said it?
Nancy, give up the thing you love most, spreading hate. How dare the woman who was chastised by Rabbi’s now declare her sanctimony over a priest!
Who’s the one with Homophobic friends again?
Oh I think it’s Mr Bhalla and his Shadowy apologists…. ”An avowed homosexual should be screened so that they do not affect negatively impressionable youth,” Mr. Courter said when he first spoke on the issue last month. ”If an individual is an avowed homosexual, I don’t believe the State of New Jersey should pay them to be foster parents.” Uncertain Effect
Religious leaders and gay rights groups have accused Mr. Courter of pandering to irrational fears and bigotry. They said that there was no evidence to suggest that children are more likely to become homosexual if their teachers are gay and that statistics indicate homosexuals are no more likely to abuse children than heterosexuals.
Politicians said candidates who oppose Mr. Courter’s proposals risk being associated with outspoken homosexuals.”
Dude, did you transition? How’s your skirt hanging? Where’s the defense, legal and otherwise of Ravi and his disgusting back room deal? All that numberscrunching pointing irrelevant fingers with imaginings about Peter, Jen and Tiffanie knuckling under to DeFusco got you what? That dopey narrative is crap compared to the scam Ravi Bhalla is running on Hoboken.
More importantly, what did you get out of this? When did Dawn sign off and agree this was anything remotely ethical to spring on the people of Hoboken? Was it due to some legal exposure?
Understandably, you don’t like CP Ruben Ramos shining the light on this as he has. But that’s done. We won’t to hear your defense of Ravi Bhalla’s broken promise and his no show law firm deal. Nancy can’t find any support and make any coherent argument. She had another of her patented meltdowns and can’t even marshall an argument. She’s peddling more stupid factless crap. But you set this in motion and can do what no one else can! So let’s hear it.
That was a really manly post. Hoboken is lucky to have the real men of Hoboken doing such manly things. Is there a real women of Hoboken group too?
Ask Lindastan, she ran off. Asking about the scam Ravi is running on Hoboken scared her off.
Yet another manly post. The real men of Hoboken are literally redefining what it means to be a real man.
Let’s apply the law and stop the drama. N.J.S.A. 40A:9-22.5 No local government officer or employee shall undertake any employment or service, whether compensated or not, which might reasonably be expected to prejudice his independence of judgment in the exercise of his official duties.
Let’s evaluate Ramos’ various income streams through public positions arguably obtained through political obedience and apply the law even-handedly.
Thanks.
There is an immediate and pressing need to bring an honest Office of the Mayor. Attacking others does not change the fact that the Office of the Mayor is severely compromised.
In other words, do as I say, not as I do. Thank you for proving my point.