Clark, N.J. Mayor Bonaccorso Faces Legal Consequences for Operating Illegal Business from Town Hall Amid Racial Slurs Investigation

In recent news, New Jersey Attorney General Matthew Platkin has filed criminal charges against the mayor of Clark, Salvator Bonaccorso, after an investigation into alleged racial slurs made by the mayor. While in his official capacity as mayor, Bonaccorso allegedly operated his landscaping and illegal tank removal business out of his township office, using municipal resources to run the company. The charges include witness tampering and falsifying records.

When CBS New York reached out to Clark Township for a comment on the charges, a spokesperson for Bonaccorso stated that he had no comment. Efforts to obtain a comment at the mayor’s residence were unsuccessful. However, some residents of Clark expressed their thoughts on the matter. A resident stated that if someone is doing illegal things, they should resign. Another resident commented that Clark is a good place and that Bonaccorso made it better than the previous mayor. These comments were made before the charges were announced.

In addition to these charges, another investigation into the police department and its chief led to a 43-page report alleging racially-motivated arrests as well as a failure to investigate allegations of misconduct. The report stated that Black individuals were arrested at a disproportionate rate. Records obtained by the attorney general’s office were insufficient to charge police officials, and as a result, the police department is now under county supervision.

Christine Sloan is an Emmy Award-winning reporter who covers New Jersey for CBS 2 New York. She re-joined the station in January 2023 after previously working at CBS 2 New York from 2004 to 2016.