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FBI arrests 11 officials on bribe-taking charges
| quote: | TRENTON — FBI agents launched morning raids Thursday and arrested 11 New Jersey public officials, including two assemblymen, on charges they demanded and took bribes.
The payoffs, ranging from $5,000 to $35,800, came from the FBI and two "cooperating witnesses" who created fake insurance brokerage and roofing firms that gave out cash in exchange for the officials' help in winning public contracts, according to the charges filed in federal court.
The probe began with the Pleasantville school board in Atlantic County and spread into the cities of Passaic and Orange in North Jersey.
U.S. Attorney Christopher J. Christie said five current and former Pleasantville school board members, after accepting the initial bribes, led investigators to others who were willing to take the cash in exchange for influence.
Weysan Dun, special agent in charge of the FBI in New Jersey, said the case "paints a picture of a network of corruption . . . from one end of the state to the other."
Assemblymen Mims Hackett Jr., D-Essex, and Alfred Steele, D-Passaic, a minister, were among the 11 officials charged, as was Passaic Mayor Samuel Rivera and Keith Reid, who is the chief of staff to Newark City Council President Mildred Crump. Rivera and Reid are Democrats.
One current member and one formerly on Passaic's City Council also were charged, as was an associate of one of the Pleasantville suspects.
Suspects in handcuffs
Though cuffed at the wrists and bound by the legs, Hackett looked casual at his afternoon appearance in Trenton's federal courthouse. Steele, a pastor who sits on the Assembly Budget Committee, wore a look of deep concern. Neither would answer reporters' questions after the hearing.
Magistrate Judge Tonianne Bongiovanni freed the defendants on $200,000 unsecured bail, meaning each had to sign a promise not to miss a court date and did not have to post any money.
Assistant U.S. Attorney David Bocian said if convicted, the defendants could be imprisoned for 20 years and fined $250,000.
Eleven Democrats and one Republican were charged. The raids coincide with the start of the Democratic State Committee's annual convention in Atlantic City. Christie, a Republican, said politics do not play a role in his investigations.
The accusations also come on the heels of Gov. Corzine's signing of four ethics bills intended to clean up government. Some Republicans praised the bills at the time, but others said they did not go far enough. The GOP pointed in particular to a ban on dual-office holding that exempts 17 existing lawmakers who hold a second office. Hackett is also mayor of Orange, where he allegedly pledged to help stir up business in exchange for the bribes.
"It's only two days after the governor signed half-hearted measures into law, and we've seen within 48 hours how it's just not enough, and the governor and the Democratic leadership knew that it wasn't enough at the time," said Sen. Thomas H. Kean Jr., R-Union.
"Loud and clear" message
Assemblyman Michael Panter, D-Monmouth, however, pointed to another law passed in March that requires mandatory imprisonment and pension forfeiture for corruption convictions. Because some of the actions in the charges took place after the law was approved, the case could be a first test of the new penalties.
If there are convictions, "these new punishments will send a message loud and clear that corruption will no longer be tolerated and will have drastic consequences," said Panter and his Assembly running-mate Amy Mallet in a joint statement. They — like other Democrats running in swing districts — called on the accused lawmakers to resign.
Democratic leaders said they were saddened and sickened by charges.
"These accusations are beyond disturbing. If these allegations prove true, the individuals in question should be dealt with to the fullest extent of the law," Corzine said in an e-mailed statement.
Senate President Richard J. Codey, D-Essex, who is nominated to run on the same ticket with Hackett this fall, said, "These are serious, serious allegations. Corruption at any level should not be tolerated. There is a legal process in place to handle these charges, and that process should be pursued to the fullest."
The last day for parties to change candidates is Sept. 19.
Hackett and Steele were ensnared in an 18-month undercover sting dubbed Operation Broken Boards. Hackett allegedly took $5,000 in cash while Steele pocketed $15,500, according to the charges.
The charges detail private meetings in which undercover agents or cooperating witnesses passed thousands of dollars in cash to the officials in exchange for help getting meetings and contracts.
Rivera allegedly promised the four votes needed on the Passaic City Council, saying he could get them "easy."
Others allegedly demanded money after key votes.
In a text message the day after one such vote, former Passaic Councilman Jonathan Soto, a Republican, wrote to a cooperating witness, "will need that green broccoli for the 1st entree," according to the charges.
Others charged
Pleasantville Board of Education President James Pressley, who allegedly took the most money, $35,800 in cash and checks, complained after receiving a payment of $7,500, instead of the $25,000 he was expecting. According to the charges, Pressley said, "I went through a lot of aggravation last night (during a vote) because I was anticipating it."
Others charged are: Passaic Councilman Marcellus Jackson, a Democrat; Pleasantville school board members Jayson Adams and Rafael Velez, both Democrats; former school board members Maurice "Pete" Callaway and James T. McCormick, and Callaway's associate, Louis Mister. Callaway, a Democrat, is now a Pleasantville councilman.
Thursday's arrests were the latest in an anti-corruption campaign waged by Christie's office.
More than 100 public officials in the state have been convicted on federal corruption charges in the last five years. Two other Democratic state senators, Wayne Bryant of Lawnside and Sharpe James of Newark, are among others facing pending corruption charges. |
LOL, NJ doesn't learn 
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"You won a new refrigerator, great! Where you gonna put it?" - Tony Danza
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