March 6, 2009 - 8:19am
Inside Edge

Rumana proposes ban on felons holding party office

Scott Rumana, left, an Assemblyman and the Passaic County GOP Chairman, accepting an award from a onetime employee of a Catskills ski shop.

Passaic County GOP Chairman Scott Rumana is proposing a change in the party by-laws that would prevent a convicted felon – or that person’s designee – from serving on the executive committee of the county organization.  Rumana’s objective is to remove two municipal chairmen, Jonathan Soto of Passaic and Peter Murphy of Totowa.  Both are convicted felons.  Murphy has served his sentence, and Soto is facing jail time after his jury conviction last month.

Putting on his other hat, Rumana (R-Wayne) says he will introduce a bill in the State Assembly that will extend the current ban prohibiting persons convicted of crimes of moral turpitude from holding public office to party office as well. 

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