Posted by That Makes it right? You Hacks Don;t get it on November 21, 2004 at 20:29:58:

In Reply to: Re: Disgraced legislator put family on payroll posted by Stop with Gaughan and DeGise family on public payroll is a democratic tradition all the hudson dems have some member of the family in payrolls on November 21, 2004 at 20:25:26:

: : It seems Anthony Impreveduto put his family on the payroll, just like the same dame thing that Tom Degise and Bill Gaughan are doing right now, today, in your face to the taxpayers of Hudson County. Impreveduto will have to pay restitution for this abuse, should we except anything else from Degise and Gaughan?

: : Wake up taxpayers!

: : Disgraced legislator put family on payroll
: : Sunday, November 21, 2004
: : BY DUNSTAN McNICHOL
: : Star-Ledger Staff
: : For years, lobbyists and business owners with stakes in legislation Assemblyman Anthony Impreveduto (D-Hudson) helped control in Trenton dutifully bought $500 tickets to parties he threw each April and October to raise money for his political campaigns.

: : Impreveduto, a Democrat in a county where Democrats have long ruled, didn't have much opposition in those races, and maintained no campaign office or staff. Still, he spent $161,000 last year on his campaign -- more than 157 of the 198 Assembly candidates -- to run against a token Republican opponent.

: :
: : Advertisement

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: :
: :
: : On Friday, Impreveduto conceded in state court that much of the money he collected for campaigns actually went into his pocket. In a plea agreement with the state Attorney General's Office, the former chairman of the Joint Legislative Committee on Ethical Standards admitted that since 1999, he used up to $50,000 from his campaigns to pay for overseas trips, clothing, eyeglasses, furniture and even a $2,000 payment of his federal taxes.

: : The guilty plea ended Impreveduto's 17-year Assembly career and will force him to pay fines and reimburse campaign funds. But it provided only a glimpse of Impreveduto's spending habits, which frequently blurred the line between his lawmaking, campaign contributions and personal life.

: : A Star-Ledger examination of his state invoices and campaign disclosure forms since 2002 showed Impreveduto:

: :
: : Paid his daughter, sister and other family members $238,000 of the $304,000 in taxpayer funds he received to staff and run his district office.

: :
: : Used $120,000 of the $247,800 he raised in campaign donations to reimburse undefined "expenses" charged to a collection of personal American Express cards.

: :
: : Paid more than $33,000 in campaign and office funds to family members who are tenants of two Secaucus houses that generate income for his household. These same family members also were paid $50,000 from his district office account.

: :
: : Raised three-fourths of his campaign war chest from special interests with bills pending before the Assembly committee he chaired.

: : "It sounds like he's living high off campaign funds," said Bill Allison, a spokesman for the Center for Public Integrity, a Washington, D.C., watchdog group. "It sounds like in this case they're supporting his lifestyle, and that's a heck of a lot closer to a bribe than a contribution."

: : Vaughn McKoy, head of the Attorney General's Division of Criminal Justice, said the investigation that led to Impreveduto's guilty plea did not include a review of his district office expenditures. He declined to comment on whether the tens of thousands of dollars in payments Impreveduto made to family members from his campaign account were among the funds the Attorney General's Office says Impreveduto misspent on personal items.

: : An accounting of the spending will be conducted between now and the assemblyman's sentencing on Jan. 24. As part of his plea agreement, Impreveduto will pay the fines and restitution but will not serve any time in prison.

: : In court on Friday, Impreveduto declined to discuss the salaries and "consulting" fees he paid his relatives.

: : "No comment," he said tersely. He previously had declined several requests from The Star-Ledger to discuss his finances.

: : State records of Impreveduto's district office and campaign spending show much of what came in went to his relatives.

: : This year alone, Impreveduto has paid four relatives a total of $70,000 from his district office's operating accounts: sister-in-law Carol Barnum; sons-in-law Robert Daniello and Christopher McCue; and nephew Christopher Paciga.

: : Until this year, when a new Assembly rule that limits the hiring of direct relatives took effect, Impreveduto paid his daughter Jamie Lee $25,000 a year for work in his district office, state records show.

: : Last year, Impreveduto also reported paying son-in-law Daniello $30,000 in campaign funds for "consulting" fees. Public records show Daniello now lives in a duplex that generates rent for the assemblyman and his family. Two other relatives with a similar living arrangement were paid $3,000 in campaign funds.

