Clark mayor still in office despite reports of plea deal

🔴Clark Mayor Sal Bonaccorso had a court hearing Wednesday

🔴The hearing was listed as a "plea bargain"

🔴The hearing was adjourned until Jan. 11, according to the court

CLARK TOWNSHIP — Mayor Sal Bonaccorso is on track to begin his seventh term despite reports he has agreed to a plea deal that would likely include his resignation.

The Republican mayor is accused of using township resources to run his business, fraudulently obtain permits for his company to remove underground storage tanks and working without proper licensing. Through his attorney, "Mayor Sal" denied every allegation.

A screenshot from the New Jersey Courts website posted by the group Stronger Clark shows that Bonaccorso was scheduled to appear for a plea bargain hearing before Superior Court Judge Judge Regina Caufield at the Union County Courthouse in Elizabeth Wednesday.

Court Spokeswoman MaryAnn Spoto told New Jersey 101.5 that the matter was adjourned to Jan. 10 before Assignment Judge Lisa Miralles Walsh. Spoto said the adjournment was requested by both sides.

NJ Globe and NBC New York reported that Bonaccorso accepted a plea deal that included his resignation. Bonaccorso's attorney, Robert Stahl, told New Jersey 101.5 that there is no signed plea agreement.

"Our client is still considering his options," Stahl said in an email. "The defense is still reviewing discovery and waiting for additional discovery. As Judge Walsh said on the record, there is a PDC conference scheduled for Jan 10 and we do not know whether a plea will be entered or not on that date."

Bonaccorso has been in office since 2003.

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Denial and delay

During an Oct. 21 township council meeting, Democratic mayoral opponent Michael Shulman asked Bonaccorso whether he would be accepting a plea deal on Nov. 6, accusing the mayor of wanting to win reelection before stepping down. Bonaccorso denied those accusations.

Shulman, who is an attorney, blames both sides for the delay.

"He wanted a trial and he wanted to assert his innocence. I don't know why he's waited 14 months. I don't know why the Attorney General's waited 14 months. Both sides are at fault here. I've been practicing as a criminal defense attorney for 14 years. I've never seen a case stay in the pre-indictment phase for over a year," Schulman told New Jersey 101.5.

Schulman says township residents are looking for closure in the case.

"This has been going on for year after year after year, and whether you're for the guy or against the guy, the town can't move on while this is pending," Schulman said.

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