James W. Treffinger: Difference between revisions

Treffinger was born '''James Padalino''' in [[Newark, New Jersey]]. When he was 4 years old, he was adopted by Fred Treffinger, who had married his mother. He grew up in [[Maplewood, New Jersey|Maplewood]] and attended [[Saint Benedict's Preparatory School]] in Newark.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.co.essex.nj.us/biogra1.htm | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20030219094503/http://www.co.essex.nj.us/biogra1.htm | archive-date=2003-02-19 | title=James W. Treffinger's Biography }}</ref> Treffinger later recalled, "We didn't know many Republicans... My family idolized F.D.R. and Truman and John Kennedy. It was a Catholic family, so Kennedy was a double hero."<ref name=NYT2000/>

He graduated ''[[Latin honors|magna cum laude]]'' from [[Seton Hall University]] in 1972 with a degree in history. He was selected as a [[Fulbright Program|Fulbright]] scholar, the first in Seton Hall's history, and studied history, jurisprudence and economics in [[Germany]] at the [[University of Bonn]] and the [[University of Marburg]] in 1973.<ref name=NYT2000>{{cite news |title=A Dark Horse in a Field of Republican Obscurity | last=Newman| first= Maria |url=httphttps://www.nytimes.com/2000/05/31/nyregion/a-dark-horse-in-a-field-of-republican-obscurity.html |work=[[The New York Times]] |date=2000-05-31}}</ref><ref name=OurCampaigns>{{cite web |url=http://www.ourcampaigns.com/CandidateDetail.html?CandidateID=13740&ShowAllNews=Y |title=Treffinger, James W. |publisher=OurCampaigns.com |accessdate=2010-02-15}}</ref>

Treffinger earned a [[Juris Doctor|J.D.]] degree from [[Rutgers School of Law—Newark]] in 1976.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.co.essex.nj.us/resume.htm | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20030219095740/http://www.co.essex.nj.us/resume.htm | archive-date=2003-02-19 | title=Jame W.Treffinger's Resume }}</ref> He was admitted to the bar in New York and New Jersey, concentrating in his legal career on corporate and insurance law. He worked for the Home Insurance Company in New York City from 1982 to 1987, serving as senior vice president for government affairs and associate general counsel. He was special insurance counsel at [[Willkie Farr & Gallagher]] from 1987 to 1989. He joined [[Hughes Hubbard & Reed]] in 1990, serving as partner until 1995.<ref name=OurCampaigns/>

Treffinger was elected to the [[Verona, New Jersey|Verona]] Township Council in 1980, serving until 1983, when he was elected [[Mayor of Verona, New Jersey]]. He served again on the Township Council from 1987 to 1989 and from 1991 to 1993, and then served another term as mayor from 1993 to 1995.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2000-10-04 |title=Jame W.Treffinger's Resume |url=http://co.essex.nj.us/resume.htm |access-date=2023-09-15 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20001004122224/http://co.essex.nj.us/resume.htm |archive-date=2000-10-04 }}</ref> From 1992 to 1995, he served on the Essex County [[Board of County Commissioners (New Jersey)|Board of Chosen Freeholders]].<ref>{{cite news |url=httphttps://www.nytimes.com/1995/09/10/nyregion/in-person-county-government-gets-a-personal-trainer.html |title=County Government Gets a Personal Trainer |work=[[The New York Times]] |date=1995-09-10 | first=Andy | last=Newman | accessdate=2010-05-05}}</ref>

