John A. Lynch, Jr.

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John A. Lynch Jr. is a former American Democratic Party politician from New Jersey, who served in the New Jersey Senate representing the 19th District from 1981 to 2001, where he represented the 17th Legislative District, and was Senate President from 1990 to 1992. He was also the 61st mayor of New Brunswick, from 1979 to 1991. He attended the College of the Holy Cross and Georgetown University Law Center. His father, John A. Lynch, Sr., also served as both Mayor of New Brunswick and State Senator from the 19th District. Lynch Jr.'s immediate predecessor in the senate seat was William J. Hamilton.

Lynch was chosen in December 1989 to serve as Senate President[1], a position he held until 1991, when Republicans took control of the Senate. In 1997, after an unsuccessful effort to regain Democratic Party control of the Senate, Lynch stepped down from his position as the Minority Leader.[2]

Bob Smith was elected to his first Senate term in November 2001 to fill the seat vacated after Lynch retired.[3]

On September 15, 2006, Lynch pleaded guilty in the U.S. District Court on one count of mail fraud and one count of tax evasion for failing to report $150,000 in income received from a real estate transaction in 1999.[4]

On December 19, 2006, he was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Stanley R. Chesler to three years and three months in prison, which he was required to begin serving by January 15, 2007. Lynch was also required to pay a $50,000 fine. [5]

He had faced up to five years in federal prison and a fine of up to $250,000 on each count of the indictment. However, based on Federal Sentencing Guidelines, a sentence of between 33 to 41 months in prison and a fine of between $7,500 to $75,000 was expected. As of December 14, 2006, the court received 172 letters from citizens seeking leniency.[6]

Lynch will become eligible for release from federal prison on November 13, 2009.[7]

[edit] References

  1. ^ McCoy, Craig R. "DEMOCRATS ELECT LYNCH TO SENATE'S TOP JOB", [The Philadelphia Inquirer]], December 12, 1989. Accessed April 23, 2008.
  2. ^ Peterson, Melody. "Senator Quits Minority Post In New Jersey", The New York Times, November 8, 1997. Accessed April 23, 2008.
  3. ^ Ackerman, Spencer. "To fill Lynch's big shoes, Smith stresses education", The Daily Targum, October 30, 2001. Accessed April 23, 2008. "Now, Assemblyman and former Piscataway Mayor Bob Smith is looking to take over for retiring State Sen. John Lynch, the powerful democrat castigated by his detractors as running 'the Lynch machine'."
  4. ^ Guilty Plea Expected From Former Senate Leader in Trenton, The New York Times, September 15, 2006
  5. ^ "Former politician Lynch sentenced", Associated Press, December 19, 2006.
  6. ^ "Judge urged to show compassion in Lynch case", Asbury Park Press, December 15, 2006.
  7. ^ "Bosses like Lynch few, far between", Home News Tribune, October 4, 2007.
Preceded by
John F. Russo		 President of the New Jersey Senate
1990-1991		 Succeeded by
Donald DiFrancesco