Robert C. Janiszewski
Encyclopedia
Robert Charles Janiszewski (born September 18, 1945) is a former American
Democratic Party
politician who served as County Executive
of Hudson County
, New Jersey
from 1988 to 2001. In 2002 he pleaded guilty to taking more than $100,000 in bribes, and in 2005 was sentenced to 41 months in prison, despite cooperating with federal investigators. He was the highest-ranking elected official in state history ever to work undercover for the FBI
.
, New Jersey
to paternal Polish
heritage. He attended St. Joseph's School in Jersey City and St. Michael's High School in Union City
. He went on to attend Jersey City State College (now New Jersey City University
), receiving a B.A. degree in 1967 and an M.A.
degree in sociology in 1975. He taught social sciences at Westwood High School
and Hudson County Community College
.
, serving from 1978 to 1984. In 1987 he was elected County Executive
of Hudson County
, after winning the Democratic primary against incumbent Edward J. Clark Jr., who had served in the position for 12 years.
He was later appointed a commissioner of the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey
and chairman of the North Jersey Transportation Planning Authority. He entered the race for the Democratic gubernatorial primary in 1997 but withdrew before the election.
Nidia Dávila-Colón, who was romantically involved with Sandoval. Cooperating with the FBI, Sandoval arranged a meeting with Janiszewski in November 2000 to deliver another payment at an Atlantic City hotel room. After the meeting, FBI agents confronted Janiszewski with a videotape of him receiving a bribe from Dávila-Colón in 1999 and asked him to cooperate with their corruption investigations.
Janiszewski was allowed to remain in office for nearly a year, secretly recording conversations with his associates as part of the FBI's undercover operation in Hudson County. He resigned abruptly on September 6, 2001 and disappeared from public life. It was later revealed that he was moved out of the state of New Jersey under FBI protection. In February 2002, a reporter from The Jersey Journal located Janiszewski working at a ski shop near Hunter Mountain
in the Catskill Mountains
of New York
, where he and his wife had a second home. The FBI moved Janiszewski again soon thereafter.
On October 3, 2002, Janiszewski pleaded guilty to taking more than $100,000 in bribes, testifying that he accepted two bribes of $5,000 each from Dávila-Colón in 1999. Dávila-Colón was indicted later that month, and her trial was held in May and June 2003, with Janiszewski as a key witness. She was convicted on five counts of extortion and mail fraud.
On March 24, 2005, U.S. District Court
Judge Joel A. Pisano
sentenced Janiszewski to 41 months in prison, the maximum sentence allowed under his plea agreement, despite his cooperation with investigators. Before sentencing he had been living in hiding, most recently working as a construction worker in New York.
Janiszewski was released on April 25, 2008 after serving the last four months of his sentence at a halfway house in Albany, New York
.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
Democratic Party
Democratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
politician who served as County Executive
County executive
A county executive is the head of the executive branch of government in a county. This position is common in the United States.The executive may be an elected or an appointed position...
of Hudson County
Hudson County, New Jersey
Hudson County is the smallest county in New Jersey and one of the most densely populated in United States. It takes its name from the Hudson River, which creates part of its eastern border. Part of the New York metropolitan area, its county seat and largest city is Jersey City.- Municipalities...
, New Jersey
New Jersey
New Jersey is a state in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States. , its population was 8,791,894. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York, on the southeast and south by the Atlantic Ocean, on the west by Pennsylvania and on the southwest by Delaware...
from 1988 to 2001. In 2002 he pleaded guilty to taking more than $100,000 in bribes, and in 2005 was sentenced to 41 months in prison, despite cooperating with federal investigators. He was the highest-ranking elected official in state history ever to work undercover for the FBI
Federal Bureau of Investigation
The Federal Bureau of Investigation is an agency of the United States Department of Justice that serves as both a federal criminal investigative body and an internal intelligence agency . The FBI has investigative jurisdiction over violations of more than 200 categories of federal crime...
.
Early life
Janiszewski was born in 1945 in Jersey CityJersey City, New Jersey
Jersey City is the seat of Hudson County, New Jersey, United States.Part of the New York metropolitan area, Jersey City lies between the Hudson River and Upper New York Bay across from Lower Manhattan and the Hackensack River and Newark Bay...
, New Jersey
New Jersey
New Jersey is a state in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States. , its population was 8,791,894. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York, on the southeast and south by the Atlantic Ocean, on the west by Pennsylvania and on the southwest by Delaware...
to paternal Polish
Poles
thumb|right|180px|The state flag of [[Poland]] as used by Polish government and diplomatic authoritiesThe Polish people, or Poles , are a nation indigenous to Poland. They are united by the Polish language, which belongs to the historical Lechitic subgroup of West Slavic languages of Central Europe...
heritage. He attended St. Joseph's School in Jersey City and St. Michael's High School in Union City
Union City, New Jersey
Union City is a city in Hudson County, New Jersey, United States. According to the 2010 United States Census the city had a total population of 66,455. All of the city is on land, an area of...
. He went on to attend Jersey City State College (now New Jersey City University
New Jersey City University
New Jersey City University is a public university in Jersey City, New Jersey, USA. It is a member of the New Jersey Association of State Colleges and Universities....
), receiving a B.A. degree in 1967 and an M.A.
