Corruption Accusations Lobbed By Both Parsippany Mayor Candidates

Update: This article now contains a response from Barberio and additional documentation from Soriano's campaign.

PARSIPPANY, NJ — Weeks before Election Day, Parsippany mayoral candidates James Barberio and Michael Soriano have accused each other of malfeasance during their times in office.

Barberio, the Republican nominee, lobbed the first accusation Thursday afternoon. The former Parsippany mayor claimed Michael Soriano, the current mayor, used taxpayer money and township resources to hang banners associated with his private organization, the Soriano Civic Association.

Soriano's campaign fired back hours later, saying the Democratic mayor paid for the signs with association money and not township dollars. The campaign also accused Barberio of using taxpayer money for campaign purposes in 2017, when he still held office, and seeing over staff doing campaign work on township servers the same year.

Barberio held office for two terms before Soriano ousted him in 2017. Barberio is running to take back his seat from Soriano. The candidates debated Thursday night, but neither of the prior accusations came up.

Barberio's Accusation

Barberio accused Soriano of using township funds to purchase and distribute banners congratulating the township's 2020 high school graduates. The banners included text that said "paid for by Soriano Civic Association," according to Barberio.

Copies of attached documents show Department of Parks & Forestry employees directed to hang the banners June 4, 2020, and then take them down July 31 of that year. An additional email shows Soriano directed township officials to enter "township" on a $1,528 invoice for the banners — purchased from Merch Pros in Boonton.

"Forgot to ask; What address should be placed on the invoice once this is completed?" Recreation Superintendent Joe Plescia asked in an email dated May 27, 2020.

"Township, the donor's treasurer will send a check. Once the township is billed," Soriano responded.

Soriano indicated in the emails his association would reimburse the township. On Friday afternoon, Soriano's campaign sent an additional statement, with a copy of a check from the Soriano Civic Association to the township. The check, for the amount of the banners' cost, is dated June 8, 2020, and says "Graduation Banners" in the memo.

But Barberio called for the attorney general to investigate the situation.

"As a proud Parsippany resident I will not stand by and let Michael Soriano steal our taxpayers (sic) hard earned money while he simultaneously burdens them with outrageous utility and tax increases," Barberio said in a statement.

Soriano's Campaign Fires Back

Soriano's campaign also accused Barberio of malfeasance from when he held office.

"Former Mayor Barberio knows that his own history of corruption runs deep in Parsippany, including his own misuse of taxpayer dollars for campaign purposes," said Elise McGovern, Soriano's campaign manager.

Soriano's campaign claimed that Barberio's staff performed campaign work on township servers in 2017. The statement included copies of emails from a Barberio staffer negotiating a lawn-sign purchase with a printing company.

The emails originated from the staffer's email account. Several of the messages were sent to Barberio's personal email address.

Barberio responded to Patch with the following statement via email:

"Soriano’s attempt to equate an email from someone else to his unlawful use of taxpayer funds and township workers is like trying to equate someone else’s speeding ticket to fraud that you commit. The fact is Soriano personally directed that Township funds and workers be used to do his political business. Is it ok if the Township pays his mortgage so long as he reimburses it? What’s next – township workers mowing his lawn? It’s no wonder that water rates are up 39% and taxes are skyrocketing. We can’t afford four more years of Mike Soriano.’"

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