Joe Cryan managed the Corzine GOTV operation that employed a suspected al-Qaida terrorist

STATE — Campaign finance records show that an alleged al-Qaida member who grew up in New Jersey received $75 as an election day worker for Gov. Jon Corzine’s campaign in 2005.

Assemblyman Joseph Cryan, who presided over Corzine’s 2005 election day field operations, did not respond to inquiries concerning his employment of Sharif Mobley.

In 2005, Mobley earned $75 as an election day worker for the Corzine for Governor campaign according to state election finance reports.

The al-Qaida connection to the Corzine-Cryan campaign operation was first reported in the New York Times.

Republicans have previously alleged that the Corzine-Cryan campaign machine employed drug addicts and other criminals to ramp up voting in urban areas.

The al-Qaida connection to the campaign suggests that political workers are not screened properly to ensure safety of voters.

City Council members unanimously introduced the ordinance, which will be the subject of a public hearing on Wednesday, March 24. The measure could be adopted by the governing body that same night.

Diaz said if the change is approved, municipal elections will be held in November starting in 2012.

The office of mayor and two council seats will be up that year and winners would take office Jan. 1, 2013, six months later than Diaz’s term will end under current circumstances.

Morales, a city employee who helped Diaz defeat former Mayor Joseph Vas in 2008, wants voters to remove her from office.

“Wilda Diaz has relinquished all her power to Business Administrator Jane Feigenbaum, who is not a Perth Amboy resident,” Morales said. “She’s given all her appointing authority up to the business administrator and made her acting director of the police department.”

“The business administrator is running the town,” said Morales. “The mayor is not doing anything.”

Morales filed with the Perth Amboy City Clerk’s office a notice of intent, which would give organizers 160 days to collect signatures from about 6,000 registered voters on a petition.

If they are successful, the city would hold a special recall election to determine if Diaz should be removed frmo office and, if so, who will succeed her in the job.

State officials adopted a legislation two months ago that allows municipalities with nonpartisan forms of government an option of switching election day from the second Tuesday in May to the first Tuesday after the first Monday in November.

Diaz she said the May election costs the city about $50,000, but critics say the measure will disguise local issues in the cacaphony of political noise surrounding campaigns for president and other higher offices.

On the same day Morales delivered the recall notice to the City Clerk’s office, Feigenbaum transferred him from the police department’s traffic maintenance division to a detail collecting garbage.

Feigenbaum said Morales, a city employee for about eight years, was only assigned to the public works department’s sanitation operation temporarily because some workers are out sick.

A Powerball ticket sold in New Jersey is worth $211.7 million.

STATE — A Powerball ticket sold in New Jersey is worth $211.7 million after Saturday night’s drawing.

This 2002 photo provided by Roman Castro shows suspected al-Qaida terrorist Sharif Mobley, 26, at a barbecue in Buena, NJ.

A natural-born United States citizen, Mobley is currently detained in Yemen and accused of trying to shoot his way out of a hospital there on March 7.

His father, Charles Mobley, said he is not a terrorist, though a former friend said the young American Muslim of Somali descent was becoming increasingly radical in his Muslim beliefs before he moved to Yemen to study Arabic.
Michael Brothman, 25, said he graduated with Mobley from Buena Regional High School in 2002 and remembered his high school friend boasting that he had a black belt in karate, being a fan of anime and being competitive in gym class.

U.S. officials say Mobley had been a laborer at six U.S. nuclear power plants in New Jersey, Pennsylvania and Maryland before traveling to Yemen.
Nuclear Regulatory Commission spokesman Neil Sheehan said he did not have access to security information or other sensitive matters.
According to both an unnamed U.S. law enforcement official and Mohammed Albasha, a spokesman for the Yemeni Embassy, said there was no known connection between Mobley’s employment at the power plants and the time he spent in Yemen.

Mobley was detained in early March 2010 in Sana’a, the capital of Yemen, one of 11 suspected al-Qaeda militants.
Following his arrest, he was transferred to the Republican Hospital and treated for a week, while he befriended the guards assigned to him asking them to teach him Arabic.

Mobley fooled his two guards into unshackling him by asking to join them for prayers, then attempted to escape and shot them, seriously wounding one and killing the other.
One senior official said Mobley’s targeting indicates he is highly trained in the use of firearms and criticized the negligence of the guards.

Mobley’s capture is the latest in a string of Yemeni counterterrorism efforts aimed at disrupting al-Qaida.
Mobley was in contact with Anwar al-Awlaki, the al-Qaeda former imam now based in Yemen who was also in contact with three of the September 11 attacks hijackers, Christmas Day Bomber Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab, and Fort Hood shooter Nidal Malik Hasan.

