June 15, 2007 - 2:23pm
Russo backs Ortiz
By Wally EdgeTake Assemblyman David Russo off the list of potential candidates for Bergen County Republican Chairman: he’s backing attorney Rob Ortiz for the post. Ortiz, a 35-year-old Ridgewood resident and Giuliani fundraiser, also won the backing of Assemblyman Kevin O’Toole, the Essex County GOP Chairman, and Passaic County GOP Chairman Scott Rumana, the Mayor of Wayne. O’Toole, Russo and Rumana are the favorites to represent the Bergen-based 40th district in the Legislature next year.
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What a Suprise!
I posted the following on the Ortiz announcement:
"Robert A. Ortiz, now running for chairman of the BCRO, was for many years a lawyer at the DeCotis Law firm in Teaneck, which was intimately connected to the McGreevey administration and NJ Democrats. Ortiz may be the culmination of years of efforts by Democrat plants and stooges to take over the Republican apparatus in Bergen County, ala Berek Don (who secretly contributed $10,000 to Torricelli in 1996) and Alan Marcus in 2006.
As a resident of Ridgewood, Ortiz has never attended a Republican Club meeting, nor is he a member of the County Committee. His candidacy is being managed, at least partially, by Joe Caruso and George Ajian, liberal Republicans from Passaic County who are tools and stooges for the O'Toole and Rumana machines in Essex and Passaic Counties. Rumana's campaign manager, Mark Semeraro, is a member of Bergen Democrat Boss Joe Ferriero's law firm and he also serves as counsel for the Passaic County Regular Republican Organization. With Ortiz's ascendency, any semblance of a real Republican Party in Bergen County will disappear."
Who else would Russo support?
"He who dares not offend cannot be honest." Thomas Paine
Ferriero is so thirsty for power
I guess he's trying to take over the BCRO too....
Political superglue needed
Bergen County needs a gatekeeper and a goal keeper that can stop all the own goals that have been scored against its own team in the last few years. This chairman/ women must meet and travel everywhere and show up everywhere. Who ever it is must bring in workers from all sides and not exclude anyone. We can't ask the voters to believe in our quest for balanced government if we can't even balance our own party.
Ortiz will not unite the party
Ortiz or Liz Randall will not unite the Bergen GOP and they will offer little contrast to the Bergen Democrats except to point out the Dems' ethical shortcomings which hasn't been enough to move the voters. We need a mainstream conservative that can talk to all wings of the party.
At first glance, Vincent Micco looks like the best bet to me if he jumps into the race. He'd bring some real energy into the position and his name recognition would help in South Bergen where the party needs a shot in the arm.
BCRO Chairman
I think you have the tail wagging the dog. No one can unite the party, until it stands for something.
Can Ortiz or Randall explain what they would do to unite the BCRO? I doubt it because they keep forgetting to discuss where they stand.
All I know is endorsements by the likes of Russo, O'Toole, and Rumanna will not bring the conservatives on board.
coup d'etat on the Exec Director
In recent posting some people wanted an unknown to oust the existing unpaid Exec Dir. The unpaid help were the only ones at the helm and still are when the Capt left the ship. Any attempt to throw goodwill aside will just further split the party.
Wake Up
I'm not from up your way, but you guys seem to think it's the Chairman's job to create policy positions and lay out an issues agenda. How about you guys stop worrying about whether someone is pro-this or anti-that and find someone who can talk to everyone. No offense GOPconscience, but who cares if he's never been to a Ridgewood GOP Club meeting...bet Todd Caliguire's been to plenty. And George Ajjan is about as far from liberal as it gets! WHen you folks stop spending more time figuruing out which wing of the party someone comes from and start figuring out how to bring both wings together so the bird can fly!
Laurel and Hardy
Seems that we are back to square one again. Another fine mess. The only adults here are Harry Shortway and team.