Former Newark Mayor Cory Booker Blamed for City’s Water Contamination Crisis

Phil Stilton

NEWARK-U.S. Senator Cory Booker served as mayor of the city of Newark from 2006 to 2013.  During that time, critics claim he failed to ensure proper oversight of the city’s public water system and now with thousands of residents being served bottled water amid the current lead contamination crisis, his critics say he is to blame.

“Booker has no credibility, especially on water. He did not leave a legacy of a well-functioning water treatment plant and engineering corps. He left a mess,” said Brendan O’Flattery a Columbia University economics professor who reports on Newark’s water commission.

This week, Governor Phil Murphy announced up to 14,000 Newark households could pick up free bottled water across the city while the state continues to check lead levels in the water supply.

Booker immediately pulled out his race defense shield and blamed Newark’s water woes on President Donald Trump and a hidden agenda that affects poor “black and brown” communities like his own.


“Newark’s water emergency demands our federal government’s immediate attention. Everyone deserves clean, safe water—it’s shameful that our national crisis of lead-contaminated water disproportionately hits poor black and brown communities like my own,” Booker said.


Hirsh Singh, New Jersey’s Republican challenger to Cory Booker for U.S. Senate said the city’s neglect falls on Cory’s shoulders as he was mayor of the city for 7 years.

“Shame! Newark, NJ has a Water-Lead crisis that looks just like Flint, Michigan,” Singh, a Republican, said. “Newark has voted Democrat for decades and though the good citizens have ensured the success of Mayors like Cory Booker here is another example of neglect.”

Singh said Cory Booker used Newark to propel himself into the Senate to run for President.

“Clean water is the most fundamental requirement,” Singh added. “Booker said nothing for over a year but now that the lead contamination has been exposed he’s trying to take political cover with a pathetic statement. Booker opposes the President at every turn and now is begging for help. The lead issues have been known for over a year now! Why has he been silent till now?”

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Singh called upon Governor Murphy and Trenton to launch an audit into the Newark water commission.

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