Confidential Aid to the Mayor is  realy Political Chief of Staff.

For the record: There is no position in the City of Orange called “Chief of Staff.” Altamount Muhammad’s official job description is “Confidential Aid to the Mayor.”  $50,000/yr (plus benefits and retirement) for a full time “Chief of Staff” position to “aid” a $25,000/yr part time Mayor should raise questions even if there were such a job. Just what does the “Chief of Staff”, “Confidential Aid to the Mayor”, or “Mayor’s Chauffeur” do for the taxpayers of Orange?

This job description caught our eye because the same position, “Confidential Aid to the Mayor,” was described  in a May 1998  State of New Jersey Investigation Report of Orange municipal government, as the Mayor’s “chauffeur.”  The report cited then Mayor, Robert L. Brown, with “Abuse of Office” (Exploitation of Official Position) for dispensing  this job, and others, as favors “of questionable need at taxpayer’s expense.”  That “Confidential Aid” was only paid $15,000/yr to start which was later increased to $34,000/yr.

One duties of the “Confidential Aid to the Mayor” appears to be the Mayor’s campaign contribution  “bag man”. According to Orange business owners that we have spoken to, Altamount Muhammad is the person who collects their campaign contributions. Mims may accompany Mr. Muhammad, but never actually touches the money. Some individuals have claimed  they contributed cash - a violation of campaign laws.

Altamount Muhammad and others have been observed using the city phones, copy machines, faxes, etc., for Mayoral and Assembly campaign fundraising events. Personal political activities on City of Orange time and at City of Orange expense are illegal.

Altamount Muhammad accompanies Mims Hackett at events and on trips (car rentals, meals, etc.) that are related to Hackett’s State Assembly Job - all at City expense.  Hackett’s $49,000/yr job as State Assemblyman may take precedence over his job as Mayor (by statute) but the taxpayers of Orange should not be paying for support staff and expenses for his State job.  

Altamount Muhammad also gets another $15,000 of Orange taxpayer’s money to be the city’s Affirmative Action Officer.

We call on the NJI to reopen their investigation of corruption in Orange.  Mayor Mims Hackett Jr. is continuing in Mayor Brown’s footsteps with his blatant   “Abuse of Office” (Exploitation of Official Position) for dispensing  this job, and others, as favors “of questionable need at taxpayer’s expense.”