My friends and I were saying that before he even got elected. :) And of course his resignation has nothing to do with all the scandal plaguing his administration...

Good afternoon. Throughout my life, I have grappled with my own identity, who I am. As a young child, I often felt ambivalent about myself, in fact, confused.

By virtue of my traditions, and my community, I worked hard to ensure that I was accepted as part of the traditional family of America. I married my first wife, Carrie, out of respect and love. And together, we have a wonderful, extraordinary daughter. Carrie then chose to return to British Columbia.

I then had the blessing of marrying Dina, whose love and joy for life has been an incredible source of strength for me. And together, we have the most beautiful daughter.

Yet, from my early days in school, until the present day, I acknowledged some feelings, a certain sense that separated me from others. But because of my resolve, and also thinking that I was doing the right thing, I forced what I thought was an acceptable reality onto myself, a reality which is layered and layered with all the, quote, good things, and all the, quote, right things of typical adolescent and adult behavior.

Yet, at my most reflective, maybe even spiritual level, there were points in my life when I began to question what an acceptable reality really meant for me. Were there realities from which I was running? Which master was I trying to serve?

I do not believe that God tortures any person simply for its own sake. I believe that God enables all things to work for the greater good. And this, the 47th year of my life, is arguably too late to have this discussion. But it is here, and it is now.

At a point in every person's life, one has to look deeply into the mirror of one's soul and decide one's unique truth in the world, not as we may want to see it or hope to see it, but as it is.

And so my truth is that I am a gay American. And I am blessed to live in the greatest nation with the tradition of civil liberties, the greatest tradition of civil liberties in the world, in a country which provides so much to its people.

Yet because of the pain and suffering and anguish that I have caused to my beloved family, my parents, my wife, my friends, I would almost rather have this moment pass. For this is an intensely personal decision, and not one typically for the public domain.

Yet, it cannot and should not pass. I am also here today because, shamefully, I engaged in adult consensual affair with another man, which violates my bonds of matrimony. It was wrong. It was foolish. It was inexcusable. And for this, I ask the forgiveness and the grace of my wife. She has been extraordinary throughout this ordeal, and I am blessed by virtue of her love and strength.

I realize the fact of this affair and my own sexuality if kept secret leaves me, and most importantly the governor's office, vulnerable to rumors, false allegations and threats of disclosure. So I am removing these threats by telling you directly about my sexuality.

Let me be clear, I accept total and full responsibility for my actions. However, I'm required to do now, to do what is right to correct the consequences of my actions and to be truthful to my loved ones, to my friends and my family and also to myself.

It makes little difference that as governor I am gay. In fact, having the ability to truthfully set forth my identity might have enabled me to be more forthright in fulfilling and discharging my constitutional obligations.

Given the circumstances surrounding the affair and its likely impact upon my family and my ability to govern, I have decided the right course of action is to resign. To facilitate a responsible transition, my resignation will be effective on November 15th of this year.

And he thought he had trouble being accepted by the church for his abortion-rights stance, now he's really gonna have problems!

still awaiting the REAL story here...

McGreevey was seduced in Israel in 2000 by Golan Cipel. McGreevey brought him back to the U.S. and tried to appoint him as his security advisor. The Feds refused Cipel a security clearance. McGreevey gave him a no-show job at $110,ooo a year. Cipel was then hired by a number of companies that do business with the state of New Jersey. Resigned because he's gay? Hardly.

I don't understand why he feels he must resign just because he disclosed his bisexual orientation! Or did somebody sneak in some kind of constitutional ammendment when no one was looking!?!?
There must something more; more insidious, going on here. Was it in order to resign that he made this announcement, or was it just that he wanted to show that gay people really can fit in anywhere? (as one would hope-but in that case the last thing you would expect is a resignation)
nocarsdave

I don't think it's all this Israel stuff.

Apparently when McGreevy broke his leg early this year it was actually during a secret rendezvous with his lover. After that point "insiders" knew about his sexuality.

The corruption scandal is probably the result of someone blackmailing him. After he realized that the investigation at the tip of the corruption scandal was going to lead them down this doozy of a rabbit hole to discover he was being blackmailed for a gay affair he simply came out with it and resigned.

