U.S. Attorney's Office issues subpoena to Passaic mayoral candidate Ellen
By Max Pizarro, PolitickerNJ.com Reporter
PASSAIC - Mayoral candidate Carl Ellen received a subpoena today from the office of U.S. Attorney Chris Christie to answer questions about a bribe he told the Herald News someone offered him if he would get out of the race, the candidate this evening confirmed to PolitickerNJ.com. Ellen said he is scheduled to appear in Christie’s office tomorrow. The subpoena came following Ellen’s refusal to answers questions when pressed by local police authorities about who offered him $25,000 to withdraw from the contest. A local bailbondsman, Ellen is running against city super Vinny Capuana, Dr. Alex Blanco, real estate developer Jose Sandoval and City Councilman Joe Garcia to succeed jailed former Mayor Sammy Rivera. Asked if the person who offered him the bribe is former Councilman Marcellus Jackson, whom federal authorities arrested last year as part of the same anti-corruption dragnet that busted Rivera, Ellen again refused comment. "I don’t know anything about that," he said. "I don’t want to get involved. I’m refusing to say anything against anybody." The candidate said he intends to invoke his 5th Amendment Constitutional right if questioned by the U.S. Attorney’s Office about who tried to bribe him. He added that he looks forward to continuing to compete in the mayor’s contest. "We’re doing our best and we’re going straight ahead," he said of his campaign. 
Mayoral candidate Carl Ellen: Politicker file photo
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This guy wants to be a mayor, but refuse to say who tried to bribe him? What a typical city democrat.
Ridiculous
I wouldn't quite call this the sign of a typical democrat; I'd call this a sign of stupidity. Anyone with half a functioning brain would realize that mentioning serious criminal activity to the press would pretty much FORCE local authorities to investigate. You tell the press someone tried to bribe you, and the police WILL start asking you questions. You can't leak this kind of thing to the press and then clam up... that just makes you look bad.
Clearly this guy is not a very polished politician; clearly he lacks political experience. That, or he just wasn't thinking during the interview.