McGreevey to Discuss Allegations Made by Former Aide (New York-WABC, August 12, 2004) — New Jersey Governor Jim McGreevey's office has announced a news conference at 4:00 p.m., where McGreevey is expected to discuss allegations made by a former aide. The aides's name: Golan Cipel. Gov. McGreevey will hold a news conference at 4 p.m., where he is expected to discuss sexual harassment allegations made by his former aide, Golan Cipel. McGreevey held an emergency cabinet meeting at approximately 2:00 pm., where he discussed his future political plans, including whether he will plan to seek re-election in 2005. There was discussion as to whether McGreevey with either leave in November or not seek re-election in 2005. He is not expected to announce his resignation today, however, a senior official cautioned that the situation is fluid. McGreevey's parents arrived at the Statehouse, and aides were said to be crying. Next in the line of succession is Senate President Richard J. Codey, a 57-year-old Democrat from Essex County who has served in the legislature since 1974. Cipel is expected by state officials to file a sexual harassment suit against McGreevey, most likely in Mercer County Court. Cipel, a former McGreevey aide, was hired as his homeland security advisor following the Sept. 11th attacks -- but resigned under suspicious circumstances months later. McGreevey relied on his anti-terrorism credentials to justify hiring Cipel, a 33-year-old Israeli national, as a highly paid adviser. Cipel, an Israeli citizen, was hired by McGreevey for the $110,000-a-year security post in the governor's office, even though he was ineligible for a federal security clearance. Cipel's appointment as personal homeland security adviser to the governor created a firestorm of criticism, with Republicans and newspaper editorials questioning McGreevey's judgment.
I heard that criminal sexual assault charges may be filed! I knew NJ politics were corrupt but damn... has he been hanging out with that fat bisexual guy from the Sopranos? Also, will his one phone call be to Rick Perry?
No, as of a few days ago Kerry has opened up a double digit lead in NJ. I'll see if I can find the article.
Republicans in Tennessee will vote for Bush even though there's a whacko racist running for a House seat just as Dems in NJ will vote for Kerry even though there's wierd sex things going on with the Governor. (By the way, Kerry is even in TN.)
Sunday Aug 8th Democratic presidential candidate John Kerry holds a 20-point lead over President George W. Bush among New Jersey's registered voters, according to a poll released Sunday. The Star-Ledger/Eagleton-Rutgers poll found 52 percent of the state's registered voters said they would vote for Kerry, while 32 percent said they would vote for Bush. Twelve percent were undecided and 3 percent chose Ralph Nader or a different third-party candidate. http://kyw.com/Local News/wcbskyw_story_221182310.html
just heard on NPR that McGreavey will announce he's a "Gay American" and will resign. i'm assuming that despite the weird juxtaposition the two are unrelated...
ok, says he's gay, says he had an extramarital affair w/ a man, and that he's resigning because he fears his sexuality could have some sort of impact on the governor's office...
I find it sad, that in this day and age, someone would have to resign just because he's been outed. Its another thing to have an affair, but don't politicians do this all the time.
The only kind of impact his homosexuality could have on the NJ governor's office would be to get rid of those nasty drapes and those stuffy old paintings!
i have to say this makes me really sad. i'm not a particular mcgreavey fan, or for that matter not-a-fan, and i don't know alot about the sexual assault accusations or other corruption charges, but resigning because your gay, particularly in one of the more liberal states in the country, and after you won w/ a 15 point margin, just...makes me sad. i wish the guy would stand up and say, yeah, i'm gay, i had an affair, my wife and i are getting divorces, but...whut, you lookin' at me? you wanna piece a me? dude, stand 'n fight!
