Still no decision in Manzo vs. Healy

A judge still hasn’t ruled on whether Lou Manzo’s lawsuit that seeks to throw Jersey City Mayor Jerramiah Healy out of office will go forward.

“We’re still patiently and anxiously waiting,” said Manzo.

Monmouth County Superior Court Judge Lawrence Lawson heard arguments on Friday, with Manzo’s side arguing against both the assistant Monmouth County prosecutor and Mayor Healy’s counsel.  Healy and Prosecutor Luis Valentin contend that Manzo does not have standing to raise the complaint. 

At issue is whether Healy should be forced to resign due to allegations that he touched on his office during a 2006 Bradley Beach arrest for disorderly conduct.  Newark Councilwoman Dana Rone forfeited her office over the summer after a judge found that she used her office to try to warn police away from giving her nephew a traffic ticket.  Manzo thinks a double standard is at play. 

Manzo offered this spin on the delay:

“It could be either way.  It could be a good sign that if he’s going to rule against our point of view at this time that it’s taking him that long to find enough ammo to take us out on standing…. And it’s good in the sense that maybe he’s really going beyond standing to see what he has to do next.”

No matter what the Judge Lawson rules, the case will not likely end.  Manzo has vowed to appeal any ruling against him, while the mayor will certainly fight any order to remove him from office.