The Record from Hackensack, New Jersey • 1

iW Sea saga: Book explores U-boat hunt, fatal dive. F-l jtl ft A natural Bourne killer Role has revived Matt Damon. E-l End of the trail for paper chase More and more bill payers find banks computerizing checks. B-l 4 'ill: 1 ir WNBA ready to hold court at Radio City GOP convention uproots Liberty, s-l Of 1) SUNDAY JULY 18, 2004 $1.50 Bergen County Edition www.northjersey.com A confluence of corruption cases Some see political motive in Christie's agenda 3 By AMY KLEIN and MITCHEL MADDUX STAFF WRITERS The scene had played out dozens of times: U.S. Attorney Christopher J.

Christie stood behind a bank of microphones to announce an indictment for public corruption. In fact, Democratic fund-raiser attacks against Christie's political aspirations and motives. It's a battle cry that former federal prosecutors say is as old as the job itself. "The U.S. attorney is a political appointment and there will always be someone who will argue it's a political office," said Robert Mintz, an See CHRISTIE Page A-8 continue to pour out of the U.S.

Attorney's Office in Newark, Christie, a Republican, has become a lightning rod for Democrats crying politics. As new charges target Governor McGreevey's allies, they have ignited a fresh round of Democratic David D'Amiano's arrest for extortion on July 6 marked Christie's 55th public corruption indictment since he took office 30 months ago. Of those, more than half are against a former or sitting public official. It's quite a scorecard, even in New Jersey, a state that many experts say is plagued by a systemic problem of mayors, freeholders, other public officials, and their underlings caught time after time pocketing bribes and helping out their friends. But as public corruption cases CHRISTIE "A I Si so ESIZwl 171 1 Ku a 1 -L i ill V- 4 System takes toll on GWB drivers If you enjoy three-ring circuses, you'll love the death-defying high-wire act that begins each night at 1 1 on the lower level of the George Washington Bridge.

No, there's no big top or elephants on this Shake-up follows Gaza Strip turmoil Prime minister quits; Arafat shuffles posts By MOHAMMED DARAGHMEH THE ASSOCIATED PRESS RAMALLAH, West Bank The Palestinian )rime minister resigned Saturday in a sweeping eadership shakeup that also saw two senior officials replaced in Yasser Arafat's overhaul of his security forces a key U.S. and Israeli demand for restarting the deadlocked peace process. The changes followed a series of kidnappings in the Gaza Strip that signaled a breakdown of authority. "There is a crisis. There is a state of chaos in the security situation," Ahmed Qureia said after announcing his resignation during a Cabinet meeting in the West Bank town of Ramallah.

Qureia told Palestinian officials he had resigned "because of a series of internal and external issues that developed in the recent period," according to a statement from his office. He specifically cited the deteriorating security situation in Gaza. Qureia sent his resignation letter to Arafat through an aide before the Cabinet meeting. The 74-year-old Palestinian leader, however, refused to accept it and scrawled a giant over the paper with a pen, a Palestinian official said. Nevertheless, Qureia said he would not with-See SHAKE-UP Page A-13 $156,000 deal eases leader out Ramapo's door By PATRICIA ALEX STAFF WRITER Rodney D.

Smith resigned as president of Ramapo College because he lacked the support of faculty and trustees. But Smith is set to receive plenty of financial support from the state school, thanks to a deal that will pay him $156,000 a part ot the Fort Lee-to-Man-hattan landmark. Just 11 un-staffed "E-ZPass Only" lanes. Just hundreds of non-E-ZPass motorists who somehow missed signs telling them to avoid lower-level tolls that have not accepted old-fashioned cash since January. From a balcony view on Bruce Reynolds Boulevard last week, you could see trapped cars screech to a JOHN CICKOWSKI THE ROAD WARRIOR (I if najt pjorns blared as cars raced across traffic to booths at the far left and far right, as if some genie there would magically release them from E-ZPass Hell.

The more adventuresome back up 500 yards through a sea of speeding cars, beeping horns, and blinking high-beams just to reach an off-ramp. Last week, we saw a police car round up these strays and chase them back, but dozens more got through later, gunning their engines across two lanes of traffic to take See ROAD WARRIOR Page A-4 MEL EVANSSTAFF PHOTOGRAPHER Confused motorists outside their cars near E-ZPass tollbooths on the bridge's lower level. INSIDE Treasure hunter strikes pay dirt But prize remains out of reach year while he job-hunts. Smith, who stepped down June 30 after three years, has begun a yearlong sabbatical at 80 percent of his presidential pay of $195,000, according to the college. The former president is enti i i i it SMITH An acupuncturist from Vermont is swimming the length of the Hudson River to raise awareness about water pollution.

L-l Advice F-6 Bridge F-6 Business B-1 Classifieds C-1 Crossword F-7 Editorials 0-2 Horoscope F-6 Living F-1 Local News L-1 Movies E-6 Obituaries L-6 Public notices L-4, 0-5 Travel T-1 Weather S-12 Home delivery: (888) 4REC0RD 62004 NORTH JERSEY MEDIA GROUP INC. tled to the paid leave under the By MERRY FIRSCHEIN STAFF WRITER Brian Zinn had memorized the clues the centaur, the stone arch, the tiny bell, the chalice. He had studied the blueprints until he could see them with his eyes closed. He was ready. He also was armed.

He took a lunch break from his Saddle Brook law firm to buy a shovel at The Home Depot Now, on a bright spring Saturday morning, after an all-night drive to Cleveland, he and buddy Andy Abrams of Wayne stood inside a public garden and prepared to dig literally for buried treasure. The two North Jersey men were on a quest Their only guides were a fantasy painting and an impenetrable verse from a dog-eared book Zinn had cherished during college days. Finally, Zinn thought, he had found the place. The search had taken him 22 years. "Let's go, Magellan," Abrams said to Zinn.

id The tattered paperback that had brought them to Cleveland was "The Secret A Treasure Hunt" In 1982, it was one of almost two See TREASURE Page A-12 contract he signed when he arrived at Ramapo in 2001, said college spokeswoman Bonnie Franklin. When the leave is over, he may return as a tenured professor and continue to collect $156,000 annually. The average salary for a Ramapo professor is $91,425, the college said. During the sabbatical, Smith will be responsible for developing syllabuses and doing research for the courses he will teach. However, officials at the school say Smith is not required to return to See RAMAPO Page A-7 MARVIN F0NGTHE PLAIN DEALER Brian Zinn, right and Andy Abrams digging in Cleveland in May at the end of a 22-year hunt for buried treasure.

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