Overview: a possible Michael Russo Chronology
The controversy continues.
Here’s a theoretical timeline of events for Michael Russo
2008
2008
Your campaign, “Russo for Hoboken” files its last ELEC report in September 2008
[Something happens]
You keep more than $18,000 in the account for a handy slush fund
2009
You agree to meet with a developer and bagman Maher Khalil of Jersey City.
You agree to accept $5,000 even with no active campaign in support of a developer project
You say the check(s) should be made out to your “Russo for Hoboken” account
You explain your political philosophy to FBI informant Solomon Dwek “I did for you, you do for me.”
Dwek says your help approving his developer project will see him “take care of our friends” and he promises more money after the election
Lunch meeting ends as you express appreciation for Solomon Dwek
[Something happens]
2010
You decide to run for Council again
You decide to run for Council again
You have $18,000 remaining in your campaign account, but you start a new one not moving the money
You spend $17,000 but you report and say nothing
You enjoy many fun trips to Atlantic City. Good times.
2011
In March a book, the Jersey Sting is released detailing the biggest NJ corruption scandal in state history.
You ignore Horsey’s request for an interview and call the report old news saying NJ.com reported the story
MSV says there was no NJ.com story at all
The local media says no more about it
Da Horsey contacts the authors of the Jersey Sting, they stand by their story
You tell everyone you sent Dwek away and didn’t like his ways
The FBI surveillance video comes out. You don’t look unfriendly to Dwek, anything but
A firestorm breaks out concerning your agreeing to a series of bribes in the video
A protest takes place with dozens of people calling for you to resign outside City Hall
At the City Council later some ask you to resign including MSV for “trading on your office”
Perry Belfiore speaks and performs absolution telling you to say two mea culpas
Perry Belfiore speaks and performs absolution telling you to say two mea culpas
You console yourself in the same council meeting co-sponsoring an email witch hunt with Beth Mason
You run for re-election against an upstart Reform candidate and win
You celebrate your big victory at the Russo Civic Association
Days later, your weekend pal Patrick Ricciardi disappears from his IT job and his office is padlocked
The FBI sweeps into Hoboken City Hall carting away records and computers two weeks later
You tell people/MSV the lease ran out. But the Russo Civic Association never reopens
Jen Giattino assumes office from lame duck councilman, email witch hunt halted
FBI refuses to release emails under criminal investigation
You and ally Beth Mason try to eliminate the evidence and force emails’ release to the public
The plan fails, the suits are not pleased, handwringing begins anew
In the fall you feel better and coordinate with Beth Mason to sabotage the hospital sale
At the last minute, Tim Occhipinti bails on the plan and you change to saying you saved the hospital
You are shocked as a spontaneous chant to recall Beth Mason breaks out in the meeting
You are shocked as a spontaneous chant to recall Beth Mason breaks out in the meeting
The audience boos your blatant lie you saved the hospital
You and MORTe colleagues settle for costing Hoboken $4.5 million nixing a required simple tax change refi on the hospital garage
You go out and celebrate your consolation prize driving Hoboken toward a tax increase
2012
Mayor Zimmer considers possible layoffs after the millions lost but balances the budget anyway
The FBI asked about its Hoboken investigation responds, oh that investigation, yes it’s very much an active investigation
NJ ELEC receives a complaint about your 2008 campaign account from the Wiley Coyote, Eric Kurta
You hear of the complaint but file no additional campaign reports for Russo for Hoboken
You file all your campaign reports to NJ ELEC for the 2011 Russo for Council on time even showing up Beth Mason who files all of her campaign reports late and incomplete!
You sign a political letter (is there any other kind you’d sign) attacking the mayor along with your MORTe colleagues for using Ravi Bhalla in a small personal matter over a leaky roof.
You send the mayor the letter hand delivered to her office via the City Clerk’s Office
The mayor writes one back highlighting issues of your Russo for Hoboken campaign
Your letter is already planted in the Hudson Reporter and Hoboken411
The mayor discovers it and decides to send a letter in response to the Hudson Reporter
The Hudson Reporter stalls and tries to forestall printing the mayor’s letter seeking “modifications”
You go to a City Council meeting and tell MORTe no one should bring up your letter
At the end of the meeting you tell everyone what a great meeting
(No one brought up either letter)
(No one brought up either letter)
The Hudson Reporter runs mayor’s modified letter in reply to yours
Your a page one story in the Hudson Reporter but they ask nothing about bank deposits and Dwek
Some people still think the Hudson Reporter did an interesting story as it’s so “unusual” for them
Monday MSV does the real story blowing your s$%& up
Future?
Tuesday you find out your previous deal is null and void
Wednesday you break the news to the wife
Thursday you are sleeping on the couch
Friday you tell the family over dinner “Ma we have a problem”
Saturday you get a special message via text, it’s not your lawyer
[Something else happens]
Saturday you get a special message via text, it’s not your lawyer
[Something else happens]
Talking Ed Note: MSV has no direct information on what fully transpired between Michael Russo and Solomon Dwek nor does this chronology seek to draw such a conclusion. Any claim to the contrary that one theoretical with questions raised concludes such knowledge is incorrect.
Looks like there’s a battle over the coverage of the Russo-Dwek lunch business. The Hudson Reporter which has consistently stated as fact Russo did not agree to accepting the bribe is sounding most unhappy in the comments section:
http://hudsonreporter.com/view/full_story/20167131/article-Follow-the-money-Questions-linger-about-Councilman-Russo’s-campaign-funds-?instance=home_Most_popular
Looks like there’s a battle over the coverage of the Russo-Dwek lunch business. The Hudson Reporter which has consistently stated as fact Russo did not agree to accepting the bribe is sounding most unhappy in the comments section:
http://hudsonreporter.com/view/full_story/20167131/article-Follow-the-money-Questions-linger-about-Councilman-Russo’s-campaign-funds-?instance=home_Most_popular
By the way, if you post a comment there, don’t assume your login/identity is protected.