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Developer backing Sayegh had private eye investigate Goow’s residency in Paterson mayoral race | Paterson Times

Developer backing Sayegh had private eye investigate Goow’s residency in Paterson mayoral race

goow-snow-plowing-in-west-milford

Former councilman Aslon Goow, who is running for mayor, may not be a resident of Paterson, a basic requirement to run for elected office, according to a private investigator’s report filed as part of a lawsuit funded by prominent developer Charles Florio, who is backing incumbent mayor Andre Sayegh, to disqualify Goow.

Goow vehemently denied the allegation that he does not reside in Paterson and lives in West Milford on Saturday morning.

“Where I go and spend my time is my business. I live on Edmund Avenue. He has not proved I don’t live on Edmund Avenue. He is showing some video that I’m in another location in another town, plowing snow and doing things like that. That doesn’t prove anything,” said Goow. “I’m not concerned. Everything I own is registered on Edmund Avenue.”

Goow said he was plowing snow at his wife’s house in West Milford. He blasted Florio as a “really stupid guy.” He said Florio is carrying water for Sayegh.

Sources said Sayegh had knowledge of the private eye looking into Goow’s residency. Sayegh, whose four-year tenure has been marked by a series of failures from record breaking crime numbers, lack of basic services, and a failed Covid-19 response, is trying to eliminate rivals through underhanded maneuvers in hopes of winning a second term as mayor, political observers say.

The mayor’s office has been held by Hispanics and Blacks — the two biggest groups in the city — over the past two decades. Sayegh is neither Hispanic nor Black. He has no natural base of support. Closest thing to a base he has are the Muslims in the south and west – Goow is likely to take a big chunk of them. Goow, who joined the race late, quickly became a threat to the incumbent, according to Sayegh allies.

Florio said he is not carrying water for anybody. He began looking into Goow’s residency after the former councilman allegedly “bashed” him at a City Council meeting.

“When he says developers, he is referring to me,” said Florio. He reached out to Goow to express his displeasure at the remarks.

Both men were supposed to have a meeting that never happened. But then the next week Goow allegedly slammed him again at a City Council meeting.

“I never mentioned his name,” said Goow. “He has a guilty conscience.”

Florio, who gives tens of thousands of dollars to local nonprofit organizations, took offense at being called an “out-of-town developer” that is displacing tenants.

“This guy keeps wanting to pound out-of-town developers and he’s running to be an out-of-town mayor? Yes, you lived there for 50 years. Your family has been in Paterson. You got to be there now to run for mayor,” said Florio.

Florio has gone after others that have similarly slighted him in the past. For example, he took former school board member Pedro Rodriguez to court during the last mayoral election. Rodriguez had made similar as Goow at the time. He also had a Rodriguez ally, Ramon Joaquin, who ran for a City Council seat in the 5th Ward, surveilled that suggested Joaquin did not reside in the 5th Ward.

Private investigator, Harry Melber, conducted an investigation over a 12-day period, from March 9 through 22, that allegedly shows Goow living in West Milford.

“Our surveillance proves that Goow did not spend one overnight at his Paterson address which we did 24 hours a day,” said Melber on Saturday. “However, Goow was observed at his West Milford address overnight exiting in the morning to snow blow and departing in his vehicle from West Milford garage.”

Melber noted Goow did show up at the Edmund Avenue location a few times for about half an hour, but never stayed over night.

Melber is the same private investigator whose findings that then-mayor Jose “Joey” Torres was using public employees to renovate a private warehouse led to the latter’s conviction.

Florio pointed out Torres initially denied the allegations and later took a guilty plea.

Goow sees Sayegh’s hands behind the investigation into his residency.

“It’s just amazing how relentless these guys are going to be. Andre is desperate. He’s got a problem,” said Goow.

Goow said there’s a “couple of polls” that allegedly showed Sayegh is not doing well.

“He should be neutral,” said Goow speaking of Florio. “If Andre loses those doors are not going to be so open for him. He’s going to have to get in line like everybody else.”

Florio said he had “no problem with Goow” until the former councilman bashed him at public meetings. He said Goow isn’t even mayor, and he is already threatening to retaliate against him.

Florio is funding the lawsuit filed on Friday by Haytham Younes, who unsuccessfully ran for public office and was cited for failing to file campaign finance reports. Younes’ lawsuit is seeking to remove Goow from the ballot. Such cases are tough to win. For example, a judge four years ago allowed police officer Alex Cruz to run for mayor despite evidence — his children attending public school elsewhere — that suggested he resided in Little Falls. Cruz claimed he lived in Paterson and presented rent receipts in court.

