Clark, N.J. Mayor Salvator Bonaccorso charged with operating illegal business out of township office after racial slurs investigation
CLARK , N.J. -- New Jersey Attorney General Matthew Platkin is filing criminal charges against the mayor of Clark.
It comes after an investigation into racial slurs allegedly made by Mayor Salvator Bonaccorso.
"While acting in his official capacity as mayor, Bonaccorso operated his landscaping and illegal tank removal business out of his township office, utilizing municipal resources including township provided faxes, printers and computers to run the company," said Platkin.
Bonaccorso, 63, is also charged with witness tampering and falsifying records.
"Fraudulently used an engineer's name, license number and forged signature on permit applications submitted to municipalities for tank removals," said Platkin.
When CBS New York reached out to Clark Township, a spokesperson for Bonaccorso said he had no comment. We also tried to get a comment at the mayor's residence, but no one answered the door.
"If a mayor or someone or politician is doing illegal things, then they should resign," said Debbie Flanagan, a Clark resident.
"Clark is very good, a good place. And [Bonaccorso] made it better than the mayor before him," a Clark resident said before the charges were announced.
Platkin said the criminal charges came as a result of another investigation into the police department, its chief and claims of racist comments made by the mayor at another official. It led to a 43-page report alleging racially-motivated arrests as well as failure to investigate allegations of misconduct.
"As a percentage of the population, Black individuals were arrested at a disproportionate rate," said Platkin.
We were unable to get comment from the police department, which is now under the county's supervision.
Platkin said records obtained by his office were not enough to charge police officials. He is making a series of recommendations for the police department and demanding the police chief resigns or be fired.
Only the mayor can fire the police chief.
