MoveOn.Org petition seeks resignation from Roselle Mayor Donald Shaw

Critics are demanding that Mayor Donald Shaw hand in his resignation after an NJTODAY investigative report exposed his lies about buying a home in Elizabeth.

Roselle Mayor Donald A. Shaw and his wife Kimberly M Sharrock-Shaw purchased a home in Elizabeth, the deed specified that the property would be owned and used as the buyer’s principal residence.

Shaw has not responded to numerous invitations to comment on the topic but social media was on fire with a lively discussion in which many residents expressed outrage over the Mayor’s deceit.

He profusely criticized residents who were talking about the Shaw family’s move to Elizabeth, and angrily denied that there was any truth to the rumor at such public venues as Borough Council meetings. Shaw did not respond to inquiries about the matter prior to publication of the initial NJTODAY report and subsequent to the publication of that story.

Shaw sold the family’s previous home at 242 West Fourth Avenue in Roselle, only a few days after voters confirmed his selection in the November 2020 election.

Shaw purchased his home at 728-732 Thomas Street in Elizabeth, but he is still collecting a paycheck for being mayor in Roselle despite a municipal residency requirement for his borough job.

A petition was posted by Kathy Campbell, a member of the online civic group MoveOn.org that said “Roselle Mayor Donald Shaw must resign because he moved to Elizabeth, agreed to a mortgage provision that he would make the home he purchased on Thomas Street his primary residence, and then defrauded residents of Roselle by lying about his actions.”

“Roselle Mayor Donald Shaw must resign before he is indicted for mortgage fraud, which would bring shame and dishonor to our community,” said the MoveOn.org website. “These selfish actions are typical of the conduct that has made Americans sour on our representative democracy, as evidenced by the fact that the Union County regular political organization rewarded the lying Mayor with an $80,000 job in county government at taxpayer expense.”

“Roselle deserves a Mayor who lives here and shares our community values, but most of all we deserve elected officials who respect us enough to tell the truth,” said Campbell.

Roselle Mayor Donald A. Shaw and his wife Kimberly M Sharrock-Shaw purchased a home in Elizabeth, the deed specified that the property would be owned and used as the buyer’s principal residence.