The transcript of Sean Spiller’s deposition testimony on January 4, 2024 provides a long list of retaliatory actions he took against Padmaja Rao, the Chief Financial Officer for the Township of Montclair. (See Rao Case) A summary of those actions and references are listed below.
*Fifth amendment – “Upon advice of counsel, I assert my Fifth Amendment privilege and respectfully decline to answer your question”.
ESX-L-6129-22 Trans ID: LCV2024504964
Transcript page and Line number | Question | Answer |
| Page 20, line17 | In February of 2023 the lawyers hired by the Town Council went to court and accused Ms. Rao of violating her duty of loyalty and acting unethically, isn’t that true? | *Fifth amendment |
| Page 21, line 1 | In February of 2023, after Ms. Rao sued the Town of Montclair, your lawyers went to court and tried to prevent her from doing her job, isn’t that correct? | *Fifth amendment |
| Page 21, line 19 | Despite Ms. Rao having to certify payments to anybody who works for the Township of Montclair, your lawyers went to court and said that she should have nothing to do with payment of O’Toole Scrivo, correct? | *Fifth amendment |
| Page 22, line 9 | Your lawyers went to court and tried to prevent Ms. Rao from having anything to do with the Fire Department, including its pension liability, even though she’s the pension certifying officer, isn’t that correct? | *Fifth amendment |
| Page 22, line 19 | Your lawyers went to court and tried to get the Court’s imprimatur to keeping the CFO off the finance committee, correct? | *Fifth amendment |
| Page 23, line 20 | You said at a Council meeting that Ms. Rao was suing the JIF, which was a false statement, isn’t that correct? | *Fifth amendment |
| Page 24, line 1 | And your lawyers went to court and said that the CFO couldn’t have anything to do with the purchase of liability insurance of the Township, correct? | *Fifth amendment |
| Page 24, line 10 | The Court ruled the fact that Ms. Rao was now the subject of a request to remove her from a core job duty regarding her functioning as CFO – -and that would be – – seem contrary not only to what the people of the town are entitled to by statute and what the statute requires of her but contrary to good sense. Are you aware of that court ruling? | *Fifth amendment |
| Page 87, line 9 | And you write to Tim Stafford, not to Ms. Rao, “Tim, this is getting out of hand and is ridiculous. “Please let me know what you found out regarding extending the services. I will also call you to discuss involving HR and next steps.” You wrote that on Saturday, July 23, 2022, at 11:56pm, correct? | *Fifth amendment |
| Page 87, line 21 | What’s out of hand? Ms. Rao as CFO trying to save the Township money? | *Fifth amendment |
| Page 88, line 1 | By July 23, 2022, she had questioned your eligibility for health benefits, correct? | *Fifth amendment |
| Page 88, line 6 | She had questioned your violating the law regarding the O’Toole contract, correct? | *Fifth amendment |
| Page 88, line 11 | She questioned the rampant firefighter fraud with no consequences, correct? | *Fifth amendment |
| Page 88, line 18 | So were you involving HR to take some action against Ms. Rao? | *Fifth amendment |
| Page 88, line 23 | Have you advocated for Ms. Rao to leave the Township? | *Fifth amendment |
I am confident that readers can form their own conclusions as to whether or not the former mayor of Montclair, Sean Spiller, who ran for governor of the state of New Jersey, retaliated against the CFO of the Township of Montclair for performing her professional obligation to serve in the best interest of the residents and taxpayers and not the interests of Sean Spiller.
Montclair Progressive or Corrupt 