In 1994, Treffinger defeated a divided Democratic party to become the firstsecond Republican [[Essex County Executive|County Executive]] of Essex County in 3517 years.<ref>[[Politics of Essex County, New Jersey#Essex County Executive|Politics of Essex County, New Jersey: Essex County Executive]]</ref> His predecessor, [[Thomas J. D'Alessio]] had resigned after being convicted of money laundering, leftfraud and extortion.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1994/02/23/nyregion/after-conviction-essex-county-head-resigns.html|title=After Conviction, Essex County Head Resigns|work=[[The New York Times]]|date=1994-02-23|first=Clifford|last=Levy|accessdate=2017-03-13}}</ref> After taking office, Treffinger reported that the county had been left with a $161 million deficit,budget andgap<ref>{{cite wasnews|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1995/01/26/nyregion/leader-calls-essex-county-debt-riddled.html|title=Leader laterCalls convictedEssex forCounty moneyDebt-Riddled|work=[[The laundering,New fraudYork andTimes]]|date=1995-01-26|first=Clifford|last=Levy|accessdate=2017-03-13}}</ref> extortion. Treffingerand was later credited with nearly closing the county's budgetthat gap in onethe following year after taking office.<ref name=NYT2000/> Treffinger won re-election in 1998, defeating former Newark mayor [[Kenneth A. Gibson]] by a margin of 50 percent to 47 percent.<ref>{{cite news |url=httphttps://www.nytimes.com/1998/11/04/nyregion/1998-elections-around-region-essex-county-top-official-wins-re-election.html |title=Top Official Wins Re-election, Defeating Former Newark Mayor |work=[[The New York Times]] |date=1998-11-04 | first=Ronald | last=Smothers | accessdate=2010-05-05}}</ref>

Treffinger ran for the [[United States Senate]] in [[2000 United States Senate elections, 2000|2000]]. He finished third in the Republican primary with 18 percent of the vote, behind U.S. Rep. [[Bob Franks]] (36 percent) and State Senator [[William Gormley]] (34 percent).<ref>{{cite news |url=httphttps://www.nytimes.com/2000/06/07/nyregion/primary-new-jersey-overview-corzine-trounces-florio-primary-richest-senate-bid.html |title=Corzine Trounces Florio in Primary, Richest Senate Bid |work=[[The New York Times]] |date=2000-06-07 | first=David M. | last=Halbfinger | accessdate=2010-05-05}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Our Campaigns - NJ US Senate - R Primary Race - Jun 07, 2000 |url=https://www.ourcampaigns.com/RaceDetail.html?RaceID=49465 |access-date=2023-09-15 |website=www.ourcampaigns.com}}</ref>

In November 2001, he announced he would again run for U.S. Senate, in the [[United States Senate election in New Jersey, 2002|2002 race]] for the seat of incumbent [[Robert Torricelli]].<ref>{{cite news |url=httphttps://www.nytimes.com/2001/11/21/nyregion/treffinger-enters-2002-race-for-torricelli-s-senate-seat.html |title=Treffinger Enters 2002 Race For Torricelli's Senate Seat |work=[[The New York Times]] |date=2001-11-21}}</ref> He withdrew from the race in April 2002, after it became known that he was a target of a federal investigation.<ref>{{cite news |url=httphttps://www.nytimes.com/2002/04/23/nyregion/after-us-raid-treffinger-quits-senate-race-in-new-jersey.html |title=After U.S. Raid, Treffinger Quits Senate Race In New Jersey |date=2002-04-23 | work=The New York Times | first=Iver | last=Peterson | accessdate=2010-05-05}}</ref>

On April 18, 2002, agents from the [[Federal Bureau of Investigation]] and the [[Internal Revenue Service]] raided Treffinger's county office, carting away boxes of files, computers, and other materials.<ref>{{cite news |url=httphttps://www.nytimes.com/2002/04/19/nyregion/candidate-for-senate-is-hit-by-raid.html |title=Candidate For Senate Is Hit by Raid |work=[[The New York Times]] |date=2002-04-19 | first=Ronald | last=Smothers | accessdate=2010-05-05}}</ref> On October 28, Treffinger was arrested at his house in Verona. [[United States Attorney for the District of New Jersey|U.S. Attorney]] [[Chris Christie]] announced that Treffinger had been charged in a 20-count indictment with extortion, fraud, obstructing a federal investigation and conspiracy. He was released on $100,000 bail.<ref>{{cite web |url=httphttps://www.justice.gov/usao/nj/press/files/tr1028_r.htm |title=Essex County Executive Treffinger Indicted, Arrested for Fraud, Extortion and Obstruction |date=2002-10-28 |publisher=[[United States Attorney for the District of New Jersey]] |accessdate=2010-02-15 }}{{dead link|date=April 2017 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=httphttps://www.nytimes.com/2002/10/29/nyregion/us-charges-essex-leader-with-extortion.html |title=U.S. Charges Essex Leader With Extortion |work=[[The New York Times]] |date=2002-10-29 | first=Laura | last=Mansnerus | accessdate=2010-05-05}}</ref>

