Marcellus Jackson

Less than a week after Passaic Mayor Sammy Rivera and Councilman Marcellus Jackson were arrested on bribery charges, City Council President Gary Schaer says the Council will hire an independent special counsel to review city contracts over the last two years. Schaer says he wants to hire a lawyer with “significant experience in matters before the U.S. Attorney.”

It's a good thing our egos don't bruise easily

Passaic City Councilman Marcellus Jackson, who was arrested last Thursday morning on bribery charges, is back at his day job  -- working at the Passaic Valley Sewerage Commission.  PoliticsNJ.com's Matt Friedman reached Jackson at his direct line.  He sounded friendly for the couple of seconds it took Friedman to identify himself.  Then he hung up! 

Today's arrests could be the first real test of Assemblyman Michael Panter's legislation (A-20), which requires mandatory prison sentences and pension forfeiture for any public officials convicted of corruption.  Governor Jon "Hold Me Accountable" Corzine signed the bill on March 16th of this year and it took effect on April 15th.  Criminal complaints filed today by the U.S. Attorney could mean that Assemblymen Alfred Steele and Mims Hackett, Passaic Mayor Sammy Rivera, Passaic Councilman Marcellus Jackson, and Keith Reid, the Chief of Staff to the Newark City Council President, would lose their pensions if convicted of bribery.

City Council President Gary S. Schaer said that he became aware of the arrests of Mayor Sammy Rivera, Councilman Marcellus Jackson and former Councilman Jonathan Sorto this morning.

“I have been in contact with the Administration and Business Administrator and I am confident that the business of the City will continue without interruption," Schaer said in a statement. "As City Council President, the Council and I will make every effort to ensure that Passaic residents will continue to receive the City services that they have come to expect.”

The Star-Ledger's Jeff Whelan lists the amounts each of the eleven public officials arrested are accused of taking in bribes:

"The officials are accused of accepting the following amounts, according to sources, who requested anonymity:

James Pressley - $32,000
Jayson Adams - $25,000
Marcellus Jackson - $16,500
Rafael Velez - $14,000
Rev. Alfred E. Steele - $14,000
Maurice "Pete" Callaway - $13,000
Jonathon Soto - $12,500
Keith Reid - $10,000
Mims Hackett, Jr. - $5,000
Samuel Rivera - $5,000
James McCormick- $3,500

Rev. Alfred Steele is the Assembly Deputy Speaker and the Passaic County UndersheriffThe list of eleven public officials arrested today by FBI agents: Assemblymen Alfred Steele and Mims Hackett, Passaic Mayor Sammy Rivera, Passaic City Councilman Marcellus Jackson, former Passaic City Councilman Jonathan Soto, Keith Reid, the Chief of Staff to the Newark City Council President, Louis Mister of Pleasantville, and five current and former members of the Pleasantville Board of Education -- Jayson Adams, City Councilman Maurice "Pete" Callaway, James McCormick, James Pressley and Rafael Velez.

Callaway is the brother of former Atlantic City Councilman Craig Callaway, who was sentenced today to 40 months in a federal prison for taking bribes from an undercover FBI agent.

Soto, viewed as a rising star in North Jersey GOP politics when he was elected to the City Council in his early 20's, is the Passaic Republican Municipal Chairman.  He has endorsed Rudy Giuliani for President.