A Save Jersey source has revealed some interesting information regarding a new investigation into a Corzine era scandal involving payments made by Governor Corzine to Rocco Riccio, former state employee and brother-in-law to Corzine’s former girlfriend/CWA President Carla Katz.
For those of you not familiar with the background of these events, what essentially occurred is that following some controversy over allegations of tax file snooping that have never been substantiated, Riccio was moved from the Department of Human Services to the Turnpike Authority at the former Governor’s request. Within weeks of working for the Turnpike Authority, Riccio was pressured by Corzine’s top aides to resign from his position and was promised that they would secure him private sector employment. Additionally, Riccio was given $15,000 in separate payments. $5,000 of these payments were made in five individual $1,000 money orders, in order to side step a Federal law that would have required the purchase to be made with a government ID and to be kept on file for five years.
After the story originally broke in 2007, then State Senator Adler announced to the media that he would be
requesting an investigation into the events. However, when the formal request was actually made, Adler had seemingly caved to political pressure from Corzine and only sought to have Riccio investigated, rather than the shady payments that were made.
Well, now it seems that even after the demise of the most damaging New Jersey Governor in recent memory, this story is showing its face yet again. After the investigation sought by Adler concluded with no charges filed against Riccio, a new investigation has seemingly begun, evidenced by a letter from the Office of the Attorney General stating acknowledging an investigation into the conduct of Corzine officials, then-Senator Adler, and the Treasury Department. While the details of the investigation are not specially know, it is not difficult to speculate based on the fact that a one-sided investigation, which (again) came up empty, into the conduct of Riccio has already concluded.
The outcome of this investigation, while surely not arriving in time for the mid-term elections, could be potentially damaging to Adler’s reputation. Adler, who likes to bill himself as an independent and fiscally conservative Democrat (what Democrat doesn’t these days?) could be exposed as a pawn to the former Governor; watering down his call for an initial investigation to save the face of his own party and failure of a leader in Trenton. The likelihood that Adler be actually implicated in anything is slim, that is certain. He didn’t break any laws by calling for a weak and politically targeted investigation. However, once the evidence is revealed, it would be hard to believe that facts would not come out highlighting his weakness and complicit behavior in what can only be described as a cover up of Governor Corzine and staff’s borderline criminal and totally unethical acts.
From his sleazy campaign tactics to his laughable attempt to bill himself as a fiscal conservative, Congressman Adler continues to show the people of CD-3 what most of us Save Jerseyans have known all along: John Adler is not fit to serve as a United States Congressman for the people of South Jersey.
