'Dirty tricks' in Jersey?

Posted: Tuesday, November 07, 2006 8:53 AM by Alan Boyle
Filed Under: Midterms

From NBC's Ron Allen
In New Jersey's senatorial campaign, Republican candidate Tom Kean Jr.'s aides are charging that opponents "already have resorted to Election Day dirty tricks."

Last night, vandals chained shut the Kean campaign's headquarters in Mountainside, N.J., and broke keys off in the door locks to prevent entry, according to aides. "It's Jersey ... this is not surprising," Kean spokeswoman Jill Hazelbaker told us. "It's the Menendez campaign, or their supporters," she added, but without offering evidence.

"It's just a lot of noise," was the response from campaign aides for Democratic incumbent Bob Menendez. They say they have "thousands" of lawyers at polling places across the site, especially where they expect problems - such as Essex and Hudson County, two big urban Democratic areas.

Menendez's folks are checking out a report of electronic voting problems in Essex County, where voting machines are reportedly defaulting to certain candidates rather than voters' choices. Whatever is happening there, they say that the problems don't appear to be widespread and that right now the voting process is "basically smooth."

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Comments

The only political cesspool that rivals New Jersey is Louisiana. If Katrina hit NJ, the chaos resulting from years of infrastructural neglect, graft, and corruption would be identical.

Kenneth Percy, North Brunswick, NJ (Sent Tuesday, November 07, 2006 12:08 PM)

Wow the night before Christmas and Santa and his elves had left their HQ empty to allow the "bad guys" to wreck the presents. To believe this piece of garbage is to believe anything: Last night, vandals chained shut the Kean campaign's headquarters in Mountainside, N.J., and broke keys off in the door locks to prevent entry, according to aides. "It's Jersey ... this is not surprising," Kean spokeswoman Jill Hazelbaker told us. "It's the Menendez campaign, or their supporters," she added, but without offering evidence. Reminds me of politics in Bangladesh where the wife of a slain leader and the daughter of another slain leader both think they have an "absolute" right to rule. Much like our own Mr. Kean Jr. ------ time for him to get out from under daddy's shadow and be a man.

Imran Ahmed, Lawrenceville, NJ (Sent Tuesday, November 07, 2006 12:08 PM)

I am certainly not condoning what was done but PLEASE, this could have happened in any of the 50 states. The Kean spokeswoman was 100% wrong with her comment of "It's Jersey ... this is not surprising," That really speaks volumes, if the people of Jersey are so awful then why is she part of NJ campaign? Her comment does a great disservice to NJ and Kean, her candidate. An apology should be made. Just the thoughts of one independent voter. Glad I voted weeks ago by absentee ballot.

Amanda, Ridgewood, NJ (Sent Tuesday, November 07, 2006 12:10 PM)

Being born and raised in NJ, sounds like typical NJ stuff. A little childish but a little funny regardless of whose side you are on. Let's face it being bombarded with commericals, it is a funny way to possible say...you waste my time I'll waste yours.

Kelli, Pennsville, NJ (Sent Tuesday, November 07, 2006 12:11 PM)

What better way to divert suspicion when the process goes haywire later. Get the doubt into the game early. More basis to protest if it doesn't go your way. Look at Ohio, already 2 Republican congress members were turned away. Don't be surprised when more complaints are received, from both sides, in close races. Win at any cost; cover your backside. What a lesson for the younger folks.

Al, Alexandria, VA (Sent Tuesday, November 07, 2006 12:14 PM)

No problem.. If the Republicans loose they'll just have Kathlyn Harris move from state to state and do the recount.

Randy King, GTMO BAY, US Naval Base (Sent Tuesday, November 07, 2006 12:14 PM)

I am sure the residents of New Jersey just love being referred to en masse as common criminals. Who would want this guy as their senator if that is his opinion of the citizenry?

NJ, Atlanta, GA (Sent Tuesday, November 07, 2006 12:14 PM)

A choice between two corrupt career political hacks is no choice at all. New Jersey, like the rest of the nation needs a simple "None of the above" option. Without this option, most of us won't even bother to pretend that this is democracy any longer.

William DeMuth (Sent Tuesday, November 07, 2006 12:14 PM)

That is pretty damn funny. Menendez already sent his posse to bribe and corrupt others, why not bend a key and chain a door? Democratic debauchery at it's best and where better to exhibit this type of behavior than in Jersey. Pay to play rules the roost and oh, by the way, we're also broke. Ha! I love living here!

