Ridgewood NJ, sources say Bergen County Sheriff Mike Saudino aka the “double dipper in chief” is about to change his party affiliation from Republican to Democrat. This puts Saudino Bergen County’s top double dipper, $267,987 – $138,000 salary + $129,987 pension as an Emerson Borough police retiree in Democrat hands .
The anticipated party switch came as no surprise, given recent history. In 2014, Saudino back stabbed incumbent Republican County Executive Kathe Donovan and made known his preference for the Democratic candidacy of challenger James Tedesco.
Tedesco ultimately won the County Executive office and Democrats in Bergen armed with Union money have bucked national trends further consolidated power in Bergen under the leadership of Bergen County Democratic Committee Chairman Lou Stellato.
Early this year Saudino claimed “I think I have shown that I am not a political guy,” Saudino told PolitickerNJ. “I don’t intend to change. I don’t want to be a political guy. I understand that I am in an elected position but I want to keep politics as much as I can out of it. There is no place for politics in law enforcement. I try to maintain that attitude. To me, it is not about the party. It is about who the best people are, who has the best ideas.” ( https://politickernj.com/2015/12/bergen-sheriff-saudino-there-is-no-place-for-politics-in-law-enforcement/ )
Well I guess this proves there is room for Politics in law enforcement after all and the question remains is will his new affiliation instill confidence from his new boss County Executive James Tedesco giving his disloyal history?
