Draft:List of New Jersey political scandals

• Comment: See Wikipedia_talk:WikiProject_Articles_for_creation#"List_of_x_state_political_scandals"_drafts Qcne (talk) 17:04, 10 December 2023 (UTC)

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List of New Jersey political scandals

Scope and organization of political scandals

This article provides a list of political scandals which occurred in the U.S. State of New Jersey. It is organized in reverse chronological order from most recent to oldest.

Politician is defined as "a person who is professionally involved in politics", and includes not only those elected to office, their staffs and appointees, but also those who routinely work in politics such as pollsters. Major officials of political parties and their staffs, as well as those elected by their party to be candidates are also included. Local politicians, mayors, sheriffs, and county officials should not be included.

Scandal is defined as "loss of, or damage to, reputation caused by actual or apparent violation of morality or propriety". Breaking the law is always considered a scandal. The finding of a public court is the sole method used to determine a violation of law, but it is not the sole method of determining a scandal.

Please note that all people are considered innocent until proven guilty. Allegations of misconduct do not imply guilt nor do admissions of guilt in the absence of a conviction. Investigations that end without a determination do not imply innocence.

Breaches of ethics, unproven crimes or cover-ups may or may not result in inclusion depending on the amount of publicity generated, and the seriousness of the crime, if any. Notoriety and notability are a major determinant of a scandal. Politicians who resign, quit, flee, or commit suicide while being investigated or threatened with investigation may also be included.

Different scandals on different dates may result in multiple listings.

The list does not include crimes that occur outside the politician's tenure (such as before or after his term in office) unless they specifically stem from acts made while in office, such as bribery, and discovered later.

Given the political nature of legislatures where the leading party has determining power, politicians who are Rebuked, Denounced, Censured, Admonished, Condemned, Suspended, Reprimanded, Found in Contempt, Found to have Acted Improperly, or of using Poor Judgment are not included unless the scandal is exceptional or leads to further action such as expulsion, conviction or resignation.

Executive pardons may or may not be mentioned, but do not erase the scandal. The verdict and legal proceedings are not affected by pardons, but may affect the sentence.

State of New Jersey

• Arthur Barclay (American politician) (D) State Assemblyman from the 5th District, was arrested for simple assault domestic violence in his home. He resigned his position a few days later. The case was dropped when the complaint failed to press charges. (2018)

• Fort Lee lane closure scandal or Bridgegate concerns the staff of NJ Governor Chris Christie (R) who enacted political retribution against the Democratic Mayor of Fort Lee, NJ, Mark Sokolich, for his failure to support Christie’s election campaign. Christie’s staff ordered the closure of the Fort Lee’s traffic entrance onto the George Washington Bridge leading to New York, causing massive traffic delays. (2013)

1. Bill Stepien (R) Campaign Manager for Governor Christy, wrote emails gloating over the traffic chaos that resulted from the Fort Lee lane closure. He was fired. When charged he appealed to the US Supreme Court in Kelly v. United States which overturned the conviction as no money was involved saying, "not every corrupt act by state or local officials is a federal crime".
2. David Wildstein Staff to the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey appointed by Governor Christie pled guilty to two counts of conspiracy and was sentenced to three years probation.
3. Bridget Anne Kelly (R) Deputy Chief of Staff for Christie and romantically involved with Stepien, wrote emails stating “time for some traffic problems in Fort Lee”. She was found guilty of fraud and conspiracy and sentenced to eighteen months in prison. She appealed to the US Supreme Court in Kelly v. United States which overturned the conviction as no money was involved saying, "not every corrupt act by state or local officials is a federal crime".

• David Samson (lawyer) (R) Chairman of the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey (PANYNJ) pressured the parent company of United Airlines Inc. to institute a non-stop flight from Newark to South Carolina for his own personal benefit. He was sentenced to 12 months of home confinement, four years of probation and fined 100K. (2014}

• Alberto Coutinho (D) State Assembly of the 29th District, was accused of stealing funds from a charitable foundation and failing to report the income. He was found guilty and sentenced to three years probation, ordered to make restitution and forbidden from further public employment. (2013)

• Bob Schroeder (R) State Assemblyman of the 39th District, was accused of writing 47 bad checks totaling $5.3 million. He pled guilty to official misconduct and was sentenced to eight years in prison. (2012)

• Anthony Chiappone (D) State Assembly of the 31st District, was accused of tampering with public records for not reporting his excess campaign income. He agreed to plead guilty if charges were dropped against his wife. He then resigned his position and was sentenced to one year probation and fined $5,000. (2010)

• Sharpe James (D) State Senator of the 29th Legislative District and Mayor of Newark, New Jersey. He was accused of selling six Newark City lots to his mistress for about $46.000; who then resold them for $665,000. He was found guilty of fraud and served 18 months. (2008)

See also:

List of federal political scandals in the United States List of federal political sex scandals in the United States

List of American state and local politicians convicted of crimes List of Alabama political scandals List of Arizona political scandals List of Arkansas political scandals List of California political scandals List of Colorado political scandals List of Connecticut political scandals List of Delaware political scandals List of Florida political scandals List of Georgia political scandals List of Hawaii political scandals List of Idaho political scandals List of Illinois political scandals List of Indiana political scandals List of Iowa political scandals

References