Craig Stanley

IRVINGTON - It's been a tough year for Mayor Wayne Smith, whose name was spun into a federal scandal that knocked down 11 other public officials in late 2007.

As part of a U.S. Attorney's Office bribery investigation called Operation Broken Boards, FBI agents posing as dummy insurance salespeople last year identified two public officials in Irvington, one of whom directed them to give $5,000 to Keith Reid, former chief of staff to Newark Council President Mildred Crump.

The U.S. Attroney's Office indicted Reid on corruption charges, but as yet he remains the only public official as part of Operation Broken Boards who has not gone to trial.

To date, Smith has not spoken publicly about the incident or addressed rampant speculation that he is one of those Irvington officials who directed the FBI to give money to Red, but today in the face of a rumor in his city that he intends to imminently step down, the mayor said no way.

Assemblyman- elect Ralph Caputo last served in the Legislature from 1968 to 1972.Newark and the political arena were a lot different when 27-year-old Ralph Caputo was first elected to the State Assembly in 1967.

The city had just seen its infamous race riots the summer before the election, and Caputo, a Republican from the then Italian-American North Ward, was elected to serve in district 11-C -- made up predominantly of working class whites.

Now, at age 66, Caputo will again be an Assemblyman – this time as a Democrat – returning to Trenton after a 36 year hiatus.

Assemblyman Craig Stanley will appear in Superior Court on September 11th to contest the results of the June Democratic primary in the 28th district. He lost to Cleopatra Tucker, the widow of the late Assemblyman/Newark City Councilman Donald Tucker, by 127 votes.

"We have identified numerous anamolies," Stanley said.

The old rivalries endure in neighborhoods broken in half by an atmosphere of drugs and dread.

In Newark, the Bloods hold turf in the south ward and the Crips control much of the west. The Latin Kings take up the slack in parts of the north. In the smaller towns around Newark the gangs split their fiefdoms along municipal boundaries. The Crips are dominant in Linden, while the Bloods hold sway in Roselle.

With the arrest last week of Jose Carranza of Peru and two Latino minors, held in the execution-style killing of three Newark college students, MS-13, the gang with roots in El Salvador and ties on the West Coast, again came to the fore - at least on the street - as a prime organizational suspect.

As he made preparations to attend the National Conference of State Legislatures, District 28 Assemblyman Craig Stanley sat down with Newark Mayor Cory Booker last Thursday to talk about ways he could convince other lawmakers around the country to coordinate gang combat measures.

"While I was en route here, the kids were shot," Stanley said in a telephone interview from Boston, reflecting on the West Ward execution-style murders of Terrance Aeriel, Deshawn Harvey and Ofemi Hightower.

Assemblyman Bill Payne on Tuesday targeted North Ward tough guy Steve Adubato, who backs Payne’s opponent in the district 29 senate race.

Speaking at a Newark fundraiser thrown for him by his brother, U.S. Rep. Donald Payne, the state Senate candidate dismissed M. Teresa Ruiz as a detail confined to the sprawling political canvas of Adubato -- and presented himself by contrast as a Civil Rights folk hero, who fought his way into Newark politics as an African American in tempestuous times, and who knew Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

“I can’t be bought, I can’t be intimidated,” said the candidate, flanked by his brother, his nephews, Assemblyman Craig Stanley, Councilman Donald Payne, Jr., and by State Sen. Ronald Rice. “Steve Adubato’s the elephant in the room. Everybody knows he’s behind this, and it’s frustrating to me. I have a record that says I’ve been able to produce for my district. You don’t punish people who have served you well. Because Bill Payne will not kowtow to Steve Adubato is the only way I’m not being supported.”

Assemblyman Craig Stanley filed for a recount yesterday in his narrowly lost 28th District primary bid.

“We went through with some volunteers the votes that were cast. We saw a number of anomalies. We’re certainly encouraged and we certainly think that this recount will bear fruit for us,” said Stanley, who lost his Assembly primary race to Cory Booker-backed Cleopatra Tucker by just 110 votes.

Craig Stanley’s staff is rummaging through last week’s ballots.

Last week, Stanley, a six-term incumbent from Irvington, lost the Democratic Assembly primary by 110 votes to Cory Booker-backed Cleopatra Tucker. He told PoliticsNJ.com that he’s looking into a recount. While he still hasn’t filed, he appears to be taking the prospect of a recount seriously.

Essex County Clerk Chris Durkin confirmed that a Stanley has sent staff to his office to review last week’s absentee and provisional ballots. Durkin said that Stanley has until June 20 to officially file.

Assemblyman Craig Stanley is not ready to admit defeat.

Stanley, the six-term Essex County Democrat who lost yesterday’s primary to Cory Booker-backed Cleopatra Tucker by just 110 votes, is mulling the possibility of a recount.

“I have not conceded yet," said Stanley.  "I believe in my heart that there is still victory here, and we’re going to pursue all of all legal avenues available.”

District 29 Assembly candidates Albert Coutinho and Grace Spencer this week received the endorsements of SEIU Local 32BJ, UniteHere! and CWA Local 1081, according to a news release isued by campaign spokesman Phil Alagia.

The New Jersey Education Association and the Newark Teachers Union -- longtime rival unions -- have joined forces to support the re-election campaigns of State Sen. Ron Rice, Assemblyman Craig Stanley and Assemblywoman Oadline Truitt in the 28th district, and Assemblyman Wilfredo Caraballo in the 29th.