“Hey Brian, don’t blame me for Leroy Truth.”
That’s the between the lines message directed at Brian Stack from across Kennedy Boulevard by Nick Sacco, the mayor of North Bergen.
For about eight months now, a man named Leonard Filipowski, who also goes by “Leroy Truth,” has investigated what he says is rampant “corruption” in Union City where Stack is mayor.
His campaign seems to be accelerating, Filipowski was arrested for disturbing a recent city commission meeting and on Tuesday, he held an event outside City Hall with a number of supporters.The event was timed to coincide with the city’s National Night Out celebration, but that was cancelled because of rainy weather.
Odd political crusades and stunts are common in Hudson County, but even by those standards, this one seems peculiar.
Filipowski does not live in Union City, or even Hudson County, or even New Jersey. He lives in Connecticut.
He says he is an “independent journalist.” His social media presence does show that Leroy Truth has been active spotlighting alleged corruption and wrongdoing in various locales.
Still, in the world of the Internet, it’s not hard to call yourself an “independent journalist.”
Stack, for one, isn’t buying Filipowski’s stance as a dedicated citizen trying to unearth corruption.
At a commission meeting a few months ago, Stack called Filipowski a “complete idiot” and said he was being paid by Stack’s political opponents.
Filipowksi said in a phone conversation a few weeks ago that he wasn’t getting paid, a fact he reiterated on Tuesday.
That clearly got Sacco’s attention.
Here’s a key part of his statement:
“Brian Stack has been falsely claiming that me and other mayors and officials are involved with these investigations. The press conference earlier this week proves that is completely false and nothing more than a bunch of outright lies.”
He added that “Stack suffers from a ‘delusional paranoia’ and is trying to take over Jersey City and all of Hudson County. He has a lust for power that is disturbing and unprecedented.”
An amusing thing here is that on the surface both Sacco and Stack have had things in common.
Both were mayors in Hudson County and state senators at the same time. Dual office holding has been a Hudson County tradition. It is now prohibited, but Stack has been grandfathered in.
Sacco’s senate run ended when redistricting put both him and Stack in the same legislative district.
A compromise was designed that avoided a nasty primary and resulted in Sacco relinquishing his senate seat,
But as can be seen, it didn’t bring about a friendship.
Sacco’s release also complained about the amount of state aid – “over $300 million” – that Union City gets. He said a lot of this money is used to pay political workers and finance Stack’s “political machine.”
Point made.
But it is the job of state senators to bring money back to their districts. In fact, that’s one reason mayors also like serving in the Legislature.
Stack was not immediately available, but in comments reported by the Hudson County View, a local media outlet, the Union City mayor said:
“Instead of Nick Sacco being the lazy state senator that he was, he should have been advocating for his constituents while I was advocating for my entire district.”
If nothing else, Filipowski has Stack and Sacco tangling in public.
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Hudson County, New Jersey is known for its intense political rivalries, and one of the most prominent feuds in recent years has been between two powerful Democratic leaders: State Senator Nicholas Sacco and Union City Mayor Brian Stack. The rivalry between these two men has been the subject of much speculation and analysis by political insiders in the state.
Senator Sacco, who also serves as the Mayor of North Bergen, has been a dominant force in Hudson County politics for decades. He is known for his strong support among the county’s working-class residents and his ability to deliver key endorsements and resources to candidates running for office. Sacco has built a formidable political machine that has helped him maintain his hold on power in the county.
On the other hand, Mayor Stack has emerged as a formidable challenger to Sacco’s dominance in recent years. Stack, who also serves as a State Senator representing parts of Hudson County, has built a strong base of support in Union City and beyond. He is known for his hands-on approach to governing and his ability to connect with residents on a personal level.
The rivalry between Sacco and Stack has played out in a number of high-profile races in Hudson County, including the 2019 Democratic primary for County Executive. In that race, Sacco backed incumbent Tom DeGise, while Stack supported challenger Amy DeGise. The race was closely watched by political observers, as it was seen as a test of Sacco and Stack’s respective strengths in the county.
Ultimately, Amy DeGise emerged victorious in the primary, defeating Tom DeGise with the support of Stack and other key allies. The outcome of the race was seen as a major blow to Sacco’s political machine and a sign that his grip on power in Hudson County may be weakening.
Despite their rivalry, both Sacco and Stack remain influential figures in Hudson County politics. Their ongoing feud is likely to continue shaping the political landscape in the county for years to come. As Insider NJ continues to monitor developments in Hudson County politics, it will be interesting to see how the rivalry between Sacco and Stack plays out in future elections and policy debates.
