Shocker: NJ Democrat Pleads Guilty

An even bigger shock: The New York Times mentions his party affiliation in the first sentence. They must be getting annoyed with all those Name That Party stories.

A prominent New Jersey Democrat who had served simultaneously as the mayor of Orange and a state assemblyman pleaded guilty in Federal District Court on Tuesday to one count of attempted extortion, and in state court to another count of official misconduct.

The official, Mims Hackett Jr., 66, told United States District Court Judge Jose L. Linares that he accepted a $5,000 bribe in August from someone he thought was an insurance broker in exchange for using the power of his office to help the company obtain more work.

The broker was an informant working for the Federal Bureau of Investigation, however, and Mr. Hackett now faces a possible 18 to 24 months in prison when he is sentenced by Judge Linares on Sept. 15.

“They wanted me to influence one of the officials in the city to help get insurance for the city,” Mr. Hackett said in court Tuesday morning. “They offered that to me, and I accepted.”

He was among 11 public officials ensnared last year in a federal sting investigating municipal insurance contracts.

There's still work to do, however, as the Star Ledger conveniently omits his party affiliation.