Ticket claim ruled unfounded
State police concluded a N.J. lawmaker who contested his traffic stop was in the wrong.
TRENTON - New Jersey state police say an internal investigation has concluded a state lawmaker's claim that he was improperly issued a speeding ticket earlier this year was unfounded.
Shortly after being ticketed on Feb. 21, Assemblyman Nelson Albano (D., Cumberland), said he may have been targeted as payback for health-benefit and pension reforms the Legislature approved, though he admitted he had no proof to back up that assertion.
The trooper who issued the citation claimed police union leaders pressured him to make the ticket "disappear," allegations they denied.
Albano had withdrawn his complaint in late April.
The Star-Ledger of Newark reported the state police finding on Sunday.
Albano did not respond to the newspaper's requests for comment. However, Tom Hester Jr., a spokesman for Assembly Democrats, issued a statement on his behalf.
"This all happened the same month that the man who killed Assemblyman Albano's son was released from jail and the assemblyman had a heart attack," Hester said in the statement. "Assemblyman Albano apologized and paid the fine and will have no further comment on this issue."
Authorities have said Albano, who lives in Vineland, was going 71 m.p.h. in a 55 m.p.h. zone when he was stopped Feb. 21 on Route 29 in Hamilton Township, Mercer County, by Trooper Randy Pangborn. At the time, Albano - who has represented the First Legislative District since 2006 and who opposed the benefit and pension reforms - was driving to the Statehouse for Gov. Christie's budget address.
Six days after the stop, Albano wrote a letter to Col. Rick Fuentes, state police superintendent, claiming Pangborn singled him out, treated him like a criminal, and detained him from official business. Albano acknowledged, however, that he was not late for Christie's speech.
The traffic stop was captured on a camera in the trooper's patrol car. The Star-Ledger said it had obtained a copy of the video, which shows the trooper was respectful, calm, never raised his voice, and had the lawmaker on his way in eight minutes.
Pangborn accepted the vehicle's temporary registration and even apologized for writing the ticket. But when Albano asked for a break, he politely told him to call the court.
Pangborn did not respond to the newspaper's request for comment on the traffic stop video.
After word of Albano's complaint became public in April, he apologized for asking the trooper not to issue him a ticket. At the time, Albano said he would pay the fine but stressed that he was not trying to use his elected position when he made the request, adding that any motorist has the right to make the request he made.