Jersey City Counclman Steven Fulop said on Wednesday that his City Council colleagues Mariano Vega and Nidia Lopez should not vote for a replacement for former Ward B Councilman Phil Kenny, who resigned from his seat on Tuesday after he pleaded guilty to accepting $5,000 in bribes from the federal government’s cooperating witness, Solomon Dwek.
“While I recognize that the remaining council will be responsible for filling the vacant seat with a temporary representative for the citizens in Ward B, I think that both Councilman Vega and Councilwoman Lopez should refrain from voting for the replacement until their individual legal situations are resolved. To think that temporary council people will select a temporary representative, who will vote on important decisions, for the citizens of Ward B is not fair to the residents of the city. I would hope they both take the proper and fair steps in this matter and abstain from voting.”
The “legal situations” that Fulop refers to are Vega’s arrest on July 23 as one of the 44 implicated in the public corruption/money laundering scandal, and Lopez’s legal issues with her residency in New Jersey and Florida, which affects her status as a council member.
Vega, when reached for comment, said it was20″absurd” for Fulop to ask for him to abstain.
“It is the people who elected me to serve on the council, not Fulop the emperor,” Vega said. — RK