"TO THE VICTOR BELONGS THE SPOILS" *

Are we who live in Plainfield surprised?  How could we be? What is reported is the norm for the “Soprano State”. Certainly, there has been a similar pattern exhibited by the electorate regarding local financial affairs.

I am referring to the results of a Monmouth University/Asbury Press telephone poll which only 24% of the responders believed that Senator Menendez is guilty of wrong doing.***

Perhaps this poll like many is askewed by numbers. Only 803 adults were in the pool surveyed and there is about a 3.5% +/- error in the results which would not significantly alter the data. However 65% stated that they had not heard about the issue or had insufficient knowledge to form an opinion.

Bravo to the 11% who felt that there was something  nothing wrong to fly on a private jet and without following Senate ethical guidelines of reimbursing the owner. Coincidentally two years later just before an investigation began; he suddenly realized that there had been an oversight and made a payment of over $50k for 2 flights to the Dominican Republic.  . 

The trips and  accompany largess were supplied by a Florida “Eye Doctor” who has been a big campaign contributor not only to Menendez but also to the  Democrat Party as a whole with a substantial portion going to New Jersey candidates.

There seems to also have been a matter of the Senator’s intervention to grant a company in which this individual has a major interest a contract of about 500 million dollars to provide port security in the Dominican Republic. There is no record of Dr. Melegan having any expertise in security matters.

There are other large contracts for work in the Dominican Republic that involved US funds for which the Senator is reported to have actively lobbied.

I am sure that if the Courier (Asbury Press’s sister paper) had partnered with Monmouth University to conduct a similar poll in the Queen City the results would be similar.

Why would a population that reelects to office candidates who continually award contracts by the RFQ “open and fair” procedure rather than RFP closed bids find  a repeated breach of ethics even consider such an individual not fit for the office? After all the RFQ methodology permits rewarding those who contribute to personal political funds. Whereas RFP would result in the lowest bidder getting the contract, which could save money; unthinkable!  The voters accept that public office must be a source of extra-curricular income.

We seem to admire and reelect office holders who ignore reports of fiscal irregularities and do not investigate reports of illegal solicitation of funds. We condone nepotism even when one family member has been under a cloud a spouse is given another responsible position.  

We defend and praise so called public servants who rewarded employees who after their abuse of public funds resigned rather than be terminated with cause with a million dollars in termination bonuses are praised for their civic concerns and appointed to positions of power. Commissioners whose yearly compensation “direct and indirect” is limited by its code to $4500.00 are awarded health insurance perks that can add up to over $20.000 annually and opinioned by in house counsel to be legal.  

The only thing that Menendez has done that local politicians have not made a practice is to do it on a grander scale and then make a mistake of a belated attempt to correct his violation in the hopes of short circuiting a damning investigation.

* Senator William L Marcy (NY) in defense of President Andrew Jackson (1831). The biggest mountain in the Adirondacks is named for Marcy. 

***Quote :"Twenty-four percent of those polled believe the senator was involved in wrong-doing, while 11 percent said he was not. Another 65 percent say they don’t know enough to form an opinion, or have not heard about the issue at all."