A 1972 song by Ricky Nelson, “Garden Party,” fit the tone of a recent event at Hot House in Hoboken, since nearly everybody who was anybody politically was there –anybody, I mean, who is anti-Councilman Michael DeFusco. And it also happened to take place mostly in the garden behind the shop.
What should have been a sad occasion on June 18 turned out to serve as a venue for political intrigue, as political players gathered to mark the closing of the store after seven years and to plot DeFusco’s political demise.
Karen Nason, who ran for mayor of Hoboken last year, hosted the party that included people like blogger Nancy Pincus (without her political horse, who has since become a political persona non grata among the Bhalla-allied side of reform.)
The crowd included people who in the past might have been seen as political enemies, old and new Hoboken, hobnobbing with a common purpose.
Nason did not shed any tears over the closing of the business or even her political loss last November. She is already looking ahead to a future and a more ambitious project that could bring a major music venue back to Hoboken. In fact, the party partly served as a fundraiser for the future endeavor, the details of which she will release shortly when all the I’s are dotted and T’s are crossed.
Nason, being a performer as well as a politician, could not resist jumping behind the microphone to give her guests a few renditions of classic blues/rock/pop tunes, while around her political people buzzed with renditions of their own, questioning each other as to how to push DeFusco out as 1st Ward Councilman in the 2019 election when his term expires.
Nason comes off just a little bit like Mata Hari in all this, although Mae West might fit her better, since coincidentally she is reviving a West production at a New York venue shortly, based on a production that got West busted in certain places, including Jersey City.
West, like Nason, was not shy about provoking people to think, whether through art or through politics. But Nason generally avoids openly plotting the way some of her guests did.
DeFusco appears to be still campaigning even after his failed attempt to win as mayor in a five-way race against Ravi Bhalla (the eventual winner). Perhaps DeFusco senses his vulnerability since he single-handedly managed to do what nobody thought possible – unite factions of born-and-raised Hobokenites with newcomers.
Many of those who attended the event – including the always controversial Pincus – seemed to lean towards backing a run by former 1st Ward Councilwoman Terry Castellano whom DeFusco beat in 2015. At that time, he had support from allies of Mayor Dawn Zimmer and Bhalla.
Castellano, who was at the festivities as well, said she was considering the idea, and believes that many of the people who helped DeFusco previously won’t be backing him again next year.
DeFusco, after running originally on the reform ticket, appeared to switch sides for his mayoral run, backed heavily by Old Hoboken Councilman Ruben Ramos.
Castellano is rumored to be seeking the support of Bhalla if and when she challenges DeFusco.
Whether she approached Bhalla (who was also supposed to attend) is uncertain. But she apparently intends to broach the subject with him soon.
But the crowd included a number of ex-patriots from all sides of the political spectrum, some of whom were one-time DeFusco allies.
Four years ago, the idea that Castellano would be seeking an alliance with Bhalla would have been unheard of. But this is the new reality in Hoboken, where old alliances appear to no longer count and people are seeking to build new ones.
Castellano joins Councilman Michael Russo and Freeholder Anthony Romano in stepping over the line to join with people they previously opposed.
DeFusco, of course, has a strong ally in Ramos. But this may not be enough to get him reelected.
Hoboken has become politically fractured in new ways as a result of the mayoral election. So, the city is no longer just born-and-raised vs. newcomer, but a three-way split composed of the DeFusco/Ramos faction, the Bhalla faction, and a faction that includes Councilmembers Jen Giattino, Peter Cunningham, and Tiffanie Fisher, all of whom are up for reelection next year.
Giattino’s poor showing running for mayor last year suggests that she and her allies may be vulnerable unless they can find a powerful political friend.
But Bhalla, who was part of the recent failed attempt to take over the Hudson County Democratic Organization, may see powerful out-of-town political forces such as state Senator and North Bergen Mayor Nicholas Sacco working against him, the way Sacco is expected to work against West New York Mayor Felix Roque (a Bhalla ally) next year. Can Bhalla rely on help from state Sen. and Union City Mayor Brian Stack to counter this?
Giattino, Cunningham, and Fisher apparently wanted to build a relationship with County Executive Tom DeGise and have laid claim to bringing as many as 20 committee votes to Tom’s daughter, Amy DeGise, in Amy’s recent successful bid to become HCDO chair. But some question whether they actually brought those votes to the table. They also have a problem in that DeFusco appears to have a strong relationship with Sacco (and therefore the HCDO).
Al Sullivan may be reached at asullivan@hudsonreporter.com.
