MORRIS COUNTY — Attorney General Gurbir S. Grewal announced that five current and former public officials and political candidates in New Jersey – including Former Morris County Freeholder John Cesaro – have been charged with taking bribes in a major investigation of political corrupt in Morris and Hudson counties conducted by the Office of Public Integrity and Accountability (OPIA).

The five defendants are charged with taking thousands of dollars in bribes from a cooperating witness in the form of campaign contributions. In return, the defendants allegedly promised the cooperating witness, who is a tax attorney, that they would vote or use their official authority or influence to hire or continue to hire his law firm for lucrative government legal work. Envelopes and paper bags filled with cash – and even a coffee cup stuffed with cash – were delivered to the defendants by the cooperating witness at restaurants, parking lots, a political fundraiser, and a campaign headquarters. Other times the cooperating witness offered checks from illegal “straw donors” – individuals reimbursed to write checks to the defendant’s campaign in amounts that complied with the legal limit on individual donations.

The following five defendants were charged separately in criminal complaints with second-degree bribery in official and political matters:

• John Cesaro – Former Morris County Freeholder  (Click here to download indictment)
• Sudhan Thomas – Jersey City School Board President (Click here to download indictment)
• Jason O’Donnell – Former State Assemblyman and Former Bayonne Mayoral Candidate (Click here to download indictment)
• John Windish – Former Mount Arlington Council Member (Click here to download indictment)
• Mary Dougherty – Former Morris County Freeholder Candidate

The defendants who held public office at the time of the alleged conduct – Thomas, Cesaro, and Windish – also are charged with second-degree acceptance or receipt of unlawful benefit by a public servant for official behavior.

“We allege that these political candidates were all too willing to sell the authority of their public office or the office they sought in exchange for an envelope filled with cash or illegal checks from straw donors,” said Attorney General Grewal. “This is old-school political corruption at its worst— the kind that undermines the political process and erodes public faith in government. We are working through the Office of Public Integrity and Accountability to create a culture of accountability in New Jersey, where public officials know they must act with integrity or else face the consequences.”

“These cases reflect one of OPIA’s core missions, which is to root out corruption and misconduct in state and local government and related elections,” said OPIA Director Thomas Eicher. “We are determined to hold public officials and candidates responsible for their actions, no matter their political positions or alliances. New Jersey has some of the nation’s strongest anti-corruption laws, and we will use them to ensure that government officials single-mindedly serve the public interest, not their own selfish interests.”

The defendants were charged in an investigation by the Office of Public Integrity and Accountability which began in early 2018 and focused on political figures in Hudson and Morris counties who allegedly solicited illegal campaign contributions from the cooperating witness in return for promised official action to provide him with government work.

As set forth in the complaints, the defendants are alleged to have engaged in the following conduct:

Windish Indictment

John Cesaro – Former Morris County Freeholder John Cesaro, who was a sitting county freeholder at the time of the alleged criminal conduct, solicited contributions from the cooperating witness for his 2021 campaign for Mayor of Parsippany-Troy Hills. Cesaro allegedly accepted bribes from the cooperating witness, in return for which he promised to secure more tax work from Morris County for the cooperating witness and make him tax counsel for Parsippany-Troy Hills if elected.

Cesaro allegedly accepted an envelope containing $10,000 in cash and $2,350 in checks from the cooperating witness, but later returned the cash, asking the cooperating witness to replace it with checks. The two allegedly discussed using “straw donors.” Under New Jersey election law, it is illegal for a person to provide money to another person, known as a “straw donor,” to make a political contribution to a specific candidate. At a later fundraiser, Cesaro accepted two checks for $2,600 each – the individual limit for contributions per election per candidate – which the cooperating witness described as “my straws,” along with another check for $150.

During a conversation about the contributions before they were delivered, the cooperating witness and Cesaro had the following exchange:

CW: Johnny, listen, all I want to do is the tax work. That’s all I’m looking to do.
Cesaro: I become mayor, I got your back.

The alleged criminal conduct occurred between April and May 2018.

Sudhan Thomas – Incumbent Jersey City School Board President Sudhan Thomas, who at the time of his conduct also was preparing to run for Jersey City Councilman in 2021, is charged with accepting $35,000 in cash bribes, $10,000 delivered on one date, and $25,000 delivered on a second date.

Thomas allegedly agreed, in return for the cash payments, to arrange for the cooperating witness to be hired as a special counsel for the Jersey City Board of Education. Thomas and the cooperating witness allegedly discussed specific work projects that the cooperating witness would receive from the board of education.

