
Inspector General Mary Jane Cooper has issued a scathing report questioning Gloucester County Democratic Chairman Michael Angelini's enrollment in the state pension system for a dozen part time jobs over the last 27 years, and has referred Angelini's case to the state Attorney General's office.
Cooper says that Angelini, a lawyer who has represented various government entities, is an independent contractor who did not qualify for pension contributions from his payroll checks that acted as though he was an employee.
"The Pension benefits associated with his enrollment are worth hundreds of thousands of state dollars," Cooper said in a statement released today.
Cooper said that her office collected evidence that Angelini assigned associates from his law firm to perform legal work "for which he was paid and gained pension credits," and found that government entities paid legal fees to his firm through their payroll so that the veteran Democratic party leader could earn pension credits.
Since 1981, Angelini has served as the Greenwich Township and Monroe Township public defender, the Clayton and Paulsboro municipal prosecutor, the Assistant Gloucester County Counsel, the solicitor for Oaklyn and Mantua, West Deptford and Paulsboro, the counsel the Gloucester County Board of Social Services, the Counsel to the South Jersey Transportation Authority, and as the lawyer for the South Jersey Port Corporation and Gloucester County Improvement Authority.
According to pension records cited in the report, Angelini was simultaneously retained by as many as seven government entities at once, with a total "salary" of $213,000.
At the beginning of 2008, when a new law took effect clarifying that those who provide work to public entities under a professional services were ineligible for the pension system took effect, Angelini attempted to cash in his pension, by then estimated at over $100,000 per year, but the request was held pending a review.
Angelini told the OIG that in his view, the statute did not merely clarify the law, but actually changed it.
"Notwithstanding what the new law may have meant to his past positions, it was clear to Angelini that going forward, he was ineligible for pension credits for the professional services he as providing to government entities," reads the report. "At that point, he decided that it made sense for him to apply for retirement benefits and he did."
The OIG report says that Angelini got towns to put him on the payroll by using "novel and contrived arrangements, often proposed by him."
"It is reasonable to conclude that these payment structures were utilized to provide Angelini unwarranted pension benefits," reads the report.
Angelini did not bother to show up to required meetings for several of the public positions he held, often handing the work off to other employees in his firm, Angelini, Viniar & Freedman, despite being paid a salary.
For instance, Angelini told investigators that he took the role of municipal prosecutor for Clayton (population 7,000) because he liked being a prosecutor. But he seldom showed up for court proceedings there, usually delegating them to a subordinate at his law firm. Records kept by the borough between 1999 and 2003 show him present at just two of 114 court proceedings. Members of his law firm showed up for the majority of those, but not always. As of 2003 -- his last year as the Clayton municipal prosecutor -- the borough paid him a salary of $7,964.
In addition to the Attorney General, the OIG has sent a copy of their report to the state Division of Pensions, and to the Office of Attorney Ethics.
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sleezy
good riddance to guys like mikey angelini
I can't wait
till they investigate the Michael Tanner alias (from Florida) you can verify when you search for this clown on USA Search ... oops, did I say that out loud???
Just more evidence that says of the People, by the People and for the People is a dead principle.
good start
sweeney's go-to attorney
pension fraud?
How does Angelini accrue pension benefits for work performed by others? Hmmm... Disbarment and criminal prosecution may be in his future.
public service criminals are destroying
the state of NJ
They have all weaved a very intricate web of well organized
-deceit, stealing, sneakiness, stealing, scheming, theft by deception
abuse of power 'i wanted t have the title prosecutor but i don't show up to work and prosecute.'
Angelini should be disbarred. No?
Members of his family will rally around him.
State dem chair joe cryan loves guys like county dem chair Angelini.
Wally Edge if I have stepped over the line tare down my post.
I wonder how much Jon Corzine gave to Angelini and various funds associated with him.
Wayne Bryant reprise?
Angelini's law firm represented former State Senator, now convicted felon, Wayne Bryant in his pension fraud case. Bryant is now in prison.
Just a thought, did Angelini raise funds for Peter Cammarano directly or through the New Frontier PAC?