That's my theory but this is New Jersey we're talking about here, probably the most corrupt state in the country, so I wouldn't rule out anything out of hand.

New york times now confirms the affair was with "special advisor" Golan Cipel who "was hired by the governor in 2002 as an adviser to the state Office of Homeland Security."

Hmmm, the plot thickens. Maybe the mossadomaniacs aren't crying wolf this time...

So the other man is named Golan Cipel. He's been getting cushy jobs from McGreevey for a while. But here's the REALLY funny part, his first job was
"as McGreevey's $110,000 HOMELAND SECURITY ADVISOR"!!

I always knew that Homeland Security was a slush fund for mistresses...

read more, if you must:
 http://www.thnt.com/thnt/story/0,21282,626197,00.html

Mossadomischief or a palimony case for Raoul Felder?

-------------------------------------------

Aides to the governor, a Democrat, said the affair was with a former aide, Golan Cipel, who was hired by the governor in 2002 as an adviser to the state Office of Homeland Security. He resigned eight months later as a special adviser to the governor, at a salary of $110,000. The aides said Mr. Cipel had threatened to file a lawsuit accusing the governor of sexual harassment.

A federal law enforcement official said Mr. McGreevey's office had called the F.B.I. on Thursday and complained that Mr. Cipel had requested $5 million to quash the suit, which assistants to the governor saw as extortion.

Neither Mr. Cipel, 35, nor his lawyer responded to calls for comment.

Interesting note from the past.

 http://www.newjerseysolidarity.org/action/action4.html

TELL NJ GOV. MCGREEVEY - NO $20 MILLION TO ISRAEL!

On the heels of New Jersey Governor Jim McGreevey's concession to the free speech rights of Rutgers University and its students to host the Third North American Conference of the Palestine Solidarity Movement on October 10-12, 2003, which he has continued to denounce as "abhorrent," McGreevey has announced that the New Jersey pension fund plans to invest $20 million in Israel bonds this year. This follows in the wake of several other noted incidents of pro-Zionist bias in McGreevey's past, including:

*During his 2001 campaign, he refused to speak before the American Muslim Alliance, and was actually forced to apologize, as he had raised concerns about their "support for violence." He had spoken before the group in the past, and his Republican challenger, Bret Schundler, had spoken before the large, mainstream Muslim organization.

*When speaking before an Arab American Institute candidates' forum, when asked if he could be a fair and balanced political leader, he replied that he was "very much a friend of Israel." (The questioner had not asked him about Palestine.)

*When nominating a director for New Jersey's Homeland Security department, he nominated Golan Cipel, a former IDF soldier, to head the department because of his "experience." McGreevey met Cipel on a campaign trip to Israel; Cipel could not be confirmed in the position, however, because as an Israeli citizen without US citizenship, he could not obtain the required security clearance without seeking US citizenship. Cipel was granted another job advising McGreevey.

*Soon after his election, revolutionary Black nationalist poet Amiri Baraka was appointed to be the state's Poet Laureate. Baraka, who had not sought the position, warned McGreevey that his appointment would be controversial. McGreevey continued with the appointment. After Baraka read his poem (writtena nd published before the appointment), "Who Blew Up America?", critical of Israel, McGreevey allied with state legislators who sought to fire him, and then, noting the free speech problems, worked with those legislators to abolish the position of Poet Laureate.

*When McGreevey's office became aware of the Palestine solidarity conference occurring at Rutgers in October 2003, the governor immediately stated "concerns" about the conference being an "anti-Israel rally." While forced to concede that the conference's occurrence is a free speech issue, McGreevey ordered the host group, New Jersey Solidarity, investigated by the state's department of counterterrorism. (The group was cleared.)

McGreevey's office sent the following letter:

James McGreevey
Governor

Dear Friend:

Having served as the gateway for so many groups of immigrants coming to this nation in search of freedom and oppurtunity,New Jersey is indeed a state rich in ethnic diversity.New Jersey is particularly proud of its strong Jewish heritage and the community's contribution to both our State and Nation.We are hard at work - with the Jewish community and its leadership - to build a future that benifits all New Jerseyans.

