UNION CITY AND BEYOND — State Sen. and Union City Mayor Brian Stack released a letter and newspaper ad this week blasting his ex-wife, who once served as a city official in Hoboken and now works at a Union City day care center, for actions revealed in last week’s Fox 5 news “Shame on You” segment that also pointed a finger at Stack himself.
In the segment, reporter Arnold Diaz provided extensive coverage questioning the use of city cars by Stack and by Stack’s ex-wife, Katia Stack. A public safety vehicle that was forfeited to the city was shown being used by Katia Stack in her job at a local private day care center, which rents space in a Union City-owned building for free. Katia Stack was also utilizing the car for personal driving, and was apparently using city gas, which her husband has since demanded she reimburse the city for.
Stack himself said in the program that he didn’t approve of city vehicles being used for those reasons, but was later shown being driven around in a city vehicle by a City Hall employee.
Diaz also said in the report that once he started asking more questions, police began confronting his producer, and Stack stopped talking to him.
In Stack’s letter this week, he says he doesn’t approve of his ex-wife’s actions, nor of the newspaper report that ran.
“These reports were extremely negative and slanted,” he writes. “I take my public service very seriously. While we were once married, years ago, we endured a divorce and do not maintain contact. As you read this, please put yourself in my place as it relates to aspects of my life, both political and personal. As a result of the personal nature of this matter, please imagine how upset I am that my past continues to haunt me.”
He adds, “I have always worked to save money for the taxpayers. That is why I was so shocked and appalled when I learned that city gas was being used in a vehicle that Katia was using.”
He also blames political opponents for the media report: “Also, it is widely acknolwedged that my political opposition pitched falsehoods about this story in order to hurt and embararass me.”
He says, “While you know I am utterly disgusted by the actions of my ex-wife, it is evident that outside political forces continuously use means to attack me.”
The letter was paid for by Stack’s organization, Union City First, and not with taxpayer funds. It will appear in the Hudson Reporter this weekend and appears in another newspaper today.
For prior coverage, see links to our other articles below.
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