From Tammany Hall to Union City: How Brian Stack Revived the Democratic Machine Playbook

Political corruption is not just a relic of the past—it’s alive, thriving, and wearing a new face in Union City, New Jersey. The story of Boss Tweed and Tammany Hall may have played out in the 19th century, but its blueprint has been shamelessly resurrected in Hudson County under the iron grip of Mayor and State Senator Brian Stack. The same system of political favoritism, backroom deals, patronage jobs, and retaliation against dissent is on full display—this time masquerading under a Democratic-Communist government that operates without meaningful accountability.

Tammany Hall: The Original Political Machine

In the mid-1800s, William “Boss” Tweed built a political empire through Tammany Hall, New York City’s most notorious Democratic political machine. Tweed’s power didn’t come from good governance—it came from controlling jobs, police departments, firehouses, public contracts, and immigrant communities, especially the Irish and Italian working class.

The Irish and Italian immigrants, desperate for work and community support, were given jobs in exchange for political loyalty. Tweed’s machine handed out city employment, legal protection, and even expedited immigration services to those who promised to keep the votes flowing. The price? Rampant graft, institutional corruption, election rigging, and the theft of millions of dollars in taxpayer money.

Tweed’s story is often treated as ancient history. But the playbook he wrote is still in use today—just across the Hudson River.

Union City: A Modern-Day Tammany Hall

Union City, a North Hudson community built by immigrant hands—first German, then Irish and Italian, and now predominantly Latino—has been plagued by political machines for decades. The history of corruption in Union City is as old as the city itself.

The William Musto Era

In the 1970s, William Musto, then mayor and state senator, was the undisputed kingpin of Union City. He built a political empire by controlling public works, housing, and municipal jobs. Much like Boss Tweed, Musto’s reign relied on trading jobs and favors for votes, a system that spread its tentacles into the police and fire departments.

Musto was eventually convicted of racketeering and bribery in 1982, but not before shaping his political heir: Brian Stack.

Brian Stack: The Apprentice Who Perfected the Machine

Brian Stack learned from the best. He perfected the Tammany-style machine with a modern twist. In Union City today, municipal resources, police support, housing services, and even promotions in the fire and police departments are reportedly handed out as political favors. You are either loyal to Brian Stack or you are frozen out.

Stack has built his empire on fear, favoritism, and complete control of the city’s resources. Those who dare to oppose him face retaliation, job loss, or worse—legal harassment. Whistleblowers and victims have come forward with serious accusations, claiming that Stack’s allies in the police and municipal government engage in intimidation tactics to silence critics.

In many ways, Union City under Stack has become a Democratic-Communist fiefdom. Dissent is not tolerated. Municipal assets are treated as the personal property of the political elite. City vehicles are reportedly used for private favors. Grants and housing assistance seem to flow directly to Stack’s loyalists.

This is not democracy. This is a political cartel masquerading as a local government.

The Irish and Italian Roots of the Machine

It’s impossible to ignore the historical thread that connects New York City and North Hudson. The Irish and Italian immigrant communities, who originally populated the firehouses and police stations of New York, expanded into Jersey City, Hoboken, West New York, and Union City. The tradition of political patronage, especially in municipal services like police and fire departments, crossed the Hudson and took root in New Jersey’s urban political culture.

Today, those same networks of influence persist—just serving a new master.

Brian Stack’s Unchecked Power

Brian Stack has operated for years without serious legal consequences. Just like William Musto, just like Boss Tweed, Stack’s machine depends on controlling every lever of government: housing, police, schools, and public services. Multiple reports and whistleblowers have alleged corruption, abuse of power, election interference, and even the cover-up of sexual assault cases within Union City’s political structure.

The Hudson County Prosecutor’s Office and New Jersey Attorney General Matt Platkin have been accused by activists of turning a blind eye, perhaps even colluding in the silence.

Where is the accountability? The last time Union City faced real justice, it took William Musto going to jail.

Will history repeat itself?

A Call to Action

Union City deserves better than a political dynasty built on fear, favors, and the selective distribution of justice. The Irish and Italian immigrants who helped build this region worked for a better future—not for their legacy to be hijacked by another Democratic-Communist political machine that consolidates power for the benefit of a few.

Brian Stack’s operation isn’t just political dominance—it’s a modern Tammany Hall. The city’s fire and police departments should not be tools of political currency. Public resources should not be distributed based on loyalty to the mayor.

Union City is trapped in a cycle of institutional corruption that dates back generations. Breaking that cycle will require more than political slogans—it will demand courageous whistleblowers, federal investigations, and public servants who refuse to kneel before the machine.

Because if history teaches us anything, it’s this:

Political machines only collapse when the people rise against them.