Friday's mail brought a disconcerting mixed message from Jerry Green.
On the front he is quoted as saying, "Plainfield is my home and I will always do anything in my power to help this great city ..." while inside he condemns Mayor Adrian O. Mapp, who took office on Jan. 1 and is now just four months into a 48-month term.
I do not recall such a bald attack on a new mayor, especially one who needs time to reorient a city that went without full fiscal oversight for eight years and had nine shifts in the office of city administrator; six people in charge of Administration, Finance, Health and Social Services; and five directors of Public Works & Urban Development. Mapp won with 70 percent of the vote, but Green, who admits he deferred to the power of his predecessor as head of the Union County Democrats to back Mapp, now vows to use his power in that seat to disenfranchise the electorate and make their votes null and void.
I recall one election night where a sitting mayor lost his re-election bid. His comment was simply, "The people have spoken."
Those who find this mailer out of line are waiting to see what the people say on June 3. Green says he "always supported the Democratic Party's choice of candidate and done all I could to see they were elected." He alone chose the party's ticket for 2014 City Council seats and no doubt has a large ego investment in them. A quick look at the flier might make one think he himself is on the ballot, but that will be next year.
Green says, "In less than a year (sic), Adrian Mapp has proven to be every bit as bad for Plainfield as I feared," and claims Mapp is dividing the city.
What message does this give to those who might want to bring transit-oriented development to the city and create the new ratables the city needs? Normally, developers approach the administration with their plans and rely on certain approvals from the governing body. If they are told to ignore the executive branch, how do they get started? Maybe they will go where the politics are less byzantine.
Green states he was "loyal to the Chair and followed her instructions to support Mapp" even though he believed it was a mistake. Now he wants people to be loyal to him and support his choices regardless of what they believe. Is there a moral here about dumb loyalty versus voting one's conscience? When the people speak and he doesn't like it, will Jerry say STFU, I run this MF? Oh wait, I think he just did.
--Bernice
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Give me a City that is in deep trouble ... and I will give you a City run by the Democratic Party. When will we open our eyes.
ReplyDeleteBernice, I have been fielding inbox messages, texts, and calls about that mailer since yesterday afternoon. In addition to the ridiculousness Jerry is floating now, he is also going around saying that he never wanted Adrian and that Sharon deserved a 3rd term!! This comes from several people I befriended during last year's election cycle. A 3rd term of no CFO, no health officer, revolving city administrators, food, food, food for herself and her cronies--dysfunction, failure, and stagnation--Jerry's perfect candidate--this year, it's multiplied by 3!
ReplyDeleteBut, that's Jerry--hypocritical, deceitful, and negative! That he has the nerve to send that silly mailer shows how pathetic he is. When folks show up to his meeting with Rush Holt to call him out for the pathetic excuse for a state representative that he is, we will see his true nasty self come out. He has also now inserted his foolishness and negativity into the current election campaign--I await the nasty, lie-filled mailers about me--I will respond accordingly.
Rebecca
All this from someone who said he didn't want to be perceived as telling the Mapp administration what to do, and denies telling his Council flunkies how to vote. Yet from Day 1 he's been deriding them, proving only one thing, that he's the slipperiest snake in the grass. His slate for Council is a joke: one PMUA commissioner who sits mute about contract fraud and illegal commissioner compensation which have cost city residents millions; another, the wife of a former commissioner, who herself has made off with thousands in illegal payola doled out to commissioners; finally, a temporary Council appointee who votes to sweep it all under the rug while we backtrack 30 years overnight and roll out the red carpet for the parasites who view public service as a money-making venture. You can kiss the future away with these choices. I'm almost embarrassed to admit that Jerry tried to use me as a pawn in this game.
ReplyDeleteok... so again... Jerry is surprising people...and honestly... I don't understand how this is a surprise, why anyone is taken back..why anyone is grasping their pearls and saying "oh my, how dastardly! " ...
ReplyDeleteHe is exactly the same.. he hasn't changed.
What changes however like the wind... are the New Dems ( who are the largest and loudest crowd uttering the shock and horror of it all ) ... More and More of the dirty mud slinging will come from Jerry right up to the primary and the New Dems will be beating their chests and wailing on the street corners at the Evil That Is Jerry Green. THEN ??? THEN ?????
