Asbury Park Press front page Wednesday, March 11 2015
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Asbury Par k Press :: Monmou th Edi tion APP.COM $1.00 WEDNESDA Y 03.1 1. 15 Senior Scoop inside today! All the latest trends, tips, events and much more TRENTON — Politicos are divided over whether cor- ruption charges being prepared by the Department of Justice eventually will force U.S. Sen. Robert Menen- dez, D-N.J., to step down. That hasn’t discouraged jock- eying for the position or speculation. If the seat becomes vacant, Republican Gov. Chris Christie is in charge of choosing a temporary replace- ment and scheduling a special election. He even could maneuver his way to the Senate if his presidential hopes fizzle. If there is an indictment, U.S. Sen. Bob Menendez may not go anywhere and fight the charges. Who might take seat of Menendez? Political jockeying begins after corruption charges BOB JORDAN @BOBJORDANAPP SOMERVILLE— Gov. Chris Christie says the contro- versial pending settlement with ExxonMobil in an en- Christie: ExxonMobil deal not mine BOB JORDAN @BOBJORDANAPP W all’s former top school administrator was sent to the Monmouth County Jail on Tues- day to await a certain five-year prison term and the likely loss of his $10,000-a-month pension, after a jury found him guilty of offi- cial misconduct for lying about 105 vacation days he spent in Florida but never reported to the school district. In addi- tion to official misconduct, the jury also found James Ha- bel, former schools superintendent in Wall, guilty of four counts of falsifying documents by significantly under- reporting his personal use of a $60,000 Yukon Denali issued EX-WALL SUPER FOUND GUILTY PETER ACKERMAN/STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER James Habel waits for the jury to read the verdict in his official misconduct trial in state Superior Court in Freehold on Tuesday. Habel faces at least 5 years in prison Habel had been on trial since mid-January in a case that spotlighted lavish spending and weak controls in the Wall school district. See GUIL TY, PageA6 For a photo gallery and previous coverage of the James Habel official misconduct case, visit APP.com KATHLEEN HOPKINS @KHOPKINSAPP
