Dennis Oury

Dennis Oury was indicted yesterday on federal fraud chargesDennis Oury, the powerful Democratic attorney who was indicted on eight corruption counts yesterday, has resigned from his post as chief counsel of the Bergen County Improvement Authority, according to the agency’s chairman, Ron O’Malley.

Oury’s employment with the agency had been a point of contention among some factions of the Bergen County Democratic Party. State Sen. Loretta Weinberg mentioned it as a reason why she would not support O’Malley for county chair if and when Joe Ferriero, who was indicted along with Oury yesterday, resigns. Others, however, said that there was no reason to push Oury out before there was even a formally recognized investigation.

But O’Malley today took his name out of the mix, saying that, even if there is a vacancy, he won’t run. If he became chairman, he would have to step down from his position at the BCIA. O’Malley doesn’t believe this is an opportune time to do that.

Republican Candidates for Paramus Council Cathy Bentz & Maureen O’Brien call for the immediate resignation of Dennis Oury from the position of Labor Council

Republican Candidates for Paramus Council Cathy Bentz & Maureen O’Brien call for the immediate resignation of Dennis Oury from the position of Labor Council

Click here to read Bergen County Chairman Joseph Ferriero's indictment.

NEWARK - He says it every time, and he said it again this time: until larger numbers of people get involved in civic life and engage the democratic process, public corruption by a few will continue to dominate.

"The only thing that ultimately holds people to account is the ballot box," U.S. Attorney Chris Christie said on the day he announced the indictment of Bergenfield Attorney Dennis Oury and Bergen County Democratic Organization Chairman Joseph Ferriero.

"I’ve said that for years," Christie added. "That’s the only way it gets fixed."

• Ferriero and Oury each out on $200,000 property bond bail
• Oury resigns from BCIA; O'Malley says he's not running for chairmanship
• Read the Ferriero Indictment
• Citizen's tip led to Bergen investigation
• Ferriero in Denver, and after
• BCDO going strong, says spokesman
• Corzine: public corruption issues "always disappointing"
• Yudin's "I told you so" moment
• Christie stays focused on federal charges
• Christie on Pallone's 'troubling reports': 'no comment'
• Rothman calls on Ferriero to resign "without delay," says there's no rush to choose successor
• Ferriero and Oury: numbers 129 and 130
• Oury's lawyer sounds off on "opportunistic" indictment
• Hayden: Ferriero grant company "provided a significant benefit to Bergenfield"
• Weinberg says it's time to unite and get back to work
• Christie: 'another example of people putting private interests ahead of the public interest'
• Huttle says indictment brings "a new day in Bergen County"
• Cardinale won't play judge and jury on Ferriero
• Ferriero and Oury indicted
• Yudin sees opportunity for Bergen GOP
• Christie to make "significant" corruption announcement today
•  

·         Corzine: public corruption issues "always disappointing"

·         Yudin's "I told you so" moment

·         Christie stays focused on federal charges

·         Christie on Pallone's 'troubling reports': 'no comment'

·         Rothman calls on Ferriero to resign "without delay," says there's no rush to choose successor

·         Ferriero and Oury: numbers 129 and 130

·         Oury's lawyer sounds off on "opportunistic" indictment

·         Hayden: Ferriero grant company "provided a significant benefit to Bergenfield"

·         Weinberg says it's time to unite and get back to work

·         Christie: 'another example of people putting private interests ahead of the public interest'

·         Huttle says indictment brings “a new day in Bergen County”

·         Cardinale won't play judge and jury on Ferriero

·         Ferriero and Oury indicted

·         Yudin sees opportunity for Bergen GOP

·         Christie to make "significant" corruption announcement today

Asked today if former State Sen. Joseph Coniglio was cooperating with the federal probe of Bergen County Democratic Chairman Joseph Ferriero and Democratic lawyer Dennis Oury, U.S. Attorney Christopher Christie declined comment.  That'no surprise -- prosecutors typically refuse to reveal details of a criminal investigation. But if Coniglio is helping the Justice Department with their prosecution of Ferriero and Oury, one sign could be a change in lawyers.  Coniglio and Oury are both represented by Gerald Krovatin.  According to one legal expert, Krovatin would need to drop one of the two clients if their cases become intertwined. 

Asked today about the indictment of Bergen County Democratic Chairman Joe Ferriero and local Democratic counsel Dennis Oury at a bill signing shortly before U.S. Attorney Christ Christie announced it, Gov. Corzine said that “it’s always disappointing when there are public corruption issues in the state.”

But Corzine had not yet heard official word of the indictment, and limited his comments.

“First of all, I don’t know about it. I’ve heard rumors of that. I will wait to look at the actual indictment and what other circumstances come up,” he said. 

Corzine has not made a statement since the indictment was made public. 

Bergen County Republican Chairman Bob Yudin said that the indictment of his Democratic counterpart, Joe Ferriero, reiterates the need for both parties to be represented in Bergen County government.

“It’s a very sad day, and a very unfortunate day for the people of Bergen County. It shows what one-party rule leads to. The entire Democratic organization in Bergen County is corrupt,” he said. “The three freeholders running for reelection were mentored by Joe Ferriero, they’ve always supported him, and it shows why we need a return to the two-party system.”