The Mayor of Guttenberg, New Jersey, David Delle Donna, and his wife were charged in a federal indictment with diverting cash campaign contributions made by a developer, a town fire official and a bar owner for his personal use. The indictment also charges extortion of cash from the bar owner for assistance with police trouble, and assistance with a zoning matter (the Mayor’s wife is on the Planning Board). (See also here and here)

The indictment followed an FBI investigation that included a January raid on the Delle Donna’s home, which resulted in the seizure of a computer and documents.

When Mayor Delle Donna is not performing his Mayoral duties (a part time job that pays $6,700 per year) in the Hudson County town, he is the coordinator for maintenance at the Hudson County Schools of Technology in North Bergen (another Hudson County Town).

Located directly across the Hudson River from Manhattan, Guttenberg is only four blocks wide and eleven blocks long, with a population between 10,000 and 11,000.

Even though it is a teeny town (most people live in a few high rise buildings), corruption is nothing new to Guttenberg:

In 2003, the former mayor, Peter LaVilla, pleaded guilty to misappropriating campaign funds and using the money for a private brokerage account after an investigation by the United States attorney’s office. In 2002, a councilman accused of receiving illegal advances on his salary resigned, although he was never formally charged. The same year, the town’s chief financial officer pleaded guilty to misappropriation of funds.

Only blind, stupid arrogance and a sense of invincibility can account for this type of crap.

Then again, it is, after all, Hudson County, a place where corruption is an art form.

The Delle Donnas are democrats. Hey, it’s Hudson County.

Nice going, Guttenberg voters.