Morristown Mayor's Wife Loses Realtor License After Bribery Sting

MORRISTOWN, NJ — Mary Dougherty, the wife of Morristown Mayor Timothy Dougherty, has had her real estate license revoked by the New Jersey Real Estate Commission.

The decision comes after her conviction in a bribery sting in 2021, which violated the state Real Estate License Act.

Despite the fact that the case was heard last fall, the final order was signed on Jan. 31, 2023. Dougherty will be subject to two years of probation if she seeks reinstatement, the order states.

Dougherty had numerous coworkers testify in her favor about her character, professionalism, and work quality. She also went on the record to explain her work, volunteerism and the details of the alleged incident.

According to the allegations, Dougherty, while running for a seat as a Morris County Commissioner, received money in a coffee cup from Matt O'Donnell, a well-known municipal lawyer in Morris County, at a bakery in Morristown, according to the authorities.

While the meeting with O'Donnell was friendly and social, Dougherty stated that it ended abruptly when O'Donnell left after handing her a coffee cup containing $10,000.

Authorities claimed Dougherty received money from O'Donnell because he told her he wanted a plum county appointment if she won the election. Dougherty returned the cash and instead accepted four other checks, each for $2,500, from alleged "straw donors" whose names and information could not be verified.

Dougherty has since admitted fault for her actions. She testified before the commission last fall, calling this decision one of the biggest mistakes of her life, that she had perceived O'Donnell as a friend and "an overall good guy."

Patch has reached out to Dougherty in regard to the revocation and will update this article as necessary.

According to the New Jersey Real Estate Commission, because Dougherty pleaded guilty to one count of false swearing, she admitted to engaging in an act of deception on purpose, which is evidence of a lack of moral character.

"The fact that Dougherty’s deceitful conduct was done intentionally while seeking public office, where integrity and honesty are demanded of public officials, makes Dougherty’s actions more egregious, and demonstrates both a lack of good moral character and unworthiness for licensure," stated the revocation order.

The commission stated that even though the act did not involve Dougherty's real estate license or real estate transactions, it had an impact on her standing with the organization. The commission strives to ensure that all individuals who hold licenses demonstrate behavior that instills public trust.

"Being convicted of engaging in deceitful conduct in pursuit of public office, does not instill public trust and bespeaks of actions demonstrating a lack of integrity and honesty," the revocation order stated.

In Dougherty’s defense, the commission heard testimony from three recent supervisors at two real estate firms, all of whom stated that Dougherty was a competent and compassionate employee.

One employee, Michelle Zyska, even stated that she had never received information from a client or customer that caused her to question Dougherty's character or integrity.

The commission stated that, while they considered the testimony, two of the witnesses did not work closely with Dougherty and did not testify to having any social interaction with her, demonstrating that they had limited knowledge of her character.

Dougherty's real estate license was revoked for one year as part of the official decision, with the condition that if she attempts to issue another license, she will be placed on probation for the next two years.