Hoboken 4th Ward Councilman Ruben Ramos hosted a fundraiser at Mike’s Wild Moose Saloon yesterday in honor of mentor and friend Maurice Fitzgibbons, as well as 25 years of public service.
By John Heinis/Hudson County View
“Ruben is a guy that has a lot of respect, obviously by the crowd here, not only in Hoboken, Ruben is a guy that has a tremendous amount of respect in Hudson County,” began Craig Guy, the Democratic nominee for Hudson County executive.
“So from a selfish standpoint, Craig Guy as Hudson County executive, Ruben has been a friend, some of the other council people in Hoboken have been a friend. And it’s obvious that he brings people together.”
Guy pledged to continue working with Ramos on the intergovernmental level, as well as to do anything he can to help his re-election – which was an easy commitment since he and the councilman are both running unopposed on November 7th.
Ramos became the youngest councilman in Hoboken history when he was elected at 25 years old in 1999 and also served as a state assemblyman between 2008 and 2014 before getting elected to his old council post in 2015, where he has remained since.
Fitzgibbons, who was a longtime freeholder who died unexpectedly at the end of 2011, along with former Mayor Dave Roberts and ex-state Senate Bernie Kenny were all instrumental in him getting his start in the smash mouth world of Mile Square City politics.
“We had friend of ours who passed away some 12 years ago and he was an integral part of our group and Maurice Fitzgibbons was a great friend, had a great political mind and Maurice, Ruben, Bernie, and myself, and a group of others, we all thought … wouldn’t it be nice, Tony [Soares] as well, we’d give Maurice a little shoutout,” Roberts said.
The 100 or so people on hand were happy to give a standing ovation on that note.
Kenny recalled that in 1999, Fitzgibbons and Roberts had settled on Ramos as their 4th Ward council pick and he was the last one to sign off, impressed by his gentle, kind demeanor.
“He added a major lift to the ticket we were forming in 1999 and [Councilman] Michael Russo is here … I’m glad Michael’s here because what we were doing is opposing Michael’s father,” he said to some laughter.
“I have to say that, I’ve got to put it out there. That Michael’s here speaks to a very important thing in politics, which is that everybody must stay together as friends, not matter what happens in the political realm because there comes another day.”
During his remarks, Ramos reflected on how it’s a shame that Fitzgibbons, “one of our partners in crime,” has already been gone for 12 years and who knows what would have changed if he was still here.
“Politics is politics, and politics can become family. We won our election in May of ’99, I was diagnosed with cancer in November of ’99, and Dave and Bernie, they drove me and my wife, then my girlfriend, to every doctor’s appointment, every single one of my chemo treatments,” he recalled.
“Maurice was always calling to check in: ‘How’s Ruben doing? How’s Ruben doing?” to Dave when he drove me and Bernie when he drove me … That’s the hardest part, probably, of our lives. Good people like Bernie, like Dave, and Maurice, my mom, my wife, my dad, to see it through – after that meeting with Bernie he said ‘welcome to the cesspool kid.'”
The crowd on hand was diverse, drawing whispers that Ramos could be a mayoral contender in 2025.
Other fellow electeds such as Assemblywoman Annette Chaparro, Hudson County Commissioner Chair Anthony Romano (D-5), 1st Ward Councilman Mike DeFusco, and 6th Ward Councilwoman Jen Giattino on hand.
All four candidates for the board of education: President Sharyn Angley, Trustee Chetali Khanna, and former Trustee Sheila Dallara, collectively the “Moms for Progress” team, and independent perennial candidate Pat Waiters.
Also from the education sector were HoLa Board President Nicole Cammarota, Hoboken Charter Board member Lauren Calmas, and Elysian Charter Board member Eduardo Gonzalez.
Raising some eyebrows were some blasts from the past in former Councilman Chris Campos, ex-Assemblyman Carmelo Garcia, and Frank Raia, who has previously served on the North Hudson Sewerage Commission.
Campos was found guilty of a car loan scheme in July 2017, Garcia is facing federal charges for an alleged large-scale bribery scheme out of Newark, and Raia, who like Ramos, unsuccessfully ran for mayor in 2013, ended up getting convicted on vote-by-mail fraud related to that race.
Additionally, 1st Ward council candidate Paul Presinzano, former 6th Ward Councilman Nino Giacchi, Jude Fitzgibbons, Maurice’s brother, and Hudson County GOP Executive Director Pavel Sokolov showed face as well.
Soares, another former councilman, served as the emcee for the event.
Wow, Ramos, Fitzgibbons, Soares, Roberts, De Fusco, Romano, etc., etc.
Looks like Team Cammarano’s getting the band back together!
Seemed like Ravi wanted to come in, he had his GIANT SUV roll up and ask how many people were there…
Half that list supported Zimmer and there’s ELEC reports to prove it.
