MILE SQUARE VIEW EXCLUSIVE

Last month former mayor and felon Peter Cammarano attended Hobokenite Nick Calicchio’s wedding according to eyewitnesses at the event.  One described Cammarano, not the groom as the man of the hour while another called the short-lived mayor a popular attendee who was one of the select groomsmen.

Peter Cammarano came out to get behind an Old Guard soldier and shared a table at the nuptials performed by Freeholder Anthony “Stick” Romano with Frank “Pupie” Raia, a rumored leading contender to run for mayor against incumbent Mayor Dawn Zimmer.

One source who asked to remain anonymous for fear of being SLAPPed wrote, “Peter Camarano the convicted felon, was in the wedding party and was the de facto best man.  Camarano… was treated like visiting royalty and mingled with Freeholder Romano all night. Romano and Camarano were seen talking in a huddle by themselves off to the side all evening.”

But Freeholder Romano in a phone interview yesterday denied he had any significant conversation with Cammarano only admitting to sharing some genial conversation as they were seated at the same table.  “Cammarano and Pupie spoke at length,” Romano said, adding he also spoke to Cammarano’s girlfriend who he described as a nice lady.

Cammarano who’s early release from a two year stint in the federal pen for taking $25,000 from FBI informant Solomon Dwek raised eyebrows but has kept a relatively low profile.  His ex-wife departed with their daughter but his rumored goomar stuck around tending to his brownstone on upper Bloomfiled while he served out most of his sentence in Lewisburg, PA.

Nick Calicchio is a resident of the Hoboken Housing Authority where he pays reduced rent as part of a sponsored officer program.  His rent is believed to be $450 a month and while not a police officer, Calicchio is a corrections officer for a prison facility in NJ.

Calicchio like his brother has a long history of political activism in Hoboken politics.  He’s previously served as an aide to Assemblyman Ruben Ramos and was a helpful hand like his brother Matt for the Tim Occhipinti special election campaign in November 2010. 

That campaign is notable for a record production of vote-by-mail ballots in Hoboken’s fourth ward – fully 500 were submitted and criminal complaints were later sent by the Hudson County Prosecutor’s Office to the NJ Attorney General.  There’s been no official word on any investigation since.

Last month MSV broadcast a video clip of a clash between Hoboken resident Patricia Waiters and Beth Mason political operative and Mason Civic League employee Matt Calicchio.  The video shows Waiters responding to what she described as attempted intimidation as she reveals Calicchio has been captured on video manipulating a senior to submit a vote-by-mail ballot.  Standing nearby right outside the City Council meeting repeatedly attempting to convince Waiters to be quiet is Democratic Committeewoman Michele Russo, mother of councilman Mike Russo.

Talking Ed Note: For the record, Da Horsey has had more than one interference incident with Nick Calicchio.  At a recent council meeting he approached from behind interrupting a discussion saying, “If you don’t want to be thrown out, stop taking pictures.”

Told to stay away, MSV wonders after three years why it’s an issue taking photos related to government mostly at City Council meetings?  You never hear a word of complaint for all the smut with the photos taken for the fascist website Hoboken411 over the years.

Now a Hoboken mom who serves on the zoning board and parodies people in the political games in Hoboken with no small amount of hilarity merits police complaints and a SLAPP suit, along with the double digits of other voices in the Hoboken blogosphere.  

The hypocrisy in this town is so thick, you can cut it with a knife. The Old Guard just wants to be left alone to do as they please with your money.  You can cooperate with quiet acquiescence or you can stand up for speech and the voices who confront corruption head on.

For all those who continue to support the Hoboken Free Speech Legal Defense Fund, thank you.