Marsh resigned suddenly in September, too late for the city to have a special election. Instead, a majority vote by the council was needed to fill the seat. The council held two votes in a row on James Doyle. Doyle was supported by four remaining members of the council who were allied with Mayor Dawn Zimmer. The four other council members are political opponents of Zimmer.
However, one council member was missing on the night of the vote (Oct. 3), and another member abstained. A majority of the remaining council members supported Doyle, and he was sworn in.
But he was consequently pulled off of the council weeks later when a lawsuit was filed by council members Beth Mason, Tim Occhipinti, Michael Russo and Theresa Castellano. Judge Bariso said that a five-person majority was needed.
Now, all eight remaining council members are ordered to be present at Wednesday’s council meeting and re-vote.
According to a city press release, another hearing will be held on Jan. 2 to determine whether or not Wednesday's vote is sufficient for Doyle to be appointed to serve the remaining balance of Marsh's term, which expires Dec. 31, 2013.
With all the smoke blown by MORT some confusion is understandable. That's why every Hoboken Reporter article refers to a special election - something MORT talks about a lot that has nothing to do with the story, but doesn't talk about MORT seeking a year of gridlock, something MORT tries not to talk about that has everything to do with the story.
Sometimes seeing through the smoke is harder for reporters than we realize and honest mistakes get made.
Let me try to explain to help clear up some of the confusion. Mason and Russo played hooky from the council meetings in October, then went to court saying the vote didn't count because they weren't there. They hoped (and still hope) this would keep the seat from being filled for a year creating gridlock that they think they can use to their political advantage.
It sounds like the judge thought that was too cute by half and said fine - if the vote doesn't count unless all of you are there, and if a court order is necessary to make you show up, then so ordered. Show up and vote!!
Now they can step up to the plate and vote "yes" or "no" or they can continue playing games and abstain hoping that will result in a year of gridlock while blathering on about their imaginary desire for a legally impermissible special election, trying to once again mislead the public and the press about what they're trying so hard to accomplish.
Anybody want to guess what they'll do?
Hoboken Reporter - Don't get fooled again!!
Auric Goldfinger (Ian Fleming)
Apparently it does.
Michael Russo skipped out the following meeting and no one seems to make a big deal of it. Just because he had the smarts to pretend he was out due to a family illness, everyone gets on Beth Mason because she didn't make an excuse.
Mason doesn't need to explain why she was out and if she wants, she'll be out again and won't call in a vote on Wednesday either. What's the judge going to do, sue her?
Beth Mason will sue that judge so fast he won't know what hit him. Or she'll have one of us trip and fall in front of that judge and we'll sue his lights out.
Well just in case anyone doesn't get it, get in our way and Beth Mason will have us sue you.
Your story is better here than the Jersey Journal and that damn big tooth horse at MSV. We really hate that guy.
The Hoboken Reporter failed to use the name of the absent council member as their very own weekly half page ad purchaser Elizabeth Mason, who failed to show up to do her job at the City Council that set up the lawsuit by her and her malevolent minority cohorts.
Do the people of Hoboken really want people who would do that kind of thing in office ?
Buying weekly ads has its privileges.