JERSEY CITY AND BEYOND – Former state assemblyman Louis Manzo at a press conference in Jersey City on Monday blasted the federal government’s July 2009 corruption probe, claiming it was tainted by misconduct by prosecutors involved in the case.
Manzo was arrested on July 23 as the part of the sting, which netted public officials and religious leaders on bribery and money laundering charges. Manzo and his brother Ronald were both charged with allegedly accepting $27,500 in corrupt cash payments from government informant Solomon Dwek in exchange for Manzo’s official assistance on development matters once he became mayor.
Manzo at the press conference took to task assistant U.S. Attorneys prosecuting his case and others.
He said they ran afoul of federal law with actions such as donating to the campaign to former U.S. Attorney, now Gov. Chris Christie. Many of them were hired for jobs in Christie’s administration, he said.
“It is shameful that this once great symbol of law and order has denigrated into the characteristics of a political ward club,” Manzo said.
Also, Manzo called for an investigation of the attorneys by the federal government. Manzo said he filed a motion of misconduct regarding the attorneys with U.S. District Judge Jose Linares and will be in court next Monday for a hearing on the matter. – RK
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