The New Jersey School Ethics Commission dismissed a complaint against Jersey City Board of Education President Dejon Morris last week, after determining that there were “insufficient facts and circumstances presented” to believe a state statute was violated.
By John Heinis/Hudson County View
“After review, the Commission finds that there are insufficient facts and circumstances presented in the Complaint and the Written Statement to lead a reasonable person to believe that N.J.S.A. 18A:12-24(b) was violated,” they wrote in a resolution approved at their October 22nd meeting.
“The Commission notes that board members are permitted to have opinions on or support certain vendors that may contract with the board. In this circumstance, without more, Respondent’s introduction to the law firm before he was sworn into the Board does not establish that he has a conflict with respect to the law firm, such that he was prohibited from advocating for or voting on the firm.”
Then-BOE President Natalia Ioffe filed an ethics complaint against Morris in February for allegedly meeting with members law firm at the League of Municipalities in Atlantic City back in November as the board was prepared to vote on a special counsel contract.
The came just a day before a chaotic meeting saw Ioffe and then-Vice President Noemi Velazquez ousted in favor of Morris and Trustee Younass Barkouch, respectively, as HCV first reported.
At that same meeting, the Newark-based law firm in question, Souder, Shabazz & Woolridge, was approved unanimously (5-0) as special counsel through the end of 2023 (though a revote taken at a subsequent meeting failed by a vote of 4-4(1)).
The SEC also noted that they do not have jurisdiction over school board members prior to them being sworn in, which Morris was not at the time of the incident in question.
“While being ‘wined and dined’ by a law firm seeking to become counsel to the Board may have been inappropriate behavior for Respondent as a Board member-elect, it is outside the scope of the Act as it occurred before he was a Board member.”
While Morris said that he is happy to this behind him, he isn’t going to forget it, either.
“I don’t feel that I have been completed vindicated because there is still the political embarrassment she has put me through. Yes, I was vindicated, but there has not been a day that goes by that I have not thought about the political embarrassment and the political disrespect that she bestowed upon me. So we are not going to forget that at all,” he told HCV.
“The board is operated like a well-oiled machine. Her and I have not discussed or had any type of conversation regarding the ethics charges. I believe both of us are acting like professionals and dealing with the board business and not allowing that moment in time to affect the work that needs to be done for the 27,000 scholars and the 6,000 employees.”
Morris has expressed in interest in running for a state Assembly seat in the 31st Legislative District and this outcome could have him to decide to lean in that direction.