While newly elected Hoboken Mayor Peter Cammarano spends the day after his birthday answering a corruption charge in Newark, the city is being run by state appointed financial monitor Judy Tripodi, who was brought in last year to deal with the city’s financial mess.
Hoboken City Hall spokesman Paul Drexel said today that Cammarano, who was arrested this morning as part of a wide-ranging FBI sting, is the one who can appoint an acting mayor in his absence. A regular mayor cannot be appointed until he resigns.
Drexel said that Cammarano can appoint from within his city directors, or the city clerk.
Since his new directors were not confirmed by the City Council last night, the only director who could be confirmed is John Pope, who was already a city director and would just be moving to a different department. In addition, longtime city clerk James Farina could be chosen.
Meanwhile, some observers are criticizing Cammarano, noting that last week, Cammarano said he had a “zero tolerance” policy on corruption. Cammarano asked former Hoboken Housing Authority Commissioner Hector Claveria to step down immediately because Claveria was arrested on a charge of taking a bribe. Claveria has not yet gone to trial.
Now, some are saying that Cammarano should also step down for the time being.
“That is something he has to answer for,” said Cammarano’s recent opponent in the mayoral election, City Council President Dawn Zimmer.
Zimmer said she has been discussing with the city attorney what her role will be while Cammarano is out of commission.
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