Paterson mayor takes aim at NJ AG for coffee ‘photo op’ in aftermath of four homicides

PATERSON — Mayor Andre Sayegh took aim at New Jersey Attorney General Matthew Platkin on Wednesday morning, questioning his participation in a Coffee with a Cop Day “photo op” in Paterson right after the city had four homicides.

"If Matt Platkin were going to be in Paterson, he should have made sure he found out who the victims' families were,” the mayor said in an interview with Paterson Press.

Platkin attended the coffee event at a Dunkin’ in Paterson on Oct. 4, after a three-day city shooting outbreak from Oct. 1 through Oct. 3 that left four people dead.

Sayegh did not make any public comments last week immediately after Platkin’s Paterson appearance. But the mayor said on Wednesday that he decided to speak out after hearing Michael Taylor, the father of one of the recent victims, express his anger over his daughter’s death at a public meeting on Tuesday night.

"He's so far removed, he's so detached from this, he can't feel the man's pain,” Sayegh said of Platkin.

In responding to the mayor's attack, the Attorney General's Office did not talk about the timing of the "cofee with a Cop" event. State officials simply said Platkin has been an advocate for victims and survivors of gun violence for 20 years.

"It was that heartfelt dedication to this cause that led him to build the Division of Violence Intervention and Victim Assistance – a first-in-the-nation office created to integrate trauma-informed victim services and advocacy into all aspects of New Jersey’s criminal justice system," said spokesman Mike Symons.

The AG spokesman said outreach and survivor services are provided to the surviving families of gun violence through the lead nvestigatinglaw enforcement agency.

"Members of the Paterson Police Department have made that direct outreach to the families of those lost in last week’s shootings, and as the state’s chief law enforcement officer, Attorney General Platkin makes sure this is done in every case across the state each time a life is tragically cut short by violence in our communities," Symons said.

A second critique of Murphy officials

Wednesday’s criticism of Platkin marked the second time in six days that Sayegh lashed out at one of Gov. Phil Murphy’s top appointees regarding the recent killings.

Last Friday, Sayegh accused Murphy’s chief counsel, Parimal Garg, of taking “a victory lap” before the recent victims were even buried by posting on social media about Paterson’s recent crime reduction, saying the “numbers don’t lie.” Murphy’s press office has not provided any response to questions about Sayegh’s criticism of Garg.

There’s been increasing tension between the mayor and the attorney general's office this year.

When Platkin filed criminal charges against a Paterson cop involved in a street shooting in January, the mayor issued a statement questioning that decision. Then, Platkin’s office took control of the troubled Paterson police department on March 27, a move that blindsided the mayor. Sayegh is supporting a lawsuit filed last week that is seeking get state authorities removed from city police headquarters.

Platkin talked about the Paterson coffee event on the attorney general’s Facebook page last week.

“It provided a great opportunity to connect law enforcement and community members over a cup of joe, stirring up conversations about public safety and brewing better relationships,” Platkin said.

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'A pattern of insensitivity'

Sayegh said he saw a connection between Platkin’s actions last week and Garg’s social media post.

"It shows a pattern of insensitivity," the mayor said.

During his comments about the coffee with a cop event, Sayegh took a punch at the attorney general's takeover under Platkin. The mayor said the attorney general's failure to reach out to the crime victims was "an example of how his (Platkin's) remote management doesn't work.”

Sayegh told Paterson Press he has no plans to contact Platkin directly but made a statement urging the attorney general to contact Taylor and the other victims' families. When asked how that message would be conveyed to Platkin, the mayor said, "He's going to read this article."

"I have been trying for the past week to help Michael Taylor heal," Sayegh said. "That is why I think Matt Platkin should meet with him."

The man Platkin appointed as officer-in-charge at the Paterson police department, Isa Abbassi, also attended the “Coffee with a Cop” event. Sayegh did not levy against criticism against Abbassi for his participation. When asked about that, the mayor said it was because Taylor’s Tuesday night tirade did not mention Abbassi.

Taylor did direct some criticism on Tuesday at Sayegh. “Get off me, man,” Taylor said as the mayor approached him. “I don’t trust your [expletive].”

Joe Malinconico is editor of Paterson Press. Email: editor@patersonpress.com

This article originally appeared on NorthJersey.com: Paterson mayor Andre Sayegh critiques NJ AG after 4 homicides