Major Federal Corruption Sting In NJ Nabs Several Elected Officials

I'm sure you are as shocked as I am to find out there's corruption in Jersey but sadly, it seems to be true.

Among the roughly 30 people arrested by mid-morning were Hoboken Mayor Peter J. Cammarano III and Secaucus Mayor Dennis Elwell, both Democrats, and Assemblyman Daniel M. Van Pelt, a Republican from Forked River, in Ocean County. Mr. Cammarano, who turned 32 on Wednesday, was elected mayor June 9 and sworn in July 1, after serving as councilman-at-large since 2005.

Also brought to the Newark office of the F.B.I. were the president of the city council in Jersey City, Mariano Vega, and that city’s deputy mayor, Leona Beldini.

Federal prosecutors said the arrests included several rabbis from enclaves of Syrian Jews in Brooklyn and from Deal and Elberon, communities along the Jersey Shore in Ocean County.

The Asbury Park Press reported that the investigation involved the Deal Yeshiva, a religious school which teaches children in the Sephardic Jewish tradition. The United States Attorney’s office in Newark scheduled a noon news conference.

Also caught up in the raids is the Governor's Commissioner of Community Affairs.

I know voters in the Garden State are inured to corruption like this but given incumbent Democrat John Corzine's already perilous polling numbers leading to this fall's election, I'd have to say he and other Democrats are having a bad morning.

posted by DrewM. at 11:34 AM

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