Toms River, NJ — Two current and former South Jersey Transportation Authority officials face criminal charges after prosecutors accused them of using public power to punish a political opponent during a bitter Democratic political fight in Mercer County.
A state grand jury indicted SJTA Commissioner Christopher Milam and former Commissioner Bryan Bush on charges of conspiracy, official misconduct, and perjury tied to allegations they blocked payments to a Mercer County commissioner’s engineering firm for political reasons last summer.
This incident mirrors a similar situation evolving in Toms River, where four council members, David Ciccozzi, Tom Nivison, Robert Bianchini, and Clinton Bradley refused to pay a vendor’s bills, not because of their service or work, but because of that vendor’s opinions and written speech. Despite acknowledging the services were performed in accordance with the contract and benefited the township, the four Republicans voted against paying bills to punish the vendor for exercising free speech.
Criminal complaints in that case were filed on Friday with the Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office and New Jersey Office of the Attorney General.
Despite objections from Toms River Mayor Daniel Rodrick and Township Legal Counsel Jonathan Penny, the four Toms River Councilmen violated public contract law during the public meeting, admitting their intention, and ignoring the legal advice they were given prior.
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Prosecutors say the alleged retaliation stemmed from the 2023 Democratic primary battle for Mercer County executive, where Commissioner John Cimino backed Assemblyman Dan Benson against incumbent Brian Hughes despite pressure from South Jersey Democratic power brokers to stay neutral.
“This indictment indicates that these defendants abused their positions of power to get retribution,” Platkin said in a statement. “Scheming to unjustly use a public office as a weapon to manipulate and punish political opponents is misconduct, and those who engage in this type of behavior will be held to account.”
Prosecutors tie dispute to Mercer County political battle
The indictment centers on allegations that Milam and Bush used their authority at the South Jersey Transportation Authority to target Cimino after he refused to align with influential South Jersey Democrats during the high-profile Mercer County executive race.
At the time, the South Jersey Democratic organization led by political power broker George Norcross quietly backed Hughes over Benson, even as Benson secured endorsements from numerous Mercer County Democratic officials.
Cimino’s support for Benson allegedly angered political figures tied to the South Jersey Democratic network.
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According to prosecutors, Milam and Bush later conspired to block Cimino’s engineering firm from receiving payment for completed SJTA work during multiple board meetings in 2023.
Key Points
• Two SJTA officials face conspiracy, official misconduct, and perjury charges
• Prosecutors allege they blocked payments to punish a Mercer County Democrat politically
• Case traces back to the bitter 2023 Mercer County executive primary fight
Text message became central piece of indictment
Investigators cited an alleged February 2023 text message from Milam to Bush as evidence of political retaliation.
“They cut South Jersey in Mercer County so now we vote no,” Milam allegedly wrote, according to the indictment.
State prosecutors say Milam and Bush repeatedly voted against approving payments tied to Cimino’s engineering firm despite work already being performed for the authority.
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The indictment alleges the actions were politically motivated rather than based on legitimate business concerns.
However, there had also been claims that Cimino’s engineering firm acknowledged issues involving the quality of its work and that the disputed bills were eventually paid after negotiations.
Milam and Bush have denied involvement by Norcross or former New Jersey Senate President Steve Sweeney in their actions.
Perjury accusations raise stakes
Beyond the retaliation allegations, prosecutors also accuse both men of lying under oath during grand jury testimony about why they opposed the payments.
The perjury counts significantly increase the legal jeopardy facing the two officials because each charge could carry multi-year prison sentences if they are convicted.
“The defendants allegedly used their positions at the South Jersey Transportation Authority as leverage to pursue a political vendetta, betraying the public that they were meant to serve,” said Drew Skinner, executive director of the Office of Public Integrity and Accountability. “As alleged, they then lied about the scheme under oath.”
The case adds another layer of scrutiny to New Jersey’s deeply intertwined political and governmental power structure, particularly surrounding South Jersey Democratic influence networks that have long shaped state and county politics.
Investigation continues as defendants face criminal case
Authorities have not announced court dates for Milam or Bush, and neither defendant publicly responded to the indictment Thursday.
The Office of Public Integrity and Accountability’s Corruption Bureau led the investigation.
The charges remain accusations, and both men are presumed innocent unless convicted in court.
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