Footage of Russo Meeting With Dwek Released

The two investigative journalists who wrote The Jersey Sting released surveillance tapes on Monday afternoon, revealing a meeting between Third Ward Councilman Michael Russo and FBI Operative Solomon Dwek in 2009, discussing a $5,000 donation and potential preferred treatment for zoning variances.

Russo’s meeting with Dwek—the same operative who nailed former mayor Peter Cammarano in the largest sting operation in New Jersey’s history—was first reported in last month. Russo has denied any wrongdoing, that anybody who portrays a bribe or quid-pro-quo, “is lying.”

“We reviewed the recordings and considered the questions that had been asked,” Margolin said in an email on Monday afternoon. “We decided to let those interested review the videos for themselves.” The book outlines the story of Dwek, and how things went down in Operation Bid Rig. 

The conversation between Dwek and Russo, as quoted in this story, can be attributed to the video footage that was released on the Star Ledger’s website on Monday afternoon.

The footage shows Russo’s meeting with Dwek and two others at the Light Horse Tavern in Jersey City in the spring of 2009 and is about an hour long. Conversation between the men moves from chitchat (topics range from food to family anecdotes to gambling in Atlantic City), to discussing politics and potential preferential treatment for zoning variances, as well as a $5,000 campaign donation ($5,000 exceeds the amount that an individual can legally donate to a campaign at once).

At some point in the conversation, as seen on the video, Dwek asked if his zoning variances would be heard within 30 or 60 days, rather than the procedural six months to a year. At first Russo answered that he couldn't answer that right away. After Dwek specified that he means after the elections and after Russo’s “people are in place,” the councilman responded that “once we get those people in place, we’ll most certainly expedite all those applications.”

The “people in place,” Russo explained moments earlier on the tape, were the three council-at-large candidates who’d run on Councilwoman Beth Mason’s mayoral ticket. In return for his supporting her campaign, Russo explained to Dwek and the other two men at the table, he would be allowed to handpick the candidates on her slate.

It’s May 2009 and Mason, Cammarano and Dawn Zimmer are running for mayor. 

Having developers wait for their variances, Russo continued, can be “detrimental for the city.” Russo explained to Dwek that he is “pro-development,” adding that he wants to use development as “a tool for the city.” Later on in the tape, Russo told Dwek that “I think the world is losing common sense … All this nonsense with pay-to-play stuff…”

On Monday night, Russo responded to the release of the video and its contents in an email to Patch, writing that “it shows, in long, tedious detail, what many fundraising meetings sound like.”

Russo wrote also, “as boastful as the meeting became, at no time did I suggest that I would engage in any illegal activity. I told Mr. Dwek, as I tell any developer who wants to develop in town, I believe that development should be a tool for the city to help create affordable housing, fund open space and infrastructure improvements, create jobs and fund recreation and senior programs.”

On tape—after ordering a pea soup and a BBQ beef sandwich—Russo explained to Dwek that he treats his friends well.

“That’s always how I’ve operated,” Russo said on the tape, “all things being equal, I’ll always make sure my friends are heard before anyone else.”

Dwek seemed to like what he was hearing and—after a brief detour in the conversation—tried to confirm with Russo that he would receive preferential treatment for his zoning variances. Dwek said to Russo that he would show him the plans, in order for Russo to tell him if “it’s good or not good.”

“Absolutely,” Russo responded during the meeting.

“I’m an investor, developer … I don’t want to be left on the bottom of the pile,” Dwek said to Russo. “That’s why I do what I gotta do with the right people.”

“Absolutely,” Russo answered again.

During the meeting, Russo also expressed his support of Mason (“Beth is the right person for the job, she’s the most qualified”) and his dislike of Zimmer (“she’s too fringe”) and Cammarano (“no care for the city”). 

Although Russo did not specify how long the lunch lasted, he wrote to Patch that the tape “appears to have been edited in several points.”

About the alleged $5,000 donation to Russo’s campaign, Dwek said on the video that he did not want his name attached to any of the money. “I’ll give him $5,000 next week, right here, and then you’ll work it out, right?” Dwek said, addressing Russo and Maher Khalil, a Jersey City director who was also present at the meeting.

“And after the election I’ll do the same,” Dwek continued. “There’ll be more.” Russo, taking a bite of his sandwich, nodded.

On the tape, Russo said also that he would set up meetings between Dwek, the new council members and Mason. At yet another point on the tape, Russo and Dwek shook hands.

During the lunch, the footage shows the men making small talk and viewers can follow Dwek—the one wearing a hidden recording device—into the bathroom.

In Monday night’s email, Russo wrote that he got uncomfortable with Dwek toward the end of the meeting, and never met with him again. According to The Jersey Sting, Russo was advised not to meet with Dwek and his middlemen any more by his father, former Mayor Anthony Russo, who was sentenced to 30 months in federal prison on corruption charges in 2005.

Russo’s political opponents have called for an investigation and would like to see him resign as vice president of the City Council, according to press releases that went out on Monday afternoon, before the footage was released. Russo’s Third Ward seat is up for re-election and he will be defending it on May 10, during the city wide council elections.

The Jersey Sting is available in stores now and Margolin and Sherman will be at the Public Library in Jersey City on Tuesday night for a book signing.