Peter Cammarano
Encyclopedia
Peter J. Cammarano III was the 37th Mayor of Hoboken, New Jersey
, serving from July 1, 2009, to July 31, 2009. He was born in Wayne, New Jersey
and attended Boston University
and Seton Hall University School of Law
. In a 2005 run-off election, he was elected Councilman-at-Large in Hoboken and became Hoboken's youngest mayor in 2009.
In 2009, he won the Hoboken Mayor's race in a runoff election, though his electoral victory against Dawn Zimmer
was not without controversy. His margin of victory in the June 9, 2009, runoff was 161 votes, and observers credited his victory to absentee and provisional ballots in combination with hiring many residents from districts that eventually voted in large numbers for him. Zimmer's three running mates won control of the city council despite Cammarano's mayoral victory.
He was sworn in to office on July 1, 2009. At 32, Cammarano became the youngest mayor in city history.
On July 23, 2009, just 22 days after assuming the office of mayor, Cammarano was arrested by the FBI as part of a major corruption
and international money laundering
conspiracy
probe known as Operation Bid Rig
. Cammarano was charged by the U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of New Jersey
with accepting $25,000 in cash bribes from an undercover cooperating witness.
On July 31, 2009, Cammarano announced his resignation. Cammarano sent a letter to the city clerk saying his resignation was effective at noon. "I apologize to the residents of Hoboken for the disruption and disappointment this case has caused," he said in the letter.
Cammarano pleaded guilty on April 20, 2010 to extorting cash contributions in return for official influence and admitted accepting $25,000 in illicit cash contributions in exchange for exercising his future official influence and authority. Cammarano remained free on a $100,000 bond pending his sentence. On August 5, 2010, Cammarano was sentenced to 24 months in federal prison. In late September, 2010, Cammarano was designated by the Federal Bureau of Prisons to serve his 24-month sentence at the minimum security component at Lewisburg Federal Penitentiary in Pennsylvania and was scheduled to report there on October 4, 2010.
Peter Cammarano was released from Lewisburg Federal Prison Camp in Pennsylvania on Wednesday September 14, 2011 and is now in an halfway house in New York.
Hoboken, New Jersey
Hoboken is a city in Hudson County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city's population was 50,005. The city is part of the New York metropolitan area and contains Hoboken Terminal, a major transportation hub for the region...
, serving from July 1, 2009, to July 31, 2009. He was born in Wayne, New Jersey
Wayne, New Jersey
Wayne is a Township in Passaic County, New Jersey, United States, located less than from midtown Manhattan. As of the United States 2000 Census, the township had a total population of 54,069....
and attended Boston University
Boston University
Boston University is a private research university located in Boston, Massachusetts. With more than 4,000 faculty members and more than 31,000 students, Boston University is one of the largest private universities in the United States and one of Boston's largest employers...
and Seton Hall University School of Law
Seton Hall University School of Law
The Seton Hall University School of Law is part of Seton Hall University, and is located in downtown Newark, New Jersey. Seton Hall Law School is the only private law school in New Jersey, and is the top-ranked of the three law schools in the state...
. In a 2005 run-off election, he was elected Councilman-at-Large in Hoboken and became Hoboken's youngest mayor in 2009.
In 2009, he won the Hoboken Mayor's race in a runoff election, though his electoral victory against Dawn Zimmer
Dawn Zimmer
Dawn Zimmer is the 38th mayor of Hoboken, New Jersey. She was sworn in on November 6, 2009 after winning a special election to fill the remainder of Peter Cammarano's term. She had been serving as Acting Mayor since Cammarano's resignation on July 31, 2009 following his arrest on corruption charges...
was not without controversy. His margin of victory in the June 9, 2009, runoff was 161 votes, and observers credited his victory to absentee and provisional ballots in combination with hiring many residents from districts that eventually voted in large numbers for him. Zimmer's three running mates won control of the city council despite Cammarano's mayoral victory.
He was sworn in to office on July 1, 2009. At 32, Cammarano became the youngest mayor in city history.