During a conversation about the cash payments before they were delivered, the cooperating witness (CW) and Thomas had the following exchange:

CW: Make me special counsel for …
Thomas: Real estate.
CW: Yeah, real estate… that’s perfect.
Thomas: Yeah, nobody questions anything… nobody questions all of that stuff.

The alleged criminal conduct occurred between May and July 2019. Thomas lost his bid for re-election to the Jersey City School Board in November, and his term on the Board ends at the end of December.

Jason O’Donnell – Former State Assemblyman Jason O’Donnell, who ran unsuccessfully for Mayor of Bayonne in 2018, is charged with accepting a $10,000 cash bribe. O’Donnell allegedly solicited $10,000 in “street money” for his mayoral campaign from the cooperating witness. In return, O’Donnell allegedly agreed to provide the cooperating witness with tax work from the City of Bayonne if elected mayor.

O’Donnell allegedly accepted a paper bag containing $10,000 in cash from the cooperating witness at his campaign headquarters. After the cash was handed over, they had the following exchange:

CW: “I just wanna be your tax guy.”
O’Donnell: “Done.”

O’Donnell failed to file required campaign reports with the New Jersey Election Law Enforcement Commission (ELEC) disclosing the $10,000 contribution. The alleged criminal conduct occurred between April and May 2018.

John Windish

Former Mount Arlington Councilman John Windish allegedly accepted a $7,000 cash bribe. Windish allegedly solicited cash from the cooperating witness for his unsuccessful bid for re-election to the borough council in June 2018.

In return, Windish allegedly promised that he would support the reappointment of the cooperating witness as borough attorney.

It is alleged that Windish accepted an envelope containing $7,000 in cash from the cooperating witness. When the cash was delivered, they had the following conversation:

CW: “I need you to, I need your commit that I’m your borough attorney and I need more work, John.”
Windish: “You got it.”

State election law prohibits cash contributions exceeding $200 from a single contributor for a single election. The alleged criminal conduct occurred in May 2018.

Mary Dougherty

Mary Dougherty, a real estate agent from Morristown, allegedly accepted a bribe of $10,000 from the cooperating witness – initially delivered as cash but later converted to checks from “straw donors” – for her unsuccessful campaign for Morris County Freeholder in 2018. In return, she allegedly promised to support the reappointment of the cooperating witness as counsel for Morris County.

During a meeting at a restaurant, Dougherty allegedly accepted $10,000 cash in $100 denominations that the cooperating witness delivered in a take-out coffee cup. Dougherty later returned the cash, asking the cooperating witness to replace the cash with four checks, each within the $2,600 individual contribution limit. The cooperating witness told Dougherty he would use the returned $10,000 in cash to pay four individuals to write checks.

The pair met again at the same restaurant, where Dougherty accepted four checks, each in the amount of $2,500 payable to “Mary for Morris Freeholder.” When the checks were delivered, the cooperating witness and Dougherty had the following exchange:

CW: “These are my straws… so I just need your support for my reappointment. Don’t forget me.”
Dougherty: “I won’t. I promise. A friend is a friend, my friend.”

The alleged criminal conduct occurred between August and October 2018.
Attorney General Grewal commended all of the prosecutors and detectives who conducted and supervised the investigations for the OPIA Corruption Bureau, under the leadership of OPIA Director Thomas Eicher. Deputy Attorneys General Pearl Minato, John A. Nicodemo, and Anthony Robinson are prosecuting the cases, under the supervision of Counsel to the Director Anthony Picione. Former OPIA Deputy Chief Jeffrey Manis also supervised the cases.

Second-degree crimes carry a sentence of five to 10 years in state prison and a fine of up to $150,000. The second-degree charges against those who held public office at the time of the alleged conduct – Thomas, Cesaro, and Windish – carry a mandatory minimum sentence of five years in prison without eligibility for parole under New Jersey’s enhanced penalties for official corruption.

The charges are merely accusations and the defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty.

Attorney General Grewal created the Office of Public Integrity and Accountability in September 2018 to combat corruption and strengthen public confidence in government institutions. Earlier this month, the Attorney General issued a directive codifying OPIA and making it a permanent part of the Attorney General’s Office. That directive established the OPIA Corruption Bureau as the lead office within the Department of Law & Public Safety for the investigation and prosecution of state criminal violations involving corruption and abuse of public trust.

