Update on Hudson County Democratic Party Organlegging Arrests.

Some details from the story (covered here and here):

  • Yes, in fact: there was trafficking in human organs involved.  At least one individual has been brought up on charges of attempting to sell a liver.
  • The list of individuals and charges can be found here: we’re looking at conspiracy to commit extortion, money laundering, and again, at least one charge in trafficking in human organs.  There are at least two Republicans on the list; but the Hudson County Democratic Party organizational chart is probably going to end up looking like there was a sudden outbreak of the bubonic plague.
  • There is currently no indication that Governor Corzine was aware that numerous Democratic officials were allegedly involved in any conspiracy to commit extortion, money laundering, and/or trafficking in human organs.  He apparently missed it completely.
  • The FBI raided Community Affairs Commissioner (and NJ Cabinet member) Joseph Doria’s office, presumably in relation to their investigation of conspiracy to commit extortion, money laundering, and/or trafficking in human organs charges; Doria has resigned.
  • Gubernatorial candidate Chris Christie (R) is also involved in this up to his eyeballs; in the sense that he was the one that started the investigation two years ago as a… I believe the term is, ‘crusading US Attorney.’
  • An attempt to get a statement from Senator Robert Menendez (D, NJ), Hudson County Democrat and chairman of the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee, was unsuccessful.  There has been no press release and/or statement made at the time that this post was written.

And that’s how it stands at the moment.

Moe Lane

Crossposted to RedState.

NJ Gubernatorial polls.

The two new ones:

It looks like the President’s emergency visit to New Jersey accomplished little, if anything, to rescue Corzine from his slump.  So is it over?  No, or at least not yet: but

If you begin to read and hear such things as, “Mr. Obama enthusiastically supports Governor Corzine. He and the vice president have appeared with the governor, but he has no further plans to visit New Jersey.” When or if you hear this, then you know that the game is over.

Moe Lane

PS: Christie for Governor.  Donate here.

Crossposted to RedState.

Jon Corzine (D-NJ) should just do an *actual* Reality TV show.

If he’s seriously considering Randal Pinkett (the guy from Season Four of The Apprentice, apparently) for his running mate, he might as well get a camera crew together and film Who Wants to be a Losing Candidate for Lt. Governor ?  There’s money in Reality TV, as I understand.  I also understand that he kind of needs money right now.

More from Politicker NJ, including this:

So far, there is only one certainty in the race to become Corzine’s running mate: the LG selection process – including an uncomfortable public search for an African American candidate — has become a bit too comical for the comfort of Corzine supporters.  Democrats are giving the impression of desperation; even East Orange Mayor Robert Bowser received a call asking if LG was something he would consider.  He said no.   At this point, new names are being treated with some trepidation.  A trial balloon for former Superior Court Judge Theodore Davis, the state appointed Chief Operating Officer of the City of Camden and a Republican, was viewed as too late to be serious.  Talk of Seton Hall Law Professor Mark Alexander, who ran Obama’s New Jersey campaign in the primary, had a shelf life of just a few minutes.

…and the Daily Record is reporting that insiders aren’t really happy about any of this.  Meanwhile, you can donate to Chris Christie – the guy taking this race seriously here.

Moe Lane

Crossposted to RedState.

Quote of the Day, Jim Geraghty Division.

“I realize we’re in an era where politicians will do anything to win, but Jon Corzine probably ought to ask himself whether he wants to come through this process with any molecules of dignity intact.”

The answer? Of course not. He’s got nowhere left to go.

Moe Lane

PS: Chris Christie for Governor. Contribute here.

PPS: Since the adultery of a sitting governor is apparently fair game, Jon, I gotta ask: you still indulging in it?

PPPS: You know it’s bad when having the sitting President over isn’t going to help you any.

PPPPS: Christie says hi. No, not to you.

Crossposted to RedState.

The Corzine campaign and the GOP have something in common.

We both want to link the (for-now) Governor of New Jersey to the President. Admittedly, their reasons are not ours; but that’s why we have elections. And the White House is worried about this one, to the point that they brought in Corzine to discuss it with Rahm Emanuel:

A senior Obama administration official familiar with the meeting said Emanuel did not express concern with the Corzine campaign, but rather wanted to gather intelligence on Corzine’s gameplan as the governor sought advice and help from the Obama political operation. The administration official, who requested anonymity when discussing the private meeting, said the president and national party leadership are well aware Corzine is in a tough fight, but believe he will be able to turn it around – particularly with core Democratic voters – as he begins to campaign heavily this summer.

“We’re invested in this victory and we’re confident of it,” the official said.

Asked about the discussions, Corzine campaign spokesman Sean Darcy said in a statement today: “The Vice President’s two recent visits here mere days ago entirely disproves this gossip item.”

He declined to elaborate.

Continue reading The Corzine campaign and the GOP have something in common.

Jon Corzine plays the Bush card. No, really.

It was apparently ‘George W Bush’ this and ‘George W Bush’ that in his acceptance speech for the Democratic nomination tonight (in other words, he’s repeating his strategy from 2005, and Menendez’s from 2006).   Which, as Jim Geraghty nicely (more nicely than he should have, maybe) notes, is interesting, given that Corzine currently polls below (36%) George W. Bush (41%).  Heck, right now he’s polling below Dick Cheney – so I suspect that this particular well might be drying out a bit*. Meanwhile, Chris Christie won on the GOP side, pretty conclusively: Steven Lonegan has already pledged his full support. Continue reading Jon Corzine plays the Bush card. No, really.