: : Daniello, a member of the Seacaucus High School faculty who is married to Jamie Lee, declined to speak to a reporter when approached recently at his Huber Street home. Impreveduto also works at Secaucus High School, where he is head of the business department.

: : McCue, a physical education teacher in Toms River who is married to Impreveduto's other daughter, Loren Ann, said "there were a lot of things" he did at Impreveduto's office in Secaucus. He declined to discuss specifics and referred questions to defense attorney John McDonald, who is representing Impreveduto and family members in the state probe. McDonald, who was paid $5,000 from Impreveduto's campaign account in June, also declined comment.

: : Most of Impreveduto's campaign money was contributed by lobbyists and business groups with matters pending before the Assembly's Regulated Professions and Independent Authority's Committee, which he chaired.

: : According to latest campaign disclosure records, Impreveduto raised about $81,000 in campaign funds this year in anticipation of a 2005 race. Of that amount, at least $67,000 came from lobbyists and business groups with issues pending before his committee.

: : Longtime lobbyist Russell Bent, whose clients were regular contributors to Impreveduto's campaign coffers, said this is "pretty normal. You deal with the committees you deal with."

: : Advocates for reform of New Jersey's campaign finance system said Impreveduto's case shows the recent spate of ethics legislation didn't go far enough.

: : "That just adds to the argument for why we need to have public financing (of legislative campaigns)," said Staci Berger, lobbyist for New Jersey Citizen Action. "People make campaign contributions to get policy enacted. The only process we know that has done anything to change that is public financing."

: : Lawmakers this year adopted several reforms aimed at reducing the influence of campaign contributions on public policy-making, but they deal primarily with limiting contributions from vendors seeking contracts with the state. One measure does call for a test case of public financing in three legislative district races.

: : After Impreveduto's guilty plea on Friday, Attorney General Peter Harvey said the assemblyman had wronged lobbyists and other donors by misspending their contributions.

: : "It just makes them the victims," he said. "They thought they were giving the money for campaign expenses, and he was using them for his personal expenses."

:
: : Dunstan McNichol covers state government issues. He can be reached at dmcnichol@starledger.com or (609) 989-0341.

Oh! now I get it, Dem traditions that steal the money from taxpayers is ok. 'Tradition'., Its Like Fiddler on the Roof!

Follow Ups:

• Re: Dem Tradition to Put Family members on the payroll We support the HCDO with families on payroll or not is a custom in Hudson democrary circles to take care you family 20:33:07 11/21/04 (0)

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: : : It seems Anthony Impreveduto put his family on the payroll, just like the same dame thing that Tom Degise and Bill Gaughan are doing right now, today, in your face to the taxpayers of Hudson County.  Impreveduto will have to pay restitution for this abuse, should we except anything else from Degise and Gaughan? 

: : : Wake up taxpayers!

: : : Disgraced legislator put family on payroll
: : : Sunday, November 21, 2004
: : : BY DUNSTAN McNICHOL
: : : Star-Ledger Staff 
: : : For years, lobbyists and business owners with stakes in legislation Assemblyman Anthony Impreveduto (D-Hudson) helped control in Trenton dutifully bought $500 tickets to parties he threw each April and October to raise money for his political campaigns. 

: : : Impreveduto, a Democrat in a county where Democrats have long ruled, didn't have much opposition in those races, and maintained no campaign office or staff. Still, he spent $161,000 last year on his campaign -- more than 157 of the 198 Assembly candidates -- to run against a token Republican opponent. 

: : :  
: : :   Advertisement

: : : 
: : :    
: : :      
: : : On Friday, Impreveduto conceded in state court that much of the money he collected for campaigns actually went into his pocket. In a plea agreement with the state Attorney General's Office, the former chairman of the Joint Legislative Committee on Ethical Standards admitted that since 1999, he used up to $50,000 from his campaigns to pay for overseas trips, clothing, eyeglasses, furniture and even a $2,000 payment of his federal taxes. 

: : : The guilty plea ended Impreveduto's 17-year Assembly career and will force him to pay fines and reimburse campaign funds. But it provided only a glimpse of Impreveduto's spending habits, which frequently blurred the line between his lawmaking, campaign contributions and personal life. 

: : : A Star-Ledger examination of his state invoices and campaign disclosure forms since 2002 showed Impreveduto: 

: : : 
: : : Paid his daughter, sister and other family members $238,000 of the $304,000 in taxpayer funds he received to staff and run his district office. 

: : : 
: : : Used $120,000 of the $247,800 he raised in campaign donations to reimburse undefined "expenses" charged to a collection of personal American Express cards. 