J. Risner, Williamstown, New Jersey (Sent Tuesday, November 07, 2006 12:15 PM)

All the Kean Campaign does is complain, complain and complain. That just gives voters more reasons to go out and vote against them. We don't need this attitude at this moment.

Fernando,Ridgefield Park,NJ (Sent Tuesday, November 07, 2006 12:17 PM)

Mr. Ahmed sounds like you're blaming the victim- I guess in NJ if you don't provide 24 hour coverage it's your fault if your office gets vandalized? Glad I don't live there what happened to respecting other people's property?

Shirley Hood (Sent Tuesday, November 07, 2006 12:21 PM)

Color me skeptical. This sounds like when Holy Joe Lieberman complained that his web site was hacked the day of the primary, when it turned out it was his cheap web host -- he'd maxed out his bandwidth.

JJ in NJ (Sent Tuesday, November 07, 2006 12:25 PM)

Great spokesperson you got there Kean. Bad mouth the entire state on election day. Surprised she didn't blame Tony Soprano. I think vandals have better things to do that wreck campaign headquarters. Speaking of which I consider it vandalism when blanket the entire site with signage.

Chris, Margate, NJ (Sent Tuesday, November 07, 2006 12:25 PM)

Imran, I don't know how you can make a judgement such as you have based on hear-say. But politics are dirty everywhere. But if you don't agree with our version of politics, maybe you would be better off back in Bangladesh. Where I'm sure you had the freedoms to express your point of view such as you have done here.

John Ibrahim, Newport, NJ (Sent Tuesday, November 07, 2006 12:27 PM)

Randy at Club Gitmo writes: "No problem.. If the Republicans loose they'll just have Kathlyn Harris move from state to state and do the recount." Hey Randy, according to John Kerry, with spelling skills like that you should be stuck in Iraq, not at Gitmo.

Bill, Abu Ghraib, IRAQ (Sent Tuesday, November 07, 2006 12:28 PM)

This is too funny... Why do something so obvious as chaining your opponents HQ doors shut when you know the Kean campaign will just call the press and have them come down and check it out and do a story on it. Duh. Anyone who accepts this at face value needs to take a step back. Sounds like a Rovian ploy, like when Karl Rove planted bugs in his own office and called a press conference about it.

Mike, Dunellen, New Jersey (Sent Tuesday, November 07, 2006 12:28 PM)

Wow, this is just like the guys who broke into Democrat Jay Fawcett's place last night in Colorado.

will (Sent Tuesday, November 07, 2006 12:28 PM)

How incredibly lame. The person who believes that Menendez was behind this is a tool. This is a typical GOP tactic that's been used before by Rove back in the 80s and 90s. It's like me saying, "Look over there!" to distract you. Is the Kean campaign really this childish? To make it worse to have your campaign staff pretty much call the citizenry of NJ thugs...well, I most certainly wouldn't want that person representing me. Luckily, I live in CA

fabooj, LA, CA (Sent Tuesday, November 07, 2006 12:29 PM)

"without offering evidence." are the only words of any importance in that article. Until they can show proof that Menendez is responsible it's just hearsay.

Fred F (Sent Tuesday, November 07, 2006 12:30 PM)

If it was a dictator ship it would be alot easyer as long as I'm the Dictator

George Willams Madison Wi (Sent Tuesday, November 07, 2006 12:30 PM)

Sounds like New Jersey needs two new candidates. I vote for the "none of the above" category.

A. Potts, Massachusetts (Sent Tuesday, November 07, 2006 12:31 PM)

I do not believe the Kean people one bit and that woman should apologize to all New Jerseyans for that inappropriate and offensive remark. How do we know it wasn't the Kean people themselves and then trying to pin this on Menendez? Rove has done things like this before and he is working real hard with kEAN TO STEAL THIS ELECTION.

Elena (Sent Tuesday, November 07, 2006 12:32 PM)

So glad I read Ms. Hazelbakers comments before I left to vote. I almost voted for Kean.

Kathy Morris (Sent Tuesday, November 07, 2006 12:32 PM)

Wow. Everyone focused on the normal crap that happens everywhere - what about the last paragraph? " - voting machines are reportedly defaulting to certain candidates rather than voters' choices. " Doesn't THIS deserve more attention than vandalizing a campaign headquarters? Dirty tricks are intolerable, but messing with actual ballots is frightening.

Joe, Boston, MA (Sent Tuesday, November 07, 2006 12:33 PM)

Now it should not matter where you are from, whether it is NJ or CA, for a potential Senators Campaign members to say " This is Jersey" well that just is what you would expect a person to say who is running for Senate in NJ. I was raised in Southern New Jersey and there isnt a day that goes by that i dont miss be there.

