Corruption Quote of the Day: ‘People Might Ask Questions’
By Jon Whiten • Jul 31st, 2009 • Category: Blog, News, Politics
Blanket disclaimer time: All of the actions described below are allegations, and the person(s) who are charged have not been proven guilty.
In late March, deputy director of the Jersey City Department of Health and Human Services deputy director Maher Khalil met with fellow city employee John Guarini and purported developer Solomon Dwek at a Bayonne diner. The trio was discussing a project Dwek wanted to build on Garfield Avenue. Dwek asked Khalil if he was a member of the Zoning Board of Adjustment, and Khalil said he was. Dwek further said he wanted Khalil to use his position on the board to “slide” him through the development process “with no problems.” Khalil said he would, but warned Dwek to not “show up at Zoning Board meetings” as “people might ask questions.”
The only person Khalil was apparently worried about asking questions, however, appears to be Dwek, since Khalil had just lied to the federal informant. Khalil resigned his position on the Zoning Board of Adjustment on July 13, 2004, nearly five years before this conversation even took place. Nothing like hoodwinking a hoodwinker.
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Jon Whiten is the founding editor of the Jersey City Independent; he now works for a public-policy nonprofit in Trenton.
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