Bridges confirmed as law director, Kologi returns
Eat crow. Fired council attorney Edward Kologi is back, much to Mayor Reed Gusciora’s chagrin.
He was unanimously appointed legislative counsel at Thursday’s meeting after Superior Court Judge Mary Jacobson’s decision upholding the governing body’s special counsel ordinance paved the way for his return following his unceremonious exit last year.
Kologi butted heads with the Gusciora administration on his way out, threatening to sue the city after his contract was voided.
But he ultimately relented, adding his goal now is to “smooth over” any “rough spots so everyone can focus on the job.”
“I never thought I would be coming back,” Kologi said in a phone interview Friday. “As far as I’m concerned, it’s all ancient history. I enjoyed the time that I worked for the council. I’m extremely honored that there was a unanimous vote to rehire me.”
Kologi served as council’s legal adviser prior to his sudden firing as former law director John Morelli accused him of violating terms of his contract.
Mayor Reed Gusciora pulled the trigger on Kologi after an executive-session debacle, claiming legislators were not entitled to standby counsel other than the city law department.
Gusciora — who hasn’t responded to phone calls seeking comment — blamed Kologi for not shutting down the secret powwow in which Elite Spiders LLC President John Liu pitched buying the Roebling Wire Works building.
Kologi said it was up to Morelli to intervene if he felt the executive session violated the Open Public Meetings Act.
Prosecutors investigated council for “Sunshine Law” violations but decided against sanctions since Morelli didn’t shut down the meeting.
Legislators did not take kindly to Kologi’s dismissal, firing Morelli for cause in October 2020.
He remained on the city payroll for months until he went out on leave and never returned.
He was replaced by Wes Bridges, a former Mercer County sheriff’s officer who founded his own legal practice in Trenton.
Bridges, who served in an acting capacity since December, was confirmed as law director 5-0, with council president Kathy McBride abstaining and councilwoman Robin Vaughn declining to cast a vote.
Business administrator Adam Cruz, who is serving as acting mayor while Gusciora is out of town, presented the interim law director to council for confirmation.
He called Bridges a “top” lawyer with a “proven track record,” as he worked at the prestigious Philly law firm Fox & Rothschild and spent another decade as a partner at Princetonbased Wong Fleming law firm before starting up his own practice.
Vaughn grilled the new law director prior to his confirmation about his vision for the law department and a previous stint as appointed attorney for council.
Responding to the councilwoman’s claims that he “abandoned” legislators, Bridges clarified that he was “not council’s attorney” and only represented it on a couple matters before Gusciora tapped him as Morelli’s replacement.
He felt like he has been able to “build bridges” and mend fences since coming aboard as continues reshaping the look of the law department.
He’s hoping to add two or three litigators to the payroll.
“I’ve always found that a high tide rises all ships,” Bridges said.
Vaughn, a stickler for procedure, slammed the administration for allowing Bridges’ 90-day term to expire before putting him up for the permanent gig.
She demanded answers from Bridges about why he didn’t advise the administration that his term needed to be re-upped before appearing before legislators for advice and consent.
“Why it took so long for me to come up for advice and consent? I don’t know,” Bridges said. “I felt it more important to do the job … than abandoning ship.”