The Democratic Laundromat: Wisniewski’s Washing and Spinning
By Harold Kane and Art Gallagher
The legal money laundering of Assemblyman John Wisniewski in Middlesex County has been in the news this month as Politickernj and The Star Ledger brought to light the how Middlesex Democrats are circumventing state and local pay to pay laws by having government vendors, primarily the Middlesex based CME engineering firm, fund campaigns through PACs when the campaign finance laws prohibited contributions directly to the campaigns in jurisdictions where they were earning large fees.
Wisniewski, of Sayreville, is the Chairman of the State Democratic Party and the Assembly Transportation Committee.
Despite the fact that the PACs are run by his former staff members and fund campaigns in his district and county, Wisniewski says he has nothing to do with them. If that is true, the State Democratic Committee needs a new chairman. If it’s not true, the Democrats still should get a new chairman and the people of the 19th legislative district should elect a new Assemblyman.
Also in the news this month are the guilty pleas of insurance broker Frank Gartland of Federal Hill Risk Management. Gartland plead guilty to giving $2 million in bribes to Toms River School Superintendent Michael Ritacco, and to theft by deception and money laundering for bilking the Perth Amboy Board of Education, an Abbott district, out of more than $2 million.
Gartland also admitted to making illegal contributions to the campaigns of former Assemblyman and former Perth Amboy Mayor Joe Vas through “straw” contributors. Vas is now serving a 6 ½ year sentence for funneling illegal money from a real estate scheme into his unsuccessful 2006 congressional campaign. Vas was Wisniewski’s running mate and they represented the 19th district together in the Assembly from 2004-2009.
While all of this bribery, stealing and money laundering was going on, Gartland and his associates were also donating heavily to the Middlesex County PACS that Wisniewski says he has nothing to do with.
| All information from NJ ELEC |
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| Democracy in Motion PAC |
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| 12 Deerfield Road |
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| Sayreville, NJ 08872 |
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| democrat org |
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| Christina Montorio – Treasurer |
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| Federal Hill Risk Mngt – Frank Gartland |
1/16/2009 |
$3,200.00 |
| Federal Hill Risk Mngt – Frank Gartland |
10/16/2008 |
$4,000.00 |
| Federal Hill Risk Mngt – Frank Gartland |
10/24/2008 |
$3,200.00 |
| New Expectations PAC |
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| 2 Lincoln Highway, ste 511 |
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| Edison, NJ 08820 |
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| other ongoing cmte |
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| Denise Anstett – Treasurer |
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| AST Development – Robert D’Anton |
1/7/2009 |
$5,000.00 |
| Federal Hill Risk Mngt – Diana Gartland |
1/7/2009 |
$4,666.00 |
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| Cmte for Efficiency in Government PAC |
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| 11 Barton Road |
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| Mountain Lakes, NJ 07046 |
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| other ongoing |
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| Michael Revolinsky – Treasurer |
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| Federal Hill Risk Mngt – Victor Bramble |
10/20/2008 |
$1,300.00 |
| Federal Hill Risk Mngt – Diana Gartland |
10/20/2008 |
$2,400.00 |
| Federal Hill Risk Mngt – John Hope |
10/20/2008 |
$2,400.00 |
| Federal Hill Risk Mngt – Victor Bramble |
8/15/2007 |
$2,000.00 |
| Dynamic Claims Mngt |
8/15/2007 |
$1,000.00 |
| E-Administrative Systems |
8/15/2007 |
$1,000.00 |
| Dynamic Claims Mngt |
10/17/2007 |
$2,000.00 |
| Federal Hill Risk Mngt – Diana Gartland |
10/17/2007 |
$2,000.00 |
| Federal Hill Risk Mngt – Derek Johnson |
10/17/2007 |
$3,000.00 |
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| Women for Good Government PAC |
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| PO Box 11434 |
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| New Brunswick, NJ 08906 |
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| idealogical pac |
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| Deborah Celey – Treasurer |
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| Federal Hill Risk Mngt – Frank Gartland |
10/22/2008 |
$2,600.00 |
| Federal Hill Risk Mngt – Diana Gartland |
2/9/2009 |
$4,666.00 |
| Federal Hill Risk Mngt – Robert D’Anton |
