Federal prosecutors have launched a probe into the Newark Watershed Authority for actions it took while chaired by the city’s then-mayor Cory Booker, sources said.
The inquiry centers on alleged misappropriation of taxpayer funds first uncovered by the New Jersey Comptroller’s Office and a local watchdog group.
While Booker — who is now a US senator — served as the agency’s ex-officio chairman between 2007 and 2012, his former law firm, Trenk, DiPasquale, Webster, raked in $1 million in legal fees. Elnardo Webster, Booker’s 2006 campaign treasurer, served as the authority’s general counsel.
The Post previously reported that the law firm paid Booker $700,000 — even after he became mayor. Booker claims the payments were part of a “separation agreement” for work done before he was elected.
Booker’s campaign spokeswoman said he “had nothing to do with the business the firm conducted with the Watershed, nor did he have a hand in their getting a contract there.”
The authority spilled the beans about the federal probe in a separate court proceeding as it sought reimbursement from the city for expenses, said Renee Steinhagen, executive director of NJ Appleseed, a public-interest law firm that represents a citizens’ group.
Booker refused to respond to news of the story, prompting this editorial from the Murdoch Post: (the outlet which reported the story in the first place):
Even though he’s running for re-election to the US Senate, Cory Booker refuses to answer key questions about millions siphoned from a commission he chaired.
The questions for the former Newark mayor boil down to two:
Did he know about the taxpayer dollars that went to enrich his pals at the Newark Watershed Conservation and Development Corp. while he was chairman? And were checks he continued to receive from his law firm after becoming mayor a quid pro quo?
These questions take on a new importance now that a federal prosecutor is looking into them, as The Post’s Carl Campanile reported Monday.
Booker’s law firm of Trenk, DiPasquale made $2 million doing legal work for the city of Newark — $1 million on the watershed alone.
Meanwhile, the firm continued to pay Booker $700,000 throughout most of his mayoral tenure — including a final payment of $30,000 in 2012 that was “accidentally” left off his subsequent federal disclosure forms.
Booker has been all over the map with explanations, first denying the firm paid him or that he did any work for the firm, then blaming omissions on an accounting error, then saying the payments were from a “confidential” separation agreement.
If a written copy of his separation agreement with Trenk, DiPasquale exists, Booker could clear up much of the confusion simply by releasing it. Why won’t he?
Booker's a slippery fellow.
It sure would be nice to see federal prosecutors get him.
Great timing right before the election! Too bad Christie isn't giving Bell any money for an ad.
ReplyDeleteHe'll win re-election comfortably. We'll have to see if anything comes of it after November.
DeleteThe next one they should investigate is Anthony Ambrose Chief of Prosecutor office and his girlfriend Toni. Anthony Ambrose is a thief who takes advantage of his power to steal and commit all kinds of illegal scam. Example: Having his buddy Deputy Chief Mike work in his lover house Toni on the county hours to fix her house. Promotes Toni just because she f----g her. Mike and his corrupt buddy steal from drug dealers and give Ambrose a cut. Chief was in a car accident with county car drunk driving , total car and got it fix illegally. Mike is goes around every holiday season asking his employee for cash as a gift to Chief to repay the overtime he gives them through the year. Ambrose takes advantage of his power to commit all kind of illegal scam. Not to mention how he put a innocent man in jail because the man approach him of having a affair with his wife at the time a Newark officer. Shame on you Prosecutor for allowing this . AA i hope you get caught we have evidence.
ReplyDelete