Terry Mc (Sent Tuesday, November 07, 2006 12:33 PM)

Have to say I fear that the corruption allegations against Menendez are true, even though I am Democrat. I will also say that a corrupt electoral system is inevitable in a society as morally and financially corrupt as America has become. Money rules everything and all our lives in America, so why would it not seep into politics? There are wider issues going on here and major changes needed in our society if we are to call oursleves a true democracy.

FA, Arizona (Sent Tuesday, November 07, 2006 12:33 PM)

I don't know but seems the GOP's national 53 race Robocalling strategy (repeatedly calling voters up, pretending to be Democrats and angering them into voting GOP), telling voters they'd be arrested if they voted, and putting up "Skip Election Day" in black (90% Democratic) neighborhoods - I think all that is a WEE BIT more DIRTY than one broken lock. http://www.texaskaos.com/showDiary.do?diaryId=1987 But hey, I'm just an angry liberal poopy-head. With a broken key.

TexasKaos.com, Texas (Sent Tuesday, November 07, 2006 12:34 PM)

PLEASE ALL YOU REPUBLICANS SHOULD LOOK YOUR SELF IN THE MIRROR AND SAY WE HAVE A PRESDIENT YOUR GUY THAT LIED TO TAKE US TO WAR, TALK ABOUT CORRUPATION JUST THINK HALBURATION GOT EVERY CONTRACT IN THE WAR THANKS TO THE DRAFT DODGER CHENEY.WAKE UP, YOU GUYS ARE SO CORRUPT THAT I CAN'T WAIT TILL TONIGHT TO HERE ALL YOU PEOPLE CRY. LOOK WHAT YOU GUYS DID TO THE MIDDLE CLASS. GO WATCH FOX NEWS FAIR AND BALANCED START CRYING YOU GUYS ARE OUT. HA HA P.S. DID DICK CHENEY EVER SERVE- 5 TIME DEFER, DICK PLEASE GO HUNTING MAYBE SHOOT YOUR SELF, AND STAY THE COURSE.

S.T. BAYONNE N.J. (Sent Tuesday, November 07, 2006 12:34 PM)

All of the comments smack of political prejudice for the candidate of each person's choice. Little or no comments addressed the real problems of integrity whether it is a political issue or an every day acommon occurence in our society. However I do urge people to continue the exercise of their rights as individuals to express their own opinons without vitriolic prose.

SJB, Walnut Creek, Ca 94598 (Sent Tuesday, November 07, 2006 12:34 PM)

I am surprised at all the people who are suprised with Kean Spokesperson's degrading comment "It's Jersey ... this is not surprising." Let's not forget this is the same campaign that aired the so-called "Bada-bing" commercial that made NJ look even more like Mob central than it is in reality. I have yet to hear anything from Kean that talks of the positive things he might bring.

Frank E. (Sent Tuesday, November 07, 2006 12:34 PM)

A comment to Shirley Hood: I guess you never worked for a campaign. The day before the election is mostly busy all night, or at least someone is around organizing things. That is why you missed the point from Ahmed. I do not mean to disrespect you, just to inform you to get your fact straight before you attack and criticize another person.

Will, Newark, DE (Sent Tuesday, November 07, 2006 12:35 PM)

I'm ashamed of the way our country is behaving. Like a bunch of spoiled kids, trying to make sure they get thier way. And throwing temper tantrums whne they don't. I'm from Montana and the run between Tester and Burns has been ugly. I don't want to vote for either of them. To all you politicians out there, the World is watching, and your making fools of yourself.

T Hendrickson, Missoula, MT (Sent Tuesday, November 07, 2006 12:35 PM)

Viva Menendez!

Robert Cadalso (Sent Tuesday, November 07, 2006 12:38 PM)

REPUBLICANS LOOK IN THE MIRROR YOUR PRESIDENT THE DRAFT DODGER SAID WMD'S ARE THERE,WEE GO TO WAR ON A LIE ITS GREAT TO BE A REPUBLICAN. ARE THE PRESIDENTS CHILDREN FIGHTING IN THE WAR, NO BECAUSE THERE FATHER A DRAFT DODGER WON'T LET THEM INSTEAD THEY PARTY A SCHOOL, REPUBLICANS MAKE ME SICK, JUST REMEMBER THE FOLEY GUY WHO TOOK ADVANTAGE OF KIDS AND NOBODY NEW. THATS FUNNY KARL ROVE DIDN'T NO THEN WHY DID HE TALK FOLEY OUT OF RETIRING, HE JUST WORRIED ABOUT THE PARTY NOY THE CHILDREN

