Mayoral candidate responds to claims he was involved in racist flier
Mayoral candidate responds to claims he was involved in racist flier ×
Edison mayoral candidate Mahesh Bhagia, who has been endorsed by the Edison Democratic Organization for the November election, issued the following statement on March 10 regarding an investigation into a racist flier that was distributed in the community in 2017:
“The racial flier was shameful and deplorable, and I was personally offended when I saw it. I also believe creating a sham investigation of the flier to further personal political ambitions and target political opponents is equally shameful and deplorable.
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EDISON – Mayor Thomas Lankey and Councilman Robert Diehl have appealed to the New Jersey Attorney General’s office and/or the Middlesex County Prosecutor’s Office to step in and bring those responsible for the racist flier that was distributed by mail during the 2017 Edison Township Public Schools Board of Education election to justice.
Lankey and Diehl expressed frustration with the lack of movement in the case at a press conference on March 3.
“It is frustrating to have this event that occurred three years ago and to this day not have uncovered and determined who is responsible,” Lankey said. “I applaud our [Township] Council and Committee of the Whole. Without them, honestly, I don’t think we would have gotten to where we are today and we just need to help them bring it over the goal line, to finish.”
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EDISON – Up until recently it was not clear if the New Jersey Attorney General’s office was investigating the racist flier that was distributed by mail during the 2017 Edison Township Public Schools Board of Education election.
Early on in the investigation, Edison Police Chief Thomas Bryan had said the investigation was in the hands of the Attorney General’s (AG) office and a public information officer for the AG had said the office’s policy “is that we neither confirm nor deny investigations.”
During a Committee of the Whole meeting on Jan. 20, Council President Robert Diehl said Mayor Thomas Lankey received a letter from the Middlesex County Prosecutor’s Office informing the township the state AG’s Office has picked up the case and has assigned a detective to the case.