Protecting Our Own

There are double standards for political cronies. This behavior pattern started during the first full term of the Schundler Administration.  Ward C Councilperson, Nancy Gaynor,  is a strong supporter. Her husband Tom still writes "letters to the editor" praising Schundler, he fails to tell the public about his plush state job, courtesy of Schundler.  When their son-in-law was accused of stealing trees and using city workers to plant them on his property, he kept is job until his trial.  Anyone else would have lost their job immediately. 

Then there is the case of Melissa Gomez, step daughter of Deputy Mayor Eliu River. As the head of PACO, he receives many contracts for Weatherization.   Gomez was a former Jersey City Parking Authority enforcement officer who was arrested for writing phony tickets.  The Hudson County Grand Jury indicted her on eight counts of falsifying or tampering with public records, and two counts of official misconduct on August 18, 1999.

The charges are fourth-degree offenses and the two counts of misconduct are second-degree crimes which could lead to jail terms if convicted.  So what is city hall do?  They gave her a buy-out.  Parking Authority Director Venezia said, "We offered her a buy out in late July, along with a few others employees.  I had not idea she was going to be indicted.  I thought it went away.   No one from the Prosecutor's Office ever told me what the charges were.  It was always sketchy."

Gomez was allowed to keep working for the Parking Authority, despite her arrest and pending indictment.  She was punished by being taken off the streets and allowed to work in the authority's new office site on Central Avenue. 

Investigators said she handed out 400 phony summones.  It must be nice to have friends in high places.

In the meanwhile, her step-father, Deputy Mayor Eliu Rivera received $60,000 earmarked for PACO Housing.  Deputy Mayor Eliu Rivera is the Executive Director.

Rivera also appeared at a council meeting with several members of the PACO board, who double as trustees of a charter school board.  PACO requested and received a building on Monitor Street for their new charter school.  Presently, his charter school is at the former site of Mayor Schundler's Golden Door Charter School.   Whatever Rivera wants, Rivera gets.

The Jersey City Parking Authority had other problems.  The local newspaper wrote on 8/23/99 that the Director of Parking Enforcement Tom Corcoran (a strong Schundler supporter) hasn't been to work since June 21, 1999 and was put on a "paid leave". 

Corcoran, was a Republican candidate for state Assembly in the 32nd District is backed by Schundler.  Apparently, he received a recent three-day suspension for insubordination and allegations by employees that he is harassing them and asking them to buy tickets to political dinners.  He denied this.

Corcoran said he has filed a complaint with the federal Equal Employment Opportunity Commission accusing Venezia of using his office computer to display and distribute pornography.

When asked how Corcoran could be paid while not on suspension, not on sick leave, vacation or while using compensatory time, JCPA Chairman Paul Kadri (he is also the spokesperson for Schundler's charter school) said he would not discuss the matter.  Eventually he said Corcoran was on assignment but refused to divulge what it is.

Commissioner Al Burr claimed Corcoran was on paid leave.  When asked if there is a statue or ordinance permitting the board to grant someone a paid leave,  Jersey City Parking Authority attorney Ken Von Schaumburg said he couldn't divulge that information without endangering his lawyer-client privilege.  That statement is confusing since Von Schaumburg represents the Parking Authority.    Corcoran hired his own attorney D. Gayle Loftis. 

On August 31, 1999, Corcoran said to the press, "After this week, I will not accept a paycheck from the agency." 

Then there is Stuart Koperweis, an early supporter of Schundler who scored big.  He lost his house for failing to make payments on his $272,000 mortgage.   Koperweis earns more than $70,000 a year as Economic Development Corporation, landed another residence with Schundler's assistance. 

A friend/developer received a federal grant to fix up a property in the Heights section of Jersey City.  Wouldn't you know it-one of the apartments went to Koperweis.  Eventually, the grant money had to be returned because it used illegally.  This developer and the property next door "pretended" on paper that it was one residence (they were two separate buildings), but on paper it appeared as a multi-family house.  This particular loan was earmarked for multi-family buildings. The city agency who gave this money said a "mistake" had been made.

Schundler is always loyal to those who "get out the vote."