Angelo Joseph Errichetti (September 29, 1928 – May 16, 2013) was an American Democratic Party politician who served as Mayor of Camden, New Jersey, and in the

New Jersey Senate The New Jersey Senate is the upper house of the New Jersey Legislature by the Constitution of 1844, replacing the Legislative Council. There are 40 legislative districts, representing districts with an average population of 232,225 (2020 figure ...

before being indicted during

Abscam Abscam, sometimes written ABSCAM, was a Federal Bureau of Investigation sting operation in the late 1970s and early 1980s that led to the convictions of seven members from both chambers of the United States Congress and others for bribery and co ...

Early life

Angelo Joseph Errichetti grew up in poverty in Camden, the sixth of seven children of immigrants from Italy. His father, from Ruoti, Italy, worked stoking coal. The 5-foot, 9-inch Errichetti was a football standout at Camden High School and, after graduating went to

West Nottingham Academy West Nottingham Academy is an independent co-ed school serves both boarding and day students in grades 9-12. It was founded in 1744 by the Presbyterianism, Presbyterian preacher Samuel Finley, who later became President of Princeton University, ...

and briefly took night classes at

Rutgers University Rutgers University ( ), officially Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, is a Public university, public land-grant research university consisting of three campuses in New Jersey. Chartered in 1766, Rutgers was originally called Queen's C ...

. After working for a time in his brother's dry cleaning business and working in insurance, he enlisted in the

United States Coast Guard The United States Coast Guard (USCG) is the maritime security, search and rescue, and Admiralty law, law enforcement military branch, service branch of the armed forces of the United States. It is one of the country's eight Uniformed services ...

Career

Errichetti went into politics in 1961 as administrative assistant to Mayor Alfred R. Pierce and was named as Camden's purchasing agent and later as head of its Department of Public Works. He was first elected as Mayor in 1973 and was chosen in 1976 to fill a vacancy in the

. In 1977 he was re-elected as mayor with 88% of the vote and won election to a full term in the State Senate.Janson, Donald
"It's Business as Usual; at Camden's City Hall"
''

The New York Times ''The New York Times'' (''NYT'') is an American daily newspaper based in New York City. ''The New York Times'' covers domestic, national, and international news, and publishes opinion pieces, investigative reports, and reviews. As one of ...

'', June 8, 1980. Accessed October 13, 2009. As Mayor of Camden, Errichetti put in 12-hour days, working to improve the economy of the struggling city. He exercised substantial control over the city's operation, and he submitted seven budgets without tax increases that were passed with little oversight. The City Council first scheduled hearings for his budget submitted in 1980. Despite changes made by the Council, Errichetti was able to get his budget passed as is by a vote of 5–2.

Abscam conviction

Errichetti was charged with arranging for undercover agents to meet with several politicians who would end up accepting bribes to help use their influence on behalf of individuals posing as Arab investors, with Errichetti taking his share of the bribes, in what was called the Abscam case. His grip on local politics started to fade, with his three-member slate for the Camden Board of Education all losing in elections, though he was able to get all of his Democratic City Committee candidates elected in June 1980. In May 1981, Errichetti was indicted on charges of bribery related to federally subsidized sewer projects, in which Errichetti was said to have received $10,000 in cash to steer engineering projects. After his indictment, he emphatically denied the allegations filed against him and refused to consider demands that he resign from his two elected positions. In 1981, Errichetti, defended by attorney Raymond A. Brown, was convicted of federal bribery and conspiracy charges, and sentenced to six years in prison, of which he served 32 months.

U.S. Senator The United States Senate is a chamber of the bicameral United States Congress; it is the upper house, with the U.S. House of Representatives being the lower house. Together, the Senate and House have the authority under Article One of the ...

Harrison A. Williams had claimed that he was improperly lured to accept bribes, to which Federal District Judge George C. Pratt responded that there was no evidence that the FBI sought out Senator Williams, rather he had selected himself when he accepted Errichetti's offer to meet with the undercover agents and that it was Errichetti who was "standing in the center of a cesspool of corruption".

Death

A resident of Ventnor City, New Jersey, Errichetti died on May 16, 2013, at his home there.Weber, Bruce
"Angelo J. Errichetti, 84, Camden Mayor Convicted of Bribery, Dies"
''

'', May 28, 2013. Accessed October 25, 2021. Camden mayor Dana Redd ordered that flags at Camden's municipal buildings be flown at half staff during the day that his funeral was held.Colimore, Edward
"Angelo Errichetti dies; ex-Camden mayor was Abscam figure"
''

The Philadelphia Inquirer ''The Philadelphia Inquirer'', often referred to simply as ''The Inquirer'', is a daily newspaper headquartered in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Founded on June 1, 1829, ''The Philadelphia Inquirer'' is the third-longest continuously operating da ...

'', May 19, 2013. Accessed January 19, 2014. "Angelo J. Errichetti, 84, a former Camden mayor and state senator who was South Jersey's premier Democratic power broker in the decade before his 1981 bribery conviction in the Abscam scandal, has died after a long illness. He had been living in Ventnor, N.J." He was predeceased by his wife Dolores and survived by his daughter, Michele.

Positions held

* Seaman,

. * City Purchasing Agent (1961–1965), Camden, New Jersey. * Democratic Municipal Chairman (1965–1981), Camden, New Jersey. * Mayor (1973–1981), Camden, New Jersey. * State Senator (1976–1981), New Jersey (resigned after being sentenced on bribery charges).

In popular culture

The character Carmine Polito (played by

Jeremy Renner Jeremy Lee Renner (born January 7, 1971) is an American actor. He began his career by appearing in independent films such as ''Dahmer (film), Dahmer'' (2002) and ''Neo Ned'' (2005), then supporting roles in bigger films, such as ''S.W.A.T. (20 ...

) in

David O. Russell David Owen Russell (born August 20, 1958) is an American film director, screenwriter and producer. He has earned numerous accolades including two British Academy Film Awards, and a Golden Globe Award as well as nominations for five Academy Aw ...

's 2013 film ''

American Hustle ''American Hustle'' is a 2013 American black comedy crime film directed by David O. Russell. It was written by Eric Warren Singer and Russell and inspired by the FBI Abscam operation of the late 1970s and early 1980s. It stars Christian Ba ...

'' is based on Errichetti.Mulvihill, Geoff
"'Hustle' casts spotlight on real mayor"
''

'', December 27, 2013. Accessed February 17, 2014. "In the film, which opened Friday, Camden Mayor Carmine Polito turns down a briefcase full of money when he is first offered a bribe. The character, based on real-life Mayor Angelo Errichetti and played by Jeremy Renner, later agrees to accept the money because he believes doing so would lead to jobs for residents."

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Errichetti, Angelo 1928 births 2013 deaths 20th-century mayors of places in New Jersey Abscam American people of Italian descent Camden High School (New Jersey) alumni Mayors of Camden, New Jersey Military personnel from Atlantic County, New Jersey Military personnel from Camden, New Jersey Democratic Party New Jersey state senators People from Ventnor City, New Jersey Politicians convicted under the Travel Act Politicians convicted of conspiracy to defraud the United States Rutgers University alumni United States Coast Guard enlisted New Jersey politicians convicted of corruption West Nottingham Academy alumni New Jersey politicians convicted of crimes People convicted in the Abscam scandal 20th-century members of the New Jersey Legislature