T.S BAYONNE N.J. (Sent Tuesday, November 07, 2006 12:42 PM)

Please, this stuff only happens in NJ. If I hear one more thing about Ohio or Texas or Florida. Politicians bugging their own offices and blaming it on an opponent (Thanks Mr. Rove), lawmakers with $90,000.00 in their freezers (Thanks Mr Jefferson - how much interest does that pay by the way??) and media types talking about drapes & curtains and looking just as smug as most of Washington has looked for the last six years. I am sick of it. Sean Hannity and Bill O'Reilly never say anything good about liberals (apparently the worst possible thing you could be in this country to hear all the political ads) and Olbermann doesn't say anything great about conservatives (although I don't agree with everything they say, some of their opinions are valid). We are a country divided, just like Iraq. Instead of physical violence. We use verbal violence. We need to unite, not divide.

Ian in NJ (Sent Tuesday, November 07, 2006 12:42 PM)

WOW!!! And people wonder why I moved out of NJ even the campign people cant say or better yet do the right thing. GO NJ SENATE,

Dugs (Sent Tuesday, November 07, 2006 12:45 PM)

Hey, some of my friends are from New Jersey! Tiny Lights and Tony Soprano. I know THEY didn't chain the door shut. Well, Tiny Lights didn't...Tony?

Steve Turner Cedar Falls Iowa (Sent Tuesday, November 07, 2006 12:46 PM)

Ms. Morris, First off, you had no intention on voting for Kean. Second, if this swayed your vote, your obviously not the informed voter we want deciding who runs this country. Every voter has an obligation to be as informed as well as they can before they choose an elected official. Voting by popularity or even by party is not what this country was built on. Every vote counts, and every vote should be held in the highest regard. Many lives were lost so that we may vote. Please remember that when you pull that lever.

JP, Newark, NJ (Sent Tuesday, November 07, 2006 12:46 PM)

Let's compare the Republican fingerpointing without any evidence above, with the a Democrat reaction: ---------- The headquarters for Jay Fawcett's campaign for Colorado's 5th Congressional District was vandalized overnight and a death threat - the third such threat - was also emailed to Fawcett. Both incidents have been reported to the police. As voters headed to the polls, Fawcett campaign volunteers arriving at campaign offices were greeted with a vile "Skunk" aroma, making it virtually impossible to conduct work there. The campaign is expecting more than 200 people to come through the offices today to help with Get Out The Vote and Poll Watching efforts. "Don't let these hooligans deter you from exercising your Constitutional right to vote," said Fawcett. "It's time to take a stand against these attacks." -------------- Death threats and a vandalized office. It gets reported to the police and the heart that drives this campaign continues. Are you taking notes, Kean campaign?

Jeremy Villano, Brooklyn, NY (Sent Tuesday, November 07, 2006 12:49 PM)

If you hate living here so much then move. Otherwise stop complaining, stop hee-hawing about Democrats when they and Republicans are both seriously out of touch, and do something to change it all. Or option 3 is to shut up all together and go on being lazy and apathetic. I think most people go for option 4 which is complain, complain, complain, then do nothing about it. If we as American's don't wake up to the fact that we the people have all the power, then the rich corporate bureaucrats will continue to feed on our laziness. They count on us being too comfortable or afraid to do anything and they sit around and count their money. What are you prepared to do?

Jersey Joe - South Jersey (Sent Tuesday, November 07, 2006 12:52 PM)

My My My, Karl Rove the puppet master of this President,the Republican Party,and Donald Segrhetti's former bag man will stoop to any depth because of his desire to win whether legal or not.So lets see they say no taxes while "bankrupting the country" withe record deficits that will be there long after they leave.They (All the Presidents Little Men)wagging their tails like good little puppies evertime Rove pulls a string.Oh yea,what a string that is,2900 American Service members dead in Iraq,over 20,000 wounded in a war that was about The President's Paranoia sold to the nation in a Rove package as fear of imaginary terrorist,like aliens, popping out of Bush,Cheney,and Roves head after 9/11,an illegal war,billions wasted by Homeland Security and FEMA as the folks on the Gulf Coast sank deeper, and as the whole country sank deeper and on an on and on.....not to worry the folks, the real back bone Americans who have always risen to the occasion will do so once again and we will see the likes of the Roves where they were after Watergate and where they shouled be now!

