Corruption, rabbis, and organs: New Jersey politics as usual

[GeneralHankerchief]

I love my state and will defend it to the death, but I swear its elected officials sometimes make it a personal goal to turn NJ into the biggest laughingstock in the country. This story is different from your usual "politicians are corrupt" angle because of the sheer weirdness:

44 people, including three mayors, arrested in moneylaundering investigation

Some key quotes that you think would be from entirely different stories:

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

Investigators charged one man with conspiring to broker -- for a fee of $160,000 -- the sale of a human kidney for transplant.

The arrests resulted from an FBI and Internal Revenue Service probe "that began with an investigation of money transfers by members of the Syrian enclaves in New York and New Jersey," the newspaper said on its Web site.

According to Newark's The Star-Ledger, the rabbis taken into custody are from the Syrian Jewish communities of Deal on New Jersey's northern shore[.]

And people wonder why I usually vote for the non-incumbent.

[Vladimir]

The existence of New Jersey is the primary reason why I support global warming.

[drone]

I'm fairly certain that a decent percentage of the NJ Turnpike toll money ends up in drug trafficking and international terrorism.

[Hooahguy]

the syrian jewish community is full of corruption like this. it doesnt surprise me.

[Reverend Joe]

Investigators charged one man with conspiring to broker -- for a fee of $160,000 -- the sale of a human kidney for transplant.

New Jersey = Mexico? Wow.

[AlexanderSextus]

New Jersey = Mexico? Wow.

Yeah pretty much. Irvington is like Juarez, with all the gang violence and what not.

[HoreTore]

Just saw this in the news. I had to check the calendar to make sure it wasn't April 1.

Seriously, 44 people?????

[Zim]

I was going to say that you could probably do the same kind of arrests in a few other states beofre realizing that's more depressing than consoling.

[drone]

Just saw this in the news. I had to check the calendar to make sure it wasn't April 1.

Seriously, 44 people?????

And you wonder why we don't trust the government over here...

[seireikhaan]

Jeez, man. That's in just in New Jersey? That's astounding.

Kudos, I think NJ is officially the "most bizarre" per capita state in the country.

[AlexanderSextus]

10 ppl got shot just the other day in Newark, also, btw.

New Jersey Aint No Joke, people!

[HoreTore]

And you wonder why we don't trust the government over here...

The best we have was a minister who unintentionally bungled her taxes and paid a few hundred dollars less than she should've...

[Hosakawa Tito]

The New Jersey State motto is The Soprano State. Apparently the corruption is so badly engrained that the Feds have to make the busts instead of the State Attorney Generals Office.

Rumor has it that during the Revolutionary War, New Jersey tried to collect tolls from George Washington's army as they marched to engage the British at Monmouth.

[KukriKhan]

New Jersey. You gotta hand it to 'em: when they do the Graft, Corruption and Bribery Dance, they do it big, with panache, going all the way back to 1702 with "Fast Eddie" Hyde, 3rd Earl of Clarendon.

Our corrupt pollies out here in California are mere pikers by comparison.

[CountArach]

This even puts NSW Labor to shame.

[/State-level Australian politics reference]

[Oaty]

New Jersey. You gotta hand it to 'em: when they do the Graft, Corruption and Bribery Dance, they do it big, with panache, going all the way back to 1702 with "Fast Eddie" Hyde, 3rd Earl of Clarendon.

Our corrupt pollies out here in California are mere pikers by comparison.

At least he supported same sex marriages

[Hooahguy]

anyone see the front page of the NY times on friday?
not good press for us jews, especially after the bernie madoff scandal.

[GeneralHankerchief]

anyone see the front page of the NY times on friday?
not good press for us jews, especially after the bernie madoff scandal.

Eh, I think you're fine. In case you haven't noticed, the Western religions haven't been on much of a hot streak recently.

[Hooahguy]

well i dont really know about that. a family friend of mine who works in investing and says that his buisness has gone down, and not because of the market. according to him, a bit of research showed that his former clients were going over to non-jewish ones.

[Banquo's Ghost]

well i dont really know about that. a family friend of mine who works in investing and says that his buisness has gone down, and not because of the market. according to him, a bit of research showed that his former clients were going over to non-jewish ones.

I'd imagine that is sheer paranoia. Madoff is a crook, his religious heritage doesn't give him an advantage as a financier or as a criminal. That's rather pandering to ancient stereotypes.

There's plenty of WASPs in clink or heading that way. Over here, the jails are full of Catholic wide-boys.

Next we'll hear that victims of protection rackets are changing their "insurance" to the Triads because Berlusconi has become a bit embarrassing for the Italians.

[CountArach]

well i dont really know about that. a family friend of mine who works in investing and says that his buisness has gone down, and not because of the market. according to him, a bit of research showed that his former clients were going over to non-jewish ones.

Correlation does not imply causation. If people had a problem with Jews they wouldn't have gone there in the first place.

[pevergreen]

This even puts NSW Labor to shame.

[/State-level Australian politics reference]

Oh no you didn't!

"I got howards cash, so I gave you all money,
I claimed it would help fix the Oz economy.
But did you buy a new house,
Or a car thats a hybrid?
No you blew it at strip joints, hey thats cool, I know I did."

[CountArach]

Oh no you didn't!

"I got howards cash, so I gave you all money,
I claimed it would help fix the Oz economy.
But did you buy a new house,
Or a car thats a hybrid?
No you blew it at strip joints, hey thats cool, I know I did."

Awesome.

[pevergreen]

I like the song its based off though.

Do you know what it is/did you see it CA?

[AlexanderSextus]

I saw on the news last night (or was it the night before?) that one of the guys involved in this was recently found dead.

Thats New Jersey for ya....

[Ice]

Reminds me of the Sopranos... Gotta love Jersey

[Hooahguy]

Reminds me of the Sopranos... Gotta love Jersey

you mean "joisy"
or am i thinking of another accent?

[AlexanderSextus]

you mean "joisy"
or am i thinking of another accent?

In my whole life of living in Jerz i have never heard anyone say it like that.