Election Scheme Sentence For Morris County Attorney

Morristown NJ

08 November, 2021

10:14 AM

Description

MORRISTOWN, NJ — "Lawless Lizzie" skated around jail time, but she did get punished. Elizabeth Valandingham — an attorney and Morristown resident — was sentenced Friday to probation for her role in an illegal campaign-contribution scheme. Subscribe to Patch for local news updates to your inbox. (It's free): https://patch.com/subscribe Valandingham, who skated under the name "Lawless Lizzie" for the Jerzey Derby Brigade roller derby team, received three years' probation and 324 hours of community service. The state recommended a 364-day jail sentencing for Valandingham, but Morris County Superior Court Judge Robert Hanna did not impose the sentence. Under an April 13 plea agreement, Valandingham also forfeited her law license and was ordered to pay a $75,000 public corruption profiteering penalty. Valandingham pleaded guilty to third-degree tampering with public record or information. In the plea, she admitted to submitting fraudulent proposals for government contracts for law firms where she worked — O'Donnell McCord, P.C. — failing to disclose political contributions illegally made using straw donors. The former attorney further admitted that she submitted false reports to the New Jersey Election Law Enforcement Commission on behalf of the law firm. Valandingham was initially charged by complaint-summons on June 17, 2020. "Those who engage in illegal schemes to evade our campaign finance and pay-to-play laws will be held accountable," said Acting Attorney General Andrew J. Bruck. "We cannot tolerate any attempt to undermine fair and open elections and public contracts in New Jersey." From 2013-17, Valandingham helped secure at least $600,000 in legal work for the now-shuttered Morristown firm, by falsely representing to Mount Arlington and Bloomfield officials and state election authorities that the firm made no political contributions in those towns, authorities said. But $250,000 in donations had been funneled to "straw donors" recruited by Valandingham and reimbursed by the law firm, according to the New Jersey Office of the Attorney General. Thanks for reading. Learn more about posting announcements or events to your local Patch site. Have a news tip? Email [email protected]. Subscribe to your local Patch newsletter and follow the Morristown Patch Facebook page.