icechute wrote:
Quote:

So you also continued to serve after you?d decided to plead guilty. You resigned last week instead of, say, last month, thereby avoiding that messy little thing called democracy, in the form of a special election to decide your replacement. ?Disgraceful? doesn?t come close to describing your actions.

well. done.

So you also continued to serve after you?d decided to plead guilty. You resigned last week instead of, say, last month, thereby avoiding that messy little thing called democracy, in the form of a special election to decide your replacement. ?Disgraceful? doesn?t come close to describing your actions.

"It's not a happy day for Mariano or the people of Jersey City,'' Willis told reporters after the hearing.

Former Jersey City Councilman Mariano Vega pleaded guilty this morning to accepting bribes.

Vega, who resigned from City Council yesterday, appeared before U.S. District Judge Jose L. Linares and admitted to accepting bribes from Solomon Dwek, a real estate developer turned government informant. Vega admitted that he took the money in exchange for helping Dwek secure approvals for a purported development on Garfield Avenue.

Vega, 60, admitted to accepting $20,000 in bribes and agreeing to accept another $10,000 in July 2009 from Dwek.

When Linares asked him how he pleaded this morning, Vega responded, "Guilty, your honor." In pleading guilty Vega agreed to forfeit the $20,000 he accepted from Dwek.

Vega faces 30 to 37 months when he is set sentenced Jan.7. Had he not pleaded guilty today, his case would have headed to trial Oct. 12. Following his arrest in July 2009, the county suspended him from his $128,244-a-year-job as director of the Department of Parks, Engineering and Planning. During the court proceeding, Linares said that the U.S. Attorney's Office sent Vega a letter detailing the plea agreement May 26. Afterward, Vega's attorney, Peter Willis of Jersey City, confirmed the May date, saying that was when talks began. "It's not a happy day for Mariano or the people of Jersey City,'' Willis told reporters after the hearing. "I was hopeful that we could litigate this case but in the end I had to do what was best for Mariano and his family.'' Vega was noticeably shaken when leaving the courtroom and declined to comment.

melhayes wrote:
Mariano Vega will appear in federal court this morning where he is expected to plead guilty to corruption charges.

http://www.nj.com/hudson/index.ssf/20 ... resignation_former_j.html

Sources say his council aide, Hilario Nunez, is a likely successor.

DowntownWilly wrote:
http://www.politickernj.com/jersey-ci ... ilman-vega-resign-end-day

Hilario "Larry" Nunez Jr., a Jersey City school teacher, ex-Marine, candidate for mayor in 2004 and city council in 2005, and aide to Vega, is the frontrunner, according to a source.

Other names in the mix include former councilman Junior Maldonado and former deputy mayor Anthony Cruz.

mfadam wrote:
Does this mean he gives up the Jeep??

milkbone wrote:
We must use this opportunity to appoint a real leader of honor, and bring the winds of change to the cancel chamber.

Jersey City councilman questions timing of Mariano Vega's resignation.

Published: Monday, September 13, 2010, 3:41 PM Updated: Monday, September 13, 2010, 3:41 PM

Melissa Hayes/The Jersey Journal

Jersey City Councilman Mariano Vega resigned today, one business day after the deadline to trigger a special election. The City Council will appoint a replacement.

Jersey City Councilman Mariano Vega?s resignation today has left one of his colleagues asking why now.

Vega was among the 46 individuals charged last year in a massive political corruption and money laundering sting. The then-council president refused to surrender his seat, but eventually gave up the presidency. Vega sent an e-mail around 5 p.m. Friday saying he was resigning effective today.

Had Vega resigned during business hours Friday, his seat would have been up for grabs in a special election in November.

Ward E Councilman Steven Fulop, who has been calling for Vega to step down, said his resignation was overdue. ?I think he should have done it a year ago and I think to do it at 5:01 (Friday), one minute after the deadline speaks to how they protect their power base and how they protect the system,? Fulop said. ?They are manipulating the political process as always.?

Vega has not returned a call seeking comment.

Wednesday is the last day for candidates seeking office in the special election to file petitions. The Hudson County Clerk?s Office said it had not yet received notice of Vega?s resignation. Vega submitted a formal, signed letter this morning after the city?s Law Department told him the e-mail was not sufficient.

Fulop said he felt Vega resigned after the close of business Friday to prevent a special election for his seat. ?They know what the law is and they did it intentionally,? Fulop said. ?I think that speaks to this whole political culture in Jersey City.?

Jersey City Mayor Jerramiah T. Healy was in a meeting and not immediately available to respond to the accusations, but he did release a statement earlier this afternoon about Vega?s resignation. ?We thank Mariano for his decades of public service to the city and the people of Jersey City, and we wish the best for him and his family,? Healy said in a statement.

Because Jersey City?s governing body is non-partisan the council will select a replacement. ?We?re working with the City Council to try and build a consensus for a replacement for Mariano, so that this important position in city government does not stay vacant for any prolonged period of time,? Healy said.

Vega was among a number of Jersey City officials being targeted by a recall movement. Riaz Wahid, a member of the recall group, said he hopes a suitable replacement will be named. ?I hope the mayor and City Council president will solicit resumes from qualified and talented citizens to fill Mr. Vega?s position,? Wahid said. ?They must keep this process open and fair since they took away the opportunity to elect from the people of Jersey City.?

Charon wrote:
I wonder if this indicates that Vega has cut a deal with the Feds to give up someone else ? Or is it simply another cynical move to allow Healy and the Council to pick a successor.

In any event, Vega is a complete scoundrel.

Webmaster wrote: This is Mariano Vega Jr. on July 29, 2009

T-Bird wrote:
The resignation comes just one business day after the city would have been required to hold a special election in November to fill the remainder of his term.

Instead, the council will now have the opportunity to appoint someone to the at-large spot.