JERSEY CITY-Mayor Glenn D. Cunningham scored another major victory yesterday when he regained control of the city’s redevelopment agency, defeating two of his principle political foes.

In proceedings at the Jersey City Redevelopment Agency meeting, the firm of Scarinci and Hollenbeck was removed as legal counsel. Likewise, former JCRA chairman E. Junior Maldonado was ousted as chair and replaced by fellow City Councilman Steve Lipski. Maldonado cowered from the meeting once removed and did not return the rest of the evening.

The moves end more than a year-and a half of turmoil for Cunningham, who in his feud with Hudson County Democratic Organization boss, Rep. Robert Menendez, had lost control of the agency thanks to Maldonado’s assistance and other Menendez loyalists. JCRA Executive Director Sue Mack will soon exit her role in the agency within the next four months as part of a settlement to fulfill her contract obligation.

The victory continues the momentum generated by Cunningham during last month’s sweeping primary victory, where he won the nod for the vacant Senate seat in the 31st District against the HCDO slate.

Cunningham’s experience and popularity also proved strong enough to benefit slate mates Lou Manzo and Tony Chiappone, who won the nod for assembly seats and knocked out 25-year Assemblyman, Bayonne Mayor Joseph Doria, and single-termer Elba Perez Cincarelli.

“This is a significant victory. For the better part of 18 months forces outside Jersey City have relentlessly tried to marginalize the authority of Mayor Cunningham within his own borders for their own personal and selfish aims. The tide has turned and those days are over,” said Cunningham spokesman Stan H. Eason.

It was Maldonado, who gained his council seat on Cunningham’s ticket for Mayor in 2001, who was the first to betray Cunningham at the behest of Menendez as the feud between the congressman and Cunningham developed.

Longtime Menendez supporter and attorney, Donald Scarinci, who claimed at the feud’s outset that he would do the legal work for the agency for $1, began to secure high-stakes contracts awarded by Maldonado and the JCRA. For nearly 18 months the agency has paid significant legal fees to Scarinci, ignored any wishes of Cunningham and blocked the Mayor’s appointments to its boards.

Lipski’s role as JCRA chairman and now Cunningham ally spells control of the vital agency for the Cunningham administration and strengthens Cunningham’s governmental base and re-establishes proper functioning order of the city agency.

Like the JCRA the last 18 months, the Jersey City Council, all except Councilwoman Viola Richardson, had been aligned with Menendez in the congressman’s efforts neuter Cunningham’s administration.

As Cunningham prepares to accept his Senate seat in Trenton and continues to galvanize his base operations, more councilpersons are reportedly questioning Menendez’s motives and vision for starting the war with Cunningham. Following Lipski’s lead, several councilpersons are reportedly seeking to return to the fold./

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