January 14, 2009 - 9:57am
Inside Edge

Perez seeks support for U.S. Marshal post

Hudson County Sheriff Juan Perez wants to succeed Jim Plousis as U.S. Marshal

Hudson County Sheriff Juan Perez is quietly seeking support to become New Jersey’s next U.S. Marshal, but sources with knowledge of the selection process say the career law enforcement official is not on the short list of candidates at this time.  The leading candidates are former Mercer County Sheriff Samuel Plumeri and Bergen County Sheriff Leo McGuire – both are very much announced candidates and are actively lobbying for the job -- with Bergen County Freeholder Tomas Padilla looming large as a potential contender.

Perez, a former State Police captain and public school teacher, served as Jersey City’s Deputy Police Director before defeating four-term Sheriff Joseph Cassidy in the 2007 Democratic primary.

The last Democratic federal marshal also came from Jersey City: Glenn Cunningham was a former Jersey City Councilman when Bill Clinton picked him in 1997.  After George W. Bush won the White House, Cunningham returned home and won election as Mayor in 2001 and as State Senator in 2003.

 

Wally Edge can be reached via email at politicsnj@aol.com.