Bergen County Democratic Organization

Editor's Note: Paul Fader has indicated that he is not interested in seeking the Bergen County Democratic Chairmanship, and told PolitickerNJ.com that he has not made any phone calls indicating his interest or seeking support.  The Inside Edge gives him the benefit of the doubt and accordingly, retracts our report.

Joe Ferriero's recent legal woes -- allegations that he assaulted a woman at a Labor Day barbecue at his home, and a federal probe of a grants business in which he is a part owner that resulted in the FBI seizing records from his law office -- have resulted in his taking a leave of absence from his post as Bergen County Democratic Chairman.  Sensing a possible vacancy in the powerful post sometime in the near future, Paul Fader, a former Mayor of Englewood who served as Chief Counsel to Governors James E. McGreevey and Richard Codey,has begun making calls to seek support for Ferriero's job. 

The 1988 political landscape in Bergen County bears little resemblance to today's.

Former President George H.W. Bush carried the county against Michael Dukakis. Bill McDowell, a Republican, was the county executive, having been elected to the newly created office of two years earlier. Republicans controlled the freeholder board 7-0, and Republican Assemblywoman Kathleen Donovan had just been elected to her first five-year term as county clerk.

Times have changed, to say the least. Democrats have a popular incumbent county executive and hold all the freeholder seats. Only Donovan has managed to stay on top of the rising Democratic tide, and stands today as the only Republican county-wide officeholder in a place where the GOP has become the perennial minority party.

After 20 years in office, Donovan is the sole obstacle to County Democratic Chairman Joe Ferriero's quest for complete county-wide domination - even if she holds an unglamorous office, where the primary responsibilities are overseeing election ballots, issuing passports and recording deeds and mortgages.

Statement of Senator Weinberg, Assembly members Johnson & Huttle

To us, being a Democrat isn't only a label you wear; it's a set of ideals you live.

For Release: Immediate
Date: September 20, 2006

Contact: Bill Maer
Tel: 732-233-2584

WHERE'S TARDY TODD?

50 Seniors Forced to Wait for Debate as Caliguire Just Can't Get to the Church on Time

Hackensack - The Bergen County Democratic Organization called on Todd Caliguire to apologize to the more than 50 seniors who were forced to wait until he strolled in more than 20 minutes after the scheduled start of today's Westwood AARP Candidate Forum.

Steve Rothman narrowly defeated Joe Ferriero in Bergen County yesterday -- sort of. Rothman's congressional office softball team edged out the Bergen County Democratic Organization team 8-7. Ferriero played on the BCDO team, while Rotarian-American congressional candidate Paul Aronsohn played for Rothman.

Paramus Councilwoman Connie Wagner, easily re-elected to a second term on the Council last November, is among the candidates under consideration by the Bergen County Democratic Organization to run for one of two Freeholder seats this fall. Democrats are seeking two candidates: Democrat Valerie Vainieri Huttle, elected to the State Assembly in 2005, says she will complete her current term but not seek re-election to the Freeholder Board; the other incumbent is Elizabeth Randall, the only Republican on the Board of Freeholders. Last week, the Bergen County Republican Organization Executive Committee endorsed Randall and former Wyckoff Board of Education member Robert Yudin to run for the two Freeholder seats.

Three potential candidates for Governor in 2009 worked the Chamber of Commerce train to Washington today: Congressman Rob Andrews, Morris County Freeholder John Murphy, and Assemblyman Bill Baroni. A potential fourth statewide candidate of the future, Newark mayoral candidate Cory Booker, worked the train as hard as anyone else.

The presumed GOP nominee for U.S. Senate, Tom Kean, had a fairly significant train presence, albeit one with some crisis of identity: volunteers at Union Station stood under a banner saying "Senator Tom Kean Welcomes You to Washington," and handed out buttons that said "Tom Kean, Jr. for U.S. Senate.

The Bergen County Democratic Organization is unofficially backing Englewood Mayor Michael Wildes in his bid for Loretta Weinberg's Assembly seat against Freeholder Valerie Vainieri Huttle. Until a few hours ago, Wildes has been a fervant foe of County Chairman Joseph Ferriero.

One Democrat not likely to be pleased with Ferriero's blessing of Wildes' candidacy is State Senator Paul Sarlo. If Congressman Steven Rothman runs for U.S. Senate in 2008, both Sarlo and Wildes want his House seat. A legislative seat will allow Wildes to expand his geographic base.

If the New Jersey Supreme Court declines to overturn Judge Peter Doyne's ruling in the 37th district State Senate race, a Special Democratic Convention will be held on Thursday to replace Loretta Weinberg as one of the Democratic candidates for State Assembly on the November general election ballot. Former Assemblyman Ken Zisa, who led Weinberg by one vote after the September 15th special election convention, is expected to be the Bergen County Democratic Organization's candidate. Weinberg is backing Freeholder Valierie Vainieri Huttle.

There is still some question as to whether a Special Election Convention will be held as well. Weinberg will withdraw from the Assembly race to run for Senate, but she does not necessarily need to resign her seat until she is sworn in as a State Senator. The Senate is not scheduled to meet again until after the election.