.........On March 2, FBI agents raided state Democratic Party headquarters across the street from the Statehouse and herded staffers into a conference room, where they remained for hours. The agents photographed the offices, photocopied fund-raising documents and duplicated the contents of office computers.
The Democrats' complaint follows an earlier letter to Christie's office asking for federal authorities to return all property seized in the raid and complaining that subsequent subpoenas were "overbroad." The subpoenas sought all information on fund-raiser David D'Amiano since 2000 and on McGreevey's 2003 fund-raising gala.
In addition to the search warrant served at Democratic headquarters, subpoenas were delivered to the governor's office, and the state Treasury and Agriculture departments. FBI agents also executed a search warrant at the office of Middlesex County Freeholder Director David Crabiel.
(snip)
Some Democrats have suggested that the federal probe has political overtones, noting that Christie is considered a potential GOP challenger to McGreevey in 2005. Christie has said politics have played no role in the probe.
Sources familiar with the investigation say D'Amiano, a Democratic fund-raiser and casual friend of the governor, solicited $20,500 in contributions from Piscataway farmer Mark Halper in 2002 and 2003, promising to help him resolve a land dispute with Piscataway Township. The local government has been trying to condemn his 75-acre farm for years, and D'Amiano arranged for Halper to meet with McGreevey to seek help.
McGreevey has acknowledged he met briefly with Halper and D'Amiano after a political event at the East Brunswick Hilton last February.
D'Amiano also put McGreevey on a cell phone call with Halper while attending a Christmas party at the governor's mansion, according to two sources familiar with the conversation. Another encounter came in August of last year, when Halper chatted with McGreevey and posed for a photo with him at a Democratic fund-raiser hosted by D'Amiano.
Prosecutors also are looking at whether settlements of hundreds of thousands of dollars in state tax liens may have been influenced by the donations D'Amiano has raised for McGreevey and the state Democratic Party.
Friday, April 09, 2004
BY JOSH MARGOLIN AND ROBERT RUDOLPH
New Jersey Star-Ledger Staff
(snip/)
http://www.gopwing.com/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=150
Cheney you.~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~To balance the picture we're getting of New Jersey politics, please do not forget the beloved Republican Governor, Donald DiFrancesco:
Donald DiFrancesco was the Republican Acting Governor of New Jersey by virtue of his status as President of the State Senate.
DiFrancesco ended his bid to be elected Governor in his own right because of corruption allegations.
(snip)
http://encyclopedia.thefreedictionary.com/Donald%20DiFrancesco~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Originally appeared in the Star Ledger on 04/18/01
BY JENNIFER GOLSON AND JEFF WHELAN
STAR-LEDGER STAFF
"An egregious ethical breach." "Highly improper." "Replete with conflicts."
Those were some of the words used to describe acting Gov. Donald DiFrancesco's actions as the attorney for Scotch Plains in a secret, scathing 1998 report prepared by two lawyers hired by the Republican-controlled township council.
The withering seven-page document, which called for DiFrancesco's immediate resignation or firing, examined his actions as township attorney in a prolonged dispute over a parcel of land owned by members of his family that the township had foreclosed on for $85,000 in back taxes in 1996.
Under the professional rules that govern lawyers, the report asserted, DiFrancesco was prohibited from representing the township because of his own interest in the property.
(snip/...)
http://www.getnj.com/dondi/secretreportsl041801.shtml~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~I forgot the entertainment portion of the above Republican Governor's curious term as New Jersey's top fella. This one is humorous, in an odd way:
DiFrancesco's top choice for treasurer pulls hat out of ring
Originally appeared in the Star Ledger on 03/29/01
BY RON MARSICO
STAR-LEDGER STAFF
Acting Gov. Donald DiFrancesco's nominee for state treasurer withdrew yesterday under a cloud over her departure from a top job at Citibank five years ago.
Isabel Miranda had been scheduled to appear today at a confirmation hearing before the Senate Judiciary Committee. A Monday hearing was postponed following a report in the New York Times that she had been fired from her job at Citibank in 1996 after being accused of misusing her expense account while having an affair with a fellow employee who is now her husband.
Miranda has angrily denied that report and said her departure stemmed from disagreements with her boss, which she has declined to specify, citing a confidentiality agreement with Citibank.
But that controversy and questions about her plan to serve as treasurer while on leave from U.S. Trust Co. of New Jersey proved too much.
(snip)
DiFrancesco, who is also the Senate president, became acting governor Jan. 31 when former Gov. Christie Whitman resigned to head the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Since then, he has found himself on the defensive over questions about financial help he received from a state contractor and a developer because of troubled real estate investments.
(snip)
Representatives of the state's Dominican-American Congress also defended Miranda, who is a Cuban native.
(snip)
http://www.getnj.com/dondi/hatoutsl032901.shtmlAccording to articles written during that time, the Guv and she were having a no-holds-barred affair, as well.
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