Even in a political landscape so utterly lacking in shame that nobody ever seems to go away voluntarily and stay gone, I have to wonder what we did to deserve the sheer comedy of Jim McGreevey mounting a comeback in New Jersey politics. The disgraced former Democratic governor of New Jersey (is there any other kind?) filed paperwork this week to join a crowded primary field for the open job of mayor of Jersey City. As a reminder:
His downfall had been precipitated by a slow-burning scandal involving Golan Cipel, an Israeli citizen. McGreevey had hired Cipel in 2002 as a homeland security adviser despite lacking qualifications and being unable to get a federal security clearance. The hiring raised questions about the relationship between the two, but McGreevey denied an affair. McGreevey and Cipel continued to carry out a secret relationship until it soured. In July 2004, lawyers for Cipel threatened to sue McGreevey for sexual harassment. McGreevey claims he was extorted, but nonetheless he faced a reckoning. That August, he admitted to an extramarital affair and resigned in a speech that’s become part of American lore.
At the time, McGreevey sought to change the subject from corruption by declaring, in his resignation speech, “My truth is that I am a gay American.” (The Onion, back when it was funny, famously parodied the speech with the classic headline “Homosexual Tearfully Admits To Being Governor Of New Jersey.”)
At least he’s not running to replace Bob Menendez. Hey, what’s Bob Torricelli up to these days?