An ex-mobster, murderer is now an Englishtown, NJ councilman

🔴 Ex-Gambino mobster is now a New Jersey councilman

🔴 Alite said he murdered six people and shot 30 others

🔴 Mayor requested other council members to resign

ENGLISHTOWN — A former hitman for the mob in New Jersey is now working to stop the flow of drugs into his quiet community.

John Alite is the newest member of Englishtown council.

Since moving there three years ago, Alite says he's been getting more engaged in the local politics of the small Monmouth County town of around 2,300 residents.

It's a big change from his old gig.

In an interview with GQ magazine nearly six years ago, Alite tallied his body count as an enforcer on behalf of the infamous Gambino crime family.

He estimated he murdered six people, shot another 30 to 40, and used a baseball bat to beat up another 100, give or take a few.

Alite tells New Jersey 101.5 that he hasn't been involved in that life for years.

And his interest in politics grew after the death of his 30-year-old daughter. She died of a fentanyl overdose three years ago, just before his move to Englishtown.

Alite now gives motivational talks to inner-city youth and has launched a podcast. He's also campaigned for Donald Trump and gave a glowing endorsement to Jack Ciatterelli for New Jersey's next governor.

Reaction in town vs online

After the New York Post first reported on Alite's new position, comments came flooding in.

"Well it's about time there was an honest man in government," one quipped.

However, many reactions were not kind:

"Once a mobster always a mobster."

"I don't know if there are too many people who would trust a councilman who used to be a member of organized crime."

"How is he still walking the streets after all he's done?"

The simple answer to that last question is that Alite flipped on the mob. He served 14 years in prison after testifying against his then-boss John A. "Junior" Gotti — the former head of the Gambino crime family.

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But Mayor Francisco says the reaction from Englishtown residents is the one that matters. And he claims they already know Alite and don't seem to mind.

"There's nothing to hide, everyone knows each other," Francisco said.

Unanswered questions swirl around Englishtown

Why four members of Englishtown council resigned this month remains a mystery.

Francisco said he asked council members Kyle Jewusiak and William Lewis, both fellow Republicans, to resign due to a "local incident."

The mayor said he was unable to comment on the incident or describe it because of a "legal issue."

Meaghan Lewis, William Lewis's wife, was also a member of council and a Republican. She announced her resignation in a statement last week.

"The strong hand to push out two councilmen who did more work for the town than you could ever imagine, and the last-minute change to replace them with absolutely no communication to the sitting council, was the final straw," Meaghan Lewis said.

Councilman William Sabin, a fourth Republican, also resigned, according to Francisco. New Jersey 101.5 was unable to find contact information for Sabin.

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