PARSIPPANY — Parsippany-Troy Hills Planning Board appointed Joseph Wenzel, Esq. as the new Planning Board Attorney to replace Scott Carlson, Esq., on February 8. He has been involved in government land use for over twenty years.

Wenzel represents public entities throughout New Jersey. He is currently the Municipal Attorney for the Township of Little Falls, Planning Board Attorney for the Borough of Woodland Park for over ten years, Planning Board Attorney for the City of Perth Amboy for over five years, Municipal Prosecutor for the Township of West Orange, and Public Defender for the Borough of South Bound Brook. His services also extend to defending counties and municipalities in various types of litigation.

Wenzel received a B.S. degree from Rutgers University (Class of 1996) and received a J.D. degree from Seton Hall University at Newark (Class of 1999). He was admitted to the New Jersey Bar Association in 1999, U.S. District Court, District of New Jersey in 1999, U.S. Supreme Court in 2003, and District of Columbia in 2008.

He is Managing Partner at Friend & Wenzel, LLC., located at 1000 Clifton Avenue, Suite 101, Clifton.

MORRIS COUNTY — The public is invited to join an informational webinar presented by Morris County Surrogate Heather J. Darling, Esq., covering trusts and estate planning.

“What to Know About Trusts and Estate Planning” will feature special guest panelist John M. Clyne, Jr., Esq., of Clyne Brownstein Law on Thursday, February 25, from noon to 1:00 p.m. The event will take place online.

Surrogate Sessions is an ongoing educational series. Participation is free to Morris County residents and business owners.

To register and to obtain the link click here.

PARSIPPANY — For the third consecutive year, The Woman’s Club of Parsippany-Troy Hills has partnered with “Find Your Fabulosity” to make Valentine’s Day a happy one for the clients of JBWS and Abigail House domestic violence shelters. The women will be surprised with candy valentines, which they can share with their children. They can then feel pretty and pampered with the lipsticks and gloss, which are meant to remind and reaffirm the beauty of these women inside and out. It is our way to offer love, support, and encouragement while these courageous women pursue a new, safer, and better life.

To find out more about “Find Your Fabulosity” located in Longwood, Florida click here.

WCPTH brings together the women of Parsippany and neighboring towns for fellowship and service. As our Mission Statement expresses: The CLUB shall study and take appropriate action in any endeavors which have for their objectives the educational, cultural, and civic betterment of the community and work in harmony with the New Jersey State Federation of Women’s Clubs and the General Federation of Women’s Clubs.”

Anyone interested in learning more about the club’s activities, or to participate in our next meeting being held via ZOOM on February 22 at 7:00 p.m., should contact Marilyn in advance of the meeting by calling (973) 539-3703 or e-mail the club at womansclubofpth@gmail.com.  Click here for their website, or like us on Facebook.

Photos courtesy of The Woman’s Club of Parsippany-Troy Hills

PARSIPPANY — The Township of Parsippany-Troy Hills will conduct its regularly scheduled council meeting Tuesday, February 16, 2021, at 7:00 p.m.

Due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, the meeting will be held via a web conferencing program named WebEx. This program will allow the public to listen in to the meeting and to participate during the public portion session only. This program uses a “raise hand” button in the software to address those who wish to speak during the public portion.

Please be advised that in order for a member of the public to speak during the public portion, they will need to provide their first name, last name, email address, address and city accurately. Anyone not using their real name and address will not be allowed to speak during the public portion.

• Click here to download the agenda
• Click here to access the meeting.

For more information, please contact the Township Clerk’s office at (973) 263-4351 or email pthclerk@parsippany.net.

Resolutions and Ordinances can be found below:

• 2021-01 Knoll Golf Fees
• R2021-033 MCCPC Somerset State Bergen Middlesex
• R2021-034 Soil Moving Permit Parq Parsippany
• R2021-035 Performance Guarantee Release Parsippany Hanover Realty II, LLC
• R2021-036 Township Street Lighting Policy
• R2021-037 Authorizing Highlands Grant Agreement
• R2021-038 Sustainability Pledge
• R2021-039 Change Order Number 3 Laboratory Improvements

MORRIS COUNTY — An Overdose Fatality Review Team (OFRT) is being launched in Morris County through a partnership between Prevention is Key (PIK) and the Morris County Division of Public Health to combat the rise in overdose deaths.

The OFRT has enlisted the support of multiple agencies and organizations to begin analyzing data, identifying regional trends, and evaluating strategies to address opioid overdose deaths in Morris County. The initiative is being funded by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the New Jersey Department of Health under a successful model program developed in Maryland.