Apparently he is resigning effective Nov 15th.. something about if he does it before a certain date then there is a new election.. but by doing it so late whoever is next in line takes over until 2006.. If I was in New Jersey.. I'd probably want him to resign now if he is resigning.. instead of hanging around in office even after we know he is resigning.. Feel really bad for his family. An affair is bad enough and always wrong, but I don't know what you do when you have kids with a man and then suddenly he announces he is gay. Surely she had to have some idea he was gay? Although if he has kids with a woman and all... maybe that makes him Bi.. I don't know
next in line is the democratic head of the state senate. i imagine there'll be a lot of pressure on him to resign now
here's the AP story, linked from NJ.com -- AP: New Jersey governor announces his resignation; acknowledges he had affair with another man New Jersey governor announces his resignation; acknowledges he had affair with another man By JOHN P. McALPIN AP Political Writer TRENTON, N.J. - In a stunning declaration, Gov. James E. McGreevey announced his resignation Thursday and acknowledged that he had an extramarital affair with another man. "My truth is that I am a gay American," he said. "Shamefully, I engaged in adult consensual affairs with another man, which violates my bonds of matrimony," the married father of two said. "It was wrong, it was foolish, it was inexecusable." The Democrat said his resignation would be effective Nov. 15. McGreevey said he would step down because his secret _ both his sexuality and his affair _ leaves the governor's office vulnerable. "I am removing these threats by telling you directly about my sexuality. Let me be clear: I accept total and full responsiblity for my actions," he said. "However, I am required to do now to do what is right to correct the consequences of my actions." The governor, who was married once before, said he has long struggled with the thoughts of his sexuality. "Because of my resolve and also thinking I was doing the right thing, I also forced what I thought was an acceptable reality onto myself," he said. McGreevey, the state's 51st governor, inherited a $5 billion budget deficit, he steadfastly refused to boost income taxes for most New Jerseyans, instead raising taxes on millionaires, casinos and cigarettes. But he has been dogged by several scandals involving fund-raising. McGreevey, a Democrat, rose from suburban mayor to state chief executive by his tenacious pursuit of party politics, maintaining a power base days after he narrowly lost to Republican Christie Whitman in 1997. McGreevey never truly stopped that campaign until he won in November 2001, beating Republican Bret Schundler by 15 percentage points. Born in Jersey City, McGreevey graduated from Columbia University in 1978. He earned a law degree from Georgetown University in 1981 and a master's degree in education from Harvard University a year later. After briefly serving as a county prosecutor, McGreevey became a lobbyist for a pharmaceutical company, then a state government official. While in the Legislature, McGreevey voted for Gov. Jim Florio's $2.8 billion tax hike that prompted a voter rebellion against Democrats. -- Mrs. McGreevey In the 3rd led write thru that's moving now on the wire, AP notes that James McGreevey's wife, Dina Matos, was at his side during the press conference. She might have the toughest job in the world tonight.
via the Times, McGreevey's speech: -- The New York Times August 12, 2004 In McGreevey's Words: 'I am a Gay American' Following is the full text of a speech by Governor James E. McGreevey of New Jersey, as recorded by e-Media Millworks. Good afternoon. Throughout my life, I have grappled with my own identity, who I am. As a young child, I often felt ambivalent about myself, in fact, confused. By virtue of my traditions, and my community, I worked hard to ensure that I was accepted as part of the traditional family of America. I married my first wife, Carrie, out of respect and love. And together, we have a wonderful, extraordinary daughter. Carrie then chose to return to British Columbia. I then had the blessing of marrying Dina, whose love and joy for life has been an incredible source of strength for me. And together, we have the most beautiful daughter. Yet, from my early days in school, until the present day, I acknowledged some feelings, a certain sense that separated me from others. But because of my resolve, and also thinking that I was doing the right thing, I forced what I thought was an acceptable reality onto myself, a reality which is layered and layered with all the, quote, good things, and all the, quote, right things of typical adolescent and adult behavior. Yet, at my most reflective, maybe even spiritual level, there were points in my life when I began to question what an acceptable reality really meant for me. Were there realities from which I was running? Which master was I trying to serve? I do not believe that God tortures any person simply for its own sake. I believe that God enables all things to work for the greater good. And this, the 47th year of my life, is arguably too late to have this discussion. But it is here, and it is now. At a point in every person's life, one has to look deeply into the mirror of one's soul and decide one's unique truth in the world, not as we may want to see it or hope to see it, but as it is. And so my truth is that I am a gay American. And I am blessed to live in the greatest nation with the tradition of civil liberties, the greatest tradition of civil liberties in the world, in a country which provides so much to its people. Yet because of the pain and suffering and anguish that I have caused to my beloved family, my parents, my wife, my friends, I would almost rather have this moment pass. For this is an intensely personal decision, and not one typically for the public domain. Yet, it cannot and should not pass. I am also here today because, shamefully, I engaged in adult consensual affair with another man, which violates my bonds of matrimony. It was wrong. It was foolish. It was inexcusable. And for this, I ask the forgiveness and the grace of my wife. She has been extraordinary throughout this ordeal, and I am blessed by virtue of her love and strength. I realize the fact of this affair and my own sexuality if kept secret leaves me, and most importantly the governor's office, vulnerable to rumors, false allegations and threats of disclosure. So I am removing these threats by telling you directly about my sexuality. Let me be clear, I accept total and full responsibility for my actions. However, I'm required to do now, to do what is right to correct the consequences of my actions and to be truthful to my loved ones, to my friends and my family and also to myself. It makes little difference that as governor I am gay. In fact, having the ability to truthfully set forth my identity might have enabled me to be more forthright in fulfilling and discharging my constitutional obligations. Given the circumstances surrounding the affair and its likely impact upon my family and my ability to govern, I have decided the right course of action is to resign. To facilitate a responsible transition, my resignation will be effective on November 15th of this year.
Q: If he was simply outed (with some sort of evidence) without the harassment allegations, do you think he'd have resigned? Q: If he was involved in an extramarital heterosexual affair, do you think he'd have resigned? I think the answers are yes, and yes. The first is sad, the second is pretty standard.
