03/01/2014
EMERSON – A borough councilman stepped down this week as he faces charges of election fraud.
Ron Griffin, who on Thursday stepped down from the position that he had held for two months, also had applied for a two-year diversionary court program on Wednesday. Griffin’s hearing in Superior Court in Hackensack is on March 26.
Griffin did not return messages for comment Friday. His brief resignation letter did not give a reason, but noted that he was “compelled to submit” the resignation.
In December, Griffin and former borough attorney Scott Mooney were charged by the Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office with falsifying or tampering with records, fraudulently defacing a primary petition for nominating candidates, and conspiracy to deface a nominating petition.
The borough’s governing body did not re-appoint Mooney to his post this year, but Griffin assumed office as a first-time councilman in January. Three Republican nominees will now be submitted to the all-Republican council to fill the vacated position, until voters can choose a permanent replacement in November.
Mayor Carlos Colina said he was “disappointed” to learn of Griffin’s resignation.
“In the two months that he served on the council, he made positive contributions. I thought that he brought a fresh perspective to the borough, and he was engaged to a great degree,” Colina said.
At a court hearing on Wednesday, Mooney also entered into the diversionary program, known as pretrial intervention. The program does not result in criminal charges if it is completed without any violations. Mooney also stepped down from his position as a municipal prosecutor in Central Municipal Court in Hackensack and Demarest Municipal Court, and he is barred from holding public office.
Mooney and Griffin allegedly altered a petition signed by 25 borough residents nominating Republican incumbent Elizabeth Garis, adding the name of a political newcomer after residents had already signed the petition. Mooney and Griffin allegedly did the same to a blank petition signed by 15 residents, adding the name of incumbent Stephen Paino, who was reelected. The borough clerk later invalidated Garis’ petition, which prevented her from running for reelection. Paino was not charged with any wrongdoing.
Councilwoman Danielle DiPaola, who had helped Garis gather the signatures for her petition, said Garis was the one affected most by this issue.
“The only right thing to do at this point is to put Elizabeth Garis back on the council,” DiPaola said.
source
EMERSON – A borough councilman stepped down this week as he faces charges of election fraud. Ron Griffin, who on Thursday stepped down from the position that he had held for two months, also had applied for a two-year diversionary court program on Wednesday. Griffin’s hearing in Superior Court in Hackensack is on March 26.
Griffin did not return messages for comment Friday. His brief resignation letter did not give a reason, but noted that he was “compelled to submit” the resignation.
In December, Griffin and former borough attorney Scott Mooney were charged by the Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office with falsifying or tampering with records, fraudulently defacing a primary petition for nominating candidates, and conspiracy to deface a nominating petition.
The borough’s governing body did not re-appoint Mooney to his post this year, but Griffin assumed office as a first-time councilman in January. Three Republican nominees will now be submitted to the all-Republican council to fill the vacated position, until voters can choose a permanent replacement in November.
Mayor Carlos Colina said he was “disappointed” to learn of Griffin’s resignation.
“In the two months that he served on the council, he made positive contributions. I thought that he brought a fresh perspective to the borough, and he was engaged to a great degree,” Colina said.
At a court hearing on Wednesday, Mooney also entered into the diversionary program, known as pretrial intervention. The program does not result in criminal charges if it is completed without any violations. Mooney also stepped down from his position as a municipal prosecutor in Central Municipal Court in Hackensack and Demarest Municipal Court, and he is barred from holding public office.
Mooney and Griffin allegedly altered a petition signed by 25 borough residents nominating Republican incumbent Elizabeth Garis, adding the name of a political newcomer after residents had already signed the petition. Mooney and Griffin allegedly did the same to a blank petition signed by 15 residents, adding the name of incumbent Stephen Paino, who was reelected. The borough clerk later invalidated Garis’ petition, which prevented her from running for reelection. Paino was not charged with any wrongdoing.
Councilwoman Danielle DiPaola, who had helped Garis gather the signatures for her petition, said Garis was the one affected most by this issue.
“The only right thing to do at this point is to put Elizabeth Garis back on the council,” DiPaola said.
source
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