Court finds N.J. lawmaker guilty of corruption

    Former New Jersey state assemblyman Daniel Van Pelt was found guilty on May 19 on corruption charges.

    Former New Jersey state assemblyman Daniel Van Pelt was found guilty on May 19 on corruption charges. Van Pelt, who represented a district in Ocean County, was found guilty of accepting a bribe and for attempting extortion.

    New Jersey Governor Chris Christie, who served as a U.S. Attorney, had this reaction to the verdict.

    “It is always a personal tragedy to watch a public official convicted of a crime and ultimately be sentenced to prison,” says Christie, “which is I assume is what will happen here. It’s a tragedy for the person. It’s a tragedy for his or her family. But I also commend the U.S. Attorney’s office for continuing to do the work that needs to be done for holding public officials accountable for their conduct.”

    • WHYY thanks our sponsors — become a WHYY sponsor

    Van Pelt is one of 44 people arrested during a state-wide corruption investigation.

    WHYY is your source for fact-based, in-depth journalism and information. As a nonprofit organization, we rely on financial support from readers like you. Please give today.

    Want a digest of WHYY’s programs, events & stories? Sign up for our weekly newsletter.

    Together we can reach 100% of WHYY’s fiscal year goal