Paterson Awaits Scheduled Friday Date with Destiny for Torres
A scheduled hearing on Friday for Paterson Mayor Jose “Joey’ Torres coupled with a despondent looking legal defense fund have created the impression among that whispering multitude hovering near the mayor’s office that he will accept a plea deal with the AG’s Office and create a vacancy.
The word on the street is six months in jail and then a braceleted probationary period.
Torres, charged with corruption, would create an opening for Council President Ruby Cotton to take the mayoralty. Another council person could challenge her for the seat by amassing a majority of his or her elected colleagues. Councilman Bill McCoy, Councilman Alex Mendez, Councilman Mike Jackson and Councilman Andre Sayegh have all expressed interest in succeeding Torres. McCoy and Mendez are already declared candidates, and a source told InsiderNJ that the former has poked around about his odds on winning if he opposes Cotton.
Cotton has said publicly that she won’t run for mayor herself next year if she holds the seat in a vacuum created by Torres’ departure. Others feeling out a 2018 run include former Police Director Glenn Brown, former Deputy Mayor Pedro Rodriguez, and Passaic County Freeholder Assad Akhter.
Assemblyman Benjie Wimberly (D-35) has consistently denied wanting to take a crack at City Hall, but a source as recently as today told InsiderNJ that the assemblyman may be taking one last turn on mulling over a citywide run.
Shame on him. Worse, shame on the uninformed, biased, and ignorant residents who voted for him. This man’s reputation for hubris and corruption goes way back to his first term as mayor. The old cliche is true, you get the representatives you deserve. Theft is theft. He stole from the tax payer. Doesn’t matter if it was a dollar, or a million. Look at the run down, garbage filled, neglected city he resides over. While he stole tax payer money to enrich and benefit himself, streets, side walks, and curbs are left crumbling, crime rampant throughout the city, parks that look like garbage dumps, and he has the balls to hold a fund raiser on a yacht for HIS defense fund? He should be sentenced to 90 days in an orange jump suit sweeping up the garbage from the city he left neglected AFTER his prison term.