Former Jersey City BOE pres., ex-Bayonne assemblyman indicted for allegedly taking bribes
Former Jersey City Board of Education President Sudhan Thomas and ex-Bayonne Assemblyman Jason O’Donnell are among four public officials that have been indicted today for allegedly taking cash bribes, New Jersey Attorney General Gurbir Grewal announced.
Jersey City Board of Education President Sudhan Thomas and former Bayonne Assemblyman Jason O’Donnell. Photos courtesy of the New Jersey Attorney General’s Office.
By John Heinis/Hudson County View
The four defendants, which also include former Morris County Freeholder John Cesaro and ex-Mt. Arlington Councilman John Windish, were initially charged by complaint-summons in December 2019.
How A National Insurance Agency And Political Insiders Work New Jersey’s Money Game
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Acrisure, a multi-billion dollar national brokerage firm, may have secured government contracts worth millions of dollars by exploiting a loophole in New Jersey’s pay-to-play rules through the acquisition of branch offices once owned by well-connected political insiders that remain on the payroll.
Those insiders, and its company employees, subsequently pumped more than $100,000 worth of campaign donations to lawmakers dating back to 2015 and sometimes days before those lawmakers voted on awarding lucrative contracts to Acrisure.
Gothamist/WNYC found more than $3 million worth of Acrisure contracts with those county and municipal governments going back 2015, and that only includes about half of the contracts where their value has been publicly disclosed.
Jersey City Ward B council candidate Joel Brooks. Photo courtesy of the Brooks campaign.
By John Heinis/Hudson County View
“The Jersey City Council has tremendous power to shape our city and impact our communities. From taxes, to housing and tenants rights, to public safety, public health and the city budget – the city council has a huge role,” Brooks told HCV.
“Right now, the majority of the city council accepts donations from real estate developers, police unions and corporate landlords who have the City government working for them, not tenants and working class residents of Jersey City. I will never take their money. I will never work for them. I will always stand with Ward B Jersey City residents.”
Hudson County View
By John Heinis/Hudson County View
Gilmore filed a D-1 form with the New Jersey Election Law Enforcement Commission (NJ ELEC) on Tuesday, according to their online database.
Michael Griffin, one of five candidates who was bested by Robinson in 2017, will serve as the chair of Gilmore’s campaign.
“The timing is not traditional, but everything with me is about honor and legacy and given that it’s Black History Month … we decided to announce in February,” Gilmore told HCV over the phone.
“Moving the conversation from affordable housing to affordable home ownership is a big priority. I’d like to create a program where houses and properties can go towards the community and recreation will be paramount to anything. I’m just of the opinion that there isn’t enough for recreation and youth enrichment.”