Michael Russo to Emily Jabbour on how to do Soprano State, "Pay to Play" - follow the leader!

Michael Russo, the Hoboken councilman with legendary corruption seen on an FBI undercover video getting busy with his illicit big developer Solomon Dwek, adds typical family fare via the Hoboken Housing Authority in this exclusive investigative report.

Following last week's revelation of Councilwoman Emily Jabbour's receipt of $1,000 from the head of the CLEAR automatic ticketing program came to light, coinciding almost to the minute with her vote approving the controversial pilot program, a new revelation from a council colleague and mayoral candidate. 

As Russo might say to Emily, "Hold my beer."

Michael Russo, as seen in this edited campaign clue card, has been getting busy with it
at the HHA. After completing his $2,000,000 bankruptcy case in late 2023, he's
wasted no time in Soprano State style pay-to-play.

When Russo was handed a seat on the Hoboken Housing Authority in mid-June 2021, eyebrows were immediately raised. Why would the City Council do such a thing, where arm-twisting, intimidation, and threats are routinely part of the Mile Square City's housing authority buildings' illustrious history? 

Council members thought it was all part of the past and 'under control.' Others were not convinced. Who turned out to get it right? 

Below is the link to a $508,000 contract with the Hoboken Housing Authority for four boiler replacements, dated January 20th, 2023:

https://www.scribd.com/document/939093933/Hoboken-Housing-Authority-CONTRACT-William-J-Guarini-Apprvoed

Over half a million dollars for four boilers? "That's 'puro,' you can't miss." 

Shades of the old HHA practices under Mister Carmelo. 

Only weeks earlier, a contribution was made to Michael Russo's council campaign account for $1,000 from the same firm. There's much more to the story. 

Other related monies came in by the tens of thousands as originally reported last June on the Hudson County View:

Back in 2011, a new councilwoman was sworn in to be the Sixth Ward council representative. On the same day, July 1, 2011, a new Hoboken ordinance sponsored by then-councilman Peter Cunningham, rooting out pay-to-play, would pass after earlier failed attempts had been blocked previously by the Russo-Mason council alliance. 

It was a historic moment, many years in the making, and gave Hoboken the power of independence from special interests and backdoor Soprano State wheeling-dealing. 

When Ravi Bhalla, Emily Jabbour, Joe Quintero, and co. got hold of the Hoboken government reins, that same local ordinance was immediately placed in danger. Suddenly, Ravi declared the law in question for review, and a mysterious challenge came in the form of an odd letter from a municipal employee and local union member working in City Hall. The letter's author would quickly renounce it almost as soon as it was released. 

This did not stop Ravi and Russo from their new alliance to trash the Hoboken pay-to-play rules. Here you have the result. 

It's just bidness. 

The rest of this story will go out to members tomorrow.