Acting governor informs Scannapieco he's off
state payroll after pleading guilty to bribery
Star Ledger
April 14, 2005
Tom Feeney
Acting Gov. Richard J. Codey told former Marlboro Mayor
Matthew V. Scannapieco yesterday that he will be removed immediately
from his $107,000-a-year job on the state Victims of Crime
Compensation Board.
Scannapieco, who pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in
Camden on Tuesday to one count each of taking bribes and filing
false income tax returns, had already submitted his resignation.
He said in court that he had already surrendered his daily
responsibilities with the board. Scannapieco was to remain
on the payroll until May 31 as compensation for unused sick
leave and vacation.
But in a letter sent to Scannapieco and faxed to his attorney
yesterday, Codey said he wants him off the payroll immediately.
"I hereby notify you that your guilty plea to the federal
offenses constitutes good cause for removing you from your
State office as a member of the Victims of Crime Compensation
Board," Codey wrote. "It is beyond doubt that your
admission that you accepted bribes and evaded taxes involves
crimes of dishonesty warranting your removal from office."
Scannapieco, a certified public accountant and certified financial
planner, was appointed to the board by Gov. Christie Whitman
in 1996 and reappointed by Gov. James E. McGreevey in 2000.
He pleaded guilty Tuesday to taking $245,000 in payoffs from
a developer between 1998 and 2003 -- the years he served as
mayor -- in exchange for helping the developer win zoning
changes and land-use approvals for six different projects.
He also pleaded guilty to failing to report the payoffs on
his federal income-tax returns.
"I understand that you have submitted your resignation
from the VCCB, but it is not effective until May 31, 2005,"
Codey wrote. "I cannot countenance your continuing to
receive a salary funded by the state's taxpayers under these
circumstances."
Codey's letter informs Scannapieco that he has a right to
a public hearing and that his termination will be effective
at the end of the day tomorrow if he does not intend to appeal.
Scannapieco's attorney, Mitchell Ansell, said his client does
intend to request a hearing when he replies to the governor's
letter today.
"Matt is not attempting to remain on as commissioner,"
Ansell said. "He has already resigned. This issue is
about money for vacation and sick time that he accrued while
he was working as a commissioner for the past 9 1/2 years.
That's money, under law, that we believe he's entitled to."
