Senator Jon Corzine's Own Personal Culture of Corruption
Jim Kouri, CPP
October 05, 2005
While the American people are being bombarded with news coverage of the recent indictment of Rep. Tom DeLay by a Texas grand jury, Senator Jon Corzine, a Democrat, is in the midst of a bit of an ethics problem of his own. Corzine, who's running for Governor of New Jersey, a state running neck and neck with Louisiana in The Most Corrupt State in the Union Contest, may end up being rewarded for his mediocre Senate career, according to polls. One Jersey campaign observer claims Corzine makes DeLay look like a piker when it comes to corruption and ethics problems.
Senator Corzine's latest scandal involves a half-million dollar loan he gave his ex-girlfriend, Carla Katz, who just happens to be the head of one of New Jersey's largest state workers unions. Eventually, according to investigators, he forgave the loan giving the impression this was a payoff to gain union support for his election campaign and, if elected, future dealings between state workers and the Governor. Should New Jersey voters elect Corzine, he gets to appoint his own Senate successor, thereby continuing the cycle of bossism and abhorrent politics for which Jersey has become infamous.
Besides the half-million smackers he gave Carla Katz, according to investigators, Senator Corzine voted in favor of a "treaty between the United States and Japan that contains a provision exempting certain investors from paying capital gains taxes on their shares in a Japanese bank. The [public interest] lawyers say Corzine was among about 100 investors who benefited."
"This treaty gives him a specific, private benefit that is not available to other investors in the United States or Japan and is a private bill that benefits the senator personally."
In addition, according to syndicate columnist J. Grant Swank, he never notified fellow Senate Foreign Relations Committee members that he was a part of that investors group. Senator Corzine is one of the wealthiest people in New Jersey and in the United States. He's part of a cabal of rich Democrats that includes Senator John Kerry. In fact, if elected Governor he will be the richest ever to sit in the New Jersey state house -- richer by far than even former Republican governors Christine Todd Whitman and Tom Kean.
While all this corruption investigating is going on, Corzine's TV campaign commercials and his website have this:
"Jon Corzine’s Bold Plan for a More Honest, Open, and Accountable Government
Tighten Ethics Laws for Those Who Work in Government"
Recently, former President Bill Clinton, another paragon of ethics, stumped for Corzine in New Jersey. While the two Democrats glad-handed their way through the state, they both promised open and corruption-free government.
"I don't know of a better qualified person I ever saw present himself or herself for the office of governor than Jon Corzine," Clinton said to reporters who practically lap-danced for him.
Fortunately for Senator Corzine, the mainstream news media are yawning over the allegations against him. His opposition to the Iraq war appears to keep him in good stead with the denizens of America's newsrooms, as well. Although legal experts have told this writer that Corzine's activities are indeed criminal in nature, they say there are no prosecutors in New Jersey willing to take on a powerful Democrat in one of the bluest of Blue States. Besides, why bother going after a Democrat when there's a good Republican for the elite media to skewer.
Senator Corzine's latest scandal involves a half-million dollar loan he gave his ex-girlfriend, Carla Katz, who just happens to be the head of one of New Jersey's largest state workers unions. Eventually, according to investigators, he forgave the loan giving the impression this was a payoff to gain union support for his election campaign and, if elected, future dealings between state workers and the Governor. Should New Jersey voters elect Corzine, he gets to appoint his own Senate successor, thereby continuing the cycle of bossism and abhorrent politics for which Jersey has become infamous.
Besides the half-million smackers he gave Carla Katz, according to investigators, Senator Corzine voted in favor of a "treaty between the United States and Japan that contains a provision exempting certain investors from paying capital gains taxes on their shares in a Japanese bank. The [public interest] lawyers say Corzine was among about 100 investors who benefited."
"This treaty gives him a specific, private benefit that is not available to other investors in the United States or Japan and is a private bill that benefits the senator personally."
In addition, according to syndicate columnist J. Grant Swank, he never notified fellow Senate Foreign Relations Committee members that he was a part of that investors group. Senator Corzine is one of the wealthiest people in New Jersey and in the United States. He's part of a cabal of rich Democrats that includes Senator John Kerry. In fact, if elected Governor he will be the richest ever to sit in the New Jersey state house -- richer by far than even former Republican governors Christine Todd Whitman and Tom Kean.
While all this corruption investigating is going on, Corzine's TV campaign commercials and his website have this:
"Jon Corzine’s Bold Plan for a More Honest, Open, and Accountable Government
Tighten Ethics Laws for Those Who Work in Government"
Recently, former President Bill Clinton, another paragon of ethics, stumped for Corzine in New Jersey. While the two Democrats glad-handed their way through the state, they both promised open and corruption-free government.
"I don't know of a better qualified person I ever saw present himself or herself for the office of governor than Jon Corzine," Clinton said to reporters who practically lap-danced for him.
Fortunately for Senator Corzine, the mainstream news media are yawning over the allegations against him. His opposition to the Iraq war appears to keep him in good stead with the denizens of America's newsrooms, as well. Although legal experts have told this writer that Corzine's activities are indeed criminal in nature, they say there are no prosecutors in New Jersey willing to take on a powerful Democrat in one of the bluest of Blue States. Besides, why bother going after a Democrat when there's a good Republican for the elite media to skewer.