SECAUCUS — Former Secaucus Mayor Dennis Elwell allegedly contacted a key witness in his corruption trial in addition to reaching out to others after reading reports of their interviews with the FBI, according to news reports.
Federal prosecutors Maureen Nakly and Eric Kanefsky apparently raised the issue before U.S. District Judge Jose L. Linares in court Tuesday.
Prosecutors said he was allegedly in direct violation of a court order.
According to The Record, Defense attorneys Jeffrey Garrigan and Thomas Cammarata said the contact was innocuous and they would address the issue in a written reply they would submit to the court Wednesday.
Yesterday, 16 jurors and four alternate jurors were chosen for the trial. Pre-trial proceedings continue today in advance of the June 20 trail date.
Elwell is among 46 public officials arrested in a government sting operation in 2009 called “Operation Bid Rig” in which an FBI informant posing as a developer offered political candidates bribes in exchange for future help with developments. Elwell has pleaded not guilty to accepting money.