Yemen has also been the point of contact for several other reputed terrorists, including:

• Michael Finton, American convert to Islam, attempted September 2009 bombing of U.S. target with FBI agent he thought was al-Qaeda member.
• Aafia Siddiqui, alleged al-Qaeda member, former U.S. resident, convicted in 2010 of attempting to kill U.S. personnel.
• Bryant Neal Vinas, American convert to Islam, convicted in 2009 of participating in/supporting Al-Qaeda plots in Afghanistan and the U.S.
• Najibullah Zazi, al-Qaeda member, U.S. resident, pleaded guilty in 2010 of planning suicide bombings on New York City subway system.

Pouring rain and fierce winds triggered flood warnings, downed trees, closed roads and stopped trains across New Jersey. The National Weather Service clocked wind gusts of up to 70 mph.

New Jersey Transit officials said a train carrying 500 passengers was stranded for more than five hours on the Northeast Corridor line outside the Rahway station.

NJ Transit spokeswoman Penny Bassett Hackett said police boarded the train and the company planned on using a diesel engine to reach the commuters and transport them to the Rahway station, where buses were waiting.

In Atlantic City, part of a boom crane plunged 47 floors at the controversial Revel Casino construction site while two people in Teaneck were killed by a tree that was knocked down by the storm.

The powerful storm also knocked out power to more than 235,000 customers across the state and rain washed out St. Patrick’s Day parades that had been planned in several communities.

At least 4 inches of rain had fallen in parts of Atlantic, Camden, Gloucester, and Middlesex counties on Saturday, and an additional 1 to 2 inches was expected through early Sunday.

Within the first few hours of the downpour, Roselle Park got one inch of rain, Metuchen reported two inches and South Amboy was soaked under 3½ inches. By Sunday morning, said state climatologist David Robinson said nearly 5 inches of rain fell on New Jersey.

“I think the thing that caught the forecasters a little off-guard was how much wind was recorded inland,” Robinson said. “Of all the storms we’ve had this year, this is the windiest one statewide.”

“We have a lot more rain still to come,” he said. “We could possibly get several more inches of rain. This storm has not fully gotten its act together yet.”

Robinson said heavy rain in a March storm has a much greater impact than a storm in autumn.

“In September, the ground is usually drier and the air is warmer for evaporation and reservoirs are lower,” he said.

Newark Liberty Airport experienced delays up to four hours and all Amtrak service along the Northeast Corridor was suspended from New York to Philadelphia.

In addition to suspending rail service along the Northeast Corridor, NJ Transit service was also suspended along the North Jersey Coast Line, Raritan Valley Line, Atlantic City Rail Line and the Morris and Essex line west of Summit.

Union County rescheduled its St. Patrick’s Day parade to Saturday, March 27, beginning at 1 p.m.

PLAINFIELD — News 12 New Jersey’s Walt Kane followed up on our report about Plainfield’s public safety director, who received a three day suspension after he was caught making arrangements on his city computer for an erotic massage.

Plainfield Public Safety Director Martin Hellwig was confronted by News 12 New Jersey's Walt Kane. Click on picture to view the video at News12.com

Martin Hellwig also allegedly used a police vehicle to drive to the male prostitute’s house in North Jersey while on duty.

Kane confirmed the legitimacy of documents purported to be a police report and copies of e-mail messages between Hellwig and the alleged hooker, Jason Taylor.

Hellwig refused to say much when Kane confronted him at a City Council meeting, but he did deny being suspended because he “solicited a prostitute with a city computer on city time.”

Officially, the public safety director was suspended for misusing city equipment.

Brandy Williams, 28, of Woodbridge Avenue, was pronounced dead at 7:42 a.m. at Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital in New Brunswick.

The results of an autopsy are not immediately available, but preliminarily, it appears the woman was the victim of a stabbing, authorities said.

Police were dispatched to the woman’s apartment after receiving a 911 call from a neighbor, reporting a disturbance at 5:42 a.m., according to authorities.

Police arrived to find the victim injured in her apartment. She was taken to the hospital, where she died, authorities said.

An investigation by Lt. Joe Vassallo of the Highland Park Police Department and Investigator Butch Villegas of the Middlesex County Prosecutor’s Office determined that Williams was not the victim of a random attack, authorities said.

The investigation is on-going. Police ask anyone with information to call Lt. Vassallo at 1-732-572-3800, or Investigator Villegas at 1-732-745-4428.

Colonel Rick Fuentes, superintendent of the New Jersey State Police and director of the New Jersey Office of Emergency Management, is encouraging all New Jersey residents to also create an emergency kit and plan for the home and workplace.

“During the bi-annual clock change, we are reminded by various officials to check our safety devices, especially smoke and carbon monoxide detector batteries,” said Fuentes.  “In addition to the traditional time change safety checks, we encourage all New Jersey residents to devise a disaster plan and develop a disaster kit. For those who have already created a disaster plan and kit this will serve a reminder to check and update plans and kits.”