OFRTs consist of local, multi-agency, multi-disciplinary teams of professionals in a position to conduct comprehensive, yet confidential reviews of overdose deaths to ultimately improve response, prevention, treatment and public awareness services.  By fully understanding more about overdose deaths in the county, local health officials can more effectively direct policies, practices, and partnerships to prevent future overdoses and allocate prevention resources and services where they are most effective.

“The idea of gathering a group of individuals from diverse professions to share their perspectives and experiences, and to learn from one another in order to make a recommendation on how to prevent future overdose deaths feels like a massive step in the right direction, and I’m happy to be part of that process,” said Samantha Neville of PIK, who will serve as the coordinator of the Morris County OFRT.

“Opioid overdose fatalities continue to be a serious public health crisis affecting individuals and families from all walks of life. The Morris County OFRT will play a critical and integral role in the development of critical interventions for the prevention of opioid misuse and fatalities,” said Morris County Health Officer Carlos Perez, Jr. Ph.D.

In offering $100,000 grants to cities and counties throughout New Jersey last year, the NJDOH explained that the review teams can uncover the individual and population factors and characteristics of potential overdose victims. Knowing the who, what, when, where, and how of fatal overdoses provides a better sense of the strategies and coordination needed to prevent future overdoses and results in the better allocation of overdose prevention resources and services, according to the NJDOH.

“The Department recognizes the importance of local solutions to bring about a larger change that is needed to address the overdose crisis,” said New Jersey Health Commissioner Judith Persichilli when the grant opportunity was rolled out last year. “The power of Overdose Fatality Review Teams is that they combine robust data with local partnerships, which is the perfect public health recipe for success. These teams will bring about innovation to help end the overdose epidemic.”

According to the NJDOH, the Maryland project improved the quality of referral systems, enhanced outreach to families to provide overdose prevention and treatment services by local health departments and other providers; identified new audiences for its naloxone training, and amplified overdose awareness.

The NJDOH summarized the responsibilities of all OFRTs in the state:

• Conduct multi-agency/multi-disciplinary reviews of all available information on an individual who dies from an overdose; promote cooperation and coordination across agencies involved in overdose investigations;
• Establish policies and procedures for pooling all available information on overdose deaths from local, county, and state government agencies, law enforcement, private entities that maintain privacy and confidentiality and comply with all applicable State and Federal privacy and confidentiality legal requirements;
• Identify points of contact between deceased individuals and healthcare, social services, criminal justice, and other systems involved;
• Identify the risk factors that put individuals at risk for drug overdose within their jurisdiction; and
• Recommend how to improve local partnerships, policies, and practices to prevent overdose deaths.

Morris County and Prevention is Key are pursuing partnerships with the following agencies and organizations to form an Overdose Fatality Review Team.  Partners may include, but are not limited to:

The Municipal Alliances network in Morris County
Morris County Stigma-Free Communities Initiative
Morris County Mental Health Addictions Services Advisory Board
Catholic Charities
Hope House
Daytop New Jersey
Grace Counseling Center
Morris County Aftercare Center
New Bridge Services.
Hope One
Various public schools
Morris County Department of Human Services
Morris County Prosecutor’s Office
Morris County Sheriff’s Office and Correctional Facility
Morris County Emergency Medical Services
Morris County Medical Examiner
Atlantic Health System
Saint Clare’s Health System

PARSIPPANY — Representative Mikie Sherrill (NJ-11) was named this week to the Higher Education and Workforce Investment Subcommittee on the House Education and Labor Committee. The subcommittee has jurisdiction over education and workforce development beyond the high school level, including the Higher Education Act, adult education, postsecondary career and technical education, apprenticeship programs, science, and technology programs, domestic volunteer programs, and national service programs.

“Focus on and investment in our students and our workforce is absolutely essential to help our country get to the other side of this crisis,” said Rep. Sherrill. “Programs that build and support a strong workforce pipeline, connect students with the jobs of today, and ensure Americans have the training they need to adapt to the jobs of tomorrow will help to jumpstart our employment recovery from this pandemic and provide long-term benefits. I am excited to work with my colleagues on the Higher Education and Workforce Investment subcommittee as we get past this pandemic and support getting Americans back to work and our economy back on track.”

Rep. Sherrill is also a member of the House Armed Services Committee and the House Science, Space, and Technology Committee.