Former New Jersey Gov. Jim McGreevey was fired as the head of Jersey City’s job-training center in what he claims is a political hit by Mayor Steve Fulop.
The nine-member board of the Jersey City Employment and Training Program voted Monday night to oust McGreevey, despite a stream of testimonials from clients placed in jobs by the ex-governor.
When the board vote was finalized, members of the audience began to yell, “God bless Jim.”
The vote was 5-3, with one abstention, the Jersey Journal reported.
McGreevey, 61, has served as director of the nonprofit since 2013.
He told The Post he was given no explanation for his sudden termination.
“I said, ‘Can you give me a single reason why you’re doing this? Can you give me an opportunity to respond?’ ” McGreevey said Tuesday.
“They offered no reason. They were silent.”
The dismissal came after McGreevey fell out of favor with Fulop.
McGreevey said his relationship with the mayor deteriorated last year when the ex-gov fired staffer Eugene McKnight, a political operative and Fulop supporter who officials said was taking $40 monthly payments from ex-offenders he helped place in jobs.
“He was one of Fulop’s major political operatives. It was unfortunate. That’s when everything changed,” McGreevey said.
He dismissed allegations that funds from the nonprofit were othewise misappropriated.
“There’s no misappropriation of funds. That’s a blatant lie. We’re audited by the state. We run a good, clean program,” said McGreevey, who had earned $119,000 a year.
The mayor’s spokeswoman, Ashley Manz, insisted he played no role in McGreevey’s firing.
But she confirmed that the mayor was concerned about allegations of “misappropriation of funds” at the agency.
“The JCETP board makes decisions with regards to Jim McGreevey and JCETP. While Jim McGreevey talks about political retaliation, he has provided nothing to substantiate that claim,” Manz said in a statement.
“The mayor and McGreevey haven’t spoken in years, and McGreevey made the allegation [that the mayor was behind his ouster only] after concerns were brought forward by the state, county, JC Economic Development and County WIB [Workforce Investment Board] with regards to misappropriation of funds under McGreevey at JCETP. Anyone can see that the timing of his allegation is very suspicious,” she said.
McGreevey resigned as governor in 2004 after admitting he that he had an affair with a male staffer, while married and famously disclosed, “I am a gay American.”