An OPRA response I received today showed the
following:
Councilman Vinny Martin was using the tax office to do
opposition research on a CAC candidate.
What makes things even worse, he was also using the tax office to do opposition research
on an individual that wasn’t even running.
Vinny Martin targeted a Lodi resident just for supporting CAC.
Vinny Martin’s documents are dated March 15, 2019 and
timed at 10:05 AM and 10:11 AM. Yet, Vinny
Martin’s OPRA receipt is timed March 15, 2019 at 10:26 AM. Vinny Martin’s documents were printed for him
before the borough received his request.
Vinny Martin couldn’t explain how this happened when
he was questioned at tonight’s council meeting.
Vinny Martin picked up his documents which means they
were printed for him. Vinny Martin’s
receipt shows that he didn’t pay anything even though charges would apply to
anyone else.
When I file OPRA requests, I typically receive
documents in 7 business days. Vinny
Martin received his documents before the borough received his request.
Vinny Martin received special treatment and demonstrated a clear abuse of power.
This
further shows that the Borough Hall and some of its employees are using public
office and public employment to target Lodi residents. I want to emphasize that they aren’t only
using public resources to go after opposing candidates. They are using public resources to go after
ordinary residents that don’t support them and their corruption at Election
time.
