From Trentonian reporter David Foster:

The Hamilton Republican candidates know they have an uphill battle in the November election. The incumbents also believe the Democrats will have only one platform: former Mayor John Bencivengo.

“We’re not going to let them put John Bencivengo’s basket out there and wrap us all in with it,” Councilman Dennis Pone said. “When people don’t have a platform, they slander.”

Bencivengo is scheduled Wednesday to be sentenced for his conviction of five federal corruption charges, which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years.

Bencivengo was found guilty in November of taking $12,400 in bribes from the government’s cooperating witness, Marliese Ljuba, in exchange for his influence with the Hamilton Board of Education, so that she could keep her lucrative health insurance brokerage for her employer, Allen Associates.

You can read the full story here.