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Former Bergen County Court Officer Charged with Misappropriation of Settlement Funds

BergenCountyCourthouse

the staff of the Ridgewood blog

Hackensack NJ, Bergen County Prosecutor Mark Musella announced the arrest of 69-year-old BRUCE PIEKARSKY of Davie, FL on charges of theft, misapplication of entrusted property, and tampering with public records. The arrest is the result of an investigation conducted by the Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office under the direction of Chief Matthew Finck.

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Community Activist Bill Brennan has filed a lawsuit in Bergen County court against Governor Christie based upon Wildstein’s “Bridgegate ” testimony

Bill Brennan Bridgewgate

October 12,2016
the staff of the Ridgewood blog

Ridgewood NJ, the staff of the Ridgewood blog is made up of many long-time commuters , so we have been ,to say the least,  a bit skeptical this entire “Bridgegate ” or “Bridgeapolooza” episode. The reality is that the GWB has huge traffic jams averaging over 1-hour delays during rush hour every day.

The Port Authority is hardly and paragon of virtue it’s often been the dumping ground for on the lamb public employees from New York and New Jersey and New York and New Jersey can hardly claim the mantle of puritanicalism  both states seem more often than not to be mired in corruption.

In recent “Bridgegate” not only did former Port Authority Official, David Wildstein, told Bill Baroni’s attorney, Michael Baldassare, that Governor Christie’s staff asked him to produce a list of Port Authority employees so that Democrats could be purged, just weeks after starting his $150,000-a-year job at the Port Authority in 2010.

Wildstien also claimed under oath he told Governor Christie about the lane closing. The prosecution’s star witness claimed Gov. Chris Christie was told of the traffic jams at the George Washington Bridge in the midst of the gridlock in Fort Lee in September 2013, and that Christie laughed when he heard about it.

Community Activist Bill Brennan found a way to file a lawsuit in Bergen County court against Governor Christie based upon Wildstein’s testimony.

Brennan says ,”There’s a statute in New Jersey, the Official Misconduct statute, which says that a public servant is guilty of official misconduct for the purpose to deprive another of a benefit or obtain a benefit for himself. If he refrains from taking an action that’s clearly inherent in the nature of his office. Clearly inherent in the nature in the office of the Governor is opening those lanes when you’ve been told they’re closed.

Tomorrow morning the Governor of NJ faces charges for something we all know he did. I fear life in a country where the government harms law-abiding citizens in fits of pettiness and revenge. It scares me to know that people are being coerced by officials who brag that they can destroy the lives of anyone who refuses their demands. It terrifies me that this is all out in the open and I might be alone in an open court room standing up against tyranny. “

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Ridgewood woman sues judge in challenge of layoff

Bergen County Sheriff Michael Saudino

Bergen County Sheriff Michael Saudino

JULY 14, 2015, 6:23 PM    LAST UPDATED: WEDNESDAY, JULY 15, 2015, 6:39 AM
BY CHRIS HARRIS
STAFF WRITER |
THE RECORD

A Ridgewood woman has sued a state administrative law judge, claiming the judge has been violating her right to due process as she contests her dismissal from the Bergen County Sheriff’s Office.

The federal lawsuit was filed in U.S. District Court in Newark by Alexis Fitzsimmons, an advanced practice nurse laid off from the Sheriff’s Department in the spring of 2011. Days after losing her job, Fitzsimmons — who’d been working as the department’s chief nursing officer — challenged her dismissal, contending it was “illegitimate” and political retaliation, the suit reads.

Fitzsimmons’ lawsuit, filed June 15,  claims she lost her job soon after Bergen County Sheriff Michael Saudino assumed office. The suit claims Saudino’s move was sparked by “groundless rumors” he had been told claiming Fitzsimmons was romantically involved with his predecessor as sheriff, Leo McGuire. Fitzsimmons’ suit further claims she was given 20 days’ notice prior to her dismissal and not 45 as is required by law.

Months later, the Civil Service Commission cleared the way for Fitzsimmons to appeal her layoff. The matter was assigned to New Jersey Office of Administrative Law Judge Irene Jones. Jones is named as a defendant in Fitzsimmons’ suit, as is Judge Laura Sanders, who oversees the administrative law office.

In February of 2013, Fitzsimmons’ suit claims, she filed a motion to compel the Bergen County Sheriff’s Office to provide discovery as well as answers to several questions. For nearly eight months, Jones declined to rule on the motion, reads the suit. Then, a two-page order issued September 30, 2013 denied the motion without offering any explanation for the opinion.

 

https://www.northjersey.com/news/ridgewood-woman-sues-judge-in-challenge-of-layoff-1.1374091