Thomas Whelan

July 6, 2009 - 10:10am
INSIDE EDGE

Is Jersey City Councilwoman the next Gangemi?

The story of newly-elected Jersey City Councilwoman Nidia Rivera Lopez allegedly being a resident of Florida is reminiscent of another Jersey City politician with a residency problem.  Thomas Gangemi was forced to resign as Mayor of Jersey City in 1963 after it was disclosed that he was not a U.S. citizen.

Gangemi was born in Italy and emigrated in 1913, at age ten, but he was never naturalized.  He became part of Mayor Frank Hague's political machine, and was elected Hudson County Supervisor in 1960 and Mayor in 1961.  Gangemi applied for a passport to travel to Italy in 1963 and listed Jersey City as his place of birth.  His career unraveled when the U.S. Department of State was unable to verify that. 

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September 25, 2008 - 10:36am

For Jersey City Democrats, the curse of the second four-year term

If Jerramiah Healy wins re-election in 2009, he would become the first Democratic mayor of Jersey City to win a second consecutive four-year term since Thomas Whelan was re-elected in 1969.

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