Cory Booker

WEST ORANGE - Essex County Democratic Party Chairman Phil Thigpen, Gov. Jon Corzine and fellow party members huddled up in Pal’s Cabin this morning in a show of party unity as Team Essex heads into Denver in support of Sen. Barack Obama (D-Il).

This is the second time in as many weeks that Corzine has gone to Pal’s to help focus party members on getting Obama elected president. Last week the governor met with members of the Group, the chief fundraising arm for Sen. Hillary Clinton, which is now committed to Obama.

"This one was much more about elected officials and the county party apparatus," said Mark Alexander, senior advisor for the Obama campaign. "There were town chairmen and women, all showing the unity of Obama and Clinton. This was about creating a unified force in the party."

Sources in the Barack Obama campaign say that veteran Newark operative Pablo Fonseca "is in the mix" to serve as political director for the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee.

Fonseca works as Newark Mayor Cory Booker's chief of staff.

Last month, the campaign selected labor leader Tricia Mueller as the campaign's state director, and Bob Decheine, chief of staff to U.S. Rep. Steve Rothman (D-Fair lawn), as senior advisor. 

Since last year, Booker has served as co-chair of the Obama campaign in New Jersey, along with Jersey City Mayor Jerramiah Healy. 

Council President Mildred Crump, left, and Nikea White of the Central Ward: Politicker photo 

NEWARK - Council President Mildred Crump told PolitickerNJ.com that she decided to shut down her original plan for a vote tomorrow to replace former Central Ward Councilwoman Dana Rone.

But she announced her support for former district leader candidate Nikea White to replace Rone, and said she would call for a vote in two weeks. 

"A week is too soon to have a vote," said Crump, referring to last Monday's county court decision that went against Rone, who was ousted from the council after being convicted of obstructing justice.

Although she said she believes her former colleague's situation is unjust and wants to help enact reform measures with Assemblywoman Cleopatra Tucker (D-Newark), Crump admitted she is not hopeful at this point. Rone's failure last last week in the appellate division all but assured Rone of  not being able to retain her seat, in Crump's mind.

She's called a special meeting, but will Council President Mildred Crump and the council take substantive action tomorrow?: Politicker photo 

NEWARK - They could end up coming out of their offices tomorrow and standing unified behind their fallen colleague with a statement of support, but a prospective City Council vote on whether or not to replace embattled former Councilwoman Dana Rone summons an inevitable question.

Who would vote to replace Rone, and who would replace her?

The fact that Council President Mildred Crump called a special meeting tomorrow at a time when East Ward Councilman Augusto Amador is on vacation may indicate that Mayor Cory Booker - an ally of Crump’s - wants the council to move on the vote as quickly as possible.

Some Newark sources say Crump - not Booker - has more of a stake in would-be replacement Nikea White; and that is was Crump acting alone, not the mayor, who pushed for tomorrow’s vote.

Assemblyman Albert Coutinho (D-Newark) on Adams Street in the Ironbound: Politicker photo 

NEWARK - Standing outside East Ward Democratic Party headquarters on Adams Street, Assemblyman Albert Coutinho (D-Newark) occupies that central part of the 29th Legislative District that encompasses north and south Newark.

Coutinho’s running mates, state Sen. Teresa Ruiz (D-Essex) and Assemblywoman Grace Spencer (D-Newark) come out of the north and south wards Newark respectively.

The East Ward, which is made up Portugese and Italians, and fits into the Ironbound neighborhood, is Coutinho’s home.

"We’ve always been an independent ward," says Joseph Parlavecchio, the assemblyman’s mentor, who on this day sits inside party HQ, giving an interview to a young woman who’s writing a book about city politics.

NEWARK - The seat on the far side of the dais was empty.

That’s where Central Ward Councilwoman Dana Rone sat for Newark City Council meetings in the chamber on the second floor of Newark City Hall.

Banned yesterday by an assignment judge from serving on the council now and in the future because of her obstruction of justice conviction, Rone was nowhere to be found on the premises.

But the public comment segment of today’s meeting brought forth some commentary on the situation that West Ward Councilman Ronald Rice has already said may be a case of "selective prosecution."

Public reaction to Rone’s case included both chastising words for the Council and for the mayor.

Obama State Director Tricia Mueller: Politicker file photoNEWARK - Tricia Mueller, state director of the Obama campaign, is meeting here today with Mayor Cory Booker to begin coordinating campaign efforts for the Nov. 4th presidential contest.

"The mayor’s one of the early principles in the race," Mueller said of Booker’s out of the gate 2007 endorsement of the Illinois senator and presumptive Democratic presidential nominee.

"Newark is going to be very important to us," Mueller said of New Jersey’s largest city where there are 57,337 registered Democrats.

"Mayor Booker and I will be looking at how we’re going to move forward to make sure that Newark comes out big for Obama," she added.

NEWARK - On the day Newark Councilwoman Dana Rone lost her council seat in the courtroom of assignment Judge Patricia Costello, Newark Mayor Cory Booker, the City Council and Sen. Ronald Rice (D-Essex) all supported her in her effort to appeal the judge’s decision.

But they also prepared for the very real possibility that Rone may lose her second-to-last chance gamble in the appellate division, and then fall with her last shot in the state Supreme Court.

Former Central Ward Councilman Charles Bell appears to be the candidate most likely to generate support from among the city's anti-Booker factions. Charone Montayne, daughter of Freeholder Blonnie Watson, may also make a run, but as a registered Republican she must be considered a longshot.

On the mayor’s side, the long-groomed Nakia White emerged as a late in the day option to replace an unsalvageable Rone.

NEWARK - For the moment, Mayor Cory Booker stands by Central Ward Councilwoman Dana Rone, whose appeal to remain a councilwoman was struck down today by an assignment judge.

"We’re supporting Dana and we hope there’s an appeal process and that she is kept on as the central ward councilwoman," said Booker chief of staff Pablo Fonseca.

Newark sources say former School Board candidates James Bennett and Tynesha McHarris may make a play for Rone’s vacated Central Ward council seat.

But as to whether Booker is considering either of them as a replacement, Fonseca told PolitickerNJ.com, "no comment," and reiterated what he says is the mayor’s desire that Rone would prevail at the appellate state Supreme Court level.

NEWARK - Although its members can choose to leave the seat Newark Mayor Cory Booker: Politicker file photovacant, the City Council has the statutory power to appoint an interim replacement for Central Ward Councilwoman Dana Rone.

At the moment there are no obvious candidates to replace her.

The street buzz all week in Newark was that Essex County Prosecutor Paula Dow would back off from her recommendation that the book be thrown at Rone, who was convicted of obstructing justice and under the law had to renounce her council seat.

Dow did back off, issuing a letter to Essex County Judge Patricia Costello to waive forfeiture in Rone’s case.

North Ward Democratic leader Steve Adubato: Politicker file photoBut Costello didn’t see leniency as an option here, and barred Rone from serving on the council - and from serving elected office, period.

If Rone’s abrupt exit leaves the field of individuals open - and sources say former Central Ward Councilman Charles Bell may be interested in running for the vacant seat - there are two obvious machines with a stake in Newark’s second largest ward.