Clifford Powell

Nearly thirty years ago, former Associated Press Trenton Bureau Chief John Kolesar wrote a story for New Jersey Monthly listing the biggest political scandals in New Jersey history.  Among the best:

About twenty five years ago, former Associated Press Trenton Bureau Chief John Kolesar wrote a story for New Jersey Monthly listing the biggest political scandals in New Jersey history. Among the best: the scam in which some Burlington County Republican leaders, including former Acting Governor Clifford Powell, bought two Delaware River bridges for $8 million and sold them the same day to the county for $12 million; the 1872 scandal when the Assembly Speaker forged an amendment to a bill the legislature had passed that would have broken the Pennsylvania Railroad's mainline monopoly in New Jersey; the 1899 gubernatorial election when Hudson County produced a 14,000-vote margin for the successful Democratic candidate, including 10,000 votes from people were deceased or non-existent. (67 Democratic election workers went to jail); in 1871, the Jersey City Treasurer was found to have looted the city treasury, but law enforcement officials could nail him, he beat it to Mexico, where a bandit relieved him of his booty; and Jersey City Mayor Frank Hague's entire career, in which he never made a salary higher than $7,500 but left an estate worth a couple of million dollars.

Clifford Powell served in the state legislature in the 1920's and 1930's, including stints as Assembly Speaker and Senate President. He was the Senate President on January 3, 1935 when Governor A. Harry Moore resigned to take his seat in the United States Senate. Powell became Acting Governor that day and served for five days; the Senate reorganized on January 8th and Horace Prall became Senate President and completed the remaining week of Moore's term. (Harold Hoffman had already been elected Governor in the 1934 election, and he succeeded Prall on January 15th). But history still regards the 41-year-old Powell as a former Governor.

Powell was a General of the New Jersey National Guard, and went on active duty during World War II. He commanded the U.S. Army's 50th Armored Division, the New Jersey Blues, through many battles in North France and became a highly-decorated war veteran. He also spent many years as the Burlington County Republican Chairman, and served as the Chief of Staff of the New Jersey National Guard during the post-War administration of Governor Alfred Driscoll.

In a move that became the major political scandal of the time, Powell perpetrated one of the greatest swindles in the history of New Jersey. And he did it all in one day, October 22, 1948. Powell and a few of his friends started the morning by purchasing two privately-owned bridges for $6 million. Late that morning he called a meeting of the Burlington County Board of Freeholders (which he seemingly controlled) and had them create the Burlington County Bridge Commission. Immediately after creating the Commission, Powell (through the Freeholders) appointed the members of the Commission. After lunch, the Commission held their meeting and voted to float a $12 million bond issue. By the end of the day, the Commission had sold their bonds and used the money to purchase the two bridges from Powell and his friends. In one day, Powell made a $6 million profit.

Ultimately the deal became the subject of an investigation; Powell was forced to resign from Driscoll's cabinet and return his profit to the Commission. But the state Supreme Court ruled that since the bonds had already been sold, it would be unfair to the bond holders if they were to shut down the Commission. Powell is a mere footnote of New Jersey political history, but the Burlington County Bridge Commission continues to run the two bridges it purchased from Powell: the Tacony-Palmyra and Burlington-Bristol Bridges.

Clifford Powell served in the state legislature in the 1920's and 1930's, including stints as Assembly Speaker and Senate President. He was the Senate President on January 3, 1935 when Governor A. Harry Moore resigned to take his seat in the United States Senate. Powell became Acting Governor that day and served for five days; the Senate reorganized on January 8th and Horace Prall became Senate President and completed the remaining week of Moore's term. (Harold Hoffman had already been elected Governor in the 1934 election, and he succeeded Prall on January 15th). But history still regards the 41-year-old Powell as a former Governor.

Powell was a General of the New Jersey National Guard, and went on active duty during World War II. He commanded the U.S. Army's 50th Armored Division, the New Jersey Blues, through many battles in North France and became a highly-decorated war veteran. He also spent many years as the Burlington County Republican Chairman, and served as the Chief of Staff of the New Jersey National Guard during the post-War administration of Governor Alfred Driscoll.

In a move that became the major political scandal of the time, Powell perpetrated one of the greatest swindles in the history of New Jersey. And he did it all in one day, October 22, 1948. Powell and a few of his friends started the morning by purchasing two privately-owned bridges for $6 million. Late that morning he called a meeting of the Burlington County Board of Freeholders (which he seemingly controlled) and had them create the Burlington County Bridge Commission. Immediately after creating the Commission, Powell (through the Freeholders) appointed the members of the Commission. After lunch, the Commission held their meeting and voted to float a $12 million bond issue. By the end of the day, the Commission had sold their bonds and used the money to purchase the two bridges from Powell and his friends. In one day, Powell made a $6 million profit.

Ultimately the deal became the subject of an investigation; Powell was forced to resign from Driscoll's cabinet and return his profit to the Commission. But the state Supreme Court ruled that since the bonds had already been sold, it would be unfair to the bond holders if they were to shut down the Commission. Powell is a mere footnote of New Jersey political history, but the Burlington County Bridge Commission continues to run the two bridges it purchased from Powell: the Tacony-Palmyra and Burlington-Bristol Bridges.

About twenty years ago, former Associated Press Trenton Bureau Chief John Kolesar wrote a story for New Jersey Monthly listing the biggest political scandals in New Jersey history. Among the best: the scam in which some Burlington County Republican leaders, including former Acting Governor Clifford Powell, bought two Delaware River bridges for $8 million and sold them the same day to the county for $12 million; the 1872 scandal when the Assembly Speaker forged an amendment to a bill the legislature had passed that would have broken the Pennsylvania Railroad's mainline monopoly in New Jersey; the 1899 gubernatorial election when Hudson County produced a 14,000-vote margin for the successful Democratic candidate, including 10,000 votes from people were deceased or non-existent. (67 Democratic election workers went to jail); in 1871, the Jersey City Treasurer was found to have looted the city treasury, but before law enforcement officials nailed him, he beat it to Mexico -- where a bandit relieved him of his booty; and Jersey City Mayor Frank Hague's entire career, in which he never made a salary higher than $7,500 but left an estate worth a couple of million dollars.