Matsikoudis: In Response to Tape Showing Corruption in City Hall
In Response to Tape Showing Corruption in City Hall
On Monday, October 30th, numerous local news organizations cited an accidental recording that, in the words of POLITICO, “paint a damning picture of the political culture in Jersey City.” In short, simple, harsh, but true terms, the public learned on Monday that the Fulop Administration is corrupt and that it operates like organized crime.
Not only does the released audio tape prove that the Mayor’s Chief of Staff tried to rig a contract procurement and steer it to a favored vendor, but we also hear firsthand how this had been done before and that the Chief of Staff actually threatened the City’s Business Administrator to get it done. “You don’t want another problem” the Chief of Staff is herd telling the Business Administrator. In addition, the tape also reveals a plan to punish someone who rebuffed their corrupt effort. How many other contracts were illegally tampered with but for which there is no evidence thanks to an accidental recording?
Mayor Fulop knew about all this several years ago, yet no one was punished. He claims that he reported this to authorities, but refuses to provide any specifics. During this time, the two members of the Fulop Administration remained in their top positions long after the recording came to light and one still enjoys employment at taxpayer expense. The other is being paid by the Fulop campaign. It should also be noted that the favored vendor by the Fulop administration was a campaign donor to the Fulop campaign
Are we going to normalize this type of conduct where city officials are allowed to engage in corrupt behavior and remain in their jobs?
We have seen time and time again that Mayor Fulop just does not get it. He has been arrogant, hurtful, and thoughtless. As a candidate for Mayor and a longtime member of the Jersey City community, I am fighting to strengthen our expectations in our City officials and want us all to envision a City Hall that puts the interests of the people ahead of campaign donors. As a lawyer and former Deputy AttorneyGeneral, I have always deemed it a sacred obligation to follow the law and the ethical standards of the profession. As a former government official, I know that local government operates best when it engages in a robust dialogue with the community, which requires transparency.
The following articles provide background on Monday’s news:
http://www.nj.com/hudson/index.ssf/2017/10/listen_voicemail_at_center_of_fulop_controversy_su.htm
