Crime and corruption in New Jersey, go figure!

Today, I had a bad day. I thought I'd share!

So I needed to get a passport recently, in a very short amount of time, for a last minute trip to South America (on business, really.)
I go to an official passport agency with all proper documentation hoping to have one before this weekend. (This can be done with proper paperwork.)

The clerk hands me back my paperwork, and says "I can't accept this birth certificate, its from Hudson county. It's no good. [huh]

Apparently, the US State Dept & Homeland security, investigated and closed the Hudson Co, NJ, Office of vital records twice (second time final!)
for corruption, falsifying documents, identity theft, and the list goes on.

Who'd ever thunk it!

New Jersey? Not hard to put that together. When I went to Camden, a former police officer I knew who worked there told me that if I was driving down the street, and saw someone lying in the middle of the road to run them over. Never stop in a case like that, or else I was tempting fate. Apparently people did that to steal cars.

Better luck to you soon, tho!

Wow! I want to hear the South America story!

Yes, NJ was recently named as one of the most corrupt states. It would make a good setting for a TV show about organized crime... wait a minute.

Well Dalexs i guess that makes you a persona non gratalol

Even the NJ A.G. was crooked

Sources Say N.J. A.G. Agrees to Resign
- By BETH DeFALCO, Associated Press Writer
Tuesday, August 15, 2006

(08-15) 14:30 PDT Trenton, N.J. (AP) --

New Jersey's attorney general agreed to resign Tuesday after a special prosecutor concluded she violated state ethics laws by intervening in a traffic stop involving her boyfriend, according to two high-ranking Statehouse officials.

The officials spoke on the condition of anonymity so as not to pre-empt an evening news conference scheduled by Gov. Jon S. Corzine.

Corzine met with Zulima Farber earlier in the day to tell her she should step down as New Jersey's chief law enforcement officer, according to other officials who spoke to The Associated Press, also on condition of anonymity.

Corzine had no immediate comment. Nor did Farber.

Farber's live-in boyfriend, lawyer Hamlet Goore, was pulled over by police in Fairview for a traffic violation in May, and Farber showed up at the scene in her state car. Goore's van was found to be improperly registered and his license appeared to be suspended, but he was allowed to drive home.

In recent weeks, Farber denied doing anything to influence the police. But a special prosecutor appointed by the governor said in a report issued Tuesday that Farber violated state ethics laws by "approving actions which allowed Mr. Goore to drive his vehicle home."

"The attorney general knowingly acted to secure a benefit for Mr. Goore that was violative of the motor vehicle laws and obviously not available to the general public," Richard J. Williams wrote in his report.

Corzine appointed Farber upon taking office earlier this year. But in New Jersey, a governor can only remove an attorney general "for cause," a murky standard in the opinion of some legal experts.

Motor vehicle records show that Farber, 61, has had at least 12 speeding tickets, four bench warrants issued for her arrest and three license suspensions.

The report led to renewed calls for the resignation of the New Jersey's first Hispanic attorney general.

"She is incapable of leading the fight against official misconduct and abuse of power because her conduct indicates that she does not even recognize what those things are," said state Republican chairman Tom Wilson.

Story said:

Even the NJ A.G. was crooked
Sources Say N.J. A.G. Agrees to Resign
- By BETH DeFALCO, Associated Press Writer
Tuesday, August 15, 2006

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He wasn't the only one!
My grandfather is probably rolling in is grave right now. He worked in the
NJ newspaper business up until the mid '70s. He used to tell us all kinds of stories.

So it wasn't exactly a shock to learn. Just disconcerting given the time frame I have to work with.
With that said, I'm on my way to Trenton in the morning to pick up a new "Legal" birth certificate.

I'll tell you about South America when I get back.

Dalexs

If your birth certificate's no good, are you sure you were born?

Ha! I was born in Jersey City. I got a Hudson County Junior Deputy Sheriff badge when I was five years old. I was an honest cop! Really!

We could easily turn this into an esoteric discussion of proving any of us really exist.lol

I recently had to get a birth certificate, for my original has disappeared, and I need it for a new passport application.
Anyway, I went on line, and couldn't believe how many sites there are where you can order your birth certificate. Of course many of them charge ridiculous amounts of money for the certificate. I found what I hope is a reputable place, sponsered by the governement, and they only charge $15. I paid extra for the express service, for I wanted to make sure the package required a signature. Well, I can't believe how easy it is to get a birth certificate. All you need to know is a persons name, and the names of their parents as well as the city of birth, or in my case the burough, since I was born in NYC. I would imagine, given that we live in the age of information, that this information is quite easy to get. Just about anyone can order a valid (raised seal) birth certificate with anyones name and a very small amount of information.
Given the current state we live in, I found this ease rather shocking. I thought it would be quite a hassle to get a hold of this piece of vital information. I'm glad it wasn't a hassle, for I really needed to get this document quickly so I can get my passport in a rather quick manner. But, what does homeland security think of this. I see it as a big problem. Someone could take this certificate and get a library card. Then they could take this to the registry of motor vehicles and get a drivers license. How easy is it for someone to get a social security number? I see this as a very bad thing. Maybe the age of technology makes life a little easier, but at what cost?
Well, I know this thread is about Steve's plight to exist but I thought my experience was somewhat relevant. I guess if Steve has a problem getting his birth certificate validated, he could always just order someone elses.

Don't be too shocked Daisy. Producing replacement identities that will hold up under moderate scrutiny isn't that much easier now than it ever has been. It was never particularly difficult to begin with. How to do so was never much of a secret if you cared to look. The internet has just removed a bit of the legwork and travel.

The folks you really have to worry about will either not bother replacing their identities (9/11 hijackers) or will have the resources to get docs good enough as to not matter. Remember agents of both sides were able to move in the most repressive regimes on the planet.

The means necessary to truly secure the identity system against the folks we really need to worry about in this country require more change to society than is worth doing (though there's nothing wrong with fixing the non-invasive stuff to deter illegal employment, voting, driving and such).


One of the things that gets amusing after a while is when the press gets ahold of a security or crime related issue and trumpets it as "news" when most folks with any interest had known about it for years.

Another example. I learned to build pipe bombs when I was 10 or so from a family friend. I have no idea where he learned but there have been books on the subject available forever. Anyway, I learned how to be reasonably safe and had a good time for years. My experience was far from unique, especially among rural-ish kids.

A few years back the media was shocked, shocked I tell you! to discover bomb-making instructions were available on the internet and should be controlled somehow. That horse left the barn decades ago, but now its "news".

And who knew that mixing certian household chemicals or lawn fertilizer was perfect for above mentioned past times...

On the bright side, I just got back in from Trenton and I now re-exist!:eusa_clap

On to the passport agency and try to get things in order before Sunday.

But you're right Daisy, it does seem easy enough to get vital doc.
I filled out the form, and it only asked a few sort of specific questions, that could have been attained elsewhere.
They did asked me for a drivers license for ID.

Had the form asked specifics, stuff that would be on hospital records only,
then maybe that would be better.

Dalexs

Dalexs said:

On the bright side, I just got back in from Trenton and I now re-exist!:eusa_clap

On to the passport agency and try to get things in order before Sunday.

Dalexs

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Congratulations on rejoining our reality.

Pity it was in Jersey.