Responsible Article Titles
Michael Angelini is not the only high level "Angelini" in New Jersey, and I immediately read the article, because my Assemblywoman (LD 11) is Mary Pat Angelini! Knowing that there's a state-level elected official named "Angelini" too, I think the title of this article should have referred to "Michael Angelini", not just "Angelini"!
related?
Are they related? Was her influence used to help him obtain these jobs? Or did the influence work the other way, did his influence and power as county Dem chairman help her secure her Assembly position which then helped him obtain multiple low show or somebody else show jobs?
you people
you people need to mind your own business and stop crying. you all most likely, and hopefully have better things to do then sitting on a computer and posting about a guy.. go take care of your family. you all need to get a friggen life. HE HAS FAMILY nad he will be rallying. this article is so premature. mind your own business people. cry about how lowless your life and how you need to sit on a computer. if you dont know this guy dont post stupid BS. IF YOUVE NEVER HAVE read is cotract, like i said. MIND YOUR OWN BUSINESS.
SJ Capital for Corruption of NJ
Welcome to South Jersey. The real deal C for CORRUPTION. Another man operating for the Machine. This needs to be cleaned up.
it is my business
It is my business when people steal my money, particularly when it's mine through taxation. It's even more important to enforce the law when it's done by lawyers. We no longer tolerate the democratic bullying. The biggest red flag you can raise is to tell people to mind their own business. I see nothing from you on why anyone should see his actions as anything but criminal. The left-wingers can continue to bellow at one another. The honest people aren't listening anymore and we're not remaining quiet.
.
.
This is insane.
a
..
a
to strangekidlover
1. learn how to spell, you moron.
2. are you a pedophile? what kind of friggin screen name is that?
...scary and pathetic all at once...
moron????
.
cangilini
al capones mother loved her son, too. Time will tell which side of the line the blade falls.
17 year old
Well if you are just 17, then here's some advice young lad: 1. go back to school and learn how to spell. 2. google "pension abuse" and maybe you'll start to understand why people are fed up with this crap.
Habitual Abuse/It has to stop
New Jersey Residents can no longer afford to allow the Political Machine and his Bullies take hostage of this state. This has been busines as usual with this group and for decades they have gotten away with it. ABUSE ABUSE ABUSE ABUSE. Norcross thinks he is above the law because of MONEY AND POWER - The day of the bossism and control are OVER. People are forming, gathering and rallying and demanding that this man be locked up and the key get thrown away. Enough is Enough. Somebody be a hero and lock up the Zero.
In Pennsylvania, the state pension agency notified former State Sen. Vincent J. Fumo that he will have to forfeit his $100,500 annual pension due to his sentencing to federal prison last month on public corruption charges.
That was the correct move by the State Employees' Retirement System and sends the proper message that public servants convicted of crimes won't continue to enjoy the benefits of elected office.
In New Jersey, the same strong message of deterrence should be delivered to former State Sen. Wayne Bryant.
Bryant was sentenced last month to four years in federal prison in a brazen influence-peddling scheme. New Jersey officials have not said whether Bryant will get to keep his pension.
Ironically, it was Bryant's fraudulent attempt to pad his pension that led to his indictment and conviction. The once-powerful state senator was given several low-show jobs, including a gig at the University of Medicine & Dentistry, in return for steering millions in state funding to his employers.
The bogus jobs enabled Bryant to boost his annual pension from $31,000 a year to about $83,000.
Until federal prosecutors nailed Bryant, getting a pension for no-show work was rarely treated as a crime. Since Bryant's indictment, Trenton lawmakers have tightened measures designed to curb pension abuse by public officials. But loopholes remain.
That's where the New Jersey pension board comes in. The agency should use its discretion to revoke Bryant's pension.
The board only has to find that he performed a dishonorable public service. There was nothing honorable about Bryant's abuse of the public trust. A jury found him guilty on 12 counts.
Besides undermining public confidence, there is big money at stake. If Bryant is allowed to collect his maximum pension benefits plus cost-of-living adjustments for the next 22 years, he could net more than $1 million.
Bryant should not be allowed to still benefit at taxpayers' expense from the very system that he abused. Letting him pocket his inflated pension would be tantamount to letting a bank robber keep his stolen loot.