THE PRIMARY.
Jerry will simply stop slamming the New Dems viciously...he'll still get his slaps in, but they'll be more subdued.
The New Dem's however will be running to CAMP JERRY waving the peace flag, throwing hugs, singing we are family, joining the fight to keep the EVIL LOCAL REPUBLICANS from ruining Plainfield and SCREAMING FROM THE HIGHEST HILL " VOTE THE PARTY LINE !! DEMOCRATS OR BUST " ... and who'll be in that crowd... Adrian Mapp will be amongst them.
So...year after year we see the same drama unfold and the New Dems crying foul and that Jerry is mean.
Dear Adrian Mapp...when you lie down with dogs.. you get fleas. Congratulations on your poorly planned political alliance with Jerry Green. You are one of a few in Union County surprised...lesson learned ?? ( sadly.. I doubt it ) Try supporting candidates who are interested in Plainfield...not just those after the primary with the Magic Letter "D"
I won't be running to Jerry or supporting him or his candidates. I need a Plainfield I can be proud of, not Sharon's or Jerry's Plainfield.
DeleteBob Bolmer
The boss is scared. A friend told me the regular democrat will win and my reply " 2nd and 3rd ward plainfielders don't vote along the line " lots of brains in those ward. Taylor and Eke, you got to be kidding me.
ReplyDeleteMayor called for "One Plainfield" then ran his own slate of candidates. Hmmmm......
ReplyDeleteMayor did not run a slate. It is the New Dems who are running the slate. They are Democrats who don't believe that Jerry has Plainfield's interest at heart. They are Democrats who want One Plainfield.
DeleteCan you tell me how we are going to have One Plainfield with someone like Jerry leading the RDO's? And, I am not sure your point. Plainfield has had Jerry as the leader (excuse the wording) for 15 years. This is it? This is his best? This is his idea of leading?
Not mine, I can assure you. I have better standards.
Great Leader you are, Jerry! You are certainly a party guy.
ReplyDeleteThe head of the National Democratic Party - Debbie Schultz - should take their cue from you. Don't like who the people elected as President, she should tell them she always wanted Hilary (made this up, but wanted to make the point), and people should not support Obama. I believe you supported Hilary, Jerry. Have any negative comments about Obama?
I can't believe the people in this city think he has done anything for them. How much money has Plainfield received from Union County? After all, we have the head of the world as the Assemblyman, and a Freeholder from Plainfield. What have they done to make sure Plainfield has gotten their fair share? As far as I can see - nothing.
I have much higher standards than Jerry, but then again, my standards include ALL of Plainfield. Jerry's standards includes himself.
One can only hope that our days with Jerry are rapidly coming to a close. They can, if you vote.
Well, what did you expect New Dems? Lay down with dogs you get flees! I didn't hear Rebecca or any other New Dem criticize Jerry's hypocrisy during the last election. In fact they were coming after people who exposed and opposed Jerry. So New Dems explain that!
ReplyDeleteHere is my question to you. The New Dems is a club that believes Plainfield can have better and deserves better. Jerry has been at the helm for 20 years - and this is what we get.
DeleteWhat should people do? The New Dems tried to get along with Jerry, only to have Jerry pull his power play antics.
Jerry writes an article about how he never supported Adrian, and encourages his fellow Democrats to join him. How is that helping Plainfield? Do you consider his actions one of a leader?
Jerry is THE MOST DIVISIVE PERSON IN PLAINFIELD. Please, let's get rid of him next year. Plainfield deserves someone better. It is time to vote in smart people who rule by positive qualities - not fear, vulgarity, and ignorance.
Bernice, this is a great article. Thank you.
ReplyDeleteI encourage everyone who cares about Plainfield to write to John Currie - the head of the NJ Democratic Party, Debbie Wasserman Schultz - head of the National Democratic Party, and all those in the NJ Assembly and Senate - including Stender and Scutari - to show them what type of a "leader" they have in the Democratic Party.
I also will not every donate a dime to the Democratic Party of NJ or the National Democratic party as long as Jerry is in power.
You want to make the difference. People are too lazy to vote him out - well maybe talking money will do the trick.