Master of Arts (postgraduate)
A Master of Arts from the Latin Magister Artium, is a type of Master's degree awarded by universities in many countries. The M.A. is usually contrasted with the M.S. or M.Sc. degrees...
degree in sociology in 1975. He taught social sciences at Westwood High School
Westwood Regional High School
Westwood Regional Jr./Sr. High School is a five-year comprehensive regional public high school that serves students in eighth through twelfth grade from Borough of Westwood and the Township of Washington, in Bergen County, New Jersey, United States, operating as part of the Westwood Regional School...
and Hudson County Community College
Hudson County Community College
Hudson County Community College is an accredited, co-educational, two-year, public, community college located in Hudson County, New Jersey.-Locations:...
.
Political career
In 1977, Janiszewski was elected to the New Jersey General AssemblyNew Jersey General Assembly
The New Jersey General Assembly is the lower house of the New Jersey Legislature.Since the election of 1967 , the Assembly has consisted of 80 members. Two members are elected from each of New Jersey's 40 legislative districts for a term of two years, each representing districts with average...
, serving from 1978 to 1984. In 1987 he was elected County Executive
County executive
A county executive is the head of the executive branch of government in a county. This position is common in the United States.The executive may be an elected or an appointed position...
of Hudson County
Hudson County, New Jersey
Hudson County is the smallest county in New Jersey and one of the most densely populated in United States. It takes its name from the Hudson River, which creates part of its eastern border. Part of the New York metropolitan area, its county seat and largest city is Jersey City.- Municipalities...
, after winning the Democratic primary against incumbent Edward J. Clark Jr., who had served in the position for 12 years.
He was later appointed a commissioner of the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey
Port Authority of New York and New Jersey
The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey is a bi-state port district, established in 1921 through an interstate compact, that runs most of the regional transportation infrastructure, including the bridges, tunnels, airports, and seaports, within the Port of New York and New Jersey...
and chairman of the North Jersey Transportation Planning Authority. He entered the race for the Democratic gubernatorial primary in 1997 but withdrew before the election.
Indictment and conviction
Beginning in 1999, as Janiszewski later testified, he accepted more than $20,000 from Union City psychiatrist Oscar Sandoval in exchange for renewing contracts to provide psychiatric services to the Hudson County jail, juvenile detention facility, and psychiatric hospital. Sandoval funneled some of the payments to Janiszewski through Hudson County FreeholderBoard of Chosen Freeholders
In New Jersey, the Boards of Chosen Freeholders are the county legislatures in each of that state's 21 counties.- Origin :New Jersey's system of naming county legislators "freeholders" is unique in the United States...
Nidia Dávila-Colón, who was romantically involved with Sandoval. Cooperating with the FBI, Sandoval arranged a meeting with Janiszewski in November 2000 to deliver another payment at an Atlantic City hotel room. After the meeting, FBI agents confronted Janiszewski with a videotape of him receiving a bribe from Dávila-Colón in 1999 and asked him to cooperate with their corruption investigations.
Janiszewski was allowed to remain in office for nearly a year, secretly recording conversations with his associates as part of the FBI's undercover operation in Hudson County. He resigned abruptly on September 6, 2001 and disappeared from public life. It was later revealed that he was moved out of the state of New Jersey under FBI protection. In February 2002, a reporter from The Jersey Journal located Janiszewski working at a ski shop near Hunter Mountain
Hunter Mountain (New York)
Hunter Mountain is in the towns of Hunter and Lexington, just south of the village of Hunter, in Greene County, New York, USA. At approximately 4,040 feet in elevation, it is the highest peak in the county and the second-highest peak in the Catskill Mountains.While the mountain is closely...
in the Catskill Mountains
Catskill Mountains
The Catskill Mountains, an area in New York State northwest of New York City and southwest of Albany, are a mature dissected plateau, an uplifted region that was subsequently eroded into sharp relief. They are an eastward continuation, and the highest representation, of the Allegheny Plateau...
of New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
, where he and his wife had a second home. The FBI moved Janiszewski again soon thereafter.
On October 3, 2002, Janiszewski pleaded guilty to taking more than $100,000 in bribes, testifying that he accepted two bribes of $5,000 each from Dávila-Colón in 1999. Dávila-Colón was indicted later that month, and her trial was held in May and June 2003, with Janiszewski as a key witness. She was convicted on five counts of extortion and mail fraud.
On March 24, 2005, U.S. District Court
United States District Court for the District of New Jersey
The United States District Court for the District of New Jersey is the federal district court whose jurisdiction is the state of New Jersey....
Judge Joel A. Pisano
Joel A. Pisano
Joel A. Pisano is a United States federal judge.Born in Orange, New Jersey, Pisano received a B.A. from Lafayette College in 1971 and a J.D. from Seton Hall University School of Law in 1974. He was an assistant deputy public defender in the New Jersey Office of the Public Defender from 1974 to 1978...
sentenced Janiszewski to 41 months in prison, the maximum sentence allowed under his plea agreement, despite his cooperation with investigators. Before sentencing he had been living in hiding, most recently working as a construction worker in New York.
Janiszewski was released on April 25, 2008 after serving the last four months of his sentence at a halfway house in Albany, New York
Albany, New York
Albany is the capital city of the U.S. state of New York, the seat of Albany County, and the central city of New York's Capital District. Roughly north of New York City, Albany sits on the west bank of the Hudson River, about south of its confluence with the Mohawk River...
.
External links
- Biographical information for Robert C. Janiszewski from The Political GraveyardThe Political GraveyardThe Political Graveyard is a website and database that catalogues information on more than 224,000 American political figures and political families, along with other information.-History:...