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Allegations Official Misconduct
Federal Bribery Sting Nets State and Local Officials NEW JERSEY -- Sept-13-07 A federal probe featuring hundreds of hours of audio and videotaped evidence of bribe-taking in the awarding of public contracts resulted in the arrests of two state lawmakers, two mayors, three city councilmen and several members of the school board in Pleasantville. The federal complaint charges each of the 12 with accepting payments from companies that offered insurance and roofing services to cities and school districts. The 12 people arrested Thursday, including 11 public officials, are accused of taking cash payments of $1,500 to $17,500 to influence people who received public contracts, according to the criminal complaints. Assemblyman Mims Hackett Jr., D-Essex, left a voice mail message with The Star Ledger of Newark saying he resigned from the Assembly effective Saturday. Hackett didn't say if he will step down as mayor of Orange, a position he has held since 1996. Hackett, 65, is charged with taking $5,000 in bribes. The complaints feature quotes from secretly recorded conversations that depict public officials negotiating for as much cash as they could get and bragging about their influence. In a meeting with a Federal undercover agent on May 24, the complaint said, Hackett was asked if a $5,000 payment up front and $25,000 more when the City of Orange approved a contract for insurance business “worked” for him. “Oh yeah,” Hackett responded. The complaint also alleges that after a meeting Aug. 14, when an undercover agent handed him $5,000 in cash folded inside an insurance benefits packet, Hackett’s recorded reaction was “O.K.” Hackett, a former teacher, has been criticized in the past for using his office to hire his wife, sister-in-law and at least two of his six children. Julie Roginsky, spokeswoman for the Passaic County Democratic Party said Assemblyman Alfred Steele, D-Passaic told Passaic County Democratic Party chairman John Currie on Saturday that he would also leave his post on Monday. Steele, an assemblyman since 1996 and deputy speaker since 2002, also serves as a Baptist minister in Paterson. He's charged with accepting $14,000 in bribes. According to court documents Steele promised at a Newark restaurant meeting with an undercover agent on March 14 to provide his “personal touch” in interceding for insurance contracts. Later, in cars, restaurants and other places, Mr. Steele accepted bribes totaling $14,000 for arranging matters, the complaint said. “We gonna do that,” he promised. He entered politics in the early 1990s as a Paterson councilman, was elected to the Assembly in 1995 and has been deputy speaker since 2002. Steele also served as Passaic County undersheriff until he resigned from the $89,900-per-year post Thursday. Passaic City Councilman Marcellus Jackson was also caught on tape by the sting. According to federal prosecutors, he was more than happy to receive $6,000 to try steering city business to an insurance company. "I appreciate it, baby," he said, according to the criminal complaint. "Good things is gonna happen." Jackson’s fellow councilman, Jonathan Soto, thought the "sky was the limit," making sure those doling out money knew, "I have friends in other municipalities, and I'm all for getting my feet wet as well, man, you know what I'm saying?" Pleasantville school member Maurice "Pete" Callaway, who was
running for city council, was also charged with corruption. During a
meeting with the undercover informants, Callaway was asked, "What do
you guys need from us?" Passaic Mayor Samuel Rivera is denying charges he too accepted bribes. He said, "I'll have my day in court." Rivera, a former cop with a checkered history, was also a featured member of Hillary Clinton's long list of campaign endorsements. He was on Clinton's Mayor's Council and her National Hispanic Leadership Council, according to the NY Daily News. Rivera's day in court will likely include recordings of him boasting of his ability to sway votes approving contracts. Rivera is quoted as saying, "I can get four votes easy, easy, easy." According to the complaint he then took $5,000 from undercover agents. "I thought I could no longer be surprised by a combination of brazenness, arrogance and stupidity, but the people elected in this state continue to defy description," said U.S. Attorney Christopher Christie, who is on a crusade against corruption.
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