11 Arrests In N.J. Corruption Probe

Mayor, Two State Lawmakers Among Those Nabbed In Federal Bribery Investigation

(AP)  FBI agents arrested 11 public officials, including a mayor and two state lawmakers, in towns across New Jersey on Thursday in connection with a federal corruption probe, the U.S. Attorney's office said.

The arrests were related to insurance contracts for local governments, a law enforcement official said on condition of anonymity because the formal announcement was pending.

Democratic state Assemblymen Mims Hackett Jr. and Alfred E. Steele were among those arrested, along with Passaic Mayor Samuel Rivera, the law enforcement official said. Also arrested were the chief of staff to Newark's City Council president, Passaic Councilmen Jonathan Soto and Marcellus Jackson, and five Pleasantville school board members.

Initial court appearances were scheduled Thursday afternoon in Trenton.

The U.S. Attorney for New Jersey, Christopher J. Christie, and FBI Special Agent in Charge Weysan Dun scheduled an afternoon news conference to discuss the case.

More than 100 public officials in the state have been convicted on federal corruption charges in the last five years.

Thursday's arrests were the latest in an anti-corruption campaign waged by Christie's office. Two other Democratic state senators, Wayne Bryant of Lawnside and Sharpe James of Newark, are among others facing pending corruption charges.

[keithle1]

How much stuff is going on in the Garden State that we DON''T hear about?

[my2centss]

"...and five Pleasantville school board members."

Maybe the crooks don''t need more money so that kids can be smarter.

[rharrin1]

We Republicans know that deep down inside you poor rabid libs really love us! Afterall, wouldn''''t your lives be rather BORING if you didn''''t have us to kick around, gossip about and make fun of?
Posted by edintex at 09:38 AM : Sep 07, 2007

You can''t ignore people who serve you with a silver platter.

[flreason]

I''ve supported Democrats and Republicans, but I don''t condone crime and corruption in any party. Both parties are guilty, and both need to clean up their acts. Hsu will face the consequences of his actions. So will the corrupt NJ politicians. However, unlike most of the Republicans posting here, I don''t get any enjoyment out of seeing any public servant--no matter what their affiliation--selling out their constituents. The problem of corruption undermines our democracy. THAT should be the primary concern of all Americans, no matter what their political views. The obstruction of justice by the current administration perpetuates the message that justice is for sale to the highest bidder. WE THE PEOPLE need to demand accountability from the officials whose salaries we are paying, rather than favoring one brand of crooks over another.

[edintex]

ov442:
We Republicans know that deep down inside you poor rabid libs really love us! Afterall, wouldn''t your lives be rather BORING if you didn''t have us to kick around, gossip about and make fun of?

[edintex]

I imagine that the democratic leadership in Congress is trying frantically to hire these people right now. Surely they can work in Congressman Jefferson (LA)office.

[ov442]

Ya Know why Dems dont comment when dems get caught for corruption? Cuz Dems Dont make excuses for their own like lying sack of S**t republican Leaders of Crime.
Every one of you hippocrites defends every single Republican criminal caught in perversion or financial crimes and every one of you is wrong, a fake, a hippocrite, and a liar with ZERO integrity and no sense of justice, or honor. Period.

[kennedy7955]

New Jersey government, State and local, is corrupt to it''s core. Just look at our taxes, crime, schools, roads, car insurance and you will see just a glimpse of how bad the problem is here in New Jersey. A real investigation would lock up half of the mayors, thousands of school board memebers and most of the State legislators.

[xlib]

I just love the way the msm covers poltical corruption. The posters are absolutely correct, you have to read halfway down the article before you see the word DEMOCRAT. But hey, there is no such thing as media bias folks.
This story will also only run today as the usual foaming at the mout libs won''t comment.
Also folks, did you know that the donor to the majority of the democratic party, norman hsu was arressted again? See, he was supposed to show up in California, home of two of his peeps, diane and babs, but didn''t. They finally caught him again.
Also seems as though the governor of New Jersey, I don''t need a seat belt corzine, just gave back a bundle.
Now, where''s the coverage on that? Don''t see it.
But, all the rabid lefties will be posting on the never ending craig story.

[brianbwb-2009]

The FBI should expand its'' efforts, I am positive that similar arrests would be made in every state of the union, and not only for insurance scams, but for all programs they administer.

A criminal infrastructure cannot hope to create a law abiding citizenry. Want to stop street crime? start with those who control the streets, the police, then work all the way up to the top (white house).

Any less of an effort is only pretense.

[xzavierbrown]

f the Church ran the government, these same people would be priests!!

Bad people do not do good things.
Posted by pwrslm at 11:18 PM : Sep 06, 2007
+ report abuse

*****

nice wish..but in reality..the democrats were running THIS NJ Govt..and these people are criminals..

democrats do not do good things..


THAT IS WHAT THE NEWS SAID..NOT YOUR WISHY WASHY IF''Y CR*AP

[pwrslm]

If the Church ran the government, these same people would be priests!!

Bad people do not do good things.

[cfin5]

Plenty of trash needs to be taken out of both parties. Whether or not it will work for us mere treadmillers down here , we''ll see. But I''ll be watching it go down from the Constitution Party side of the fence. I''m waiting for the republican party to blow it by nominating Rudy.......Ron Paul, the unsocialist 2008!

[homjett]

More than 100 public officials in the state have been convicted on federal corruption charges in the last five years. Would I be wrong in assuming they are all Democrats? I saw this same story on the ABC website, written almost the same way, one had to read down the page to see what Party they belonged too. My guess if this was Repubs, it would have been in the headline. I will admit that CBS did identify them sooner then ABC. I havent heard much of this story on Cable as yet. Although, they are still talking about Craig.

[mcv57]

Drop in a bucket bust. These cops who got busted must have pissed-off the corrupt mayor (threaten to uncover city corruption). So, New Jersey decided to let the whistleblowers serve some jail time.

If you want to really build on some browning points, you must start from the top - Mayors, Governors, FBI agents, and yes, the White House. Otherwise this bust is nothing more than superficial and fake.

Bigs bust are plentiful in Nevada, Chicago, and St. Louis. The government authories get-away with murder there.

[zootallures2]

Too bad state police can''t investigate the Fed.

[Krazcarl]

Coruption in high places I believe this has been going on since thr revolution probably before. I''d like to know how much money was spent on this invesigation to see what the trade off was?

[donnie900]

Its too bad there wasn''t a hole in the insurance companies wall.. You know, about a inch and half in diameter? That''d be good.

[mommajommah]

heck, what are they worried about? they will get re-elected... they''re democrats.

[my2centss]

More corrupt politicians? I am shocked. No wonder they always want to increase taxes. More for them.