Hundreds call for Jersey City Council President Mariano Vega to step down at City Hall rally

By Amy Sara Clark / The Jersey Journal
August 04, 2009

Jersey City Councilman Steven Fulop is organizing a "National Night Out" rally at City Hall tomorrow night to bring attention to the recent arrests of nine Jersey City officials and employees on corruption charges.

"In the past, Jersey City has sponsored individual ward block parties in each neighborhood for National Night Out. This year is different. In light of recent events that have shaken our city to the core, I invite you to…a city-wide rally on the steps of City Hall itself," Fulop says on his Web site. "The crime inside City Hall must be dealt with the same way as crime on the streets."

The event is scheduled for 6 to 7:30 p.m. at City Hall, 280 Grove St.

On Wednesday, Fulop put forward a resolution calling on City Council President Mariano Vega Jr. to resign from office, but he wound up the sole council member voting for it. Ward F Councilwoman Viola Richardson missed the meeting

Vega was one of the nearly two dozen Hudson County officials arrested July 23 charged with accepting bribes from a government informant posing as a developer seeking favors.

Ward D Councilman Bill Gaughan, who represents the Jersey City Heights, called Fulop’s rally "self-serving."

"I think it is a lousy idea because it disrupts what we have been doing (on National Night Out) over many years," Gaughan said. "If it was held on any other night I would not have a problem with it."

In his ward for instance, Gaughan said the nationwide effort to put a crimp in crime is celebrated with an event at Pershing Fields where cops mingle with residents and young people and there’s music, dancing, and face-painting.

Fulop said Gaughan is engaging in "political spin."

"The definition of ‘National Night Out Against Crime’ is where the community comes out and comes together and discusses how to fight crime. What could be more appropriate than a citywide rally in front of City Hall," Fulop said.