Conservative Principles Now

WEST NEW YORK - Moments after the news went live that his antagonist's efforts to dump him from Town Hall were dead, Mayor Sal Vega alighted in the conference room of the mayor's office wearing a broad grin. "This was a fantasy," Vega said of Dr. Felix Roque's efforts to recall Vega from office, which fell short by 1,800 signature, according to the findings of Town Clerk Carmela Riccie. "By the way they were going about collecting signatures, they were commiting fraud," the mayor added. "If we have to take this to the state Attorney General's Office, we will." Town Clerk Carmela Riccie said Roque filed a total of 31,235 petition signatures, averaging 6,265 signatures per petition.* "5,256 of those must be found to be from valid, registered voters in West New York for a recall election to be held," Riccie said. "None of the five petitions achived the required number." Vega now wants Roque to reimburse the town of West New York for the time and man hours poured over the course of two weeks into what the mayor said was ultimately a dud and fraud. "For someone who brags about his wealth the way he does, I think Dr. Roque owes the town $100,000," said Vega. "Do you realize it cost $15,000 just to photocopy those petitions?"

WEST NEW YORK - Town Clerk Carmela Riccie moments ago told Dr. Felix Roque that he did not submit a sufficient number of petitions to force a recall election with Mayor Silverio "Sal" Vega. "She's saying we're 2,500 short," Roque told PolitickerNJ.com. "I'm fighting the same thing Christie's fighting - the corruption. The only difference is I'm fighting this myself. How can 6,000 signatures be wrong?" The clerk's office a few minutes later asserted that Roque is 1,800 signatures short.  Roque mobilized a group of supporters this morning and marched to Town Hall only to learn that Riccie discovered a sufficient number of uncertifiable signatures among the 6,000 Roque submitted earlier this month. "She said she would soon issue a formal statement," said Roque ally Heidy Quintero. "They've got some dead people on some petitions," said Vega spokesman Paul Swibinski. "It's a fraud, as we said. We're calling on Felix Roque to reimburse the taxpayers of the $100,000 wasted in this farce." The would-be challenger and his followers spilled out onto the front steps of Town Hall after talking to Riccie. "As a citizen soldier, my main focus is 'readiness for the mission and taking care of my troops,'" ssaid Roque, a medical doctor and commander in the U.S. Army. "As the leader of this movement, 'Together we can,' my mission will be the same."