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Hudson County Man Admits Producing Child Porn Using Social Media to Coerce Minors

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the staff of the Ridgewood blog

Union City  NJ,  Hudson County, New Jersey man, admitted producing images of child pornography, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced.

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NJ Transit Police Charge Six for Blaze that Destroyed Multiple NJ TRANSIT Buses

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photo courtesy of NJ Transit Police
the staff of the Ridgewood blog
North Bergen NJ, in April 2022, multiple unoccupied NJ TRANSIT buses were deliberately damaged or destroyed by fire. The buses were located on NJ TRANSIT property in Hudson County. This crime saw much media attention due in part to the overwhelming damage, scale of the scene, and significant fire. ⁣

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Jersey City Democratic Councilwoman Flees Scene of an Accident , Colleagues Call for Her Resignation

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will Democrat Immunity hold?

the staff of the Ridgewood blog

Jersey City NJ, councilwoman and a former chair of the Hudson County Democrats, Amy DeGise the daughter of Tom DeGise, the Hudson county executive was caught on video fleeing the scene of and accident  after her fast-moving black Nissan Rogue collided with a cyclist at the intersection of Martin Luther King Drive and Forrest Street.

Continue reading Jersey City Democratic Councilwoman Flees Scene of an Accident , Colleagues Call for Her Resignation

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Ex-Payroll Clerk for Jersey City Department of Recreation Sentenced to Prison for Stealing $80,000 by Falsely Inflating Payroll Hours for Friends and Relatives

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the staff of the Ridgewood blog

Jersey City NJ,  Acting Attorney General Matthew J. Platkin announced that a former payroll clerk for the Jersey City Department of Recreation was sentenced to prison today for stealing approximately $80,000 by fraudulently inflating payroll hours for certain relatives and associates.

Continue reading Ex-Payroll Clerk for Jersey City Department of Recreation Sentenced to Prison for Stealing $80,000 by Falsely Inflating Payroll Hours for Friends and Relatives

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US Postal Employee Admits Dumping Election Ballots Sent to West Orange Residents

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the staff of the Ridgewood blog

North Arlington NJ, a U.S. Postal Service (USPS) mail carrier from Hudson County today admitted he discarded mail, including 99 general election ballots sent from the Essex County Board of Elections to West Orange, New Jersey, residents, from his assigned routes in Orange and West Orange, Acting U.S. Attorney Rachael A. Honig announced.

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Hispanic Republicans of North Jersey Celebrate Lincoln

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the staff of the Ridgewood blog

Hudson County NJ,  the Hispanic Republicans of North Jersey held their Lincoln Dinner on March 6th from 5-9pm at The Factory in Jersey City. News coverage of the event by The Pulse with Peter B., including speeches and interviews can be seen here. The well attended fundraising dinner included fine food, grassroots Republicans from across Hudson County, and guest speakers.

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Four Former NJ Public Officials and Political Candidates Charged With Taking Bribes

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the staff of the Ridgewood blog

Jersey City NJ, Attorney General Gurbir S. Grewal today announced that four former public officials and political candidates in New Jersey – including former Jersey City School Board President Sudhan Thomas and former State Assemblyman Jason O’Donnell – have been indicted by a state grand jury on charges that they allegedly took bribes in a major investigation of political corruption in Hudson and Morris counties conducted by the Office of Public Integrity and Accountability (OPIA).

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Bergen’s Fort: The Post at Paulus Hook, 1776-1783

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Bergen County Historical Society
New Bridge Landing NJ, Paulus Hook, continuously occupied by troops for the bulk of the American Revolution. Lecture by Todd Braisted.
Sunday, February 21, 2021, 2 pm.

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New Jersey needs to hold Academy Bus accountable for all of the years they were defrauding NJ Transit

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the staff of the Ridgewood blog

Ridgewood NJ, According to newly available court documents in a whistle-blower lawsuit against Academy Bus, a former employee claims that the private bus company defrauded NJ Transit since 2003. This is nine years earlier than the accusations made by the lawsuit filed against Academy Bus by the New Jersey Attorney General’s Office in November 2020. Academy is a company that was paid to operate seven NJ Transit routes in Hudson County.

