Hugh Joseph Addonizio (January 31, 1914 – February 2, 1981) was an American Democratic Party politician who was sentenced to prison for corruption. He was the 33rdMayor of Newark, New Jersey, from 1962 to 1970, and a U.S. Congressman from 1949 to 1962.
Early life and education
Born in Newark to an Italian family, Addonizio attended West Side High School and played quarterback at Saint Benedict's Preparatory School. Addonizio graduated from Fordham University in New York City in 1939, attending with an athletic scholarship, and went to work for A&C Clothing Company, working for his father, where he became vice president in 1946.[1]
Addonizio served as mayor from 1962 until 1970, when he lost his reelection bid. A state investigation into his administration commenced following the 1967 Newark riots that occurred during his tenure, which led to the discovery that he and other city officials were taking kickbacks from city contractors. In December 1969, he and nine current or former officials of the municipal administration in Newark were indicted by a federal grand jury; five other persons were also indicted.[3]
In July 1970, the former mayor and four other defendants were found guilty by a federal jury on 64 counts each, one of conspiracy and 63 of extortion.[4] In September 1970, Addonizio was sentenced to ten years in federal prison and fined $25,000 by U.S. District Court Judge George H. Barlow for his role in a plot that involved the extortion of $1.5 million in kickbacks, a crime that the judge said "tore at the very heart of our civilized society and our form of representative government".[5][6]
Addonizio served around half of his ten-year sentence before being released on parole.[7]
^Barbanel, Josh. "Hugh J. Addonizio 67, Convicted Of Extortion As Newark's Mayor", The New York Times, February 3, 1981. Accessed November 15, 2018. "The son of Italian immigrants, Mr. Addonizio was born in Newark on Jan. 31, 1914, and attended West Side High School and St. Benedict's Prep in Newark, where he was an outstanding athlete and was named all-state quarterback."
^Brady, Thomas F. "Addonizio and 4 Convicted Of Extortion by U.S. Jury", The New York Times, July 23, 1970. Accessed November 13, 2016. "Hugh J. Addonizio, former Mayor of Newark, and four other defendants were found guilty by federal jury tonight on 64 counts each, one of conspiracy and 63 of extortion."
^Sullivan, Ronald. "Addonizio Given a 10-Year Term", The New York Times, September 23, 1970. Accessed November 13, 2016. "Former Mayor Hugh J. Addonizio of Newark was sentenced to 10 years in prison and fined $25,000 in Federal Court here today for conspiracy and extortion. Convicted of sharing in the proceeds of extorted kickbacks totaling $1.5 million from contractors on city water and sewer lines, Addonizio stood impassively with his head bowed as Judge George H. Barlow declared that his crimes were of 'monumental proportion' that 'tore at the very heart of our civilized society and our form of representative government.'"
^Barbanel, Josh. "HUGH J. ADDONIZIO, 67, EX-MAYOR OF NEWARK JAILED 5 YEARS, DEAD", The New York Times, February 2, 1981. Accessed April 7, 2015. "Hugh J. Addonizio, a former Congressman and two-term Mayor of Newark who was sentenced to 10 years in Federal prison and fined $25,000 for conspiracy and extortion died early this morning at Riverview Hospital in Red Bank, N.J."
