Columnist who spins Christie's every word can't help now

From New Jersey native Christopher Weyant of The New Yorker magazine.

By VICTOR E. SASSON
EDITOR

Even after prosecutors and defense lawyers in the federal Bridgegate trial fingered Governor Christie, The Record tries mightily to put his actions in the best light.

The first paragraph of the Page 1 news story today isn't filled -- as it should be -- with prosecutors' bombshell allegation that Christie knew about the George Washington Bridge lane closings as they were occurring in September 2013, and knew they were retaliation against the Democratic mayor of Fort Lee.

Instead, the lead paragraph reports for the umpteenth time in the last three years Christie "has not been charged with a crime or found to have direct knowledge or involvement in the scheme" to to punish Mayor Mark Sokolich for not endorsing the governor's reelection (A-1).

This isn't how a news story on opening statements in court is supposed to be written, though it fits with The Record's history of treating the GOP thug far less harshly than does The Star-Ledger and other dailies in the state.

It also fits with The Record being the only major daily in the state that has refused to call for the governor to resign after endorsing wacko racist Donald J. Trump for president.

Meanwhile, political Columnist Charles Stile, the paper's chief apologist for Christie's mean-spirited policies, is beside himself today over the governor having "no one in the courtroom to defend him" (A-1).

And he goes on and on in that vein for thousands of words.

Also evident is sloppy editing of Stile's second paragraph.

'Ventriloquist doll'

"When David Wildstein spoke, Governor Christie's voice came out and everybody knew it," defense attorney Michael Baldassare told the jury on Monday (A-4).

Evidence will show that Wildstein "looks like a ventriloquist doll sitting on Christopher J. Christie's lap," the lawyer said.

Wildstein, a Christie crony who was deputy executive director of the Port Authority, pleaded guilty and will be the government's star witness against two former Christie associates, Bridget Anne Kelly and Bill Baroni, who are being tried on conspiracy and other charges.

"Time for some traffic problems in Fort Lee," Kelly told Wildstein in an email before upper level access lanes to the PA-owned and operated bridge were closed for five days in September 2013.

A photo on A-4 today shows Christie, Baroni and Wildstein allegedly discussing the lane closings at the 9/11 ceremony in Manhattan on Sept. 11, 2013, as they were occurring.

Local crime news

The front of today's local-news section is completely devoted to crime and court news, and reaction to the arrest of a Muslim who is charged in the Elizabeth bombings (L-1).

Still, the local editors needed two long wire service obituaries and a large photo of a burning bus on Route 23 in Butler to plug holes in the section (L-6).

Big-name lawyer, gazillions in fees couldn't save Ferriero

The redevelopment of Hackensack's Main Street is underway.

By VICTOR E. SASSON
EDITOR

Former Democratic power broker Joe Ferriero is himself a lawyer so perhaps it is fitting he has been exploited so thoroughly by his fellow attorneys.

Look at the convicted racketeer in the photo on the front page of The Record today: 

Ferriero has gained a lot of weight from the stress of fighting federal charges for the last eight years or so, but he blew so much money on defense attorneys he can't even afford to buy a new suit that fits him (A-1).

And the legal bills didn't end with his conviction in Newark federal court on Thursday.

Kelly curse

None other than Columnist Mike Kelly reports that the losing defense lawyer, Michael Baldassare, "promises that Ferriero ... will be vindicated when he appeals and is found to have done nothing wrong" (A-8).

What a joke. Done nothing wrong? Kelly should be fired for even quoting the self-promoting lawyer spouting such nonsense.

The real crime is that reporters endow Baldassare and other big-name defense lawyers with nearly magical powers to save a client like Ferriero, who was convicted on most of the federal charges he faced, including racketeering, wire fraud and bribery (A-1).

Nowhere in the two news stories or column on Ferriero will you find anything reporting just how much the former Bergen County Democratic Organization chairman spent on his defense -- is it tens or hundreds of thousands of dollars -- all in vain.

Ill-gotten gains

It's likely Ferriero, who was convicted of using his power and position to "line his pockets," as U.S. Attorney Paul Fishman put it, already has gone through all of his ill-gotten gains and is spending personal funds (A-8).

If the party organization Ferriero presided over in Bergen County was corrupt, he ended up being exploited by an equally corrupt legal system that denies access to the courts to anyone who isn't wealthy.

A defense attorney like Baldassare, if paid enough money, can keep the Ferriero conviction and coming sentence on appeal for as long as two years, meaning this racketeer isn't going to prison anytime soon.

