Parsippany Council Censures Justin Musella, Opponent of Incumbent Mayor Jamie Barberio
The Garden State's #1 Young Republican is in a David vs Goliath type battle against the most powerful mayor in Morris County
PARSIPPANY, NJ - Last night, the Republican-controlled Parsippany Council voted to censure one of their own, Justin Musella, over a resurfaced body cam video from August 2023.
In the video, it shows a routine traffic stop where a police officer pulled over Justin’s wife, Courtney, who was driving Musella to the train station. The officer knew right away it was Musella, who admitted to the officer that he instructed his wife to go fast so they would not miss the train. The officer let the couple off with a warning, despite the car traveling 20 miles over the speed limit.
So what seems to be the problem other than the traffic violation? According to Parsippany Mayor Barberio, Courtney Musella handing the officer one of Justin’s council business cards insinuated that Musella committed a local ethics violation.
At the council meeting, many Parsippany residents showed their support for Justin as they spoke out against the censure. One resident said “politics should be about issues.” Even Parsippany Board of Education Trustee Jack Raia chimed in, saying the move by the council was “petty.”
In the end, the council voted to censure Musella with only Musella himself and Judy Hernandez, the lone Democrat on the council, voting against the censure.
After the meeting Justin proclaimed, “This is not about ethics. This is about punishing someone who challenges the status quo… If they think they can intimidate me, they are gravely mistaken. I will not be silenced, and I will not be bullied.”
Just today, Team Barberio sent out a press release to local media regarding the censure vote at last night’s meeting, it stated, “Councilman Justin Musella was censured by his fellow members on the Township Council for a clear violation of local government ethics laws, N.J.S.A. 40A:9-22.5,” they said. “The statute states that “No local government officer or employee shall use or attempt to use his official position to secure unwarranted privileges or advantages for himself or others.”
Musella responded to the Barberio press release telling NJO, “This press release is a blatant smear, attacking my character, invading my privacy, and falsely implying criminal wrongdoing—despite the fact that I’ve never been charged with any crime.”
This local primary race, which is arguably the most hotly contested race in the state, is getting more and more heated by the day, and it is 100% worth following.
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