The mayor of Clark, New Jersey, Salvator Bonaccorso, is facing criminal charges after an investigation into allegations of racial slurs that he made. According to Attorney General Matthew Platkin, Bonaccorso is accused of using municipal resources to run his landscaping and illegal tank removal business from his township office. The charges also include witness tampering and falsifying records.
Platkin said that Bonaccorso fraudulently used an engineer’s name, license number, and forged signature on permit applications. Officials from Clark Township and the mayor’s residence declined to comment on the charges. A Clark resident, Debbie Flanagan, called for Bonaccorso’s resignation, while other residents praised the mayor for his work before the charges were announced.
However, Platkin also revealed that the criminal charges arose from another investigation into the police department, its chief, and allegations of racist comments made by the mayor. Platkin reported a disproportionately high arrest rate for Black individuals, although the police department and the police officials were not available for comment.
Furthermore, Platkin recommended changes for the police department and called for the resignation or firing of the police chief, which only the mayor can do. This adds another layer of complexity to Bonaccorso’s situation as he now faces both criminal charges and calls for change within his own town hall.