How a Politician Used Wikipedia to Poison the Jury Pool

Joe Ferriero was once one of the most powerful men in New Jersey politics. He was Chairman of the Bergen County Democratic Organization, which served as the political arm of one of New Jersey’s most powerful counties. Every statewide office holder needs to win in Bergen County. Without the support of Bergen, and Ferriero, a candidate cannot run up the margin to win the office. He turned Bergen from having a republican in every local office and sending several to the state legislature, to defeating almost all of them, and replacing them with democrats loyal to his machine. He raised millions of dollars over his tenure running the county. When his candidates were financially well off, he would loan money to other counties and candidate and further advance his clout. Hillary Clinton, during her primary campaign for the democratic nomination for president, personally came to Bergen County to accept Ferriero’s endorsement in the race. Her “kissing the ring moment” with Ferriero secured his endorsement, and thus she won New Jersey on Super Tuesday in 2008. Ferriero was a big deal. Today though, he sits up and edits his Wikipedia page.

Indicted in 2008 on corruption charges, Ferriero was forced to surrender his post. So what did the powerful political mogul do to prepare for his trial? In addition to spending probably hundreds of hours with legal counsel, Ferriero created a Wikipedia page for himself.

In a clear attempt to begin to cast himself in a more positive light, after weeks of negative press following the indictment, Ferriero and friends (according to politicsnj.com) created a Wikipedia page that highlighted his softer side. It made mention of his alter sever days, of his charity giving, of how he cared for older family members, etc. Politicsnj.com called the page “a clear attempt at image manipulation.” While making a Wikipedia page is no crime, it is when you mock portions of the trial. The page, in edits defending Ferriero, mocked Chris Christie (the US Attorney) for indicting Ferriero as political payback. Christie was a republican appointee, and now happens to be running for governor. Such commentary was thought to be interfering with the trial, and affecting the jury pool, and the Judge ordered the Wiki, and other online mentions and discussions of the trial, halted.

Ferriero was convicted this week on three of the eight charges against him, including the most serious charge carrying a possible 20 year prison term. Following the conviction another technological hand was played to Ferriero’s benefit, a website raising money for an appeal.