O’Scanlon: Red Light Camera Corruption Warrants Investigations By Fishman, Wisniewski
Assemblyman Declan O’Scanlon (R-Monmouth) said today that he is asking U.S Attorney Paul Fishman to open criminal investigations into the municipal clients of Redflex Traffic Systems, an Arizona based red light camera company, due to legal claims by a former executive that the company routinely bribed municipal officials in 13 states, including New Jersey, in order to obtain the lucrative contracts to operate camera systems that issue summonses for red light infractions.
Additionally, O’Scanlon is writing to Assembly Transportation Committee Chairman John Wisniewski to ask that the committee open an investigation into New Jersey’s red light camera program in light of the recent bribery allegations and scientific proof commissioned by O’Scanlon that red light cameras are a detriment to public safety that are rigged to cheat motorists.
Wisniewski’s Assembly committee conducted the investigation into the George Washington Bridge lane closures that exposed members of Governor Christie’s staff and campaign, as well as two Port Authority officials, involvement in the lane closures last September. A joint Senate and Assembly committee co-chaired by Wisniewski and Senator Loretta Weinberg is continuing the Bridgegate inquiry.
Aaron Rosenberg, formerly the top sales executive for Redflex, alleged in a civil lawsuit that the company doled out bribes and gifts to dozens of municipal officials, according to a story first reported by The Chicago Tribune. Rosenberg said he is cooperating on an ongoing federal investigation.
Redflex’s $100 million contract with Chicago has been terminated by Mayor Rahm Emanuel. The company continues to operate in Chicago until a replacement is chosen.
“Red light camera corruption, overt bribery and the inherent systematic corruption of the program, have a huge, negative impact on the motorists of New Jersey, ” O’Scanlon said, “There is sufficient evidence to suggest that New Jersey’s red light camera program is government sanctioned theft that systematically puts motorists lives and property at risk for the benefit of out of state crooks.”
“I’ve been saying this for years now,” O’Scanlon stated. “The companies are not about safety or improving traffic, they are about the almighty dollar and they will stop at nothing to get it. We can’t trust anything they say as they work to game the political system to ensure their lucrative public contracts are safe.”
“I’ve spent the duration of New Jersey’s red-light camera program proving that these companies will twist accident numbers and tamper with yellow-light timing to convince the public that they are serving a noble purpose,” O’Scanlon said. “But the truth is much more nefarious, companies like Redflex will do anything to get a contract. They have donated tens of thousands of dollars to lawmakers’ campaign funds here in New Jersey alone. These red light camera companies are not good corporate citizens; they are the worst kind of businesses who stop at nothing to ensure a profit.”
“Of course when the basic premise of your business model is based on a lie – that red light cameras provide any public benefit – then I guess it shouldn’t come as a surprise that the companies would feel any compunction to be honorable at any level.”
MMM learned from a Redflex employee that the company actively operates cameras in the New Jersey municipalities of Cherry Hill, Edison, Newark, New Brunswick, Springfield and Stratford. We left a message with the New Jersey Department of Transportation’s communications office with the named contacts, Joe Dee or Steve Shapiro, for confirmation. Neither Dee nor Shapiro have returned our call.
New Jersey’s red light camera program expires at the end of this year, unless the legislature and the governor extend it.
A recent report by WatchdogWire revealed that the camera operator in Piscataway, American Traffic Solutions, keeps 46% of the citation revenue generated by Middlesex County Township’s cameras. The Piscataway revenue totaled $4.2 million from November 2011 through November 2013. O’Scanlon said that in many cases, the red light camera company keeps over half of the revenue.
More from my site
O’Scanlon Testifies Against “Use Our Kids as Pawns to Enrich Corrupt Companies” Legislation
Christie bridge scandal: Despite U.S. Attorney’s subpoenas, N.J. lawmakers press forward
Brick Township Ends Its Red Light Camera Program- O’Scanlon Slams Red Light Camera Settlement. Encourages Federal Judge To Throw It Out.
O’Scanlon: Red Light Camera Industry’s Own Video Challenges Assertions – It’s About the Money, Not Safety
O’Scanlon is rallying public support to kill red light cameras- O’Scanlon: Redflex Indictment Should Surprise No one
Man behind the Chris Christie probe: U.S. Attorney Paul Fishman leads federal inquiry
Two years after red light cameras went dark, no verdict from the DOT
7 notable Paul Fishman quotes from the Bridgegate press conference
Whoever came up with the idea that cameras could replace human witnesses is no friend of a free country. I hope that everyone who gets a ticket from one of these robots will burn up NJ money in court by challenging this nonsense (as I have).
[…] By Art Gallagher | MoreMonmouthMusings.com […]
Knowing Declan this is a legitimate issue, he has been pursuing for over a year, but the timing looks bad. Like he is trying to deflect coverage from other topics.
I was thinking the same thing. Looks like a diversion if I ever saw one to distract some attention from: Bridgegate/Zimmergate/Guadagnogate.
C’mon Declan, why haven’t you done this far sooner when you were complaining back in the summer?
went to Dems, maybe it’s a legit point.. Also, how many others were allowed to try and obtain those contracts? Wouldn’t hurt to check out how it was bid out/ awarded, if it was.. If they can question how the administration let/did the contract for the shore ads, and/ or how they did the Lottery privatization, etc., all those processes are valid things to take a look at- and should be able to be scrutinized publicly-it’s all our money, they are spending, after all..
@”C’mon Declan, why haven’t you done this far sooner when you were complaining back in the summer?”
C’mon, the Tribune report was published less than two weeks ago.
[…] By Art Gallagher | MoreMonmouthMusings.com […]
So the fund is running out of money. Well I guess if you reward Democratic mayors in Belleville and New Brunswick, and who knows where else, yeah! your going to run out of funds, and the monies are not going to go to its intended targets: those whose became homeless, due to the extreme damages to their homes.
What ever happened to the funds under Mary Pat’s control? Whatever happened to the funds in the huge concert at MSG given by Jon Bon Jovi, and others?
You know what? I look forward to the investigation by the feds. I am sure they will come up with the appropriate answers we need, since we are not getting them from state officials other than statements like the funds are getting less and less.
But for the reasons mention earlier, I think we would know that by now.
According to my information, ALL of the funds from the concert at MSG were given out by various organizations. Our organization, the Shark River Hills Property Owner’s Association received $150k which was duly distributed to the affected victims.
So, before you go down an accusatory road, please be sure to check your facts on everything. FYI, the Governor and NJ had NO control over the concert funds. That was handled primarily by one non profit, can’t remember the name right now.
JCG
There was no accusatory road taken. If you read what I wrote, IT ASKS, whatever happened to the funds from the MSG concert? It was asked because I never heard an accounting of those funds, and who had ultimate control over those funds.