Posted on 07/31/2005 12:50:43 PM PDT by Pharmboy
RAHWAY, N.J. (AP) - A year after his life imploded in scandal, former New Jersey Gov. James E. McGreevey lives in self-imposed exile, avoiding the limelight he spent a lifetime chasing. Separated from the wife he betrayed, McGreevey lives modestly in a one-bedroom apartment. He takes his 3-year-old daughter out for bacon and eggs after Sunday church services, walks to a corner newsstand for coffee and newspapers and stops to chat when passers-by recognize him.
It's a long way from the stately governor's mansion and the spotlight that shone on his soul-baring confession. With wife Dina Matos McGreevey at his side, his mother and father standing behind him, McGreevey confessed to an extramarital affair with a man and announced his resignation on Aug. 12, 2004.
"My truth is that I am a gay American," he said in a nationally televised speech.
McGreevey, 47, disappeared from public view after ducking reporters at the few public appearances he made in his final months as governor.
As citizen McGreevey, he has stayed silent and did not respond to requests for comment for this story.
Friends say he is coping fine, but is still saddled with the baggage of his messy public downfall over the revelation that he put Golan Cipel - the man identified by McGreevey administration officials as his lover - into a $110,000-a-year homeland security job for which he wasn't qualified.
"I'm sure he's had some tough moments, but he's always managed to pull through," said Rahway Mayor James Kennedy, a longtime friend who still sees the McGreeveys - separately - socially.
"Jim's an incredibly bright guy. I've known him since 1982, and having known him that long, I can tell you he's a resilient guy. He just went through a very traumatic experience. He's handling things very well."
McGreevey's wife bought a three-bedroom house in Springfield where she lives with the couple's daughter, Jacqueline. Neither has filed for divorce. She is a public relations executive with Columbus Hospital Foundation in Newark
McGreevey found work in the law firm of a longtime ally, state Sen. Raymond Lesniak, but resigned after conflict-of-interest allegations were raised about his work on the $1.3 billion Xanadu entertainment and retail complex under construction at the Meadowlands, which he had championed as governor.
Now he is looking for options outside the state to avoid similar controversies, said friend George Zoffinger, chairman of the New Jersey Sports and Exposition Authority.
"No matter what he does in New Jersey, it's always going to come under scrutiny," Zoffinger said.
He has received offers of work from nonprofit organizations involved in public service, according to Lesniak, who said an announcement having to do with McGreevey's future was imminent.
"There will certainly be not-for-profits that would not want to associate themselves with him because they don't want the notoriety," said Julie Goldberg, an executive recruiter. "There are others that may feel that the merits (of his case) were tried more in the public domain than anywhere and that he has a demonstrable track record of making solid relationships and getting things done."
Lesniak insists McGreevey is not seen as damaged goods.
"To the contrary," Lesniak said. "He's a national figure. He is well known, he has expertise and he's well-regarded, for the most part. And admired. ... People want to talk to him, want to hear from him, just like you do. We get calls for him all the time."
For now, McGreevey spends time with Jacqueline and his other daughter, Morag, from his first marriage, as well as his sister and his parents.
"He's doing well," said McGreevey's father, former U.S. Marine Corps drill instructor Jack McGreevey, who would not elaborate or answer questions about his son's life since leaving office. "He's fine and dandy."
McGreevey, a tireless campaigner when he was in politics, still shows signs of that outgoing demeanor. He's often chatty when he shows up at a corner newsstand to buy coffee and two newspapers, according to one merchant.
"I keep it short," said Bob Patel, who works the counter. "He wants to talk but I'm busy in the morning."
And dissed by the guy who sells him coffee and papers. How the mighty have fallen.
What a headline!
It's around back!
Chances of him finding a new niche have bottomed out. ;)
Is that what they're calling it these days?? LOL!!
This is a sad story, and I think that anyone who is involved in this story is very much hurt.
I would somehow (though I do not know how) wish a healing for all.
Hillary's running mate?
Pass the tissue and violin.
Interesting choice of words from the former DI...
I think he already admitted he was a "Dandy Lad"
He meant to say, "He's fine and is a dandy."
I think we should check into Mayor Kennedy's background, er, niche.
I loved how The Onion headlined at the time:
"GAY MAN TEARFULLY ADMITS HE'S GOVERNOR OF NEW JERSEY".
I like that. "For the most part".
You can say that about John Wayne Gacy or Benito Mussolini, for crying out loud.
Why doesn't this happen to Algore?
find his niche? does he need a flashlight? and does he have a name for his niche? like.....Lemmiwinks?
Tell him to come over to Spokane. I'm sure our child molesting mayor, Jim West, could find him a post.
His gay lover said the same thing.
Letterman had a line : "how long before I can hit on Mrs. McGreevey?"
LOL
Beyond that, don't push it.....
He'll be the butt of a lot of jokes.
Well, I guess that's a little better than "peachy keen".
Ya mean they'll stick it to him?
Yes, indeed. He is getting a little behind in his political career.
His popularity is ass-tronomical over in the Village.
What a load. Painting this morally bankrupt deviant as a "victim." The true victims were his wife and child and the taxpayers of New Jersey. But, I expect as much from the AP.
No sympathy from me. You made your bed, "Governor."
My guess is that this announcement will be that he is going to work outside New Jersey for some kind of "gay rights" organization.
New Jersey is filled with dysfunctional losers, and McGreevey's most enduring legacy will be that he's proven that being a dysfunctional loser is no impediment to getting elected to public office.
His wife was no victim -- she was his enabler.
There's no fudging he was wrong for hiring his lover.
I'm sorry, but this wouldn't be my first choice for a girl's name.
You may be right. Scratch her. She's an adult. Let's agree on the child and the taxpayers, though.
But maybe we should scratch the majority of the taxpayers too, as someone had to vote for this creep in the first place, right? ;)
Yup, that was just cruising for a bruising.
Agreed, that's a scandal in itself right there. "Morag" sounds like something plucked off a bad Star Trek episode. He better hope his daughter forgives him for that one.
Well, that he is for sure.
Why isn't he rotting in jail somewhere? The whole smarmy "gay American" schtick was just a way to distract peoples' attention away from his criminality...
later pingout....?
It's harder to find an available "niche" when you don't have the ability to give a lover a top-level managerial government job.
that's how I feel. When I read this article in the local paper, I was outraged how it portrayed McGreevey as this poor victim who is being so brave to carry on with his life. I thought the real victims here are his family and the state. but then I realized that the people of NJ elected this creep and they keep on electing more sleazbag 'rats like him. They live here, they know how bad the corruption is, but they just don't care - or are so liberal that they'd rather elect crooks than a decent conservative. With a mindset like that, there's not much one can do. Lie down with dogs, wake up with fleas. It just sucks for the rest of us who live here.
Looks like a bad case of "niche".
I thought he found his niche between a man's buttcheeks.
He is a serial buttinski.
I'm surprised about this. I heard that the whole state was getting behind him...
Clemenza! et tu? Where is your sarcasm tag!
You know most of the media excrement is propaganda in hopes of leading the 'me too' crowds.
Pay no attention to the journalist behind that curtain.
I didn't think it made him look brave. I thought it made him look like a joke, one of those "how the mighty have fallen" sort of things. That last line about him hassling the newspaper vendor for a conversation said it all, in my view.
He was just trying to shift the issue with that speech, make himself a martyr and get the "civil rights" groups on his side. He never would have resigned if he hadn't played corrupt and gotten his lover an expensive government job he had no qualifications for.
His experience gives him back door access to a lot of important people.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.