Posted on 08/17/2004 12:06:51 AM PDT by kattracks
Former New Jersey Gov. Donald DiFrancesco said Monday that he felt "shell-shocked" after learning that his successor, James McGreevey, had nixed his appointment of former FBI Director Louis Freeh as New Jersey's homeland security director - only to give the job instead to his alleged gay lover, Golan Cipel."When I read about this subsequent to my leaving office, I was a little shell-shocked," DiFrancesco told radio host Sean Hannity, who first unearthed news of the Freeh snub on Friday. "Because I was led to believe by [McGreevey] that he had someone with serious and powerful credentials to take this position."
DiFrancesco said that Freeh, a New Jersey native, had already agreed to take the sensitive post without any compensation, but Governor-elect McGreevey was reluctant to sign off on the arrangement.
"I did ask Jim McGreevey to call [Freeh]," recalled DiFrancesco. "He did not call him. Eventually he told me he had someone else in mind. I couldn't argue with that - he was the incoming governor."
DiFrancesco said McGreevey mentioned the name of former U.S. attorney Herb Stern.
But when he heard that McGreevey had picked Cipel instead for the top security post, he was mystified.
"I thought it was a really dumb mistake," he told Hannity. "I couldn't figure out why he would do that. ... It sent a really bad signal to law enforcement."
DiFrancesco noted that "about half" the people who died in the World Trade Center came from New Jersey, saying that having a former FBI chief in charge of state security could have been a real morale booster.
"Louis Freeh was an apolitical person, someone with a great background," he told Hannity. "We needed to make a statement in New Jersey to help our people feel secure and safe."
DiFrancesco said McGreevey's resignation announcement on Thursday helped clear up the mystery of the Freeh snub, telling Hannity, "You know, now we see why" McGreevey picked Cipel instead.
McGreevey was eventually forced to withdraw Cipel's name from consideration after the FBI refused to give him national security briefings because he was not an American citizen.
Instead, Cipel was installed in a no-show state job, paid a six-figure salary and given three assistants as well as a car and driver.
Whitless: Here's your cut of the loot Donny D!
Difiasco: (Low voice) "Er, thank you."
McGreevey is a sort of gay, yuppie version of the Governor in Blazing Saddles.
"Gentlemen, affairs of state must take precedence over the affairs of state!"
He backstabbed Schundler to do all he could for McGreevy.
Now the piece of garbage is thinking of running for governor.
He's the darling of the talk shows, including Hannity???????????
Give me a break........we need time for a proper primary, not a hurry up job that allows the machines to choose a candidate for us.
Imagine Corzine winning and choosing his own successor to the senate.
McGreevey is a sort of gay, yuppie version of the Governor in Blazing Saddles.
"Hey, I didn't get a harumph outta that guy!!"
"Work, work, work"
Relax. This piece of garbage isn't going anywhere.
The reason he pulled out was because all the skeletons came tumbling out of HIS closet during the primary fight with Schundler.
The way it will play out is like this.
The Dems want Corzine to run - BAD. They will pressure McSleezey to pull out in time to allow the crooked Democrat Party bosses in Jersey to put in Corzine without a possibly damaging and expensive primary fight.
The Republican LEADERSHIP - NOT rank and file, want that plutocratic aristocrat Tom Kean to run as they feel he has the name recognition and bucks to fight Corzine. The LAST thing they want is a repeat of the Schundler nomination, where the rank and file Republicans in Jersey demonstrated they knew a RINO from a real Republican. Besides, New Jersey voters are willing to vote for same jerk more than twice - right? Remember Lautenberg?
So, who looses out in this scenario?
The people of New Jersey - who will be faced with a choice between a Democrat - Corzine, and a Democrat who calls himself a Republican - Kean, both selected by party bosses without the "inconvenience" of a primary.
My bets would be on Corzine. I think he's brighter and richer and younger than Kean.
And that would be a good thing for New Jersey Republicans. It will prevent the incompetent state Republican political machine - lead by tht phoney Kryllos - the engineer of the 2002 Legislative catastrophy - from getting a man into office who probably couldn't win a primary these days.
Tom Kean has no skeltons in his closet of a personal nature - I think.
His are all political. I believe he RAISED the State Sales tax when he was in office, he believes the Second Amendment doesn't apply to private citizens, thought Chrissie Whitless was "too consevative", and pulled a temper tantrum during the 9-1-1 Commission hearings when "people" questioned Jamie Gorelick's suitablity to sit on the Commission and he praised her for her service to the Committee. Goerlick was extremely partisan and was one of the Clinton appointees responsible for the intelligence screw up which led to 9-1-1. She should have been one of the investigatees, not an investigator. But Kean told the "people" to "butt out".
Well spoken for an oligarchic plutocrat who feels peasants shouldn't question their social betters.
Speaking of social betters, Kean referred to Bill Clinton as "his old friend" and invited him to address the student body at Drew University where Kean is Presidnet, during the election between Clinton and Bush I. I wonder if Clinton brought along some Arkansas State Police to pimp for him on Drew Campus? I'm sure there were a lot of Monica Lewinshki clones eager to shake the great man's hand - or whatever.
If Kean is chosen by Kyrillos and cronies to run as the Republican candidate in 2004, New Jersey Republicans should remember Brett Schundler and he kind of asistance the Jersey RINOs gave when he ran against McGreevey. They should not vote or governor at all, or even consider - heavens - giving the RINO jerks who run the State Republican Party what they deserve by voting for Corzine.
Next time around, they might be able to nominate a REAL Republican in a fair and open primary - the kind of thing both Republican Party bosses and Democrat Party bosses fear so much in Jersey.
If it's Kean I will NOT be voting.
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