Bobby Cather ,Sacramento, CA (Sent Tuesday, November 07, 2006 12:54 PM)

Perhaps the Republicans too a page out of Rove's book and locked the headquarters themselves. Whil I am not generally (at all actually) a conspiricy therorist, this situation does bring up memories of Rove claiming his office was bugged, he blamed his oponent, but it was later found out he did it himself.

Tom Kelleher Binghamton NY (Sent Tuesday, November 07, 2006 12:55 PM)

Ian in NJ wrote: We are a country divided, just like Iraq. Instead of physical violence. We use verbal violence. We need to unite, not divide. This I agree with. Hopefully we'll stop electing people who think racist ads in TN or the Southern Strategy, or sinking legislation like stem-cell research to excite a fundamentalist base, is the proper way to govern. Karl Rove has mastered the art of divisive politics, which predictably has divided more than any time since the late 1800s. That makes Karl Rove about as American as Benedict Arnold. Real leaders unit and lead, they don't divide and maim.

Jeremy Villano, Brooklyn, NY (Sent Tuesday, November 07, 2006 12:57 PM)

For months now, I have listened to the conservative talk radio hosts (primarily because there are very few liberal hosts that I can pick up) degrade and in general complain about all of the Democratic candidates including Bob Menendez. Almost all of their comments include wording to the affect that the Democrats are wrong on the issues and just want to cut and run in Iraq and the war on terror in general. I wish someone would ask them to refrase their commentaries (if this is what they believe, I do not)to say the words " Democratic congess". They are doing a grave injustice to the many registered (and unregistered) Democrats that are currently laying their lives on the line in Iraq and other foreign lands to protect their very right to be on the radio and networks and complain about the Democrats in the first place. They also do injustice to the many Democrats both living and deceased who sacrificed themselves in many past wars so that we the people of these United States could enjoy these very liberties. The spewing of the word Democrat by the conservative media as if it were something to be ashamed of must cause some distress to a soldier in Iraq who considers himself a Democrat as may have been his father in Nam, his grandfather in WW2 and many of the other people he has known and respected his entire life.

John Dahlem, The United States of America (Sent Tuesday, November 07, 2006 12:58 PM)

That's correct Will....Campaign HQ doesn't close the night before an election. Wow...the GOP is really desperate. Take a look at Factcheck.org for more lies about Menendez.

S, Edgewater,NJ (Sent Tuesday, November 07, 2006 1:00 PM)

Hey JP. I am a very informed voter. I've voted in every election sice I turned 18.(a long time ago) I am an independent. My mind was made up weeks ago on who I would vote for (for a number of reasons) when I'm leaving the house to vote and I read Mr Hazebakers' opinion of NJ. I rethink... She's a spokesperson for Mr. Kean !! People say first impressions say a lot, well last impressions mean more !!! So I decided Mr. Kean and his people are NOT who I want representing me and my NJ.

Kathy Morris (Sent Tuesday, November 07, 2006 1:29 PM)

S in edgewater took the words out of my mouth... www.factcheck.org to see the lies being told in NJ and around the country... especially the ones that say that NO ONE has ever said they want to give social security benefits to illegal aliens, and that there's NO PROOF ANYWHERE that there's a federal criminal investigation directed towards menendez.

ds (Sent Tuesday, November 07, 2006 2:43 PM)

If it's true, it looks like the democrats finally got a hold of a copy of the Rove's Republican Trick Book. Good for them. Sometimes you have to play the game on their level. I'm sick of hearing how weak the democrats are and we don't have a plan. Tonight they'll know how angry we are. I spoke to to Republicans who also voted straight Democrat. We don't care who the candidates are, we want to send a message to Bush.

Mary Praying For Change (Sent Tuesday, November 07, 2006 3:05 PM)

Kean Jr. and his idiotic helpers have perpetuated this offensive attack on all New Jerseyans. Corruption is everywhere, not only in NJ. Kean does not deserve to represent the state. Furthermore, people have got to study the facts before they believe this BS from Kean. He has nothing to ride on except his daddy's coattails and he reminds me of an annoying frat boy just like Bush. Getting ahead on Daddy's name! I hope he loses big time. He has done more damage to New Jersey than Jim McGreevey!

Helene (Sent Tuesday, November 07, 2006 3:09 PM)

childish dems, hopefully wont be bedwetting tonight, they may get Kean seat but not the senate

menendez is under CRIMINAL investigation (Sent Tuesday, November 07, 2006 3:21 PM)

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