On May 31, 2003, shortly before his trial was scheduled to begin, Treffinger pleaded guilty to one count of obstruction of justice and one count of mail fraud, admitting that he had solicited an illegal $15,000 campaign contribution in exchange for a county contract, and that he had placed two people on the Essex County payroll who instead worked on his 2000 Senate campaign. The remaining counts were dismissed as part of the plea agreement.<ref>{{cite web |url=httphttps://www.justice.gov/usao/nj/press/files/tr0530_r.htm |title=Former Essex County Executive James Treffinger Pleads Guilty to Obstructing Justice, Mail Fraud |date=2003-05-30 |publisher=[[United States Attorney for the District of New Jersey]] |accessdate=2010-02-15 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100830152135/http://www.justice.gov/usao/nj/press/files/tr0530_r.htm |archive-date=2010-08-30 }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=httphttps://www.nytimes.com/2003/05/31/nyregion/treffinger-pleads-guilty-to-corruption.html |title=Treffinger Pleads Guilty To Corruption |work=[[The New York Times]] |date=2003-05-31 | first=Ronald | last=Smothers | accessdate=2010-05-05}}</ref> On October 17, he was sentenced to 13 months in prison. Treffinger had sought a lighter sentence, saying he was "a new man, a better man" after converting from [[Catholicism]] to [[Baptism]] and joining an evangelical Baptist congregation in [[Bloomfield, New Jersey|Bloomfield]] after his arrest.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.nj.com/corruption/stories/index.ssf?/corruption/stories/031009sl_treffinger_sentence.html |title=Feds seek stiff time in jail for Treffinger |work=[[The Star-Ledger]] |date=2003-10-09 |accessdate =2010-02-15}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2003/10/18/nyregion/former-essex-county-official-sentenced-in-corruption-case.html |title=Former Essex County Official Sentenced in Corruption Case |work=[[The New York Times]] |date=2003-10-18 | first=Ronald | last=Smothers | accessdate=2010-05-05}}</ref><ref>[https://www.nytimes.com] | OCT. 18, 2003 | Former Essex County Official Sentenced in Corruption Case | RONALD SMOTHERS | [https://www.nytimes.com/2003/10/18/nyregion/former-essex-county-official-sentenced-in-corruption-case.html]</ref><ref>Supreme Court, Appellate Division, First Department, New York | [https://caselaw.findlaw.com/ny-supreme-court-appellate-division/1108763.html]</ref>

In December 2004, Treffinger was released from federal prison into the custody of a Newark halfway house.<ref>{{cite news |title=Treffinger released to halfway house |work=[[The Star-Ledger]] |date=2004-12-04}}</ref> In April 2006, he agreed to pay $171,000 to settle an investigation by the [[Federal Election Commission]] over improper use of campaign funds to pay his legal fees.<ref>{{cite news |title=Former Executive Settles Election Inquiry |url=httphttps://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9B0CE4DE133FF935A15757C0A9609C8B63 |work=[[The New York Times]] |date=2006-04-26}}</ref> In November 2007, it was reported that Treffinger had enrolled at the [[Princeton Theological Seminary]] and was planning to start a ministry for prison inmates.<ref>{{cite news |title=Treffinger joins seminary, plans to minister to inmates |url=http://www.nj.com/news/index.ssf/2007/11/treffinger_joins_seminary_plan.html |work=[[The Star-Ledger]] |date=2007-11-08 |accessdate=2010-02-15}}</ref>

{{succession box| title=[[Essex County Executive|County Executive]]<br />of [[Essex County, New Jersey|Essex County]], [[New Jersey]]| before=[[Thomas J. D'Alessio]]| after=[[Joseph N. DiVincenzo, Jr.]]| years=1995 &ndash; 2003 }}

[[Category:People20th-century fromAmerican Essex County, New Jerseylawyers]]

[[Category:NewCounty Jerseycommissioners Countyin FreeholdersNew Jersey]]

[[Category:Essex County, New Jersey County Executivesexecutives]]

[[Category:American politiciansPoliticians convicted of federalmail publicand corruptionwire crimesfraud]]