2/9/2009 |
$5,000.00 |
| Federal Hill Risk Mngt – Diana Gartland |
10/30/2008 |
$4,666.00 |
| AST Development – Robert D’Anton |
10/30/2008 |
$5,000.00 |
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| Raritan Bay Leadership Fund |
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| 251 Livingston Avenue |
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| New Brunswick, NJ 08901 |
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| idealogical pac |
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| David Lonski – Treasurer |
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| Federal Hill Risk Mngt |
1/19/2006 |
$2,000.00 |
| Federal Hill Risk Mngt – Diana Gartland |
1/28/2009 |
$4,666.00 |
| Federal Hill Risk Mngt – Frank Gartland |
1/17/2008 |
$2,600.00 |
| Federal Hill Risk Mngt – Diana Gartland |
10/30/2008 |
$4,666.00 |
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| Committee for Civic Responsibility |
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| PO Box 184 |
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| Kendall Park, NJ 08824 |
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| 68 Old Road, Princeton, NJ 08540 |
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| civic association |
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| Bharat Patel – Treasurer |
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| Federal Hill Risk Mngt – Derek Johnson |
6/9/2009 |
$2,500.00 |
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| 19th District Democratic Leadership Fund |
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| 13 Zaleski Drive |
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| Sayreville, NJ 08872 |
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| Michael D’Addio – Treasurer |
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| Federal Hill Risk Mngt – Frank Gartland |
1/16/2009 |
$3,200.00 |
| Federal Hill Risk Mngt – Frank Gartland |
10/16/2008 |
$4,000.00 |
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$82,730.00 |
Wisniewski and Port Authority Deputy Executive Director Bill Baroni, a former Republican State Senator, got into it this week over the PACS and Wisniewski using his authority as chairman of the Assembly Transportation Committee to issue subpoenas requiring that Port Authority executives appear before his committee. Baroni accused Wisniewski of a “shakedown” because CME did not receive preferential treatment while pitching their engineering services to Port Authority.
In response, Wisniewski said “the truth is an expendable commodity” for the “Christie character assassination team”
Let’s see some truth from Wisniewski regarding these PACS, including what quid pro quo Gartland received for his “contributions.”
More from my site
ELEC Reporting Lacks Transparency
The Folly Of Campaign Finance Laws
Bridgegate: What difference does it make?
Opinion: Can the Democrats Cash in on George Washington ‘Bridgegate’?
Turning up the heat on Middlesex County pay to play scandal- Pay to pay investigation probes Birdsall Engineering
Watch the NJ Gubernatorial Debates Live
CME Associates Buys Middlesex County Democrats
Governor Christie Press Conference At 11 AM
Baroni Is Edged Out Of Port Authority
I wonder when you will start digging into the special interests that paid for Christie and his family’s vaction to Israel. He won’t disclose how much or who paid. Other than saying that $40K was paid by us, the taxpayers, for his security detail. Other than that, it was paid for by unknown entities.
I wonder why a good government guy like you would want to change the subject, Rick.
If the trade mission you are calling a family vacation was paid for by unknown entities, how do you know those unknown entities are “special interests?”
You’ve got lots of liberal friends in the media who can do the work you want me to do. Go bother them.
I’m going to look into the PAC donations, CME donations and Gartland donations in Marlboro instead of following your lead.
I wonder when you will start digging into the donations of senate candidate Joe Kyrillos.
Solomon Dwek – $5,000.00
I looked into it Terry. Dwek did not donate to Kyrillos’ U.S. Senate campaign.
Go sell a solar system.
With all due respect NJ contribution reports show $5,100.00 donated to Kyrillos from Dwek.
Not sure where you got your information.
http://www.northjersey.com/news/politics/Key_witness_made_nearly_200000_in_campaign_contributions.html
Eric, do you know Terry? You seem to be sharing the same computer.
That link you posted doesn’t mention Kyrillos.
Go play in traffic
Wait until Vas campaign manager Vin Gopal becomes Monmouth Dem Chair.
Wisniewski money wheeling into Monmouth will take off. I wonder how mucho et those PACs gave to Gopal’s campaign.
Gopal is in training to be as dirty as they come, just give him half a chance.