On July 23, 2009, just 22 days after assuming the office of mayor, Cammarano was arrested by the FBI as part of a major corruption
Political corruption
Political corruption is the use of legislated powers by government officials for illegitimate private gain. Misuse of government power for other purposes, such as repression of political opponents and general police brutality, is not considered political corruption. Neither are illegal acts by...
and international money laundering
Money laundering
Money laundering is the process of disguising illegal sources of money so that it looks like it came from legal sources. The methods by which money may be laundered are varied and can range in sophistication. Many regulatory and governmental authorities quote estimates each year for the amount...
conspiracy
Conspiracy (crime)
In the criminal law, a conspiracy is an agreement between two or more persons to break the law at some time in the future, and, in some cases, with at least one overt act in furtherance of that agreement...
probe known as Operation Bid Rig
Operation Bid Rig
Operation Bid Rig is an ongoing, long-term investigation into political corruption in New Jersey conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Internal Revenue Service, and the United States Attorney for the District of New Jersey since 2002...
. Cammarano was charged by the U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of New Jersey
United States Attorney for the District of New Jersey
The U.S. Attorney for the District of New Jersey is the chief federal law enforcement officer in New Jersey. Paul J. Fishman was sworn into office as U.S. Attorney on October 14, 2009 after having been nominated by President Barack Obama. He succeeded Ralph J. Marra, who served as Acting U.S....
with accepting $25,000 in cash bribes from an undercover cooperating witness.
On July 31, 2009, Cammarano announced his resignation. Cammarano sent a letter to the city clerk saying his resignation was effective at noon. "I apologize to the residents of Hoboken for the disruption and disappointment this case has caused," he said in the letter.
Cammarano pleaded guilty on April 20, 2010 to extorting cash contributions in return for official influence and admitted accepting $25,000 in illicit cash contributions in exchange for exercising his future official influence and authority. Cammarano remained free on a $100,000 bond pending his sentence. On August 5, 2010, Cammarano was sentenced to 24 months in federal prison. In late September, 2010, Cammarano was designated by the Federal Bureau of Prisons to serve his 24-month sentence at the minimum security component at Lewisburg Federal Penitentiary in Pennsylvania and was scheduled to report there on October 4, 2010.
Peter Cammarano was released from Lewisburg Federal Prison Camp in Pennsylvania on Wednesday September 14, 2011 and is now in an halfway house in New York.
External links
- Hoboken Mayor Official Bio
- Election wrapup: Cammarano elected Hoboken mayor; Zimmer not conceding, has majority of council
- Hoboken Mayor Cammarano arrested by FBI: report
- http://www.hudsonreporter.com/pages/full_stories_home/push?article--CRUX+OF+HOBOKEN+SCANDAL-+former+Councilman+Schaffer+allegedly+took+cash+for+development+help+on+behalf+of+Cammarano+campaign-+Cammarano+allegedly+told+witness-+-I+COULD+BE+INDICTED+AND+I-M+STILL+GONNA+WIN+-HISPANIC+AND+ITALIAN+VOTES-%20&id=3018725--CRUX+OF+HOBOKEN+SCANDAL-+former+Councilman+Schaffer+allegedly+took+cash+for+development+help+on+behalf+of+Cammarano+campaign-+Cammarano+allegedly+told+witness-+-I+COULD+BE+INDICTED+AND+I-M+STILL+GONNA+WIN+-HISPANIC+AND+ITALIAN+VOTES-&instance=home_Most_popularDetails of FBI allegations against Cammarano and former Councilman Michael Schaffer]
- N.J. officials, N.Y. rabbis caught in federal money laundering, corruption sweep
- Cammarano & Schaffer criminal complaint, United States Department of JusticeUnited States Department of JusticeThe United States Department of Justice , is the United States federal executive department responsible for the enforcement of the law and administration of justice, equivalent to the justice or interior ministries of other countries.The Department is led by the Attorney General, who is nominated...
, July 23, 2009 - Former Hoboken mayor released to halfway house