Two Council Members Argue With Help From The Media

She's accusing him of having a "conflict of interest."

He's accusing her of "scoring cheap political points."

Second Ward Councilwoman Beth Mason said that Councilman-at-Large Ravinder Bhalla—who is an attorney—shouldn't have voted to approve the city's hiring of special legal counsel Paul Condon, because Condon and Bhalla both rent offices in the same building on Newark Street.  

Mason sent out a press release yesterday morning in which she called for Condon's resignation. Condon was hired by the city to prosecute the case against Lt. Angelo Andriani. Condon's contract was unanimously approved during the Feb. 17 council meeting. 

"Councilman Bhalla and Mr. Condon rent the same law office," Mason said, "and share operating expenses totaling tens of thousands of dollars."

Bhalla said this is not true. "We're entirely separate law firms," he said. "We don't intermingle any funds, we're not partners." Adding, "We don't have any formal legal affiliations of any kind."

To which Mason in her turn answered that Bhalla should disclose the lease  and any other rental agreements that have to do with renting the same office space as Condon.  

Mason's press release also stated that "the matter should be investigated by the New Jersey State Division of Local Government Services and the New Jersey Bar Association."

Bhalla said the Bar Association is a membership association and has no jurisdiction in matters like these. 

Ironically, Bhalla—as a Second ward resident—is technically one of Mason's constituents.

"I think the people of the Second Ward deserve better representation than this," Bhalla said.

In response to Bhalla's remarks about this matter to local blog Mile Square View as well as to the Hudson Reporter, calling Mason's allegations untrue, Mason released another statement.

"In November, Councilman Bhalla said that I was lying when I accused the administration of hiding a tax increase," she said. "He personally guaranteed a tax cut. Voters learned who was telling the truth when higher tax bills arrived after the election."

Condon was hired by former Mayor Dave Roberts to deal with the Andriani case—which is still ongoing after two years—after the 2008 "Hooters scandal," Bhalla said, in which several members of the city's SWAT team posed with restaurant waitresses who were holding the officers' guns.

And while the two council members are calling each other all kinds of names with the help of the media, the two had not spoken to each other as of Monday afternoon. 

"I don't care to," Bhalla said.