Of course you’re not going to see where that money came from Art…I never expected you to. Just pointing out that special interests have a say no matter what party you’re from. But you knew that. You just choose to show one side of the deal. Money laundering, or taking money for a famliy vacation…(yeah, trade mission….LOL…), doesn’t matter since its all corruption.
Where is the outrage over this? If Republicans had done this, there would be weeks of front page, top of the fold in the APP and other papers and the likes of Wisnewski would be howling at every turn. When Fred Nieman set up PACs a few years back he was nearly deported. The double standard is sickening. Wisnewski should resign as chairman of the Democrats. Better yet, lets hop he stays so we can tar and feather him and his pals for this behavior (if only the media would cover it).
Family vacation, hmmmm.. did Rick ever mention the taxpayer funded junket/vacation to Hawaii by Michelle O?
Rick does seem to have a very selective axe to grind…will Rick ever condemn Michelle O’s extravagant junkets on the taxpayer dollar?
I happen to agree both sides have done some excessive spending, that’s why the Tea Party was formed to go after them all, both R’s and D’s who can’t control their spending addiction (of the taxpayers’ monies).
Everyone should be held accountable.
As to Wisniewski’s money laundering machine look at the bright side – at least they’re trying to “clean up” the money. But it still looks “dirty”.
Well, gee Tom…we could go back and forth on Presidential vacations if you’d like, such as the month or so that “W” took in Texas, with full entourage, but I was trying to keep it local, like, in NJ with a Governor that takes special interest money so that he and his entire family can travel on vacation. Pay to play? A tad corrupt? Who knows, since he won’t say anything.
if they’d just pass the law that makes each contribution for every candidate immediately view-able on the internet, no games or jokes..Wisniewski’s the guy who often dabbles in “R” counties, by wheeling in a bunch of dollars, when the spirit moves, he was instrumental in assisting the D’s in taking the majority in Freehold last time- expected jobs for his district and friends right back, too.. luckily for us we stopped the bleeding two cycles later, but they are much better at the finagling than we are, given the current rules..
talk about comparing apples to oranges: at least W aand Reagan, when they went on their vacations, OWNED the ranches they went to, so the actual costs for their trips were so much less than the continuous junkets of this “first” family!!..be honest for once, NO other Admin. has spent so much on leisure, as this bunch!
OMG Too!!!! I didn’t know that Christie owns a home in Israel!!!
@ Eric. You are right Joe Kyrillos took money from Dwek. He is listed on the bottom of the article you posted.
really- I for one did not say the Gov. owned a place in Isreal, I am talking about the difference in the costs of PRESIDENTS’ vacations, since you are always the first, outside of Bob, to diss Bush, when any critique of the current creeps comes up, on any topic- it is simply the truth that Reagan and W own the ranches they went to, the Obamas do not own where they visit, and the sole point is, they have gone on vacation as a couple, as a family, as a “first daughter”, and she as a first lady, more than ANY other Admin.-period!..
Well, I was talking about Christie and the amount of money that special interests paid for his and his family’s vacation. If you had read the entire thread, you would have known that…
Rick Ambrosia
all u want, sir, it’s about taxpayer-funded vacas by any official as a larger-encompassing topic, since you have complained about the “ranch visits” before, and in typical lib-apologist form, u stick with your tried and true bull crap and blame-throwing.. go right ahead, and have your usual short-sighted and hostile responses, it’s still America, for a little while longer, at least..
Don’t know where you get your info from…but you’re completely dead wrong. While some of these sites might not be to your liking, the facts are the facts. Do the math.
http://dekerivers.wordpress.com/2011/08/17/president-bush-and-reagan-used-far-more-vacation-days-than-president-obama/
http://www.suntimes.com/news/politics/7127735-418/obamas-vacation-ripped-but-hes-taken-less-time-off-than-bush.html
http://www.politicususa.com/cost-obama-christmas-vacation-bush/
Now, next time, please post about how Christie and his family used special interest money to go on vacation, along with $40K of taxpayer funds. Or should we wait for his Tweeter Czar to let us know which special interests paid for this junket. Don’t hold your breath…for $60K of taxpayer funds a year, you would think the Tweeter Czar would be more forthcoming…..
[…] Star Ledger, The Asbury Park Press and even the usually smarter than that InTheLobby criticised the John Wisniewski/Middlesex County PAC practices for violating the spirit of campaign finance laws. Hogwash. The complex system […]