The case should also be used to deter other elected officials from taking second jobs with the state. Such double dipping can create conflicts of interest.
A recent case just cropped up. Freshman State Sen. James Beach (D., Camden) resigned last week after questions arose regarding his new part-time job at Camden County College.
Beach, a former county clerk, accepted the position three months ago. The $10,000-a-year job would've enabled Beach to stay in the state pension system rather than the deferred compensation plan for new lawmakers.
Mike Angellini is singled out! Unfair and abusive!
Okay Steve Sweeney tell us who else is in on this scam...We know that Mike Angelkini is the tip of the iceberg that is sinking the USS NJ Titanic! Sure there are many more from where he came from!
Who are you to say from Deptford that Copper's report wasn't comprehensive enough and she treated Angelini unfiarly?
Be a good public servant all for the public and lend Mary Jane Coooper a hand to expedite the publication of the next Cooper investigative report. Do tell us who else needs to be named...
Ms. Cooper needs to work harder...Yea right!
BS, BS, BS
Is what Senator Sarlo from Bergen will be saying soon. For him is acceptable to have a dozen PAY JOBS and to steal from the Taxpayers. Pay to Play all the way. They bejong all in Jail. The people get what they deserve.
Mary Jane Cooper is Close to Codey...
Hmmm... wonder why this investigation into a Sweeney ally out of the hundreds of politicians who milk the system (including insurance broker pols who bilk property taxpayers to the tune of $400,000 insurance brokerage commissions in places like patterson...) Sweeney should fear Codey... a smart pol with lots of loaded weapons parked throughout state government...
Norcross don't take this off
New Jersey's political and legal system -- there's no difference between politics and law in the Garden State! -- is a throwback to an earlier and dirtier era in American life. The "boss" system still holds sway in the putrid turf decorated with refineries and carcinogenic tomato fields that we all know as "The Soprano State." Among the vulgar, cigar-munching bosses, none is more colorful or burdened with fewer scruples, allegedly, than George E. Norcross, III. Norcross also likes to play golf.
Described by Ingle & McClure, roughly, as a "political thug" and "boss," Mr. Norcross governs by intimidation and dangling cash, as what used to be called "bribes," for political runs before opponents. ("You want the money, you do what I say.") If Norcross does not like what a legislator or judge is doing, then he simply gives that person a call and tells him or her "what's what":
"... Norcross explained how he handled a member of the New Jersey legislature. 'I sat him down and said ... Don't fuck with me on this one. ... If you ever do that and I catch you one more time doing it, you're gonna get your fucking balls cut off. He got the message.' ..." (Ingle & McClure, pp. 87-88.)
Judges and Attorney Generals are treated less nicely than legislators by Mr. Norcross, allegedly. One can only speculate concerning the machinations involving Supreme Court justices in Trenton. The "Norcross South Jersey Machine" is said to "have a hook" in Justice Virginia Long, for instance. Perhaps Norcross "has" others on the court in his control. Many judges owe their positions to the Big Boss from Cherry Hill.
No doubt this Norcross influence had something to do with the absurd smear directed at a Latino justice sitting on the Garden State Supreme Court coming out of South Jersey. Stuart Rabner -- who is laughingly called the "Chief Justice of the New Jersey Supreme Court" -- is said to be terrified of Norcross. Norcross really calls the shots at the A.G.'s office and throughout the legal system. (See Ingle & McLure's profile.)
I wonder whether my experiences of cybercensorship and cyberstalking are related to the activities of this "Boss"? I suspect so. I have a feeling that we're going to find out.
One N.J. "justice" can make $300 MILLION "disappear," after "handling" a transaction with an obvious conflict of interest and nothing happens -- not to her -- whereas a lot "happened" to the millions in New Jersey unable to pay medical bills because of this scam. The people who got screwed out of health benefits had plenty of questions about Jaynee's ethics in the HIP deal.
I wonder whether some of that $300 MILLION somebody stole in the HIP shenanigans wound up with Norcross? Who knows? Commerce Bank? Perhaps a contribution was deposited in the Democrats' "non-federal" account. (See "Does Senator Menendez Have Mafia Friends?")
