Gerald Krovatin

NEWARK - Charged with eight counts of corruption, Bergen County Democratic chairman Joseph Ferriero and Bergenfield attorney Dennis Oury made bail today on a $200,000 property bond ordered by federal Magistrate Judge Madeline Cox Arleo.

Indicted yesterday for their role in a grants scheme, Ferriero and Oury turned themselves over to the FBI today and appeared in Cox's courtroom around 2:30 p.m.

They stood with their attorneys in a pretrial appearance that laasted all of five minutes.

Gerald Krovatin of Newark is representing Oury, and Joseh Hayden of Roseland is representing Ferriero.

Each defendant said three words when Cox asked them if they understood the bail package agreement.

Asked today if former State Sen. Joseph Coniglio was cooperating with the federal probe of Bergen County Democratic Chairman Joseph Ferriero and Democratic lawyer Dennis Oury, U.S. Attorney Christopher Christie declined comment.  That'no surprise -- prosecutors typically refuse to reveal details of a criminal investigation. But if Coniglio is helping the Justice Department with their prosecution of Ferriero and Oury, one sign could be a change in lawyers.  Coniglio and Oury are both represented by Gerald Krovatin.  According to one legal expert, Krovatin would need to drop one of the two clients if their cases become intertwined. 

Bergen County dominates this week's PolitickerNJ.com Winners & Losers.  READ

NEWARK -Former Newark Mayor Sharpe James Lawyers for former Newark Mayor Sharpe James and Tamika Riley fought back in federal court today against depictions of their clients as intertwining strands of corruption in a fraud case the feds say James and Riley perpetrated against the people of Newark's struggling South Ward. 

Arguing on behalf of James, 72, defense attorney Tom Ashley said it was a Newark City Council top-heavy with James detractors, including the mayor's arch-nemesis Cory Booker, that repeatedly affirmed the sale of city properties to Riley.

"He's charged with unduly influencing the (Department of Economic Housing Development) on behalf of his girlfriend," Ashley told 19 jurors in the federal courtroom of District Judge William Martini on Monday afternoon. "There is no evidence, and we will fight it to the last day."

Former State Sen. Joe Coniglio will surrender to the FBI to face corruption charges at the Federal Courthouse in Newark later today, according to Coniglio spokesman Keith Furlong.

It is not yet known exactly what time Coniglio will turn himself in.

After his court apperance, Coniglio’s defense attorney, Gerald Krovatin, plans to issue a statement.

Harold Hodes, a lobbyist for the Hackensack University Medical Center, has retained legal counsel for the probe of State Sen. Joe ConiglioLobbyist Harold Hodes, a top advisor to Hillary Clinton’s presidential campaign in New Jersey and one of the state’s most powerful political insiders, has retained a prominent criminal defense attorney as part of the federal corruption probe of State Sen. Joseph Coniglio, according to several sources.

Public Strategies/Impact, Hodes’ firm, has represented Hackensack University Medical Center, which employed Coniglio as a plumbing consultant. The hospital received over $1 million in state grants while the Bergen County Democrat was on their payroll.

Hodes has not received a target letter from the U.S. Attorney’s office, according to people with knowledge of the Coniglio investigation, but is being represented by Justin Walder.  Walder’s partner, Joseph Hayden, said his firm does not comment on who their clients are.  Hodes did not return repeated phone calls to his office, home and cell phone over the last several weeks seeking comment.

When PoliticsNJ.com listed criminal defense attorney Gerald Krovatin as #92 on the list of New Jersey’s 100 Most Powerful People last month, this website wrote: “When allegedly corrupt politicians turn to you to keep them out of jail, you have power.”

Now, Krovatin may be on his way up the list.  He is representing State Senator Joseph Coniglio, who has received a letter from the U.S. Attorney informing him that he is the target of a federal criminal probe concerning the state budget.

GREGG TO ATTORNEY GENERAL FARBER:
DO THE TAXPAYERS A FAVOR AND RESIGN