New Jersey Attorney General Matthew Platkin has filed criminal charges against Clark Mayor Salvator Bonaccorso following an investigation into alleged racial slurs made by the mayor. While in his official capacity as mayor, Bonaccorso allegedly operated his landscaping and illegal tank removal business out of his township office, using municipal resources to run the company.
The charges against Bonaccorso include witness tampering and falsifying records, including using an engineer’s name, license number, and forged signature on permit applications submitted to municipalities for tank removals. Efforts to obtain a comment from Bonaccorso were unsuccessful, while a spokesperson for Clark Township stated that they had no comment on the matter.
This is not the first time that Bonaccorso has faced legal issues. A previous investigation into the police department, its chief, and claims of racist comments made by the mayor led to a 43-page report alleging racially-motivated arrests as well as a failure to investigate allegations of misconduct. The report stated that Black individuals were arrested at a disproportionate rate. Records obtained by the attorney general’s office were insufficient to charge police officials, and the police department is now under county supervision.
Christine Sloan is an Emmy Award-winning reporter who covers New Jersey for CBS 2 New York. She previously worked at CBS 2 New York from 2004 to 2016 before rejoining the station in January 2023.