
file photo by Boyd Loving
“As a public official,” Schwager told the court, “what the defendant did might be labeled stupid, wrong or inconsiderate, but we cannot prove it was criminal beyond a reasonable doubt.”
Nicholas Katzban, Staff Writer, @NicholasKatzban
HACKENSACK — Three separate harassment complaints against Ridgewood Councilman Jeffrey Voigt were dismissed Thursday after the the prosecuting attorney determined there was insufficient evidence to prove a criminal act had taken place.
The harassment complaints against Voigt were filed by residents Lorraine Reynolds and Boyd and Anne Loving, who alleged that the councilman had made their cellphone numbers, emails and home addresses known to the public when he posted copies of their requests for public records — known as OPRA requests — on Facebook in May.
The plaintiffs testified that while their cellphone numbers, email and home addresses were visible in the councilman’s posts, he had obscured the same personal information for other persons listed on the records requests.
“Mr. Voigt took the time to block out personal information about others, but not mine,” said Anne Loving during a July hearing before Judge Roy McGeady. “I felt personally targeted.”
How much did this fiasco (filing of charges) cost the village?
No surprise here..
Rurik, our village attorney costs a quarter mil. You can’t get insurance for retaliatory practices.
It did not cost the village anything. It cost Jeff Voigt a bundle.
Ridgewood Taxpayer: Are you suggesting that I should hesitate calling the police department if I’m stabbed due to the possibility of it costing the taxpayers some money?
I wish they had charged the plaintiffs with the court costs and defense costs. would stop some of this harassing litigation.
Thank you to the three of you for standing up against bullying.
I’m so glad. I thought it was vicious and petty for the Loving’s , separately, of course, to sue Voigt. Frankly, I was shocked when I heard Ann and Boyd had sued Voigt. I guess others sued to. Whoever sued in my opinion was over blowing a petty matter.
And believe me, I don’t go along with Voigt on the issues.
Nobody sued anybody. Get your facts straight. Criminal complaints were filed, not lawsuits.
Mr. Voigt filed his own complaint against Mike Sedon for harassment regarding OPRA requests. His own lawyer advised him against continuing with this bogus suit. The judge in both instances made it known that Jeff’s accusations which were heard at a hearing were to put it kindly ridiculous. While Jeff may have not done anything criminal his behavior has been over the top. He may have incurred large attorney costs but as far as I know the town didn’t.
The northjersey.com article fails to mention that Mr. Voigt’s counter complaints against Mrs. Loving and Mrs. Reynolds were tossed by the judge. That is, they were both deemed as baseless.
Did you even read the article? No one sued. This was a criminal matter. And the prosecutor called Voigt stupid. Stupid is an understatement
I made a mistake; I meant criminal complaint to be exact. Then Voigt is petty and vicious and ignorant too to file a complaint against Sedon. Ignorant because Sedon was doing nothing criminal in requesting OPRA mail from Voigt.
Hey, I didn’t vote for Voigt for council and when I said I wasn’t going to, I got shit thrown into my face on this BLOG and my name was revealed when I posted anonymous.
But Hey, I try and I try to remain an independent thinker and involved in town issues calling out wrong doing when I see it.
6:58 I wish I had listened to you. I voted for him, even gave money to his campaign. Then he turns around and starts badgering people who question him in any way. I have submitted a couple of sunshine law OPRAS in the past and I would have been furious if someone retaliated by posting my phone number and email. Voigt was wrong to do this. Lorraine and Anne and Boyd had every right to make him stop.
Stupid, Wrong, Inconsiderate – from the prosecutor. Hahaha, perfect.
But not criminal! and that is the stupid, vicious, mean , petty thinking New Joisey thinkspeak that those who tried to put the man in jail for a month and make him pay a 500 dollar fine are guilty of. Just for posting their names and address and cell phone numbers. When that info is for the asking anyway. Hey, don’t ya know there are real crimes in TOWN. (I am being poetic here; by TOWN I mean in our world)
Outrageous of them. I am so thrilled that Voigt got off free. Congrats Voigt.
9:38 – As you are posting anonymously, one would assume that you would not like to have your numbers posted online. So why should anyone else want this? What is outrageous is that an elected town official would have the nerve to try and intimidate residents who were legally asking for information. Thankfully for the residents of Ridgewood, these individuals will not be intimidated by the likes of one loose cannon. At least I hope not. We need more political watchpeople. Thank you.
One could check on this, but the councilman in question has likely filed innumerable OPRA requests himself. Hmmmmm….this could be interesting to find out.
So who sets the penalties for any crime? Not the victims. The laws are in place regarding maximum and minimum penalties.
He has filed his own OPRA requests. All the people he dislikes now voted for him. He changed on a dime right after election. He was made to think he could be mayor by others with different points of view. If he thinks these people are his friends he is in for a rude awakening. He spent lots of money on an attorney and OPRA requests. It would be nice to know that he learned an expensive lesson but recent Facebook posts show otherwise. Rurik seems to think Jeff was vindicated. Just goes to show that ” people hear what they want to hear and disregard the rest.”
Voight attempted to mislead and misrepresent what happened in court to trick us residents . He went to Facebook and posted that he was found innocent. Wrong. Voight was not found innocent the case was dismissed, according to the article, because of lack of evidence. Lack of evidence doesn’t equate to not guilty and it doesn’t mean innocent . Voight did what he did and he’s responsible. Instead of apologizing went straight to Facebook to continue bullying and intimidating the same residents. Then voight added more resident names to his hate list.
Voights bullying and intimidation is intended to stop residents from participating in government. Anyone is at risk for the same retaliation by Voight for disagreeing with him.. It would be terrible for all of us to lose residents who are engaged because of voights bullying.
Voight has embarrassed himself and embarrassed the Village. In trying to misrepresent a dismissal he’s proven he can’t be trusted.
Voigt is a bad person. Seriously. You good people are clueless. Right after he was elected Voigt insisted he was going to be mayor. He didn’t get his way and this is payback.
Justice served. End of story.
PESMITH, taking the usual stand against what is right, per usual. Yawn.
“I am sickened by what people will do to each other to get even.” Guess who wrote these powerful words? Hint: it is someone who will do ANYTHING to get even with ANYBODY who even looks crosseyed at him.