In Irvington, Mayor Smith quashes resignation rumor

IRVINGTON - It's been a tough year for Mayor Wayne Smith, whose name was spun into a federal scandal that knocked down 11 other public officials in late 2007.

As part of a U.S. Attorney's Office bribery investigation called Operation Broken Boards, FBI agents posing as dummy insurance salespeople last year identified two public officials in Irvington, one of whom directed them to give $5,000 to Keith Reid, former chief of staff to Newark Council President Mildred Crump.

The U.S. Attroney's Office indicted Reid on corruption charges, but as yet he remains the only public official as part of Operation Broken Boards who has not gone to trial.

To date, Smith has not spoken publicly about the incident or addressed rampant speculation that he is one of those Irvington officials who directed the FBI to give money to Red, but today in the face of a rumor in his city that he intends to imminently step down, the mayor said no way.

"It's not true," said Smith. "I'm not resigning my office and I have no intention of doing so. I intend to run for mayor again in 2010."

Council President John Sowell last month told PolitickerNJ.com that he would consider running for mayor in two years only if Smith chooses not to run.

Likely Smith opponents include North Ward Councilman David Lyons, and former Assemblyman Craig Stanley.