Norcross has been alleged to control or influence the A.G. and other officials in Trenton who give good old George a "heads up," if there's trouble ahead. I suggest that George may be getting a call these days informing him that there is indeed "trouble ahead."
I bet Chris Christie or any U.S. Attorney would love to know where the HIP dough is stashed. Give the U.S. Attorney a call if you have some idea of how things went down in the HIP matter or any other dirty deal with N.J. politicians and lawyers. I am sure that they'd love to hear from ya. It's a funny world in New Jersey. (See "Law and Ethics in the Soprano State" and "New Jersey's 'Ethical' Legal System," as well as "Jaynee La Vecchia and Conduct Unbecoming to the Judiciary in New Jersey.")
A Norcross man in a typical moment is captured on tape telling "Voorhees Mayor Harry Platt which engineering firm the town was to hire." (Ingle & McClure, pp. 89-90.) Will that engineering firm show its appreciation to the Norcross Machine by way of "contributions"? Are we to believe that Norcross was acting out of the goodness of his heart? What is George's "cut" on the big deals in South Jersey? I know "it depends on who's who, what's what." Have a fruit basket?
Mr. Norcross never graduated from college. I think he was at Rutgers for a semester. He has never been elected to office or held any high governmental position by appointment. George E. Norcross, III is a very wealthy man. Due to George's exemplary moral character (irony?), he serves on the board of a big time bank.
"Norcross was a college freshman dropout who started an insurance brokerage company in 1979 that sold a lot of policies to public agencies and towns" -- controlled by the Democrat politicians loyal to Norcross "family" union contacts and votes -- "often, especially, the ones controlled by Democrats. In 1996, Commerce Bank purchased the company ... Government deposits increased ninefold after Norcross joined the bank. From 1981 to 1993, Commerce's government funds went from 7 percent to 21 percent of deposits. The industrty average is less than 5 percent. ..." (emphasis added)
Not surprisingly,
"Norcross has been good to the bank, and the bank has been good to Norcross, paying him a salary second only to that of bank chairman and founder Vernon Hill II, a marketing genius ... The bank has used T.V. personality Kelly Ripa -- Regis Philbin's sidekick on Live With Regis and Kelly -- in its ads. Ripa's father, Joe, is an elected Camden County official who like all of them got there with the backing of the Norcross machine." (pp. 92-93.) (emphasis added)
This gives Norcross one of many media "connections." No one elected George to any "spot." Hence, Big George has never been accountable to the people, as political and legal power should be in a democracy. What the hell? Through Norcross influence, however, political and legal decisions concerning the placing of public funds -- that's your money -- are used to enhance personal power and influence for Norcross himself as well as his "crew."
This is the man you want to pick judges based on George's vast jurisprudential knowledge. Norcross also has "unofficial" influence and power over police in many South Jersey towns as well as State Troopers. Swastikas? Shrewdly, Norcross gets rid of enemies or local morons by "making them judges." (See "Deborah T. Poritz and Conduct Unbecoming to the Judiciary in New Jersey" and "Stuart Rabner and Conduct Unbecoming to the Judiciary in New Jersey.")
Norcross has an impact on your life -- probably for the worse -- if you are unfortunate enough to reside in the land of growing, spreading, foul-smelling lethal tumors as well as fetid swamps called "New Jersey."
I will focus on the Norcross method and style in order to provide a glimpse into the way power really "works" in New Jersey -- which may surprise Governor Jon S. Corzine -- undermining Constitutional guarantees of due process of law and democratic rights to accountability along with the popular mandate -- that is, voters' rights -- in the political disaster that is (and is likely to remain) New Jersey.
The corruption is illustrated in an incident that prompted a U.S. attorney and many others to suggest, publicly, that the New Jersey Attorney General, Peter "See-No-Evil" Harvey, "edited" tape recorded conversations involving or concerning Mr. Norcross in order to shield the "political operator" and "enforcer" from Camden County from federal criminal liability. Ethics? Is this routine for the OAE? Alterations of transcripts of secretly taped conversations violating confidentiality?
