Defendant in NJ Corruption Sting Due in Court

A defendant in New Jersey's largest corruption case is seeking to have the charges against him dismissed.

A federal judge in Newark is due to hear oral arguments Thursday in the case of former State Assemblyman Louis Manzo. He's accused of violating federal travel rules, committing mail fraud and failing to report federal offenses by others.

Manzo was a failed Jersey City mayoral candidate when he was arrested in 2009, in a case centering on a government informant posing as a corrupt developer.

Manzo then won a legal victory when the charges against him were dismissed. A federal appeals court ruled he was improperly charged under rules meant for public officials.

But federal prosecutors have brought new charges, which Manzo claims are retaliation for his earlier legal victory.

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