In an era when political deceit has become almost expected, Mayor Donald Shaw joins the ranks of disgraced figures like George Santos and Donald Trump—men whose legacies are defined less by leadership than by lies.
Santos, recently incarcerated for an extraordinary web of fabrications that defrauded donors and deceived voters, and Trump, who set historic records for falsehoods while in office, each demonstrated how dishonesty corrodes public trust.
Now, Roselle’s Mayor Shaw appears to be following their path—leveraging political power not to serve, but to conceal, enrich, and protect.
Once hailed as a potential example of redemption, Shaw stands accused of exploiting Roselle’s working-class families to fund a lavish lifestyle, obscure a heroin-dealing conviction, and empower a network of ethically compromised allies.
Shaw’s misuse of a municipal vehicle has sparked public outrage. Documents show that he racked up $4,952 in E-ZPass violations—paid by Roselle taxpayers—for late-night trips to New York City via the Goethals Bridge, Verrazzano-Narrows Bridge, and Lincoln Tunnel. Councilwoman Cynthia Johnson uncovered 49 violations, including a $66 charge at 2 a.m. in Brooklyn.
“What borough business happens at 2 a.m. in Queens?” asked concerned resident Sylvia Turnage.
The mayor has remained silent in the face of these revelations. A 2024 state audit further exposed systemic mismanagement of city vehicles under Shaw’s watch, noting a complete lack of GPS tracking or mileage logs to prevent personal abuse.
Shaw’s betrayal of the public trust runs deeper. Property records show that he and his wife purchased a $649,000 home in Elizabeth in 2020, in apparent violation of Roselle’s residency laws, which require elected officials to live within the borough. Their mortgage lists the Elizabeth property as their “principal residence,” raising allegations of mortgage fraud.
While Shaw pays no Roselle property taxes, borough homeowners have been burdened with an average $200 tax hike—subsidizing wealthier towns like Summit, where taxes decreased. Council President Denise Wilkerson, a key ally of Shaw’s, falsely claimed “no tax increases” even as crime surged amid their administration’s police defunding policies.
Shaw’s criminal past continues to haunt his political career. In 1989, he pleaded guilty to selling heroin to an undercover NYPD officer and served 273 days at Rikers Island.
To secure his $85,000 role as Roselle’s Recreation Director, Shaw reportedly evaded mandatory fingerprinting required for background checks—concealing his felony conviction. Former Mayor Christine Dansereau said Shaw’s personnel file was mysteriously “nonexistent,” pointing to a cover-up.
Shaw’s alliance with Wilkerson underscores a culture of cronyism as well as a proclivity to engage in deceit.
Wilkerson, who has been laundering cannabis dispensary funds through opaque nonprofits for her own benefit, claims to be a “successful businesswoman,” yet she reports no income beyond her public salary on mandatory financial disclosure forms.
She championed austerity measures that defunded local police, then awarded contracts to out-of-town vendors, which helped incur vast penalties to be paid by taxpayers like the $1 million in damages for a wrongly terminated police chief.
A scathing 2024 state audit revealed Shaw’s administration squandered $1.4 million in taxpayer funds, including payments for health benefits to ineligible employees and $645,000 in overpayments to a suspended clerk. Despite pledges of reform, Shaw’s team failed to implement even basic vehicle oversight policies, allowing continued abuse of city resources.
Public frustration is growing. A MoveOn petition demanded Shaw’s resignation over the alleged mortgage fraud. Activist Stephen Jung cited state laws requiring officials with felony convictions to forfeit public office. Editorials sounded alarms over the misdeeds.
In response, Shaw launched lawsuits against political rivals and independent journalists.
“Enough is enough,” says a Roselle resident. “We deserve leaders who live here, fight for us, and aren’t criminals.”
With Shaw’s administration increasingly under fire—facing audits, lawsuits, and a wave of grassroots opposition—the June 10 primary election could mark a turning point.
For many, the path forward is clear: Roselle’s future depends on removing Shaw and his political machine from power.