I read a news about Linda carter voting against kean university expansion into the former Merck property citing a tax exempt organization obtains the property. Where was she when it relates to plainfield. Keep voting this people in office plainfielders.
ReplyDeleteGee I guess Ass. Green is superman. He got the one seat ride.... News to NJ Transit. He got the Transit Oriented Development designation News to the Planning Office and the State of NJ. What a looser. The spin doctor who wrote this piece of trash brochure should have taken a picture of the new TOD (not "time of day" Gerry) on South Avenue and not the one in Cranford. Retire you ineffective old man! Your are the Jackass of the New Jersey Assembly and for that you can take full credit for because YOU DID IT ALL BY YOURSELF! NOW TAKE YOUR BALL AND GO!
ReplyDeleteMy support for a new administration over the dysfunction, ineptitude, corruption, and cronyism of the past mayor is on the record. I campaigned for a fresh start, and Adrian Mapp won with over 70% of the vote. Jerry Green always inserts himself into the local election process, and tries to control everything. You see where that has gotten the city. Jerry has decided to ignore the will of the people of Plainfield in favor of his brand of stupidity and divisiveness. If the people of Plainfield think that I have done a good job as their councilwoman for the past 3 years, they will support my reelection. If they don't, they won't. It's that simple. Jerry Green's foolishness and ineptitude are known statewide. The people of Plainfield saw his nastiness most recently at the past couple of meetings. There is more to come. It is well past time for him to leave our city. His continued support for Sharon is laughable. He trashed her all last year, and now he is once again trotting her out to try and convince the people of Plainfield that she has some credibility. Neither of them have any, as seen by the past 8 years. The people of our city want a fresh start, and Jerry wants the city to be taken to the dysfunction of the past under his watch. Pathetic. He has done nothing for this city, and the lies on his silly mailer will not fool the people again.
ReplyDeleteRebecca
It was past time last election when you supported him. Please. He has been bad for Plainfield long before now.
DeleteWho is the hypocrite Rebecca?
Bernice: I received a rob0-call about the Holt Town Hall, called Holt's office, explained a Monday evening Holt Town Hall creates a conflict for Plainfield residents who care about local issues. In turn, the campaign woman explained "the Congressman is very busy." Could there be a more sinister explanation, or are Plainfield politics driving my paranoia? The Mahler should help.
ReplyDeleteNot everyone reveived the mailing at least of yet
ReplyDeleteJerry is trying to derail the ability of 96 families in Liberty Village the right to affordable housing by blocking a much needed vote on a Pilot on Monday night.
ReplyDeleteI trust that the Councilors who typically vote Jerry's way will be able to rise above the politics and the silly side show Jerry is running with the Congressman conveniently at the same time. Sending a letter like that, really? Didn't Jerry support Mayor Mapp?
If Green continues to defeat needed community services like keeping Liberty Village affordable, perhaps we should all get together and vote him out of office and send a clear message that our elected officials are in office to serve us and not themselves.
Also I will personally raise a lot of money to defeat any Councilor in the next election who votes down a Pilot preserving Liberty Village as an affordable complex.
Politicians need to do what is right for their constituents and not what Jerry wants. Perhaps Mayor Mapp is doing just that and the reason Jerry finds the need to write such letters. Lets stop the nonsense as we have a lot of problems to solve in our community.
Randy
Randy, you are a little late. All of a sudden you personally are going to raise money. Where have you been? You should have acted long before now.
DeleteLucky those who didn't receive Green's poison mailing. So much for Jerry's not interfering in Plainfield politics. I read it and put it in the garbage where it belonged. I'm even more of a Mapp backer now and won't vote for any og Green's choices for city council. That mailer was a big mistake. Let the people take Plainfield back!
ReplyDeleteBob you are not voting for any Black person from this country, therefore your comments mean nothing.Stop making excuses for not supporting Black people.
ReplyDeleteHow do you know who I voted for? I voted for Mapp, Green, and Sharon the first time. I guess you're color blind. Who pays you to write such rubbish?
DeleteRandy money is not everything, anybody can raise money.Money is the reason that people are in office now duh.
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
ReplyDeleteNicely done Bernice. WOW nicely done.
