THE TORTUOUS ROAD TO TERESA: Part III

[Mr.5Reasons]

THE TORTUOUS ROAD TO TERESA
PART III
THE Q FACTOR

To all the politico aficionados, grab the padding, put your hard hat on, start up your engines and get ready for the race of the year. Wait, grab some extra padding because the end result will definitely shock and perhaps start the demise of one or more of the political networks in existence.

Only a few weeks ago the road for Teresa Ruiz to become a State Senator was clear of obstacles and present danger. The Adubato machine and his minions managed to create alliances for the primary that consisted of “Mr. Clean” Mayor Booker and all the chairpersons and district leaders in the North, East and Central ward along with Hillside. The only projected resistance was in the South Ward. Bill Payne was in trouble and did not have (and is not known to put in place) a well organized campaign. Adubato bragged that no one can beat him in a primary (He’s probably right). The Adubato machine did such a convincing job that Bill Payne took his advice and decided to run not in the primary but in the general election as an independent.

The Adubato machine was also convinced that Assemblyman Wilfredo Caraballo was finished and not to be of any concern. Adubato predicted that Caraballo would buckle under the pressure and play “Lets Make a Deal” for a future Superior Court appointment and ensure the victory for Booker’s candidate Grace Spencer and Amador’s candidate Alberto Cortihuno. But a funny thing happened on the tortuous road to Teresa. The harassment, intimidation, arm twisting, hair pulling, backstabbing, deceptive tactics, meetings of strangers in the night, and the threat of losing ones job almost worked. But Adubato pushed a bit too hard and his Midas Machevillian touch may backfire.

Just as Teresa’s Senate post had almost been accomplished, the Adubato condition kicked in. Like the cookie monster, he wanted all the cookies and went in for just one more kill – maybe one too many. He could not leave things along, just one more, the last deal to put the nail on the coffin. The cookie monster wanted to eliminate any possibility of Quintana being a factor in this race by pressuring for an endorsement of Teresa and the Line A candidates while holding the PVSC commission over his head.

A classic back room “Lets Make a Deal” arrangement was made and delivered. The son of State Senator Nia Gill now works at the County and State Senator Nia Gill is exercising senatorial courtesy to hold up Quintana’s appointment to the PVSC commission until submission is conceded. Who would have thought that the once fierce and fair-minded State Senator Nia Gill would go to bed with Steve. Ah, but this Essex and politics is, well sadly, politics.

In what has become characteristic of Quintana he is gearing up to fight back. This would be his 4th campaign in the last 6 years. The word on the street is that he is rounding up his troops for a slug fest, digging some deep trenches, collecting ammunition, creating a triage center and about to stage a blitz similar to the fight that earned him the name “the Lucas Killer.” This might well be the only ideal time for Quintana to challenge the Man with the Midas touch and prove that the North Ward political boss is finally on his way to the leisure life of retirement.

Mr. 5Reasons