Things are getting curioser and curioser in the Garden State. Could be the reason for Bush's unexpected strength there. Like MN, WI, PA, NJ is a must carry state for Kerry.
McGreevey $$ CRONY ADMITS BRIBES
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September 16, 2004 -- TRENTON — A fund-raiser for New Jersey Gov. Jim McGreevey pleaded guilty yesterday to charges he solicited $40,000 in cash and campaign donations as part of a shakedown scheme in which the governor has been implicated.
David D'Amiano, 44, entered his plea to two fraud charges 10 weeks after being charged with extortion, bribery and other offenses in an indictment that also said an unidentified state official used the code word "Machiavelli" to show that political officials were helping.
McGreevey acknowledged he is the state official referred to.
But he insisted he did nothing wrong, and said the mention of Machiavelli was an offhand literary reference. He has not been charged.
The donations were solicited after McGreevey was elected.
The D'Amiano matter is one of several scandals swirling about the McGreevey administration.
Last month, McGreevey announced he is gay, had an extramarital affair with a man and would resign Nov. 15.
Earlier, his top contributor, developer Charles Kushner, pleaded guilty to violating campaign-donation rules and admitted retaliating against a witness he knew to be cooperating in a federal investigation — his sister — by having a prostitute seduce her husband.
Officials said D'Amiano solicited the $40,000 from a dairy farmer in exchange for helping him get a better price from the county for his land. After D'Amiano got involved, the county's offer of $3 million rose to $7.4 million, according to the indictment.
D'Amiano faces 2 to 21/2 years in prison when sentenced Dec. 28. He is not cooperating with investigators.
Also yesterday, a judge refused to order a special election to replace McGreevey.
U.S. District Judge Garrett Brown Jr. dismissed a lawsuit that claimed McGreevey had effectively created a vacancy by saying he would step down on Nov. 15.
nypost.com
Joe |
