William Musto

William Vincent Musto (March 27, 1917 – February 27, 2006) was an American Democratic politician who was sentenced to prison for corruption. He was the Mayor of Union City, New Jersey, from 1962 to 1970 and from 1974 to 1982. He served in the New Jersey General Assembly from 1947 to 1966 and in the New Jersey Senate from 1966 to 1982. The New York Times called him a "charismatic and visionary force" in New Jersey politics for decades.

Early life Musto was born in West Hoboken (now part of Union City) on March 27, 1917. He had a brother, Patrick Roy Musto. He served in World War II as a Captain in the 80th Division, 315th FA, Co C (as CO), General George S. Patton's Third Army, earning a Bronze Star.

Career In 1946, Musto was elected to the New Jersey assembly, where he started his long political career. After three years in the assembly working alongside Jersey City Mayor Frank Hague, Musto allied himself with the John V. Kenny Victory Ticket in 1949, and by 1953 became the Democratic minority leader of the state assembly. By 1965, Musto was elected to the New Jersey State Senate. Mr. Musto is often called the Dean of the Legislature and more than once has passed up the opportunity to be Senate President. A veteran State House observer said: "Everyone loves Billy Musto in Trenton. He's extremely popular." He is also credited with revitalizing the New Jersey Meadowlands. He was known for being an advocate of women's rights and health care reform. Musto's conviction drew disbelief from some of his contemporaries, as well as skepticism at the validity of the accusations against him. On March 26, 1982, Musto and his co-defendants were convicted in skimming $600,000 in kickbacks from Orlandini contracts for the school construction projects. Musto was sentenced to seven years in prison.

After serving three and a half years, Musto was granted early parole to a Manhattan halfway house in 1987, where he stayed for two months. They and their children, Patrick and Patricia, lived at 321 23rd Street in Union City.

Musto retired from the public eye following his release, and continued to proclaim his innocence for the rest of his life. In his free time, he was a member of the American Legion and VFW, as well as a member of The Elks. He also served as Honorary Chairman of the American Red Cross, North Hudson Chapter.

Legacy The William V. Musto Cultural Center opened on June 18, 2011. On June 18, 2011, Union City honored Musto by opening the William V. Musto Cultural Center, which houses the Union City Museum of History, art galleries, and rooms for senior citizen activities. The center is housed in the former public library on 15th Street, which was originally built by Cranwell family of builders in 1903, with funds donated by Andrew Carnegie. The naming of the center drew criticism from Michael Drewniak, a spokesman for Governor Chris Christie, who questioned the appropriateness of honoring a convicted felon, but Union City Mayor Brian P. Stack, who began volunteering on Musto campaigns as a young boy, and was present at age 16 at Musto's sentencing, pushed to name the building after his former mentor, and defended the decision by praising Musto's fairness toward rich and poor alike, and his generosity in helping those in need. Stack commented, "He changed the physical and political landscape of the state. He created the Meadowlands Racetrack, was the father of casino gambling in Atlantic City, he single-handedly created the (political) career of former U.S. Sen. Bill Bradley. [At his sentencing], the judge said a lifetime of good is not wiped out by one wrong." James Plaisted, the lead prosecutor in the 1982 case, agreed with Stack, saying, "The senator dedicated his life to public service for his community over many decades. Those good works over such a long period of time should be recognized."

In 2014 Musto was ranked #15 in NJ.com's list of the "15 Most Corrupt Politicians in N.J. History".