July 15, 2008 - 10:49pm

Ferriero probe expands

The Star-Ledger reports that the feds’ investigation of Bergen County Democratic Chairman Joe Ferriero has expanded, with subpoenas issued to the Passaic Valley Sewerage Commission, where he’s chief counsel.

Two separate subpoenas were sent to the commission: one demanding all its records dealing with Ferriero’s law firm, Scarinci Hollenbeck, and one demanding records for a company Ferriero founded in 2001 called SVC consulting grants writing consulting firm he helped found and records related to the PR firm Vision Media.

In October, State Sen. Loretta Weinberg, a Ferriero rival, denounced the amount of money spent by several county agencies, including the Passaic Valley Sewerage Commission, on consultants. Among the complaints about Vision Media was that a coloring book was the only evidence of its work for the commission.

Comments

Witnesses for the defense?


It looks like Governor Corzine's and Democratic Party Chairman Joe Cryan's best friend is back in the telescopic sight of federal investigators.

The Passaic Valley Sewerage Commission is a hornet's nest, ripe for investigation. Big Boss Joe Ferriero made a fortune off the taxpayer's dime there, with his cronies feeding from the same trough.

Will Corzine and Cryan, after warmly supporting Ferriero for another term as Bergen Democratic Boss, testify as character witnesses for the defense?

 On The Waterfront since 1954

07/16/08 12:53 am

Who cares anymore ?


The Bergen Dems will still vote for the Ferriero circus, just look at the results of the Dem Primary. Weinberg team took a licking. Even if Ferriero, Mc Nerney and his entire Freeholder Board go to Jail the Dems will still vote them in.

07/16/08 4:06 am

Who cares anymore ?


The Bergen Dems will still vote for the Ferriero circus, just look at the results of the Dem Primary. Weinberg team took a licking. Even if Ferriero, Mc Nerney and his entire Freeholder Board go to Jail the Dems will still vote them in.

07/16/08 4:07 am

Democratic Party is corrupt.


Broy has a good point. It takes a lot to convince Democrats that their party has cheated them not only of their money but their honesty too. However, once all these major corrupt honchos are in jail, Democrats will not be able to vote for them again. I know, it is tough out there, but let's have hope that Democrats will see the light in the tunnel of corruption. It is a long tunnel in NJ.

07/16/08 8:13 am

Perp walks....


"Low information voters" aren't just from West Virginia.

 

Like the national Republican K Street Abramoff/DeLay/Rove/Swiftboat machine, the local pay-to-play Bergen County Democratic Organization overwhelms its opposition with money donated (extorted) from contractors, deceptive marketing, a patronage job army and nasty smear tactics. This keeps voters confused enough to grant BCDO'ers and their enablers the inside position at the money trough.

 

Up to now, County Kleptocrats have successfully camouflaged themselves in the national Democratic Party cloak. Unfortunately, our Governor and  Congressman Rothman have perpetuated that, both having recently endorsed Mr. Ferriero's re-election as Chairman of the BCDO. But once a few perp walks occur, the dimmest County voter might get the idea that they've been played for suckers.

 

Then again, if all this pay-to-play corruption turns out to be "legal" (as its voracious practitioners claim), calling us the Tony Soprano State might just be a compliment.

07/16/08 9:08 am

DUH!


It's suprising how long this took. When Peter Sheridan was counsel to the PVSC his last annual billing was between $150 and $200,000. Ferrierro (Scarinci and Hollenbeck) billed over $1/2 Million in the first year alone. All that has to be done is to investigate the "churning" of accounts - a familiar practice in every town the Dem's have taken over in Bergen County. Oink! Oink!

07/16/08 12:16 pm

no surprise


for Ferriero, its only a matter of time.

07/16/08 3:53 pm