A Daily Record editorial today looks at the sometimes rocky marriage of bars and politics in Morristown, in the wake of Tuesday’s penalties imposed on the Dark Horse Lounge.
The bar faced a series of charges alleging it allowed underaged drinking and failed to report fights in 2008 and 2009. It has agreed to plead guilty to two charges, and will lose its liquor license for five days around the Labor Day holiday next month.
The paper notes that the bar’s owners supported Tim Dougherty, who defeated Mayor Donald Cresitello in last year’s Demnocratic primary and went on the win the mayoralty.
Donald Cresitello’s council supporters sought a 30-day license suspension last year, “as political payback,” the paper said. The article continues:
Ah, but times change.
Dougherty is now the mayor. And a council with a different makeup reduced the proposed 30-day suspension to five days — Sept. 2 to Sept. 6.
Which already is giving Morristown Republicans grist for the next campaign.