For the first time,the state is investing our pension funds in State of Israel bonds - $20 million worth.But,please know that this is not merely a symbolic act.While the investment definitely articulates something important about our state's priorities and values,it also serves as a sound financial decision.We are receiving an extremely attractive yield on the bonds,which we expext to be a wise investment in the retirement of our state employees.These five-year bonds will pay a 4.05% annual interest - an appealing rate considering the economic environment.

I am also proud that -dispite historic deficits-we were able to provide full funding to the New Jersey Holocaust Commision.We all have a moral responsibility to recall the horrors of the past,guarantee their rememberance for generations to come and ensure that the actions of the wicked are brought to light.As such,out charge is to always speak out and raise our voices against evil.In doing so,we keep alive the memories of those innocents who perished. The Commision - which I had the honor os serving on some 20 years ago - will continue to assist and advise public schools on how best to teach new Jersey's children about the Holocaust and genocide in world history.

This administration remains committed to ensuring the best possible quality of life for all New jerseyans regardless of race,creed or where you live.While unemployment has skyrocketed all across the country,we have created nearly 29,000 new jobs here in new Jersey in the last three months alone. We are also easing traffic congestion and making our roads safer with a $2.58 billion transportation project that will support 105,000 jobs.

We are providing over $8 billion to new jersey's schools - over $200 million more that last year - and continue to invest in initiatives that improve teaching,learning and innovations in classrooms throughout the state.Our $19 million reading coaches program is focused on improving literacy instruction so every child can be a strong reader by the end of 3rd grade.I am proud that new Jersey is the first state in the nation to offer a comprehensive program offering incentives for teachers to seek certification from the National Board of Teaching Standards.We also added funding for teacher mentoring and streamlined the certification process to get teachers into classrooms quicker.And,we are embarking on an $8.6 billion school construction initiative unparalleled anywhere in the nation.

This administration remains committed to ensuring that each state agency delivers the best possible services to new jersey.It is only through the continued commitment and support of dedicated individuals such as yourself that we may hope to provide a better quality of life for all New Jerseyans. In the months ahead,we look foward to working with you to help our state continue to grow and flourish.

With all good wishes

James E. McGreevey

----------------

Write! Call! Speak Out!

Office of the Governor
PO Box 001
Trenton NJ 08625
Phone: (609) 292-6000
Fax: (609) 292-3454
Email:  http://www.state.nj.us/governor/govmail.html

Tell James McGreevey that the pension funds of New Jersey's state workers should not be sent to shore up the Israeli state! While Israel is constructing an apartheid wall devastating Palestinian land, continuing its brutal military occupation of Palestinian land, denying Palestinians equality under law and persecuting their political leadership inside and outside the Green Line, legislating that Palestinians may not marry Israelis and receive Israeli citizenship, continuing its support of illegal settlements, holding thousands of Palestinians as political prisoners, denying millions of Palestinian refugees their fundamental, human right to return to their homes and homeland dispossessed by Zionist forces, harassing and arresting international human rights activists and continuing its vast military buildup, New Jersey's funds, and the funds of New Jersey's state workers, should not be used to support those illegal, immoral acts! While economic problems grip the state and its private and public sectors, money should be invested in New Jersey, not in Israeli war crimes and rights abuses!

Tell the Governor:
*Stop the investment in Israeli Bonds
*Call upon Rutgers University and all state agencies to divest all holdings in Israel and companies that do business with Israel!

Sign the Rutgers University Divestment Petition: www.rutgersdivest.org

Attend the Third Conference of the Palestine Solidarity Movement: www.divestmentconference.com

New Jersey Solidarity - Activists for the Liberation of Palestine August 7, 2003

Being Gay is not a crime or a defect, but part of the human condition. By making such an announcement and resigning he's only making life worse for other gay people in the U.S.A. But maybe I don't know the whole story here.

So a Gopvernor gets his lover a high-paying job. And news breaks in our homophobic society that he's gay. And so people start talking about...his ties to Israel? Come on, people. The great Jewish conspiracy ain't in this one. Or at least, they never told my underemployed ass about it at any of our secret meetings in the syangogue's gold vaults.

And for the real dumb-asses, let me specifiy that this message contains sarcasm.