: : : 
: : : Paid more than $33,000 in campaign and office funds to family members who are tenants of two Secaucus houses that generate income for his household. These same family members also were paid $50,000 from his district office account. 

: : : 
: : : Raised three-fourths of his campaign war chest from special interests with bills pending before the Assembly committee he chaired. 

: : : "It sounds like he's living high off campaign funds," said Bill Allison, a spokesman for the Center for Public Integrity, a Washington, D.C., watchdog group. "It sounds like in this case they're supporting his lifestyle, and that's a heck of a lot closer to a bribe than a contribution." 

: : : Vaughn McKoy, head of the Attorney General's Division of Criminal Justice, said the investigation that led to Impreveduto's guilty plea did not include a review of his district office expenditures. He declined to comment on whether the tens of thousands of dollars in payments Impreveduto made to family members from his campaign account were among the funds the Attorney General's Office says Impreveduto misspent on personal items. 

: : : An accounting of the spending will be conducted between now and the assemblyman's sentencing on Jan. 24. As part of his plea agreement, Impreveduto will pay the fines and restitution but will not serve any time in prison. 

: : : In court on Friday, Impreveduto declined to discuss the salaries and "consulting" fees he paid his relatives. 

: : : "No comment," he said tersely. He previously had declined several requests from The Star-Ledger to discuss his finances. 

: : : State records of Impreveduto's district office and campaign spending show much of what came in went to his relatives. 

: : : This year alone, Impreveduto has paid four relatives a total of $70,000 from his district office's operating accounts: sister-in-law Carol Barnum; sons-in-law Robert Daniello and Christopher McCue; and nephew Christopher Paciga. 

: : : Until this year, when a new Assembly rule that limits the hiring of direct relatives took effect, Impreveduto paid his daughter Jamie Lee $25,000 a year for work in his district office, state records show. 

: : : Last year, Impreveduto also reported paying son-in-law Daniello $30,000 in campaign funds for "consulting" fees. Public records show Daniello now lives in a duplex that generates rent for the assemblyman and his family. Two other relatives with a similar living arrangement were paid $3,000 in campaign funds. 

: : : Daniello, a member of the Seacaucus High School faculty who is married to Jamie Lee, declined to speak to a reporter when approached recently at his Huber Street home. Impreveduto also works at Secaucus High School, where he is head of the business department. 

: : : McCue, a physical education teacher in Toms River who is married to Impreveduto's other daughter, Loren Ann, said "there were a lot of things" he did at Impreveduto's office in Secaucus. He declined to discuss specifics and referred questions to defense attorney John McDonald, who is representing Impreveduto and family members in the state probe. McDonald, who was paid $5,000 from Impreveduto's campaign account in June, also declined comment. 

: : : Most of Impreveduto's campaign money was contributed by lobbyists and business groups with matters pending before the Assembly's Regulated Professions and Independent Authority's Committee, which he chaired. 

: : : According to latest campaign disclosure records, Impreveduto raised about $81,000 in campaign funds this year in anticipation of a 2005 race. Of that amount, at least $67,000 came from lobbyists and business groups with issues pending before his committee. 

: : : Longtime lobbyist Russell Bent, whose clients were regular contributors to Impreveduto's campaign coffers, said this is "pretty normal. You deal with the committees you deal with." 

: : : Advocates for reform of New Jersey's campaign finance system said Impreveduto's case shows the recent spate of ethics legislation didn't go far enough. 

: : : "That just adds to the argument for why we need to have public financing (of legislative campaigns)," said Staci Berger, lobbyist for New Jersey Citizen Action. "People make campaign contributions to get policy enacted. The only process we know that has done anything to change that is public financing." 

: : : Lawmakers this year adopted several reforms aimed at reducing the influence of campaign contributions on public policy-making, but they deal primarily with limiting contributions from vendors seeking contracts with the state. One measure does call for a test case of public financing in three legislative district races. 

: : : After Impreveduto's guilty plea on Friday, Attorney General Peter Harvey said the assemblyman had wronged lobbyists and other donors by misspending their contributions. 

: : : "It just makes them the victims," he said. "They thought they were giving the money for campaign expenses, and he was using them for his personal expenses." 

: : 
: : : Dunstan McNichol covers state government issues. He can be reached at dmcnichol@starledger.com or (609) 989-0341. 

: 
: Oh! now I get it, Dem traditions that steal the money from taxpayers is ok.  'Tradition'., Its Like Fiddler on the Roof! 


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