Union City at 100: A Century of Power, Patronage, and Political Corruption

Union City was incorporated on June 1, 1925, by merging the two towns of West Hoboken and Union Hill.

The introduction of Schiffli lace machines in Hudson County made Union City the “embroidery capital of the United States”. The trademark of that industry is on the Union City Seal.

As Union City marked its 100th anniversary in 2025, celebrations highlighted immigration, resilience, and community pride. Yet running parallel to that civic story is another, less comfortable history—one shaped by political patronage, corruption scandals, and repeated allegations of abuse of power stretching back a full century.

From the earliest recorded accusations in the 1920s to modern lawsuits and settlements involving city officials, Union City’s political evolution reveals a recurring pattern: public authority concentrated in the hands of a few, and persistent conflicts over accountability.

1925: The First Pay-to-Play Scandal and Election Fraud

Union City’s documented corruption history begins at its very birth.

On December 31, 1925, The Jersey Journal reported a chaotic meeting of the city’s governing body under the headline:

“Charges Boylan Extracted ‘Obligation’ from Appointees.”

During that meeting, city officials publicly accused Mayor John F. Boylan of personally summoning applicants for newly created paid fire department positions and extracting an “obligation” as a condition of employment. The accusation suggested that public jobs were contingent on political loyalty or personal commitment to the mayor.

The meeting erupted into disorder, with shouting, gaveling, and open confrontation. The mayor did not deny the charge on the record. This episode stands as the earliest contemporaneous account of pay-to-play politics in Union City.

Here’s another article reporting election fraud in Union City in the 1920s.

February 26, 1926 — The Jersey Journal

A front-page article exposed election fraud, false affidavits, illegal voter registrations, and public officials violating election law.

The paper cited specific statutes, criminal penalties, and demanded grand jury scrutiny.

Mid-Century Union City: Exile Politics and Underworld Influence

By the mid-20th century, Union City had become a central hub of Cuban exile politics, earning the nickname “Havana on the Hudson.” Revolutionary figures circulated through the city during the 1950s, including Fidel Castro, who spent time in Union City during his pre-revolutionary organizing years and later arrested by Union City Police after a bar fight.

In the decades that followed, Union City also became associated with the rise of Cuban-American organized crime networks that later flourished in South Florida. Several figures tied to those networks resided in or passed through Union City during the post-Bay of Pigs era, placing the city at the intersection of Cold War politics, labor influence, and organized crime.

The Musto Era: Conviction at the Center of Power

The most defining corruption scandal in Union City history unfolded under William Musto.

Musto served simultaneously as mayor and New Jersey state senator, wielding enormous influence. Federal prosecutors ultimately charged him with racketeering-related offenses tied to public corruption and kickbacks. In 1982, Musto was convicted and sentenced to federal prison.

In a moment that stunned observers, he won reelection after being sentenced—underscoring the depth of his political machine and the entrenched nature of power in Union City at the time. His conviction remains one of the most consequential corruption cases in New Jersey municipal history.

From City Hall to Capitol Hill: The Menendez Conviction

Union City’s political reach extended nationally through Bob Menendez, who began his career in Union City politics before rising to the U.S. Senate. Menendez testified against Musto in federal court while wearing a bulletproof vest.

In 2024, a federal jury convicted Menendez on corruption charges, and in January 2025 he was sentenced to 11 years in federal prison. His downfall cemented Union City’s legacy as both a launching ground for political power and a recurring source of scandal.

The Stack Era: Consolidation of Power and Modern Controversies

Since 2000, Union City has been dominated by Mayor and State Senator Brian P. Stack, a former ally of Musto who consolidated unprecedented local and regional authority.

While Stack has avoided criminal conviction, for now, his tenure has been marked by a steady stream of lawsuits, settlements, and allegations that mirror the city’s earlier history and becoming a county political machine himself.

Police Pay-to-Play Lawsuits

Multiple Union City police officers filed civil lawsuits alleging that promotions, assignments, and career advancement were conditioned on political loyalty to Stack and his political organization. Among them was Michael Figueroa, who alleged retaliation and favoritism within the department.

These cases were consolidated and litigated through the New Jersey court system, becoming part of the official public record and reinforcing long-standing claims that political allegiance influenced law-enforcement careers in Union City.

The ICE Agent Wrongful Arrest Case

Union City also paid $100,000 to settle a federal civil-rights lawsuit filed by Ricky Patel, a federal Immigration and Customs Enforcement agent who lived in the city.

Patel alleged that Union City police wrongfully detained him after a dispute outside his home and that Mayor Stack personally intervened in the incident. The lawsuit claimed that the arrest was driven by political hostility and abuse of authority. The city denied wrongdoing but settled the case before trial.

The Fired City Attorney Lawsuit

In 2023, former Union City Tenant Advocacy attorney John Salierno filed a whistleblower retaliation lawsuit alleging he was terminated after refusing to engage in politically motivated conduct and after reporting concerns to state authorities.

Salierno alleged pressure to support political campaigns and perform legal work outside ethical boundaries. His lawsuit added to a growing list of city employees who claimed retaliation tied to political power.

Union City Police Leadership Under Scrutiny

Former police chief Anthony Facchini became a central figure in internal dissent and public criticism. Officers and community members accused the department’s leadership of aligning with City Hall’s political agenda and suppressing dissent.

No-confidence votes, internal grievances, and public confrontations characterized this period, further deepening concerns about politicization within the police department.

Facchini becomes the first and only chief to file criminal charges against a journalist for cyber bullying over public criticisms and memes. All charges have then been dismissed due to constitutional protections.

Board of Education Scandals

Union City’s Board of Education has faced repeated allegations involving sexual misconduct by school staff, failures to protect students, and retaliation against whistleblowers. Some cases resulted in criminal charges or administrative action, while others surfaced through civil litigation and investigative reporting.

Together, these controversies highlighted systemic failures within another major city institution. The Board of Education is Stacks ground zero for patronage where employees are strong armed to contribute to stack political organization, Union City First. Those who resist will risk their employment with the BOE.

The Rise of Independent Journalism

In the 2020s, renewed scrutiny emerged through independent investigative journalism, most prominently by Leroy Truth. Through reporting public-records litigation, and courtroom battles, these efforts reignited public debate over corruption, voter intimidation, voter fraud, retaliation, and abuse of authority in Union City.

The resulting lawsuits and public disputes represent a modern continuation of a conflict that began a century earlier: power confronted by exposure.

Conclusion: A Century-Long Pattern

Across 100 years, Union City’s political history reveals a striking continuity:

1925: public accusations of coercive “obligations” tied to public employment 1982: a mayor and state senator convicted and imprisoned 2025: a former U.S. senator sentenced for corruption Ongoing: lawsuits alleging pay-to-play, retaliation, and abuse of authority

These episodes are not isolated. Together, they form a historical pattern that explains why questions of accountability remain central to Union City’s civic life.

As Union City enters its second century, the question posed in 1925 still resonates today:

Is political power exercised as a public trust—or as a private currency?