The Morristown lawyer who donned a wire and offered bribes to public figures is facing eight years in jail when the pay-to-play sting is over.
Matt O’Donnell will plead guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit misconduct by a corporate official, according to an agreement he signed with the state Attorney General’s Office on July 30, 2018.
The second degree offense carries up to 10 years in jail. The state will recommend eight years in state prison, forfeiture of O’Donnell’s law license, and a prohibition against public employment or doing business with public entities in the future.
It’s not clear when O’Donnell will enter his plea.
In an investigation that the Attorney General’s Office says is ongoing, four public officials–a Morris County commissioner, a Mt. Arlington councilman, a Jersey City school board president and a state Assemblyman from Hudson County–were indicted on charges of accepting thousands in bribes from a “cooperating witness,” later identified as O’Donnell.
Earlier this month, a judge tossed the indictment of the former Assemblyman, Jason O’Donnell (no relation to Matt O’Donnell), who was accused of taking bribes while running for mayor of Bayonne. The Attorney General’s Office says it plans to appeal.
Another defendant who was not indicted, Mary Dougherty, the wife of Morristown’s mayor, was sentenced to probation after pleading to a downgraded charge of falsifying a campaign finance report.
Elizabeth Valandingham, a partner in Matt O’Donnell’s law firm, pleaded guilty to tampering with public records to land government contracts. She will forfeit her law license and could face a year in jail when sentenced.
Matt O’Donnell, Morristown’s former planning board- and tax appeals attorney, will be required to pay back $600,000 the state says he made from municipal contracts he secured through illegal “straw donor” contributions to local officials. He also must make full restitution to anyone who “sustained a loss” from his scheme
MORE TO COME
hurley says made $4.2 million since then
A.G. office says investigation still ongoing.
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June 11, 2021 at 07:58PM
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Wearing the wire: Matt O'Donnell, Morristown man at center of bribery sting, facing jail time - Morristown Green
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