Editors wanted

The Record's amateurish editing bites readers again today with Staff Writer Lindy Washburn's story on the dramatic rise in the use of electronic cigarettes by high school and middle school students (A-1).

The second paragraph is filled with so many confusing numbers that it stops readers dead.

The third paragraph should have followed the lead paragraph, and all of those numbers could have been left for much later.

Also, the reporter and editors assume readers who might not turn to the continuation page are familiar with electronic cigarettes and whether they contain nicotine or other harmful ingredients.

Local news?

The big local news today is that Ringwood and Ford Motor Co. continue to take the cheap way out of protecting residents from contaminated soil linked to dumping 40 years ago (L-1).

The Record launched an investigation and published a series, "Toxic Legacy," tracing the pollution to paint sludge from Ford's Mahwah plant, where more than 6 million cars and trucks were produced.

The residents sickened over the years are mixed race, and don't have much pull with the Woodland Park daily, officials in Ringwood or Ford.

Liar, liar

A photo from Governor Christie's "town-hall-style event" in Hasbrouck Heights should have been on Page 1 today.

Dan Buckley of Lodi is shown with a large sign, "LIAR LIAR," and a photo-drawing of the GOP bully with his pants on fire (L-6).

Editor Martin Gottlieb still gives a pass to the worst governor in New Jersey history.

Christie's poor job-creation performance is reported on B-1 today.

Sugar high

Restaurant Reviewer Elisa Ung is so enthralled with the souffles and the "tempting" sweets and pastries at Tisha's Main Ingredient in Westwood she gave the Asian fusion restaurant a Good to Excellent rating (BL-16).

But diabetics and others hoping to restrict their intake of sugary food should probably eat elsewhere.

Did you catch a big laugh line at Ferriero corruption trial?

More urban renewal in Hackensack. On Thursday, buildings were being demolished on Main Street near Mercer Street, above and below, to make way for a 14-story residential-retail project.

The new building at 150-170 Main St. will have 382 apartments, the biggest such project so far in the city's downtown redevelopment, and 7,500 square feet of ground-floor retail.

By VICTOR E. SASSON
EDITOR

On a front page dominated by the Iran deal and political corruption at home, Joe Ferriero's defense attorney inadvertently cracked a one-liner that has readers of The Record rolling in the aisles.

According to a paraphrase by Staff Writer Peter J. Sampson, the lawyer told jurors at his corruption trial in Newark that Ferriero "was simply a guy trying to make a living" (A-1).

Federal prosecutors claim the Hackensack lawyer "once used his position as head of the Democratic Party in Bergen County to enrich himself through a series of bribery and extortion schemes" that allegedly netted him  more than $1.7 million.

That's not a living; it's a killing.

And defense lawyer Michael Baldassare also found himself in the unenviable position of telling jurors that Ferriero won't testify in his own defense, as he promised at the beginning of the trial.

That is sure to damage the defendant.

Menendez case

Meanwhile, The Record continues defending Sen. Bob Menendez, who, along with a wealthy Florida eye doctor, pleaded not guilty on Thursday to a federal bribery indictment (A-1).

How else can you interpret the stupid main headline?

"Friendship under fire"

It doesn't sound as if any of The Record reporters on the Menendez case have spent much time in a federal courthouse, and that is a big weakness in the coverage.

Defense attorneys are quoted extensively making excuses for Menendez, but federal prosecutors weren't asked to comment.

Sampson, a veteran federal courthouse reporter, is covering the Ferriero trial or he would have been assigned to the Menendez case.

Menendez is referred to as "an accused criminal," not as a defendant (A-8).

And it's hard to see how one allegation can be called "friendship."

"New Jersey's senior senator tried to help [Dr. Salomon] Melgen keep $9 million that Medicare said he overbilled the government" (A-8).

Local news?

The resignation of  Hackensack Councilwoman Rose Greenman, who claims to be a victim of "discrimination," is one of the few municipal stories in today's thin Local news section (L-1).

It must be great to be head Assignment Editor Deirdre Sykes or her deputy, Dan Sfroza, who pull down fat paychecks in return for filling Local with Law & Order news and non-fatal accident photos.

The view from Moore Street, above and below, opposite the old headquarters of The Record at 150 River St.

One of the buildings slated for demolition housed Main Dish, a restaurant at 152 Main St., where Naturally Good operated for many years, attracting employees of The Record before North Jersey Media Group and its flagship paper abandoned Hackensack in 2009.