Op-Ed: The Truth Behind Hudson County’s Political Machine Bill Spadea Didn’t Tell You

When former Republican gubernatorial candidate Bill Spadea published his recent column on Hudson County’s tangled web of politics, he pointed out some truths — but he also left out some of the most important truths.

We’ve covered Spadea before during the primary season, and while he was right to call attention to the Hudson County establishment, his latest piece barely scratches the surface. If we’re going to talk honestly about political power in Hudson County, we need to talk about State Senator and Union City Mayor Brian Stack — one of the most powerful and controversial figures in New Jersey politics.

The Side of Brian Stack You Won’t Read in Spadea’s Column

There’s no question that Brian Stack is a master of political organization. Even his critics admit that his get-out-the-vote (GOTV) operation is one of the most efficient in the state. But with that power has come a long history of controversy — and the record is well-documented.

Unconstitutional arrest of journalist Leroy Truth Investigations — In 2024, investigative journalist Leroy Truth was arrested by Union City police while filming and speaking at a city public commissioners meeting, raising serious First Amendment concerns. All charges were later dismissed, and civil rights advocates cited it as an example of official overreach. Workplace retaliation allegations — Multiple reports over the years have described a culture where city and Board of Education employees fear retaliation if they don’t show political loyalty. Accusations of pay-to-play within city agencies and the Board of Education — Local coverage has questioned whether promotions, assignments, and city contracts flow to those most active in Stack’s political network. Self-approved pay raises — Stack currently collects a combined income of roughly $180,000 from his dual roles as State Senator and part-time Mayor. His longtime partner, Mercedes Joaquin, is employed by the Union City Board of Education. Together, their combined public income approaches $400,000 annually — all taxpayer-funded.

For years, local media have also reported on FBI raids at Union City Hall and on recurring ethics concerns surrounding campaign fundraising, civic associations, and political employment. None of these realities appeared in Spadea’s column.

The Patronage Pipeline Few Acknowledge

Current Union City employees, report they have seen first-hand how political loyalty shapes the workforce. Many of the same people knocking on doors during election season — the ones often described as “volunteers” — are in fact city or Board of Education employees who know that participation is expected. Some of these same workers hold jobs at the Hudson County government level through Stack’s close alliance with County Executive Craig Guy.

A look at NJ ELEC filings shows patterns of campaign donations to Stack’s “Union City First” organization from individuals employed by the city, the police department, and the Board of Education. The higher the position or salary, the larger the contribution often seems to be. While campaign finance laws allow individual donations, the overlap between public employment and political fundraising raises fair questions about coercion and pay-to-play culture.

In short, the impressive-looking “army of volunteers” may not be the grassroots movement it appears to be — but rather a workforce politically captive to the same machine that controls their jobs.

The Kevin O’Toole Connection

Spadea mentioned former State Senator Kevin O’Toole, but missed another glaring issue.

O’Toole’s law firm, O’Toole Scrivo LLC, is currently contracted by Union City to handle employee and employer relations — a direct link between the city’s internal labor matters and state-level political figures. This relationship raises obvious questions about conflicts of interest, especially given that O’Toole himself has faced controversy in the past, including media reports about family disputes allegedly involving political influence.

When political allies hold the keys to both city employment and legal oversight, the lines between governance, loyalty, and personal power blur beyond recognition.

A Question for Jack Ciattarelli and Every Statewide Candidate

Even those who admire Stack’s political efficiency have to ask: At what cost?

Yes, Brian Stack can deliver votes. He may very well have helped former Governor Chris Christie in Hudson County, and any gubernatorial hopeful would be tempted to tap that kind of machine. But is it worth aligning with someone repeatedly accused of fostering patronage, protecting insiders, and blurring the boundary between public service and political loyalty?

Spadea’s article raised valid concerns about corruption — but it stopped short of exposing the full picture. To rebuild trust in government, we need more than just acknowledging the power of the machine; we need to confront how it operates, who it rewards, and who it punishes.

The Bottom Line

Hudson County’s political machinery runs deep. Brian Stack remains one of its most effective — and most controversial — operators. The real question isn’t whether his machine works. It’s whether New Jersey should continue to reward a system built on fear, favoritism, and self-preservation.

That’s the part of the story Bill Spadea didn’t tell — and it’s the part New Jersey voters deserve to know.

Bellow is a short list of reported controversies in Union City throughout the years:

– FBI raid of Union City City Hall / Community Development Agency (2012) — contemporaneous reporting of federal agents seizing files from City Hall.  .

– Contractors and CDA contract-rigging prosecutions tied to the CDA investigation (reporting and follow-ups). 

– Lawsuit alleging “pay-to-play” and micromanagement in Union City government (Observer coverage of a 2012 lawsuit by a former city attorney). 

-2014: “Union City pays $150,000 to settle former City official’s retaliation suit.” (Transparency NJ) – Former Planning Board attorney alleged Stack created a “pay‑to‑play” culture and retaliated when he complained.

-2013: “Ethics committee dismisses complaint against Stack.” (Observer) – A complaint concerning Stack’s dual roles and other alleged ethics violations was dismissed for lack of credible evidence.

– 2025: “Assembly Candidate Slams Union City Mayor for Urging Voters to Switch Parties.” (HudPost) – Stack mailed letters requesting voters switch parties temporarily to vote in another district’s primary, causing controversy.

– 2025: “A History Lesson of Corruption in Union City.” (Hudson County Truth) – Long-form piece compiling many allegations: patronage, use of state aid for machine politics, misuse of municipal vehicles, retaliation.

– 2017: “Union City confidentially paid out $100,000 to resolve ICE agent’s false arrest lawsuit.” (Transparency NJ) – ICE agent claimed he was wrongfully arrested and surveilled; city settled for $100,000.

– 2012: “Lawsuit against Stack alleges ‘pay‑to‑play’ system, heavy-handed micromanagement.” (Observer) – Lawsuit by former government attorney alleging Stack awarded city contracts based on political donations and operated a pay‑to‑play scheme.

-2007: “Vega accuses Stack of ‘abusing’ Union City employees.” (Observer / PoliticsNJ) – Allegations from current and former city employees that they were harassed/fired for refusing to support Stack’s campaign or purchase fundraiser tickets.

-2014‑2024: “Lawsuits: Cops have to donate to Brian P. Stack Civic Association to get promoted.” (Hudson County View) – Police officers alleged that to get promotions within the Union City Police Department they had to contribute to Stack’s Civic Association.

-2025: “Explosive Claims Reporting focused on school district staffing, salaries, patronage hires, and political loyalty within the Union City School District linked to Stack’s machine.

-2011: “In dismissing ethics complaint against Stack, committee wrestles with sorting out aide’s roles.” (Observer) – Complaint about Stack’s legislative aide doing municipal work while being paid as a legislative staffer; ethics committee dismissed it.

-2013: “Man charges N.J. mayor with choking him.” (UPI) – A man alleged Stack physically assaulted him (choking) at a holiday party; the case raised questions about abuse of office though outcome unclear.

And there’s so much more…