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NJ Attorney General Grewal Announces Takedown Of Major Fentanyl And Heroin Mill In Hudson County

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the staff of the Ridgewood blog

Harrison NJ, Attorney General Gurbir S. Grewal today announced arrests of three men in the takedown of a major fentanyl and heroin mill in Harrison, N.J., that distributed its narcotics in wax folds stamped with the same brand names that have been linked to 227 overdoses, including 84 deaths. Approximately 32,500 individual doses and four kilos of fentanyl and heroin were seized in the investigation.

The arrests were made in an ongoing investigation by the New Jersey State Police Opioid Enforcement Task Force and the Division of Criminal Justice. They were assisted by U.S. Homeland Security Investigations, the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office, Morris County Prosecutor’s Office, Morris County Sheriff’s Office, Passaic County Prosecutor’s Office, Passaic County Sheriff’s Office, Cliffside Park Police, Nutley Police, Harrison Police and Newark Police.

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MS-13 killers Use New Jersey Sanctuary Status to hide from the law

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photo by RH

the staff of the Ridgewood blog

TRENTON NJ,  Fulfilling its statutory mandate to keep the public informed about the operations of organized crime in New Jersey, the State Commission of Investigation today introduced a new project, “Organized Crime Spotlight,” that will periodically provide up‐to‐date profiles of significant criminal groups impacting the State and region. The inaugural report focuses on La Mara Salvatrucha, commonly referred to as MS‐13, a criminal street gang known for extreme violence.  

The State Commission of Investigation is an independent New Jersey watchdog agency  established in 1968 to investigate organized crime and corruption, waste of tax money and  other abuses of the public trust. Copies of public reports are available at the Commission’s  offices or via its Web site at www.state.nj.us/sci.index.shtm  

The Commission found that while aggressive law enforcement efforts and prosecutions at the state and federal levels have been somewhat effective in suppressing MS‐13, it remains a persistent threat in New Jersey, preying primarily on immigrant communities through extortion, robbery and street‐level drug sales.  With a ceaseless thirst to command respect through fear, its trademark ideology of advancing in rank through violence and its rivalries with other groups, murder is always just a spark away for MS‐13 members, the SCI found.  

The most infamous example of MS‐13’s savagery in New Jersey was the slaying of three individuals – and the grave wounding of a fourth – in a Newark schoolyard on the night of Aug. 4, 2007. Six of the gang’s members, including the leader of the Newark clique, are serving long prison sentences for the grisly attack. Such vicious incidents of violence have been less frequent in recent years, and some policing experts believe elements of MS‐13 may be intentionally lying low to avoid law enforcement scrutiny.  

Further, the Commission learned that New Jersey is a central command post for the gang’s operations on the East Coast.  Over the past decade, an effort by MS‐13 leaders in El Salvador to exert greater control over U.S.‐based cliques, or sets, has taken root. These cliques take orders directly from compatriots in El Salvador for killings and pay tribute by wiring cash to leaders in the Central American nation.  New Jersey has played a prominent role in this movement with leaders in Monmouth and Hudson counties directing operations along the East Coast.  

Founded by immigrants fleeing war‐torn El Salvador in the 1980s, MS‐13 originated on the streets of Los Angeles. New Jersey law enforcement officials identified the first MS‐13 members in Elizabeth, Union County, in the mid‐1990s. Today, MS‐13 members are scattered throughout the state from Union City to Morristown, Trenton to Red Bank, and Lindenwold to
Lakewood.

Along with outlining the gang’s origins, expansion, structure and activities, the report also highlights some of the obstacles facing law enforcement as well as approaches some officials have used to tamp down violence and to prevent vulnerable teenagers from bolstering MS‐13’s ranks.  

Combating MS‐13 presents unique challenges to law enforcement due to the insular nature of the gang, which often targets immigrants from El Salvador as both victims and as potential recruits. In some municipalities, outreach is hampered by a lack of Spanish‐speaking officers. Law enforcement officials across the State told the Commission efforts are ongoing to build relationships with these communities but that many people, principally those who are undocumented, are fearful of deportation or of retaliation by the gang.  

Notwithstanding these challenges, law enforcement in some jurisdictions, particularly in Hudson County, have adopted strategies that have successfully headed off potential violence and muted the gang’s predatory behavior. Most notably, law enforcement officials in Union City, Hudson County, told the Commission that while many MS‐13 members are present in the city, the gang does not conduct overt criminal activity there because of a zero‐tolerance approach that involves multiple city departments and the school system.  Some measures taken in Union City include a midnight curfew on those under 18 and a requirement that building owners swiftly remove graffiti, such as gang‐related tags, or face significant financial penalties.  

