As Booker’s second term in office was about to be halved due to his campaign and eventual election to the U.S. Senate, factions of the elders met to discuss who they were going to put in power. Former 25-year Newark Municipal Councilman and State Senator Ron L. Rice (not to be confused with his son and current West Ward Councilman, Ron C. Rice), former 17-year South Ward Councilman Donald Bradley, and assorted other community power brokers decided on Ras Baraka. Among Baraka’s fist orders of business was to put Sharpe’s son, John James, on his team. Ras Baraka could be counted on to maintain lucrative connections and associations that have kept their families and a friends in the black even as the rest of Newark drowned in the red budgetary abyss that swallowed 168 police officers, many families who couldn’t keep their heads or homes above water, and businesses that could no longer afford to stay in Brick City. Ras had already proven himself to be adept at gaming the system to the tune of a quarter million dollars in year in taxpayer-funded paychecks. Now he’s allied with Pablo Fonseca, Cory Booker’s former Chief of Staff, among other strange bedfellows. Baraka’s brother and Chief of Staff, Middy Baraka, is so chummy with Mo Butler, Booker’s current state director that many have speculated that Middy will bolt for a job in D.C. if his brother’s mayoral bid falls short. Newark politicians are pragmatists if nothing else. As they say: it’s a good gig if you can get it.
Posted on: Tue, 08 Apr 2014 01:23:54 +0000
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