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  • Matt Aral

    What a CROCK of #&@$…Sayegh is done and he knows it,Hey Andre don’t you get tired of chasing your own tail it’s freaking embarrassing,WORST MAYOR IN THE HISTORY OF PATERSON ALONG WITH JONES….Blah Blah Blah are the only words coming out of his mouth,enough is enough howdy Doody it’s time to step off and Watch how IRON FIST ASLON GOOW WILL LAY DOWN THE LAW AND FINALLY GIVE THE RESIDENTS OF PATERSON WHAT THEY DESERVE…A MAYOR HANDS ON THAT WILL CRUSH CRIME,CLEAN UP THE CORRUPTION AT CITY HALL,100% WILL MAKE THE STREETS SAFE FOR ALL TO WALK DOWN TO,GOOW IS DEF A PEOPLE PERSON AND FOR THE PEOPLE HE WILL RUN THE CITY LIKE THE GREAT FRANK GRAVES RAN THE CITY BACK IN THE 80S…NO NONSENSE TYPE OF MAYOR…GANGS,DRUGS,PROSTITUTION,DIRTY PROPERTIES,CRIME,WILL BE IN THE REAR VIEW MIRROR COME MAY 10,2022 ONCE GOOW THE BEST MAN FOR THE JOB WILL BE ELECTED BY THE PEOPLE FOR THE PEOPLE…SAFER STREETS,QUALITY OF LIFE TO RETURN,HOLDING ALL EMPLOYEES OF OUR GREAT CITY OF PATERSON ACCOUNTABLE ,COME MAY 10TH PATERSON WILL BREATHE FRESH AIR UNDER GOOW AND KICK ASS THE WAY WE USED TO….DEF HAS MY VOTE…

  • Meme Thompson

    Under Goow you’re right you’ll be kicking ass that’s the problem here we don’t need no ass kicking that was his problem last time he used to come and be people from the community up are people he’s the most racist person in Paterson history I think say he’s doing a wonderful job as a mayor he doesn’t drive around beating up the community chasing people down in his own vehicle And you call that leadership I think that’s all corruption get people to believe lies that aren’t true to get what you want kind of sounds like Joey Torres… we don’t need another one of those… Our city is failing because of the corrupt leader ship we have and have had… we need change!! We don’t need ppl that will just bring more corruption to our community we need change and leadership now!!!

    • Matt Aral

      Yes the corruption needs ass kicking,I didn’t say the innocent people of Paterson,instead of dissecting what I said why don’t you read between the lines and why are you posting a comment with an Alias name,YOU SOUND LIKE A ANDRE SUPPORTER,MAKE SENSE

    • bigron

      Why Florio so worried about who become Mayor?

  • bigron

    Keep your head up Aslan. Shady Sayegh is after you because you are a major threat to him.

  • Plumber

    Florio is desperately trying to keep Sayegh in office so they both can continue to rape the city, that's so freaking obvious, florio is actually a shadow mayor and Sayegh is his puppet, straight up corruption, corruption, corruption.

  • HankMorgan

    “He has no natural base of support.” Because he’s not Hispanic or Black, I guess? Really not sure what this nonsensical sentence means. Jay, your reporting can be pretty good. But your bias in these political stories is shameful. And you know it.

    • HankMorgan

      I mean, there’s nothing wrong with blogging but you need to clarify if you’re doing that or straight up reporting.

  • November is coming

    ''Paterson,,the must corrupted city in America''

    • Miss jamaica

      Paterson is getting there but we are not quit there as yet. I want you to google the city of Detroit mayor kwawe kilpatrick he was a rising star in the Democratic Party very educated he was sentenced to I believe 25 plus years in prison, his sentence was commuted by president Trump. I also want you to remember the Illinois governor he went to prison, his sentence was also commuted by Mr Trump. I can go as the list is very long. These politicians both in illinos and Detroit their crime were serious enough to land them in prison. I truly believe that this city Paterson needs a complete overhaul in order for us to see true change.

  • Unc

    Goow is the only one that can clean up the city!!!!

  • Paterson Resident

    What do you all think of Velez?

  • HankMorgan

    “The mayor’s office has been held by Hispanics and Blacks — the two biggest groups in the city — over the past two decades. Sayegh is neither Hispanic nor Black. He has no natural base of support.”
    When I questioned this statement in a comment yesterday the comment was removed. This has happened before. Direct quotes from the article are often monitored and removed. How or why the publisher does this is beyond my understanding.

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