PARSIPPANY– This Tuesday, March 18, Parsippany Town Council meeting is set to be a politically charged spectacle as Mayor Jamie Barberio and his allies move to censure his chief political opponent, Councilman Justin Musella. If successful, Musella would become the first elected official in township history to face censure—an unprecedented move many residents view as a blatant abuse of municipal power.
Parsippany has seen its share of political scandals. Yet, even former Mayor Frank Priore, convicted of a felony and sentenced to federal prison in the 1990s, was never formally censured. The push against Musella, however, comes less than 24 hours after he announced his running mates for the upcoming election, raising accusations that Barberio is using his office to target political opponents.
The justification for the censure hinges on a traffic stop from August 2023. In a video circulated by Barberio’s campaign, Musella and his wife were pulled over, during which the officer appeared to recognize them and requested identification. Musella admitted urging his wife to drive faster to catch a train but sought no special treatment. His wife ultimately received only a warning. Nevertheless, Barberio’s allies—Council members Paul Carifi, Matt McGrath, and Frank Neglia—seized on the footage, claiming that Musella’s wife presenting his council identification card constituted misconduct. This led to a rushed vote at the March 4th Council meeting to launch an ethics probe, culminating in tonight’s planned censure vote.
Public reaction has been swift and overwhelmingly critical. Many residents consider the effort an underhanded attempt to weaken Barberio’s strongest opponent in the mayoral race. Parsippany Focus has received multiple letters daily from concerned residents condemning the move and calling for the council to focus on pressing township issues—such as rising taxes, unchecked development, and town hall inefficiencies—rather than political retaliation.
A large crowd is expected at Tuesday’s meeting, set for 7:00 p.m. at Parsippany Municipal Building, 1001 Parsippany Boulevard, where residents can voice their opinions before the council votes. With tensions running high and accusations of political maneuvering dominating the conversation, all eyes will be on Parsippany’s leadership to see whether this censure is about accountability—or just another case of political lawfare.