ReplyDeleteThere are many iniquities in Assemblyman Jerry Green's mailer - we all know that. I would like to touch on just one; the selection of Adrian Mapp to run on the regular democratic line of Union County.
In 2012 Green, and NOT Democratic Chair Charlotte DeFillippo, (nor the Plainfield Committee for that matter), selected Mapp to run on the line for the 3rd Ward Council seat.
In 2013 for the Mayor's spot Green was testing the waters, putting out feelers like he should. My knowledge is that there where four possible candidates for the line for Mayor. Two former Councilors (both of whom would not entertain the prospect), the current Mayor at the time, (his comment to me about her was that "she had her chance") and the 3rd Ward Councilman that he chose the previous year. I feel Mapp was his choice from the beginning, the rest was, and is, a show to appease the minority anti-Mapp that is loud and vociferous.
And yeah, I would guess that in recent years DeFillippo has been whispering in Green's ear - "you go play nice with those new dems, they're sucking up all the money we raise from our vendors to run against them". But ultimately it was Jerry's decision as Jerry wants to win and be aligned with a winner. He did that when he choose Adrian Mapp.
For whatever reasons these two boys aren't playing "nice" as Charlotte told them. Somehow, someway, some miracle needs to happen because neither is going away.
Bernice,
ReplyDeleteI am urging folks to bring Jerry Green's ridiculous, lie-filled mailer to the Rush Holt meeting at 7:00 pm tomorrow night. I am urging them to ask progressive Democrat Holt what he thinks of Jerry Green (a purported Democrat) telling the residents of Plainfield that Mayor Adrian Mapp, a Democrat whom they voted in by giving him well over 70% of the vote (a CLEAR MANDATE), is bad for Plainfield. Mapp has only been in office for four months, versus JG's decades of "leadership," and yet Green has decided to continue his divisiveness in his desperate and pathetic attempt to destroy our city's chances for the future.
Adrian Mapp endorsed Watson Coleman, while Jerry Green waffled--everyone knows that Jerry Green wanted to throw his support to Linda Greenstein. I am further urging residents to let Congressional hopeful Bonnie Watson Coleman know exactly what they think of our city's future, given Jerry Green's divisiveness. I am told that Assemblywoman Watson-Coleman will be in Plainfield this week.
If Bonnie Watson-Coleman is going to be our progressive Democratic candidate for CD-12, how can she be expected to help us to move forward while divisive, nasty, foul-mouthed individuals like Jerry Green continue to scream out nasty invective ("I run this motherf*&cker!") and send out lie-filled citywide mailings railing against the mayor who just took office 4 months ago--again, after receiving over 70% of the citywide vote?
I will be blogging on this later--but I really think folks should take Jerry Green's antics to a higher level, as well as make sure to vote against his "candidates" in the primary--support me, Charles McRae, and Emmett Swan in COLUMN E. Green's candidates just don't compare.
Rebecca
I don't know which speaks better/worse for Watson-Coleman, Mapps' earlier endorsement, or the choice of Jerry Green as her committee co-chairperson.
DeleteBernice, I am glad you removed that comment. My bother is a racist and should not have left that comment.He is not funny or clever.
ReplyDeleteWhy do the Democrats keep putting Green in the Chairman's seat ? Why do the voters of Plainfield keep supporting him whens he runs for the Assembly ? I hear Democrats crying all the time about how they can not afford the high taxes and high PMUA bills here in Plainfield. but they keep pushing the D button on election day. We need change for the better in Plainfield and soon before we wind up like the city of Detroit!
ReplyDeleteGreat job Bernice. I too received the flier and tossed it.
ReplyDeleteThe political powers that be are well of JG the clown. However, as long as he "delivers" the vote he will get their support, and we are stuck with him...unless of course we vote him out!!! The New Dems must provide more than lip service and engage their constituents. So happy to see people are starting to pay more attention to this parasite. Let's get rid of him and his clan of clowns and move this city forward!!!
Gerry Green thinks he is the king of Union County and has lost his Queen in Plainfield who followed his rules. He is now looking for any reason to keep his name in the spot light because it is all about King Green and not about the people.
