Retired deputy chief ‘in the mix’ to replace Trenton fire director
TRENTON » A top fire official who was found to have retaliated against former Trenton firefighter Jesse Diaz is “in the mix” to replace ex-Fire Director Qareeb Bashir, The Trentonian has learned.
Mayor Reed Gusciora confirmed Leonard Carmichael, a retired deputy chief who briefly served as acting fire director in his more than 25 years with the department, is one of at least four people interviewed for the vacant fire director position that opened up when Bashir stepped down this month.
Oddly enough, Carmichael is still being considered despite his initial allegiance to Gusciora’s foe during the mayoral race. Carmichael contributed $500 to runner-up Paul Perez, hinting at his desire to become the next fire director if Trenton’s native son won after the ex-deputy fire chief’s retirement in late 2016.
His fire to become the head of the department was apparently not extinguished when Perez suffered a monumental collapse after leading the former assemblyman by more than 700 votes after Round 1.
Another of the interviewees was also involved in the Diaz case, but not as a defendant.
Bashir is still being paid as a consultant during the transitional phase that started when Gusciora was sworn in to replace exMayor Eric Jackson.
Steve Coltre, acting deputy chief of administration, is overseeing day-to-day operations until Bashir’s successor is named.
“We have an acting chief to save [the city] money,” Gusciora said Wednesday outside Pat’s Diner in South Trenton.
Sources told The Trentonian that Gusciora also interviewed retired deputy fire chief Robert Tharp, retired chief John Gribbin and deputy chief of operations Richard Seeds, who has more than 28 years with the department.
Tharp was a witness in the Diaz case as one of the department leaders who questioned Diaz about why he was offended over a white firefighter’s use of a racial slur that wasn’t directed at him.
Tharp drew headlines in 2016 when he abruptly retired months after being promoted to deputy chief because he refused orders from Bashir to investigate and put administrative charges on Carmichael and then-Capt. James Hall following the jury’s verdict for their roles in the Diaz matter. Hall was later promoted despite the $1 million blunder.
It’s unclear if there is a frontrunner to land the acting or permanent fire director gig as Gusciora said his office is conducting a national search.
Gusciora, who was at the South Trenton diner meeting with Councilman George Muschal to brainstorm ideas for the July 21 street-sweeping kickoff, said he didn’t have a timeline for having someone in place as the two city leaders took part in a street sweeping demonstration across the street.
When asked about other candidates he has interviewed, Gusciora said he was drawing a blank but promised to get the information to The Trentonian.
Asked if he was aware of Carmichael’s colorful history in the fire department, the mayor responded: “Yeah, but he still has ideas. Everyone has ideas.”
Bashir told The Trentonian in an exclusive exit interview he wished the mayor wouldn’t “recycle” an old hat from the department. He didn’t mention Carmichael by name, but he didn’t need to. The two have been mortal enemies with a brooding history that stretches back quite some time. It’s well known in the department that Carmichael has been pushing to replace Bashir for years. He got a chance for a moment in 2014, when Muschal tapped him to succeed Bashir after he booted the fire director out of office.
Carmichael called the cops on Bashir when he showed up to work only to find he had been locked out of his office. The fight plunged the city into a costly court battle with Bashir coming out on top. A Superior Court judge reinstated him overruling the authority of Muschal, who was filling out the remainder of ex-Mayor Tony Mack’s term following his corruption conviction.
Carmichael is a polarizing figure in the fire ranks, one of three fire officials, including Bashir and Hall, named as defendants in the nearly $1 million payout to Diaz.
Diaz accused Carmichael and Hall of retaliating against him. Diaz recalled Carmichael gave him the bird as he sat on the bumper of a fire truck at Station 9 — an obscene gesture that signified Diaz had been ostracized from the department he loved after he insisted to Hall that he discipline Peter Plumeri for calling a black colleague the N-word.
Bashir punished Plumeri by stripping him of paid days off and sending him to an all-black firehouse.
The trial exposed some of the rampant racism in the department that Bashir alluded to in his exit interview.
Diaz’s attorney, George Dougherty, who declined comment Wednesday, often accused Carmichael of being untruthful when he testified.
Bashir was cleared of any wrongdoing, but the jury brought down the hammer on Carmichael and Hall finding them responsible for creating a toxic work environment.
The city has appealed the verdict, which is being handled by the law firm Parker McCay. It’s unclear how much the city has spent to litigate the case.
Carmichael, who couldn’t immediately be reached for comment, may face stiff opposition in getting approved by City Council if he was to land the job. While he likely has Muschal’s backing, the ex-deputy fire chief has to contend with council president Kathy McBride, who has returned to the legislative body. She backed Bashir and told him to continue showing up to work during the job fight with Muschal in 2014.
McBride didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment about whether she has softened the hardline stance she took just a few years ago against Carmichael.