New Jersey Republican Scandals | Updated List of GOP Scandals in NJ

Scandal Categories

New Jersey Republican U.S. Congress Member & Candidate Scandals

  • Alex ZdanAlex ZdanFmr. U.S. Senate Candidate
       
    3/14/24
    Swerved into oncoming traffic while driving drunk and hit another car, fled the scene and was later found asleep in his car by police who reported he had noticeable signs of impairment including a strong odor of alcohol on his breath, slurred speech and bloodshot eyes and then failed field sobriety tests and had a BAC three times the legal limit of 0.25
    According to charging documents filed by local police
  • Kate GibbsKate GibbsFmr. U.S. Rep Candidate
       
    2/15/20
    Hid $80 worth of clothes in a shopping bag and left a Kohl's department store without paying which resulted in her getting banned from the store and having to pay a $280 fine
    According to an exclusive report by the Burlington County Times
  • Ian SmithIan SmithFmr. U.S. Rep Candidate
       
    3/28/22
    Swerved so erratically that he forced another driver to take measures to avoid a collision, struggled on a field sobriety test after police pulled him over and was arrested after he refused to take a breathalyzer
    According to a police report filed by local police
    5/23/20
    Killed a 19-year-old after he drunkenly barreled through a stop sign and crashed into his victim's car and then admitted to police that he drank 10-12 beers not long before his crash
    According to charging documents filed by local police

New Jersey Republican State Legislator Scandals

  • Michael SilvestriFmr. State Rep. Candidate
       
    2/15/19
    Was accused of sexually assaulting a former campaign aide at a local GOP headquarters and later texting her pictures of weapons to scare her from reporting him to the police
    According to a police report filed by the alleged victim
    2/13/19
    Sent an unsolicited picture of his erect penis and other sexually inappropriate pictures to a subordinate
    According to the alleged victim in a report by NJ1015.com

New Jersey Republican Mayor Scandals

  • Sal BonaccorsoSal BonaccorsoFmr. Mayor [R-NJ]
       
    1/10/25
    Illegally operated his private business out of the mayor's office where he utilized public resources and personnel to improperly obtain government permits that enriched him personally and then encouraged at least one witness to lie to investigators if they were questioned
    According to charging documents filed by state officials
  • Frederick GattusoFrederick GattusoFmr. Mayor Nominee [R-NJ]
       
    7/29/21
    Voted twice using two different but similar sounding names in the 2020 election
    According to charging documents filed by local police
  • Ted TomaszewskiTed TomaszewskiFmr. Mayor [R-NJ]
       
    1/17/23
    Engaged in multiple sex acts including penetrative sex with a 15-year-old boy over a two-month period
    According to charging documents filed by local police
  • Chris MyersChris MyersFmr. Mayor [R-NJ]
       
    12/05/11
    Paid a male prostitute from an escort website $500 to have sex while also being married with two children
    According to the person he reportedly slept with and reported on by Politico
  • Paul KennedyPaul KennedyFmr. Mayor [R-NJ]
       
    9/22/23
    Stole $9,657 in proceeds from an online auction of old government-owned vehicles
    According to charging documents filed by local police
    Stole an unknown amount from parking meters that was supposed to be deposited into a government bank account and sold government office furniture through a social media account with the intention of keeping the money he made from the sale
    According to charging documents filed by local police
  • John BencivengoFmr. Mayor [R-NJ]
       
    3/13/13
    Accepted $12,400 in cash bribes in exchange for helping a health insurance broker keep their contract with a local school district
    According to charging documents filed by federal officials
  • David HuskMayor [R-NJ]
       
    11/03/16
    Modified his timecards so he could get paid for hours he didn't actually work on at least five separate occasions before he was caught by his employer and reported to the police
    According to charging documents filed by local police

Other New Jersey Republican Scandals

  • John CesaroJohn CesaroCounty Commissioner [R-NJ]
       
    12/19/19
    Illegally accepted two checks for $2,600 each -- the exact amount someone can legally donate to a political candidate -- from a straw donor who also happened to be cooperating with the authorities
    12/19/19
    Accepted at least $10k in cash stuffed in an envelope and $2,350 worth of checks from a business executive turned government informant he promised to make tax counsel for the county and award government contracts to
    According to charging documents filed by state officials