ReplyDeleteRebecca, I know you don't have the audacity to call someone foul mouth. You are the nastiest council member ever.Don't become more hateful because Jerry did not endorse you. I am a new democrat but will not vote for any of you idiots, Jerry's time is up, and you defend Mapp like he is your husband, Mapp is proving to be a huge disappointment, not because Jerry said it but it is true. What is up with all of his positions that are not needed, but will cost Plainfield.Rebecca is the most unclassiest person ever, and all her cronies think it is cute, that is just bad behavior. It is amazing that she talks about Jerry she is just as bad.She bashes her own colleagues on her Blog.That will bring unity,. I am definitely voting for Charles Eke for her seat.
ReplyDeleteRegular Democrat, New Democrat, Progressive Democrat and soon to be coming Less Filling Democrat.
ReplyDeleteTo 4:28 PM, Please, this isn’t about Rebecca so stop doing Jerry Greens bidding and let's keep the focus on what this is truly about. Bernice, thank you for writing this post it was very brave and very accurate. Jerry Green's mailing slamming The Mayor and the new dems is totally ridiculous and shows just how desperate he truly is. Green has been in office for over 20 years and now he claims Plainfield has been short changed and he wants to make sure we get the money we deserve, what a joke and it’s too little too late. What I would like to know is what did Green do with the 1 million dollars he claimed to manage to net for Plainfield? The real issue here is that Green is running scared, he is starting to realize that people are questioning what he’s brought to the table in the last 20 years that benefit Plainfield. He most likely is realizing that his time of rule is running short and his hand-picked slate for city council is just a ploy to follow out his last big deal; 660 or more units on the Muhlenberg site. Green says no apartments on Muhlenberg site, but believe me the promise of palms being greased has already been negotiated and he needs to keep control over the city council a little longer, hence his slate for city council and his desperate brochure mailing. SAY NO TO JKF’s PROPOSAL FOR 660 UNITS, SAY NO TO JERRY GREEN AND LETS SAY A REALLY BIG NO TO HIS SLATE FOR CITY COUNCIL!!!
ReplyDeleteRobin B
NOOOOOOOOOO...
ReplyDeletePlainfield is “Jerry’s World”. As chairman of the Democratic City Committee, Jerry Green has been running the Cit of Plainfield for over 20 years. With very few exceptions, he has personally chosen Plainfield’s elected officials. For example at this year’s Democratic City Committee, Jerry dispensed with the need for a vote on candidates by just announcing his selections. Jerry’s candidates are expected to carry out his agenda. Unfortunately for residents of Jerry’s World, Jerry’s priority always seems to be to spend the resources of Plainfield to gain political points for himself with his bosses in Trenton. The needs of the citizens of the citizens of Plainfield seem to always come in a distant second.
ReplyDeletePlainfield’s dysfunction, waste and abuse are Jerry Green’s political legacy. Jerry tries to claim he isn’t responsible for the day to day running of Plainfield, but let’s review. He personally chooses the elected officials by giving them the democratic line in the primary and if they don’t displease him by not following his wishes, he replaces them by choosing someone else for the democratic line in their next election. Even in 2005, when Jerry lost control of the Democratic City Committee and thereby the democratic line in the primary, he conspired with the Union County Democratic Party leadership to “steal” the democratic line in the primary for his chosen candidates.
The sad thing is that Jerry Green is the one person in Plainfield with the power to turn Plainfield around. He could put the “best and brightest” in office. There are talented, experienced professionals living across this city who would gladly donate their time and talent in a legitimate effort to make Plainfield a successful, thriving city once again. A good example of that was 20 years ago, when over 200 people from all four wards worked together as part of the Citizens’ Committee For Social and Economic Revitalization of Plainfield, which Jerry even chartered, to analyze the key problem areas facing the city and to develop, together with The Council and The Administration, and integrated plan to address them. Unfortunately implementation would have upset the political “gravy-train”, so word came down to shelve the plan. It is like so many other efforts through the years that look so promising yet go nowhere. Hope springs eternal that Plainfield can come around to living up to its rich history and remarkable potential. But then again, this is “Jerry’s World” and he would have to choose what’s best for Plainfield over what’s best for Jerry and based on history that is unlikely.
Tom Kaercher