Prosecutors or government lawyers in Trenton LIE, manufacture evidence, withhold exculpatory material, fabricate and solicit ethics grievances, use hypnosis-procured materials in violation of privacy and other rights, make use of the "talents" of corrupt physicians and/or therapists to obtain information against persons targeted for destruction by tainted politicians. Did you say something about ethics, Anne?
New Jersey's top law enforcement official was "protecting" the target of a federal criminal investigation, allegedly, then "mischaractrerizing" what he was doing and why -- also allegedly. I wonder whether Mr. Harvey plays a nefarious role in my life-story? I have a feeling we will find out soon enough. Was Anne Milgram protecting Debbie Poritz or Diana Lisa Riccioli from any scandal or investigation that might arise as a result of actions taken against me? Whatta-ya say, Annie?
You wanna talk to me about "ethics," boys? Where's the AG, OAE, DRB? (See "A Letter From the DRB, in New Jersey!" and "Another Letter From the DRB, in New Jersey!") More threats? Have a cookie.
In a sworn statement to a judge, "Guy Emmons" -- a supervising investigator of the Electronics Investigations Unit at the A.G.'s office and presumably an "ethical N.J. attorney" -- stated that "to the best of my knowledge the ... conversation was not recorded." (p. 92.) The conversation in question concerned the pressuring, allegedly, of a public official offered "monetary benefit" for firing a Norcross enemy "Rosenberg" as town "solicitor." (pp. 92-93.)
One of the few honest judges hearing this matter had seen the "Jersey shuffle" before and "wasn't buying it. He told the Trenton A.G.'s office to look again. The second time around, the state's chief law enforcement agency admitted, "contrary to what it had been maintaining, the meeting was videotaped." (pp. 92-93.)
Lying? No ethics charge for lying in a certification to a judge? Shouldn't the entire office be sanctioned? Ethics?
Where are those reports and all audio/video tapes involving me that were secretly recorded and/or filed by Terry Tuchin and/or Diana Lisa Riccioli and/or "others" 1988-2009? I am especially interested in any tapes of hypnosis sessions. Forgot fellas? Ever heard of obstruction of justice, Anne Milgram? Stuart Rabner? Debbie? OAE?
"The Office of Government Integrity, [a joke in New Jersey!] a misnamed division of the attorney general's office, investigated the missing tape and produced a 39 page report, which was kept from the public, supposedly because it contained confidential information." (p. 93.) (emphasis added)
New Jersey's sunshine laws and public access, open file, and other right to know laws were and are breezily ignored by persons with an obligation to obey these same laws and even to enforce them.
Still want to talk to me about "ethics," Stuart Rabner? Naaa ... Badda Bing, Badda Boom. Have a Jersey tomato.
"A blistering letter from [U.S. Attorney] Chris Christie offered a seven-point critique of the state's handling of the case and included allegations of missed opportunities, faulty plea bargains, and a refusal to let federal officials into the case until the state wanted to prevent public release of the tapes." (p. 93.)
The case was deliberately destroyed for federal law enforcement by New Jersey's legal establishment in a breathtaking example of public corruption:
".. '[Mr. Christie] was left with a case that was deliberately sandbagged,' ... 'The AG's office is both corrupt and inept." Ibid.
Do you speak to me of ethics in New Jersey's shit-covered legal and political system? Do you still claim to be my intellectual and ethical "superiors," boys and girls?
Chummy "professional colleagues" Anne Milgram, ace Attorney General of New Jersey (isn't she a dyke who protects Debbie?), and Chief Justice and Legal genius Stuart ("call me Stu"!) Rabner were photgraphed in a recent pow-wow scheming to provide mutual ass-covering opportunities. Look out for feds
Codey, Sweeney, Angelini
In response to the post by imwithstupid:
I don't care what Cooper's motive was for her report. Whether as an act of public service or an act of revenge on behalf of Codey, the report lays bare that Angelini used his influence to obtain political appiontments (Does anyone doubt that the fact that he was county Democratic chair did not have everything to do with his being appointed town attorney or town prosecutor in all those towns) and then had other people do the work while he accrued pension benefits. If Senator Sweeney is aware of others who have done the same, please let the taxpayers who may be stuck paying their big fat pensions know who they are.