Too bad ELEC reports can’t smoke out developer lobbyists playing all sides.
But you on team bhalla wouldn’t know about honesty
Cammarano, Campos, Russo, Raia truly convicted criminals.
Pupie, you were just slightly ahead of your time. The Democrat Party today embraces your paper ballot stuffing boxes for loot operation. Zuckerbucks and his $400 million 2020 election “fortifying” isn’t better than you!
At least you’re nicer. Be well and stay away from that Hoboken vote laundromat Russo.
“All four candidates for the board of education: President Sharyn Angley, Trustee Chetali Khanna, and former Trustee Sheila Dallara, collectively the “Moms for Progress” team, and independent perennial candidate Pat Waiters.
Also from the education sector were HoLa Board President Nicole Cammarota, Hoboken Charter Board member Lauren Calmas, and Elysian Charter Board member Eduardo Gonzalez.”
Interesting “education sector” luminaries. Can’t say that’s the first descriptor that comes to mind for Gonzalez:
https://hudsoncountyview.com/ex-county-elections-worker-voters-political-consultant-take-the-stand-in-raias-hoboken-vbm-trial/
That’s not your first descriptor because you obviously have a prejudiced view of Hispanics in general. This is what comes to mind first, which funny enough was to the benefit of the current and prior mayor.
https://patch.com/new-jersey/hoboken/hoboken-elysian-charter-school-moving-uptown-location-0
“Prejudiced view of Hispanics in general” lol that’s always the go-to and you don’t even have the PC version of the term right, idiot.
Karma is a real Bitch RAVI KNOW ALL ABOUT KARMA!
Maurice was loved and sadly died.
So you trash him now?
Shameful and disgusting
99% of the voters in Hoboken have no idea of who Maurice was or care. Old corrupt politicos do.
Hi John, Jason and Rachel, care to share how you really feel about hispanics publicly?
What are you talking about? We love Hoboken’s finest grifter club — Chris Campos, Carmelo Garcia, Ruben Ramos and honorary member Anthony Soares. Peas in a pod.
Just Gandhi She was killed by her Sikh bodyguards
Racist Bhalla Cartel
Maybe Jason, Rachel, Vijay and 300k Kenny should stop before depositions come again
Raia, Russo, Campos, Garcia
Everyone else in the room that wasn’t tainted before is now.
At the end of the day, this shows that corruption won out in Hoboken.
Only think dirtier and scummier is the streets Ravi and carpet baggers Dawn brought us
Deliver us from Bhalla
We need someone who knows how to clean streets and reputation
Surprised the Councilman Michael Defusco who often says he the first OPENLY gay elected official in Hoboken who has said former Freeholder Maurice Fitzgibbon’s was his mentor was not at the party.
Maurice always loved a party.
And Bhalla was spying
They’re the modern stone-age family
From the town of Hoboken
They’re a page right to of history.
Let’s ride with the family down the street
Through th courtesy of Ruben’s two feet
When you were with Fitzgibbon
Have a yabba-dabba doo time
a dabba-doo time
We’ll have a gay old time
Nothing wrong with that
Did you read the article first or you just start writing nonsense? The article does state that Defusco was at the event.
Want a photo?
Or did Chief Spy Kenny not see him?
Yep I missed that Councilman Defusco’s name was mentioned that he showed face at his mentor and close personal friend posthumous political fund raiser. He went to many of Murices parties.
Stop obsessing over this huge event
Don’t worry, you will still have your pension
What compels this freak to keep playing make-believe that he’s still in the game? The last time he did anything but kiss up and ride coattails, the waterfront view included the Twin Towers.
“Freak”? Wow, how quickly bhalla beliefs towards certain groups rise to the surface
what makes you think the mayor or his people have anything to do with that comment? there are plenty of people on every end of the political spectrum — and many who have nothing to do with politics — who feel that way.
Referring to someone’s appearance asa “freak”?
Imagine if that was towards Bhalla?
And if you think 2001 was too long ago, perhaps tell Ravi to stop taking campaign advice from Zimmer and Booker-
Bhalla was running for various offices since 2005 so maybe he’s been here too long as well?
You ignored the question. Let me try again: what makes you think the mayor or his people had anything to do with that comment?
Got to admit: “Soar Loser” is pretty good one.
Jason Vijay and ladies Auxiliary Rachel the wicked whiner
Your meal tickets are coming to an end soon
Better sell those condos
You won’t have jobs to cover the mortgage once bhalla is gone here
Saw the headline and immediately knew the comments would consist of about four catty local political “insider” hacks (using various screen names) peeing on each others shoes. I was not wrong.
Would it be Hoboken, NJ if it was any other way???
Yeah, so let’s condemn the Old Hacks so the young POORer new hacks can steal their way into position
Vijay, Freeman-Hodes, John Allen, Cohen and Robot Joe Quientero…