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December 18, 2007 - 5:13pm

Cardinale wants Milgram to investigate Mehri appointment

By Matt Friedman

State Sen. Gerald Cardinale wants Attorney General Anne Milgram to investigate whether Gov. Corzine offered an appointment to former Passaic County Freeholder candidate Sami Mehri in exchange for getting him to drop his independent bid for freeholder last year.

In a letter sent today, Cardinale express suspicion about Corzine’s appointment of Mehri to the board of the New Jersey Educational Facilities Authority – an unpaid position.

Mehri, who had received the endorsement of the Passaic County Democratic Party for freeholder, was forced off the ticket after controversial remarks he made to the New York Times in 2002 came to light. Mehri had said that he saw no connection between Palestinian suicide bombers and the terrorists involved in 9/11. After the county party dropped him off the ticket under pressure from Gov. Corzine and Sen. Bob Menendez, Mehri unsuccessfully challenged the decision in court and then filed to run as an independent candidate in an effort to take votes away from Democrats.

In June, 2006, Mehri was quoted in the Herald News saying that he would drop his bid in exchange for a state appointment, which is illegal. Mehri eventually did drop his independent bid.

“As you are aware, it is a crime to offer an appointment in exchange for dropping a candidacy,” wrote Cardinale. “…This is the second time this month that allegations regarding a ‘quid pro quo’ involving the Governor or the Governor’s staff have come to the attention of the Senate Judiciary Committee during the review of gubernatorial appointments.”

Corzine press secretary Lilo Stainton responded that "There were no promises made."

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Cardinale the anti-Arab

posted by dailydoz

 It seems that Cardinale believes that he is able to screw around with Arab Americans and either get away with it or altogether absolve himself from any liability. This political lynching of Arab Americans must be exposed for it really is: a sinister racist practice.
 Arab American organizations are to blame for not so proactively exposing Cardinale's hatemongering. But the hateful Cardinale will be exposed.

12/20/07 2:25 pm

What's The Story Gerry/Politiker?

posted by Nick Lento

 

 

In an earlier post ( http://politickernj.com/tags/sami-mehri ) Wally says, "In 2002, Mehri was quoted by the New York Times as saying that he could not see the comparison between Palestinian suicide bombers in Israel and terrorists who attacked the World Trade Center on September 11th."

Here, now, we have Matt Friedman saying, "Mehri had said that he saw no connection between Palestinian suicide bombers and the terrorists involved in 9/11."

Was it no "connection" or no "comparison"?

What was the context?

Is there a link to the story available?

I tried searching the NYT archve to no avail.

It would help the reader understand this story if there was access to the originating document. 

 

 

 

 

From Frederick Douglass

If there is no struggle there is no progress......Power concedes nothing without a demand. It never did and it never will.

12/18/07 8:15 pm

Cardinale has Arab friends

posted by georgeajjan

Didn't you know?

George Ajjan

12/19/07 2:37 am

Background info onSami Merhi

posted by dailydoz

Here is some background info on the Sami Merhi affair from the www.website AmericanArabForum.org

Political Lynching of Arab Americans

Tremendous behind the scene effort is been exerted by various individuals and organizations to persuade the powers-to-be to keep Sami Merhi on the Democratic ticket for Passaic County Freeholder. Decision on whether to keep him on the ticket will be made Saturday. AAF, along with several Arab American organizations and strong friends of the community are sparing no effort to demand not only Sami's continued enlistment on the ticket but the respect of his and our collective honor. We have requested an urgent  meeting with Governor John Corzine. We believe the meeting will materialize in the next few days. (See AAF statement)

Political lynching of everything Arab is a travesty and an insult to the fundamental American values of equality, and presumption of innocence.  AAF was the first to issue a supportive press release, followed by extensive contacts with the media resulting in an article in the Associated Press,. Please take a moment to read a most impressive and thoughtful editorial by the Herald News, among other recent articles on this issue. Please do understand that the issue is not about Sami Merhi, the person but everything Arab.

12/20/07 2:40 pm

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Of the Republicans who mulled U.S. Senate bids, who would have run strongest against Frank Lautenberg?
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