Ex-Hoboken official takes aim at Bhalla, others in ethics lawsuit. Jersey Journal, 5/9/24
“Efforts to silence a former mayor. A favor for the leader of another city. Demands to cut contact with certain councilmembers.
Those are just a few of the cutting allegations…”
The NJ Supreme Court Disciplinary Review Board said Bhalla had engaged in conduct involving “Dishonesty, Fraud, Deceit or Misrepresentation.”
In 2019, Bhalla’s New York Attorney License was suspended for three months for mishandling employee retirement funds and failing to notify the New York Bar of his disciplinary record in New Jersey.
Former Hoboken director alleges quid pro quo, retaliation, & defamation in lawsuit hudsoncountyview.com May 7 2024
“Former Hoboken Health and Human Services Director Leo Pellegrini is leveling some heavy allegations including quid pro quo, retaliation, and defamation”
Quid Pro Quoboken Politico May 9 2024
“… after Hoboken’s cannabis board approved a medical dispensary… Bhalla said that he got an “extremely upset and very angry” phone call from Fulop and decided to kill its application “because Mayor Fulop’s wife was going to get the medicinal cannabis retail location” nearby. The lawsuit states, “in exchange, Mayor Fulop promised he would give Mayor Bhalla’s law firm contract work.”
… there are at least some facts that line up with the complaint… A few months after the alleged incident Pellegrini recalled, the Jersey City Redevelopment Agency first approved a legal contract with Bhalla’s law firm.”
Ex-Hoboken City Director Alleges Ethics Issues For Bhalla Administration Hoboken Patch May 9 2024
“Pellegrini's suit… alleges that after Hoboken appeared to be heading toward approval of a different dispensary in that neighborhood, Bhalla got an angry call from Fulop, and the pair made a secret arrangement.”
