Potential “heavy duty political players in Hudson County” were named in a grand jury transcript related to a cooperating state witness involved in a former Bayonne assemblyman’s indictment, according to a report from the New Jersey Globe.
By John Heinis/Hudson County View
“There are names mentioned in the grand jury transcript. These may be pretty heavy duty political players in Hudson County,” Keith Miller, an attorney for NJ Advance Media, said ruing a hearing for ex-Assemblyman Jason O’Donnell in front of Hudson County Superior Court Judge Mitzy Galis-Menendez this afternoon.
The statewide political news website wrote that the judge sealed a list of potential targets in a state corruption probe, including a list of individuals cooperating witness Matthew O’Donnell – no relation to Jason – offered to contact – along with a list of individuals prosecutors asked him to connect with.
In February, Jason O’Donnell, along with former Jersey City Board of Education President Sudhan Thomas and two ex-officials from Morris County, were indicted as part of a corruption probe by the New Jersey Attorney General’s Office.
Jason O’Donnell, the only one of the four not accused of official misconduct, was indicted on one count of bribery and official and political matter for allegedly promising Matt O’Donnell a municipal job at Bayonne City Hall in exchange for $10,000 cash.
In 2018, Jason O’Donnell unsuccessfully ran for mayor of Bayonne.
At today’s hearing, Leo Hurley, Jason O’Donnell’s attorney in the matter, said that Matt O’Donnell – a tax attorney – billed government entities more than $4.6 million since his participation in the AG’s sting operation began three years ago, according to NJ Globe.
The hearing also indicated that state and federal prosecutors were conducting joint investigations in matters related to Matt O’Donnell, with the judge stating that her decision wouldn’t impact Jason O’Donnell’s defense in the matter.
Editor’s note: This story has been updated to reflect new information from the New Jersey Administrative Office of the Courts.
