Trenton Municipal Court Judge Rolando Torres, Jr. dismissed two disorderly persons offenses against Leroy Truth, whose real name is Leonard Filipowski, related to being removed from a New Jersey Senate Judiciary Committee hearing in February.
By John Heinis/Hudson County View
“I think they were upping the ante by filing criminal charges in order to stifle free speech. It was one thing to have him removed from the meeting, but it was another to file baseless criminal charges against him,” West New York-based attorney Mario Blanch, who represented Filipowski in the matter, told HCV this afternoon.
Filipowski was accused of disrupting a public meeting and disturbing the peace after he was thrown out of a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing where he was highly critical of state Senator (D-33) Brian Stack, the committee chair and also the Union City mayor.
He had filed a seven-count lawsuit the New Jersey State Police, who had officers remove him, Stack, and state Senator Paul Sarlo (D-36), alleging that his First Amendment rights had been violated, which was dismissed last month.
Filipowski also has a case pending against Stack in Hudson County Superior Court revolving around getting arrested at a Union City Board of Commissioners meeting in July.
The case, which also alleges civil rights violations, recently saw the Union City commissioners and police department dismissed as defendants, as HCV first reported.
“These are blatant acts of political violence, whether someone supports my work or they don’t, I’m a journalist: Whether it’s on the web, YouTube, TikTok, or handing out pamphlets on the corner: That’s what a journalist is,” Filipowski contended today.
“This is an attempt to silence me for investigating the allegations I’ve been given, I’ve been physically attacked dozens of times, yet I continue to face bogus criminal charges. I want to thank my attorney Mario Blanch for making sure justice was served, as well as Assistant Prosecutor Cindy Liccardo and Judge Rolando Torres for doing an excellent job.”
We need to worry about the corruption within our own government and the political hypocrisy and Insanity with a leader who has a dictator mentality. There is verifiable proof of corruption within our government and the political parties..on the left..middle..and the far right. When Trump lost to Biden for a second term..he has always ..maintain a revenge mentality against all political parties …government agencies…and politicians who file verifiable proof against Trumps legal charges…especially breaking the law. The insurrection caos..and Insanity. The pardoning of those who were involved in that horrific caos and Insanity. Now the pardon of George Santos. If my mayor is currupt.or corruption within his administration…then show solid verifiable proof…or evidence to proof your point of corruption.