Updated: Councilman D'Urso Suing Assemblyman Schroeder

Washington Township Council Vice President Joseph D'Urso filed a lawsuit against State Assemblyman Robert Schroeder this week, alleging Schroeder never paid back more than $330,000 in loans and that he gave D'Urso several checks which bounced.

D'Urso's complaint describes the relationship between the D'Ursos and Schroeder, which goes back more than 20 years. In 2008, the D'Ursos made three loans to Schroeder totalling $500,000. Schroeder returned the money, but never paid the interest, according to the suit.

Schroeder then began requesting money "on an almost weekly basis," according to the complaint. The D'Ursos made numerous loans to Schroeder, most of which were repaid.

The complaint describes Schroeder as "a master of lofty but mostly false promises" and states that he failed to return $331,907 loaned from July to December of last year. Schroeder allegedly gave D'Urso three checks that bounced, which the complaint alleged "he knew would be dishonored."

The complaint lists Schroeder and his three companies: , Hercules Global Logistics and RS Consultants, as defendants.

Schroeder formerly served on the township council. He was elected to the state assembly in 2009.

The suit follows similar cases filed since last year in which complaining parties said Schroeder had failied to return loans. Schroeder was also to some of his investors.

A representative from the attorney general's office told Patch Wednesday that they were continuing to investigate Schroeder.

While he was allegedly accruing the debt, Schroeder was a frequent contributor to political campaigns for Republicans in New Jersey. The hundreds of thousands he donated since 2001 include a $2,000 contribution to the combined 2009 campaign for D'Urso and other Washington Township officials.

Officials from the Bergen County Democratic Committee and the Bergen County Republican Organization should return the almost $100,000 Schroeder donated over 10 years.

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