Raia linked to PAC that paid Hoboken woman charged with vote-by-mail fraud

Frank Raia, a perennial anti-administration candidate in Hoboken, is linked to a political action committee that paid a Hoboken woman charged with vote-by-mail fraud by the U.S. Attorney’s Office last week. 

By John Heinis/Hudson County View

Raia was the chairman of the political action committee “Let the People Decide,” according to a registration form filed with the New Jersey Election Law Enforcement Commission on October 19th, 2011.

“This committee was formed to participate in the dialog relating to public questions in NJ: to oppose the public question in Hoboken, as worded, relating to rent control; and to promote the passage of other question statewide, such as sports betting,” the description of the PAC says.

The filing also identifies Andrew Canonico as the PAC treasurer and Raia’s name does not appear on any future filings, which were made consistently until as recently as July of this year – despite little to no additional funds being raised since 2013.

Additionally, the November 22nd, 2011 filing from Let the People Decide shows that Camis and her daughter were paid just $35 each for campaign work during that election cycle.

On Monday, Hudson County View reported that Lizaida Camis was paid $800 by Let the People Decide on September 12th, 2013, followed by another $800 payment on October 2nd, 2013, according to an October 21st, 2013 PAC filing with ELEC.

She was the second highest paid campaign worker on the filing, with seven of the nine workers getting paid just $50 each (one woman was also paid $3,000).

On Thursday, the U.S. Attorney’s Office announced that Camis, 55, of Hoboken, was charged with committing vote-by-mail fraud for promising voters $50 if they voted by mail for the candidates she was backing.

Federal authorities did not identify which candidate(s) Camis was working for and only identified the entity that paid Camis as a “political action committee.”

Furthermore, according to the criminal complaint, Camis’ alleged crimes were committed “between in or about October 2013 and in or about November 2013.”

In that election cycle, Mayor Dawn Zimmer and her running mates bested Assemblyman Ruben Ramos and 4th Ward Councilman Tim Occhipinti.

Raia, a former chair of the North Hudson Sewerage Authority, unsuccessfully sought a councilman-at-large seat on Occhipinti’s ticket.

Furthermore, New Jersey Globe reported last night that now Council President Ruben Ramos’ ELEC account paid Camis $250 for a “community health fair donation” back in mid-2013.

When HCV reached Raia over the phone, he hung up as soon as this reporter introduced himself.