'I knew nothing about Ron Salahuddin giving special privilege to anyone for any matter,' mayor testifies
Former Newark Deputy Mayor Ronald Salahuddin is shown speaking to Mayor Cory Booker in this 2009 file photo. Booker today testified that he had no knowledge of wrongdoing by Salahuddin.TRENTON — Newark Mayor Cory Booker distanced himself today from alleged corruption in the early days of his administration, testifying in federal court that he was unaware former Deputy Mayor Ronald Salahuddin’s was allegedly fixing government contracts.
Booker took the witness stand against Salahuddin and Salahuddin’s alleged co-conspirator, Newark business owner Sonnie Cooper. Cooper and Salahuddin are charged with multiple counts of extortion and bribery.
The government claims Salahuddin used his status as a government official to influence demolition contracts around the Prudential Center in return for political donations to non-profit organizations associated with the city.
Booker testified today that in 2006 and 2007, the first two years of his administration, he had no knowledge of any business relationship between Cooper and Salahuddin, wasn’t aware Salahuddin was allegedly soliciting donations to non-profit organizations, and knew nothing of Salahuddin’s involvement in city demolition contracts.
"I knew nothing about Ron Salahuddin giving special privilege to anyone for any matter," Booker said. "That would be unacceptable."
Sitting across the Trenton courtroom from his former aid and a man who he described today as a friend, Booker used words like "repugnant" and "unconscionable" to describe Salahuddin’s alleged actions.
"The emphasis of the administration in everything we did was open and public," Booker said. "It’s unconscionable for me to believe that anybody would have preferred a private bidding process."
The government charges Salahuddin steered a demolition contract to Mazzocchi Wrecking for work around the Prudential Center. In return, the owner, Nicholas Mazzocchi, would farm work to Cooper’s trucking businesses and donate to the non-profit organization Newark Now. Mazzocchi wore a wire for the federal government.
Booker said his senior team had been instructed to stay away from the contracting and bidding process, and that he had not assigned Salahuddin any responsibilities involving demolition contracts. Salahuddin often strayed away from his main job description, which was to deal with crime and public safety, Booker said.
"Ron was a particularly passionate individual, often in a way that I was not completely comfortable with," Booker testified. "It would undermine other people in the administration."
But for the majority of his more than two-hours of testimony, Booker spoke highly of Salahuddin, calling him both a personal friend and professional adviser. The two met in 1997 when Booker ran for City Council. In 2005, Salahuddin, who has a background in public safety, was responsible for ensuring Booker’s safety during the campaign.
Booker said he met Cooper in the late 1990s and knew of Cooper’s deli, a popular Newark eatery. He said didn’t know at the time that Cooper had a trucking business and never had a personal relationship with him.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Zahid Quraishi has said the contract-fixing plot also involved East Ward political boss Joseph Parlavecchio and Booker’s former chief of staff, Pablo Fonseca, though only Salahuddin and Cooper have been charged.
Booker said Parlavecchio was "somebody who I had some concerns with."
"He was somebody who I wanted to steer clear of," Booker said.
Before Booker’s testimony, the state questioned Keith Kinard, executive director of the Newark Housing Authority, a separate government entity that oversaw demolition around the Prudential Center. Kinard said Salahuddin requested a meeting with him. At the end of the meeting, Kinard said, Salahuddin asked him about the status of a payment to Mazzochi Wrecking. Salahuddin followed up with a phone conversation about a week later, a second phone conversation, and mentioned it when they ran into each other at city hall, each time asking Kinard about the payment to Mazzochi, Kinard testified.
"Did Ronald Salahuddin ever discuss any payment to any vendor other than Mazzocchi?" Quraishi asked.
Kinard replied, "No."