Not surprisingly, someone as conflicted in his personal life as former Gov. James E. McGreevey would write a book that is likewise at odds with itself.

On page 262 of The Confession, he describes an investigation by my former colleague, Sandy McClure, who discovered that McGreevey's imported Israeli lover, Golan Cipel, had lied about his qualifications to be New Jersey's anti-terrorism adviser in the wake of 9/11.

McGreevey writes that reporter McClure located Cipel's former boss, who said Cipel was not involved in anti-terrorism. "I believe the consul was wrong," asserts the former governor, even though he obviously hadn't checked out Cipel's talents beyond bedroom romps McGreevey claims the duo started when the second Mrs. McGreevey was hospitalized for the birth of their daughter.

On page 259, reporter McClure tells McGreevey, "People say you have a homosexual relationship with Golan." And McGreevey lies, "Sandy, that's just absurd," which he tries to justify in retrospect with "the notion that I would have a gay affair under those circumstances was nothing if not absurd."

Cipel claims he isn't gay and was the victim of sexual harassment. McGreevey maintains it was consensual. And yet, on page 255, he writes "Of course, I have to admit that there's a chance Golan wasn't gay. I have thought about this often."

On page six, McGreevey says his two wives deserved better. For the next 347 pages he marginalizes both women with whom he had one daughter each.

There is revisionist history. He tells of the day before his Aug. 12, 2004, goodbye speech when state Sen. Raymond Lesniak, D-Elizabeth, joined him and others at Drumthwatcket. On page 310 he claims he greeted Lesniak with, "I'm a gay American" as if he just thought it up. A 2004 article in a gay publication, the Washington Blade, said the grass-roots Human Rights Campaign suggested the line during a coming-out consultation with McGreevey and that the line had been used by others since the early 1990s.

One minute McGreevey appears to take responsibility for his administration, the next he blames his troubles on others such as U.S. Attorney Christopher Christie. Many insiders believe what queued up McGreevey for an exit from elective politics grew out of the Machiavelli caper.

A Middlesex County farmer was trying to get more money for his 75-acre dairy farm from local government. A long-time McGreevey acquaintance and Democratic Party fund-raiser, David D'Amiano, told the farmer he could get McGreevey's attention for $40,000. And just so the farmer would know who's on board with the plan there would be a code word -- Machiavelli.

D'Amiano ran into the governor at a meeting of the Democratic State Committee and said the farmer was there too. According to page 279, D'Amiano told McGreevey, "You should hear what's going on in that case, it's like something out of Machiavelli."

When McGreevey met the farmer later, he told him, "You've got to read Machiavelli on how to negotiate on this." Odd advice and ill-timed too since the farmer was wearing a wire for Christie. Those words are a matter of record. You have to take McGreevey's word about his conversation with D'Amiano, one that McGreevey maintains planted Machiavelli on his tongue so it sort of slipped out when the farmer showed.

D'Amiano pleaded guilty to receiving $40,000 in cash and political donations in exchange for a promise that McGreevey would urge county officials to pay $7.4 million for the land. McGreevey wasn't charged. Eventually, government took the property via eminent domain.

Then, and in his book, McGreevey blames Christie, citing politics. Christie has built a reputation for going after crooked politicians, Democrats and Republicans -- unlike McGreevey's attorney general, Peter "See No Evil" Harvey, who couldn't find a political crime with two hands and a flashlight.

His book conveniently left out how a mobster got sprung from prison early during his tenure and how his attorney general, Harvey, was the first in that position to get hit with ethics violations. The book details sleazy anonymous sex at rest stops, but not enough about the sorry political dealings that have made New Jersey a national laughingstock. He admits things happened but pretends underlings did it -- this from a guy known as a micro-manager supreme.

There are errors McGreevey should have caught in the book: He says Bret Schundler beat Donald DiFrancesco in the GOP's '01 gubernatorial primary. It was Bob Franks. He misspells TV newsman Michael Aron's last name.

McGreevey was a creation of political bosses who told him what to do. They also decided he had to go because scandals were making him unelectable. The "gay American" speech was an effort to divert attention from one of the most corrupt administrations in state history. That's what he should be remembered for.

The writer is Trenton bureau chief for Gannett New Jersey newspapers. He can be reached at bobingle@app.com and heard on New Jersey 101.5 FM radio at 5 p.m. Fridays. His column appears Mondays.

Please fill out this form to submit your Letter to the Editor. ALL fields are required, else we won't be able to publish your letter. Letters should be 250 words or less and are subject to editing.

Under 1313-17 18-34 35-49 50-64 65 and Older The Children's Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA) requires us to ask your age. If you have any questions about COPPA, see our Terms of Service .

This is cache, read story here