Sharpe James
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| Sharpe James | |
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| In office 21 June 1999 – 8 January 2008 |
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| Preceded by | Wynona Lipman |
| Succeeded by | Teresa Ruiz |
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35th Mayor of Newark
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| In office 1 July 1986 – 1 July 2006 |
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| Preceded by | Kenneth A. Gibson |
| Succeeded by | Cory Booker |
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| Born | February 20, 1936 Jacksonville, Florida |
| Political party | Democratic Party |
Sharpe James (born February 20, 1936) is a Democratic politician from New Jersey, who served as State Senator for the 29th Legislative District and was 35th Mayor of Newark, New Jersey. James was the second African American Mayor of Newark and served five, four-year terms before declining to run for re-election. From June 1999 until leaving his position as Mayor in July 2006, James simultaneously served as Mayor of Newark and New Jersey State Senator. He declined to run for re-election to the State Senate in 2007; his term as Senator expired in January 2008. Prior to politics, James worked as a physical education teacher.
On 12 July 2007, a federal grand jury sitting in Newark indicted James on 25 counts that include mail fraud, wire fraud, and conspiracy. James pled not guilty and his trial on five counts of fraud began 4 March 2008.[1]
On 16 April 2008, James was convicted of five counts of fraud by a federal jury. The jury found that James abused a program to revitalize Newark's South Ward, selling city-owned property to a former girlfriend for approximately $46,000, which she then flipped for a profit of over $600,000. He faces seven to eight years in prison [2] and still faces federal corruption charges stemming from the misuse of over $58,000 on city credit cards. (His second trial is still unscheduled.) On May 12, 2008 it was reported there will not be an additional trial. Reports are that this will spare James of embarrassing details of how, where & on whom he was alleged to have spent those funds.
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[edit] Education
James earned a B.A. in education from Montclair State University and a M.A. in physical education from Springfield College. He received the 1961 Department of Physiology Award from that school, and later completed postgraduate studies at Washington State University, Columbia University, and Rutgers University. He also served with the U.S. Army in Germany. In 1988, James was awarded an Honorary Doctor of Laws degree from Montclair State University, and, in 1991, an Honorary Doctorate from Drew University.[3]
[edit] Public office
Sharpe James was first elected to public office in 1970 as South Ward Councilman. He was first elected Mayor of Newark on May 13, 1986, and was sworn into office on July 1 of that year. He was the first Newark mayor to run unopposed when he sought re-election in 1990 and handily won re-election in 1994 and 1998. Sharpe James became Newark's longest-serving mayor when he was re-elected for an unprecedented fifth term in 2002, a year after being named Mayor of the Year by the New Jersey Conference of Mayors.
In December 1992, James was a member of the New Jersey State Electoral College, one of 15 electors casting their votes for the Clinton/Gore ticket.[4]
In June 1999, while serving as Mayor, James was appointed to the New Jersey Senate to fill out the unexpired term of the late Senator Wynona Lipman, and won election to that seat the following November. He was re-elected for a full term in November 2001, and continued to hold both offices. His Senate district encompasses part of Newark in Essex County and all of the Township of Hillside in Union County.
Sharpe James became known in his early years as mayor for often wearing jogging suits in public and making high-profile efforts to attract development to Downtown Newark. In 1997, Newark saw the completion of the acclaimed New Jersey Performing Arts Center.
In terms of housing, James' policy in the 1990s was to demolish Newark's massive, but mostly abandoned, housing projects, and replace them with small scale public housing or market rate middle class residences.
[edit] Controversy
In 2002, James was paid $213,000 per year as mayor of a medium-sized city, a salary higher than any governor in the nation. (This figure does not include his $49,000 salary as State Senator.) In addition several members of his administration were convicted of corruption, including his chief of staff, who served time in jail.
2002 was James' only close election. He was challenged by Cory Booker, a Central Ward councilman and former Stanford football star and Rhodes Scholar. The contentious election was chronicled in the Academy Award-nominated documentary, Street Fight. Sharpe James ran on a platform emphasizing his experience relative to the youthful Booker, utilizing the slogan "the Real Deal." He also used racially divisive rhetoric, saying to the Star Ledger of his opponent (who is black) "You have to learn to be African-American and we don't have time to train you." James was also shown in Street Fight insinuating that Mr. Booker is Jewish and a Republican. He also referred to Cory Booker as a carpet bagger in a speech made in the Ironbound section of Newark. Overall James won the 2002 election with 53% of the vote, buoyed by particularly strong returns from the African-American population.
On March 16, 2006, James filed for reelection. However, on March 27, 2006, James announced that he would not seek a sixth term, but would remain as a state senator.[5] On April 9, 2007, James said that he would not seek re-election to his State Senate seat.[6]
In September 2006, The Star-Ledger reported that James is being investigated for spending city money on personal entertainment, including trips to Brazil and Florida. In June 2007, The Star-Ledger and other newspapers reported that James had received a target letter from the U.S. Attorney for the District of New Jersey, informing James that he is the target of a federal investigation and inviting him to testify before a grand jury prior to their vote on whether or not to issue an indictment against him.[7]
He was indicted on July 12, 2007 and charged with 25 counts of corruption including charges of using city credit cards for personal expenses and letting a mistress, Tamika Riley buy municipal property for a fraction of its worth. both James and Riley were convicted on April 16, 2008. James' two immediate predecessors as Mayor were also eventually convicted of corruption-related offenses.
[edit] See also
[edit] References
- ^ Sherman, Ted, "James pleads not guilty to graft charges", The Star-Ledger, July 24, 2007, page 9.
- ^ Jones, Richard T. "Jury convicts former Newark mayor of fraud", The New York Times, April 17, 2008. Accessed April 17, 2008.
- ^ New Jersey State Senate: Sharpe James Entry, New Jersey Legislature. Accessed July 10, 2007.
- ^ 1992 Electoral College Votes, National Archives and Records Administration. Accessed December 21, 2006.
- ^ Frankston, Janet. "Newark Mayor James Won't Seek Re-Election", San Francisco Chronicle, March 27, 2006, accessed April 21, 2007. "Mayor Sharpe James said Monday he will not seek a sixth term leading New Jersey's largest city, opening the door to a young rival who lost by fewer than 4,000 votes four years ago."
- ^ Smothers, Ronald. ' With Usual Flourish, Sharpe James Pulls Curtain on a Career and an Era in Newark", The New York Times, April 11, 2007, accessed April 10, 2008.
- ^ Former Newark Mayor Warned About Charges - New York Times
[edit] External links
- New Jersey State Senate: Sharpe James Entry
- Street Fight Website
- Senate Democrats Biography of Sharpe James
- North Jersey Transportation Planning Authority: Board Members Entry for Sharpe James
- New Jersey Legislature financial disclosure form for 2006 (PDF)
- New Jersey Legislature financial disclosure form for 2005 (PDF)
- New Jersey Legislature financial disclosure form for 2004 (PDF)
| Preceded by Kenneth A. Gibson |
Mayor of Newark 1986–2006 |
Succeeded by Cory Booker |
| Preceded by Wynona Lipman |
New Jersey Senate 1999-2008 |
Succeeded by Teresa Ruiz |
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