Menendez & Lesniak paid political operative who ordered hit on associate

Sean Caddle, a longtime political operative who has served as a consultant for numerous New Jersey politicians—including Robert Menendez, Lou Manzo, and Raymond Lesniak—admitted in January to hiring two men to assassinate Michael Galdieri.

Galdieri, a Jersey City political operative who was working alongside Caddle to elect Jimmy Davis as mayor in Bayonne at the time, was stabbed to death in May 2014, almost a year before

The revelation about the murder-for-hire case has the New Jersey political community collectively holding its breath, waiting for the next shoe to drop as Caddle, political operative-turned-cooperating witness, awaits sentencing in his Sussex County home.

Galdieri, a Jersey City political operative who was working alongside Caddle to elect Jimmy Davis as mayor in Bayonne at the time, was stabbed to death in May 2014, almost a year before Menendez was indicted on 13 counts of corruption.

Senator Robert Menendez paid Caddle $84,111 during the 2004 election cycle, while the lawmaker served in the House of Representatives in the same district where his unaccomplished 36-year-old son, Robert Menendez Jr., is vying against progressive Democratic businessman Brian Varela.

Varela is running against the Senator’s son for the right to be the Democratic nominee on the ballot to replace Albio Sires, who is retiring.

Caddle was part of Hudson County political campaigns for around two decades, according to John Heinis, publisher of the Hudson County View.

Menendez, Jr. became the first Hudson County resident to sit on the Port Authority board since the 80s, when former County Executive Robert Janiszewski—a close friend and associate of Lesniak—was a commissioner until he went to prison for bribery.

Menendez was indicted for helping Dr. Salomon Melgen revive a port security contract in the Dominican Republic, obtain visas for three of his mistresses to enter the United States and try to derail the investigation that led to the doctor’s criminal conviction for defrauding Medicare out of $103 million.

Menendez denied those favors were in exchange for gifts, although he got plenty of gifts from the doctor, who was found guilty of stealing $103 million from Medicare. The Senator later convinced President Donald Trump—another one of his campaign contributors—to release Melgan from prison long before the end of his 17-year sentence.

Caddle has also served as the executive director of the Committee for Economic Growth and Social Justice, and other super PACs linked to Lesniak, former state senator. Lesniak paid Caddle $2500 in December to aid in Bayonne Mayor Jimmy Davis’ campaign, out of a dark money group financed by a wealthy developer who hopes to win approval from the city to build on the Military Ocean Terminal at Bayonne.

Caddle was also accused of submitting falsified documents in 2010, while he served as director of Houston Votes, a Harris County, Texas voter registration organization.