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Posted by Pepe Bonmot
on March 20, 2002 at 10:48:08:
Hudson's Democrats battle for party control Bergen Record Flanked by city workers and political supporters, Cunningham held a "high noon" news conference on the steps of City Hall to denounce Menendez's brief tenure as chairman of the Hudson County Democratic Party, while lauding him as "a great congressman." Soon after Janiszewski's departure, the county's Democrats selected Menendez to replace him as party chairman. Cunningham, who heads the state's second largest city, blasted Menendez as a power-hungry boss who instead of unifying the party is divisive and meddling in local politics in a bid to control the city halls of Hudson County. "He should be bringing home the bacon for us here. He is supposed to be working on making this country safe. Instead, he's being a political terrorist right here in Jersey City. We don't need a dictator," Cunningham said. Unless the congressman steps down from the party chairmanship and agrees to a truce, Cunningham said, he will back another Hispanic candidate for Menendez's seat this year. Menendez said he is not about to step aside, especially in the face "of threats and intimidation. And I'm really surprised that a former U.S. marshal would use that tactic as the method by which he tries to get his way." The brawl is over the county's highest elective post, the executive's seat. Cunningham is backing Bernard Hartnett, who was appointed to replace Janiszewski last fall and has decided to run in the June primary for the remaining year of the unexpired term despite earlier statements that he would not. Cunningham said that Menendez is backing former mayoral candidate Tom DeGise. Menendez is scheduled to meet with the county's 12 mayors today to discuss the issue. However, he said, through a collaborative process they have agreed on another candidate because they want someone who will seek the position for the long term. In a joint statement of support for Menendez, which was released late Thursday, the 11 other mayors said the choice of the next executive should not be by "a single individual but by mayoral consensus in agreement with our party leaders." Menendez said the candidate will be publicly determined today at the meeting with the mayors, and noted Cunningham had an opportunity to convince them that his candidate was the better man. "The mayor [Cunningham] has got to understand that he just can't dictate to all the other mayors," Menendez said.
"Menendez's opposition to Bernie is not about good government, it's about his and Donald Scarinci's insatiable desire for power and its rewards," Cunningham said. Scarinci, a Secaucus attorney, is a longtime friend and political ally of Menendez whose firm specializes in government.
Menendez said Cunningham's accusations of interference ring hollow because he has welcomed Menendez's support in the past.
"He must think very little of the other 11 mayors if he thinks that I can manipulate them all or that they would all have a fight over Donald Scarinci," Menendez said.
Hartnett, who joined Cunningham at the news conference, issued a call for party unity noting "the balance of power in the U.S. Senate could be at stake" in November. After five months in office, he said, he wants to serve out the remaining year to continue to address the county problems.
If Hartnett is elected to serve another year as county executive, observers said, it would give Cunningham more time to consolidate his own power base and have a greater say in who might succeed Hartnett in 2004. An election later this year will determine who succeeds him.
Janiszewski resigned as county executive and county chairman in September, amid reports that he had become ensnared in a federal corruption investigation.
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