Editing Trenton, New Jersey (section)

====Mayor's conviction and removal from office====
On February 7, 2014, [[Tony F. Mack]] and his brother, Raphiel, were convicted by a federal jury of bribery, fraud and extortion, based on the details of their participation in a scheme to take money in exchange for helping get approvals to develop a downtown parking garage as part of a sting operation by law enforcement.<ref>via [[Associated Press]].[https://www.nytimes.com/2014/02/08/nyregion/mayor-tony-mack-of-trenton-is-found-guilty-of-taking-bribes.html "Mayor Tony Mack of Trenton Is Found Guilty of Taking Bribes"] {{Webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170802153423/https://www.nytimes.com/2014/02/08/nyregion/mayor-tony-mack-of-trenton-is-found-guilty-of-taking-bribes.html |date=August 2, 2017 }}, ''[[The New York Times]]'', February 7, 2014. Accessed February 12, 2014.</ref> Days after the conviction, the office of the [[New Jersey Attorney General]] filed motions to have Mack removed from office, as state law requires the removal of elected officials after convictions for corruption.<ref>[https://6abc.com/archive/9425976/ "NJ calls for convicted Trenton mayor Tony Mack to be removed"], [[WPVI-TV]], February 10, 2014. Accessed February 12, 2014. "The state Attorney General's Office filed a request Monday with a state Superior Court judge, asking that Tony Mack be kicked out of office, stripped of his pension and be barred from holding elected office again.... Under state law, people convicted of corruption cannot continue to hold public office. But since Mack has not resigned, the state is asking a judge to enforce the law."</ref> Initially, Mack fought the removal of him from the office but on February 26, a superior court judge ordered his removal and any actions taken by Mack between February 7 and the 26th could have been reversed by Muschal.<ref name="MuschalJuly">Pizzi, Jenna. [http://www.nj.com/mercer/index.ssf/2014/03/trenton_council_to_vote_to_install_george_muschal_as_interim_mayor.html "Trenton council to vote to install George Muschal as interim mayor"] {{Webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140312234119/http://www.nj.com/mercer/index.ssf/2014/03/trenton_council_to_vote_to_install_george_muschal_as_interim_mayor.html |date=March 12, 2014 }}, ''[[The Star-Ledger]]'', March 4, 2014. Accessed October 12, 2015. "Council members decided to amend the agenda for their regularly scheduled meeting to include the action of appointing Muschal to the interim post. He will serve until a new mayor – elected in May – takes over July 1."</ref> Previously, Mack's housing director quit after it was learned he had a theft conviction. His chief of staff was arrested trying to buy heroin. His half-brother, whose authority he elevated at the city water plant, was arrested on charges of stealing. His law director resigned after arguing with Mack over complying with open-records laws and potential violations of laws prohibiting city contracts to big campaign donors.<ref>via [[Associated Press]]. [http://www.nj.com/news/index.ssf/2011/07/a_year_of_turmoil_stumbles_for.html "A year of turmoil, stumbles for Trenton's mayor"] {{Webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120721201500/http://www.nj.com/news/index.ssf/2011/07/a_year_of_turmoil_stumbles_for.html |date=July 21, 2012 }}, ''[[The Star-Ledger]]'', July 9, 2011. Accessed January 10, 2012.</ref>

From February 7 to July 1, 2014, the acting mayor was George Muschal who retroactively assumed the office on that date due to Mack's felony conviction, who had taken office on July 1, 2010.<ref name=MuschalSwornIn>Zdan, Alex; and Pizzi, Jenna. [http://www.nj.com/mercer/index.ssf/2014/02/acting_mayor_george_muschal_assumes_office_and_vows_to_put_trenton_on_the_right_track.html "Acting Mayor George Muschal assumes office and vows to put Trenton 'on the right track'"] {{Webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140302125629/http://www.nj.com/mercer/index.ssf/2014/02/acting_mayor_george_muschal_assumes_office_and_vows_to_put_trenton_on_the_right_track.html |date=March 2, 2014 }}, ''[[The Times (Trenton)|The Times]]'', February 26, 2014. Accessed May 21, 2017.</ref> Muschal, who was council president, was selected by the city council to serve as the interim mayor to finish the term.<ref name="MuschalJuly"/>