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Ridgewood Mayor Guest of Honor at the Dominican Parade of Hudson County

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photo courtesy of Ramon Hache

the staff of the Ridgewood blog

West New York NJ, Ridgewood Mayor Ramon Hache was the  guest of Honor at the Dominican American Parade of Hudson County.  The mayor said , “Muy orgulloso de haber sido Invitado de Honor en la Parada Dominicana de Hudson County” , which translates , ” Very proud to have been Guest of Honor in the Dominican Parade of Hudson County “.

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Hudson County, Woman Charged Vote by Mail Voter Bribery Scheme

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the staff of the Ridgewood blog

Hoboken NJ, A Hudson County, New Jersey woman was arrested and charged today for promoting a voter bribery scheme by use of the U.S. mail, U.S. Attorney Craig Carpenito announced.
Lizaida Camis, 55, of Hoboken, is charged by complaint with a violation of the Travel Act for causing the mails to be used to aid voter bribery contrary to New Jersey state law. She is scheduled to have her initial appearance today before U.S. Magistrate Judge Mark Falk in Newark federal court.

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Only One Vote of approval will select New Jersey’s next Governor

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By GUS PENARANDA

In the era of Trump, not much attention is being paid to the NJ Gubernatorial race right now, but for those who understand what happened last November with the Presidential election, where thousands of New Jersians who rarely voted and democrats who were tired of back-room deals and politics as usual, came out and voted for Donald Trump. This should give New Jersey residents some pause when considering options for the Democratic primary race. When Gov. Christie ran for his second term, he took NJ 60.3% to 38.2%.  One of the arguments from the Democratic candidate was that the power boss/es did not come out for her for whatever reasons.

In this year’s Democratic primary, we have several candidates but some corrupt party bosses are crowning their favorite, even before a single “public” vote has been cast. If the residents of New Jersey do not stand up and fight for their right to select the candidate they want to represent them, then the only vote that counts and that has already been cast, is that of the Democratic Chairman for Passaic County.  To better understand how control is maintained, we must understand that this chairman controls all the County agencies including the Board of Elections and Freeholders, Passaic County Technical Institute, Sheriff’s Department and Passaic County Community College just off the top of my head.  Now to be fair, the departments are run by different staff and professionals but the key elected positions and in some cases executive jobs are mostly the result of political deals made by the Democratic chair.  This was not done overnight. It took years for such a process to work, but now that all county and state elected officials are controlled by the Passaic County Democratic Chair, with the exception of Congressman Bill Pascrell who is focused influencing Trenton, have selected a candidate with no governing experience at all but with deep pockets to fund other candidates the chairman has in mind.

https://www.tapinto.net/towns/paterson/articles/only-one-vote-of-approval-will-select-new-jersey

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Mystery Solved: Unnamed Beneficiary of Suicide Lobbyist Was Bill Pascrell

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Pharma lobbyist Evan Morris helped Jersey Dems but also helped himself

The must-read story for the political class this week is “The Rise and Fall of a K Street Renegade” from the Wall Street Journal. In brutal, delicious detail—the $2,000 bottles of wine (buy one and the second is free!), the $300,000 mahogany speedboat called Mulligan (a golf term to go with the eight private golf club memberships)—Brody Mullins details the spectacular rise and tragic fall of pharma lobbyist Evan Morris. Morris lived a life that would make Jack Abramoff blush and the article suggests that consultants who participated in the kickback scheme could face “fraud or other charges,” with federal prosecutors already showing evidence to a grand jury.

The lobbyist himself, however, won’t be facing any charges. Morris, just 38 and with a bottle of Petrus by his side, shot himself in July 2015, just as Roche lawyers finally noticed massive amounts of money being paid to consultants who seemed to be lining Morris’ pockets in return.

Naturally, for a political story this juicy, there’s a Jersey angle. The story includes a passage in which Morris helps the Washington trade group Biotechnology Innovation Organization hire former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton for its 2014 convention. She received $335,000 for her appearance and he arranged additional six-figure donations to the Clinton Foundation. But that largesse was simply a continuation of earlier Clinton-reflected glory, which brings us to Hudson County.

https://observer.com/2017/02/unnamed-beneficiary-of-suicide-lobbyist-was-bill-pascrell/?utm_campaign=new-jersey-politics&utm_content=2017-15-02-8873047&utm_source=Sailthru&utm_medium=email&utm_term=New%20Jersey%20Politics