There are several things that New Jersey residents can do to prepare for the unexpected as well as reduce stress and confusion during an actual emergency, Fuentes said.   The basics of preparedness for virtually all hazards are the same.  Following the appropriate steps and being ready “now” means that residents will be ready for any disaster or crisis that may affect New Jersey.

“Our goal is to empower all residents to become their household’s emergency managers until first responders arrive on scene to lend professional assistance.  Planning and preparation are the key steps to safety.  By taking time to create an appropriate emergency plan for yourself, your family or place of business, you are readying your environment for any potential emergency,” added Fuentes.

The following are some quick tips for emergency preparedness:

STEP ONE: “GET A KIT” of Emergency Supplies
ITEMS FOR YOUR HOME
•    Three days’ supply of canned, non-perishable, ready-to-eat FOOD
•    Three days’ supply of WATER (a total of three gallons per family member)
•    Battery-operated RADIO and extra batteries
•    FLASHLIGHT and extra batteries
•    One week’s prescription MEDICATIONS
•    FIRST AID KIT
•    Personal TOILETRIES
•    Non-electric CAN OPENER and UTENSILS
•    SPECIAL NEEDS items:
•    INFANT care items
•    Items for ELDERLY family members
•    Items for relatives with DISABILITIES
•    CASH or TRAVELERS CHECKS
•    Store important DOCUMENTS in a waterproof, safe location

IN CASE YOU NEED TO EVACUATE
•    Keep a gallon of GAS at all times in a secured area away from other flammables
•    Every family member must carry CONTACT INFORMATION:
•    All phone numbers at work, school, etc. for every family member
•    The name and number of a relative who lives out-of-state, to call in case your family gets separated.

STEP TWO: “MAKE A PLAN” for Yourself, Your Family or Your Business
•    Address any family member’s special needs concerns in the event of an emergency
•    Take time to explain the dangers of emergency incidents to children
•    Meet with the members of your household or office and create a plan with everyone’s input
•    Talk about the types of disasters that are most likely to happen in your area
•    Discuss why everyone needs to prepare for a disaster
•    Build an emergency contact phone list
•    Make provisions for pets
•    Remember to establish and share emergency incident responsibilities
•    Emphasize that teamwork and staying calm are key

For more in depth information regarding emergency preparedness and planning, log on to: http://www.ready.nj.gov/plan/kit-plan.html

Gov. Chris Christie

TRENTON – Yesterday, Gov. Chris Christie signed an executive order creating a New Jersey Privatization Task Force to develop recommendations for a comprehensive approach to converting certain areas of government operations to privately-run operations in an effort to cut the size and cost of state government.

Facing state employee contracts entered into by the Corzine administration that include raises of between 7 percent and 11 percent for thousands of public employees in 2011, Christie said he must do all that is necessary to blunt those contractual obligations that will heavily burden budgets for Fiscal 2011 and Fiscal 2012.

“We are stuck with this problem, but that does not mean I am barred from finding a way to fix it,” said Christie. “I don’t think you will find private sector employees anywhere enjoying the luxury of an 11 percent raise next year. It was a promise that the state cannot afford and should never have been made in the first place.”

The task force was created to examine areas where government services and functions can be provided by the private sector.

“Delivering programs and services to our citizens is government’s primary job, but I have asked the Task Force to look for places where we can do this in a more efficient, cost-effective way by having the private sector do it,” Christie added. “This full review will allow the Lt. Governor and me to make carefully informed decisions on where and how to do this as we continue to responsibly manage state government. It will also make recommendations for how privatization could improve operations and reduce costs for municipalities, school districts and counties.”

The Task Force will be chaired by former Congressman Dick Zimmer and include Todd Caliguire, Kathleen Davis, John Galandak, and Dr. P. Kelly Hatfield.

According to Executive Order 17, the Task Force will serve without compensation and be dissolved after issuing its final report on May 31. The report will include specific recommendations for privatization initiatives for implementation by state government during the Fiscal Year beginning July 1, 2010.

Among other things, the Task Force will look at issues, including:

• Which government functions are or may be appropriate for privatization;
• Current legal and practical impediments to privatization; and
• Ensure that scope and quality of services is not inappropriately diminished by privatization.

Court Ok's God

“The Pledge is constitutional,” Judge Carlos Bea wrote in the 2-1 ruling. “The Pledge of Allegiance serves to unite our vast nation through the proud recitation of some of the ideals upon which our Republic was founded.”

The court ruled 3-0 on the money motto.

See the complete rulings (pdf format).

Sacramento atheist Michael Newdow filed the challenges, arguing that the references to God disrespect his beliefs.

Mathew Staver, dean of Liberty University School of Law, commented: “The words ‘In God We Trust’ are part of our American heritage…. America was founded upon religious principles and the belief in God. Mere expression of our heritage cannot establish a religion. A public acknowledgement of God is not an establishment of religion.”