Convicted NJ ex-mayor who tried to run again for office faces criminal charge

🏛 Convicted NJ mayor faces new criminal charge

❌ After prison, ex-mayor tried to run again for office

🚨 For ignoring terms of plea, Joey Torres faces more prison

A mayor convicted of misconduct is facing a new criminal charge — after he tried to run for re-election after getting out of prison.

Ex-Paterson Mayor Jose “Joey” Torres was sentenced to five years in 2017, after admitting to illegally using city workers who were on the clock to instead help with a family business out of a private warehouse.

As part of his plea deal on a count of conspiracy to commit official misconduct, Torres was permanently barred from public office and public employment in New Jersey.

Despite those terms, the 64-year-old Torres launched a new bid to become Paterson’s mayor in 2022.

In February of last year, he made a public speech, asking the crowd in attendance to help “return him to City Hall.”

Torres went to the Paterson City Clerk’s Office the following month with a stack of purported nominating petitions.

After they were rejected by the clerk, Torres still didn’t quit — filing a civil action seeking to compel the clerk’s office to accept the petitions.

AG: Torres showed ‘remarkable brashness’

A state grand jury in Trenton on Tuesday voted to file a criminal contempt-of-court charge against Torres.

If convicted of the charge, Torres could face up to another 18 months in prison and a fine of up to $10,000.

“It takes remarkable brashness to flout a state court order and then attempt to strong-arm the city clerk, via civil litigation, into allowing an impermissible campaign to proceed,” state Attorney General Matthew Platkin said in a written release.

He continued “That is bold. And, according to the grand jury, it is also indictable.”