This is what happens when affirmative action people become Mayors of major American cities. He is one of two A(ffirmative)frican A(ction)merican mayors of Newark to be indicted by federal prosecutors
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Sharpe James, the former mayor who towered over politics in this city for two decades, was indicted today on 33 counts of fraud and depriving government of honest services, chiefly relating to $58,000 in personal expenses he racked up on city credit cards.
He also faces charges of conspiring with a companion to defraud the city by selling her nine parcels of city land for $46,000 that she turned around and resold for $665,000.
Mr. James, a flamboyant, charismatic leader who built a patronage army largely through cult of personality, is accused of illegally charging Jacuzzi dips, alcohol, movies, meals and weekend getaways for tennis tournaments with friends on his city cards in what the United States attorney for New Jersey, Christopher J. Christie Jr., called “stark examples of the greed and arrogance of unchecked power.”
The 150 fraudulent charges listed in the 89-page indictment include $1,440 for a trip to a beachfront resort in the Dominican Republic, where Mr. James claimed he wanted to assess the tropical gardens to see if they could be replicated at the Newark train station; $3,500 for a trip to Martha’s Vineyard (plus $207 for an advance reservation for his Rolls Royce); $2,976 for a storage unit; $167.22 at nightclubs in Rio de Janeiro’s red-light district; and $297 to inspect a yacht he wanted to buy in Graysonville, Md.
He also paid $39 for exceeding the credit limit on the city card.
“When Sharpe James had a choice between enriching himself or helping the people of Newark, he chose self-enrichment,” Mr. Christie said in a statement as Mr. James appeared in federal court here to plead not guilty. “When he had the choice between impartially serving the citizens of Newark and the state of New Jersey or rewarding companions, supporters and himself with taxpayer money, he chose to cheat the people of Newark and the citizens of New Jersey.”
Also charged Thursday was Tamika Riley, 37, who joined Mr. James on many of the trips and bought the nine parcels of city land at cut-rate prices. Prosecutors described Ms. Riley as the owner of a failed Newark clothing store who operated a public relations and entertainment firm, lacking real estate or construction experience and the financial backing to development blighted properties.
Mr. James appeared in court this afternoon in handcuffs and ankle shackles, wearing a blue suit with no necktie. His bail was set at $250,000, for which he put up his home as collateral. He has to surrender his passport and a firearm he keeps at home in a safe, but was expected to be released this afternoon.
He said almost nothing during the hearing beyond answering the judge’s question as to whether he understood the charges against him. "Yes, I do," Mr. James said.
Bail was set at $100,000 for Ms. Riley, who was wearing black slacks and a black top with a plunging neckline, as though dressed for a nightclub.
Gerry Krovatin, Ms. Riley’s lawyer, declined to comment. Ray M. Brown, Mr. James’s lawyer, said, "There are a lot of strategic issues we’ve still got to work out" and would take no questions.
Neither Mr. James nor Ms. Riley entered pleas today.
Though the indictment had long been anticipated, its handing up today was a significant moment in Newark political history, coincidentally coming as the city commemorated the 40th anniversary of the riots that decimated its core. Mr. James, 71, continues to have many close friends and allies here, and while he has been shunned by the reformist administration of Mayor Cory A. Booker, some — particularly African-American peers — felt as though they, too, were being chastised.
Topic: Affirmative Action Ex-Mayor of Newark Indicted in Corruption Case (Read 2103 times)