11/9/2007:

I’m getting a few people reacting to today’s Jersey Journal Political Insider Column with the headline: “Ugly scene? Zimmer says no”

Council “Catfight” Column Disputed

One reader who was an eyewitness writes:

“Dear Hoboken411,

hoboken-catfight-zimmer-mason-false-allegation.jpgI love the site, and love the way you cover Hoboken from Hoboken, for Hoboken. Today’s “Political Insider” in the Jersey Journal is wrong about what really went down the other night. I was stunned when I saw the headline on the front page of the paper “Insider: Councilwomen in Bar “Fight”. It never happened.

I was at the City Council Meeting, and was one of many people who went to Buskers afterwards for a drink after a long meeting. After reading the column it’s clear to me that political enemies of Beth Mason and Dawn Zimmer dropped a dime to Augie Torres to perpetuate the sexist lie that Beth and Dawn got into a “Catfight” at Buskers.

Take the second line of the column:

“Yesterday, Zimmer denied that there was an ugly scene between the two at Buskers, a tavern behind City Hall, formerly known as Miss Kitty’s.”

hoboken-slime-ball-cammarano.jpg“Now, why do you think he mentioned the bar was once known as “Miss Kitty’s?” Could it be he wanted to say this was a “Catfight”, but couldn’t get away with it?

The FACT is, Councilwomen Mason and Zimmer were seen having a serious, face-to-face discussion immediately after the council meeting, behind the council table, in plain view for all to see at City Hall. The meeting was over, and the two were having what appeared to be an intense conversation, but there was no yelling, no raised voices, no “catfight”, nothing but two council members discussing a disagreement.

When two male council members discuss their disagreements after a meeting (often with raised voices) nobody writes about it. The “heated discussion” ended at City Hall, and didn’t make it into Buskers.

There were only happy faces at Buskers after the meeting. No arguments, no confrontations, no fighting. People from all factions of Hoboken political society migrate to Buskers after city council meetings for a late night bite and a drink. This night there were more people than usual because Ruben Ramos invited people to have a drink with him in celebration of his election to the State Assembly.

By the time Beth Mason arrived, the other council members had either made an appearance, or already had drinks in their hands. Beth arrived with three other people, not “another supporter” as the Torres column states. Augie also fails to mention that fifth ward councilman Peter Cunningham also made an appearance at the bar.

The only time Beth Mason and Dawn Zimmer interacted at Buskers was when Beth came over to Dawn’s table to raise a glass to toast Dawn’s victory. There was nothing more at Buskers. The rest is just plain made up to sell newspapers, and perpetuate Peter Cammarano’s sexist political agenda.

I was offended by this comment:

“It was a totally uncomfortable situation,” said Councilman Peter Cammarano of the faceoff. “It was like watching two First Ladies, whose husbands disliked each other, going at it.”

sexist-hoboken.jpgHow sexist is that? Cammarano clearly has a problem with women, on top of his many other inadequacies.

Maybe he is upset that the two men he backed in the 4th and 2nd ward races lost to these women. Petey was side by side with Chris Campos and Richard Tremitiedi, and they both lost!

Anyway, the bottom line is both Beth Mason and Dawn Zimmer had a somewhat intense, but not loud discussion after the council meeting at City Hall, and joined the rest of their colleagues at Buskers without further incident despite what it says in the Political Insider column.

Shame on Peter Cammarano!“

Dawn Zimmer sent this to 411 in response:

“Unfortunately I guess a “bar fight” sounds much more sexy than a civilized conversation between two Councilwomen who want to make sure that we have clean elections in Hoboken. Beth and I had a private conversation about voter fraud issues in the City Council chambers after the meeting. My supporters had already gone to Buskers after I was sworn in, so I went there to meet people. Beth came in a few minutes later. She came over to say hello and meet everyone at our table. (Other Council members sat over at the bar area).That’s it.”

So Hoboken411 readers, you decide. Did Augie Torres get it wrong? Is Peter Cammarano a sexist?

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