Throwing a civic hissy fit

A Nutley, New Jersey man named Frank Gilberti shows up at Bloomfield Municipal Court to pay a $56 traffic fine with 112 rolls of pennies. A little juvenile, but perfectly legal, especially since the courthouse has a sign proclaiming that fines may be paid in cash (which included pennies, the last time I checked).

Gilberti is turned away. He later calls and complains, but is told that he must write his driver's license on each roll. (He countered that if he were to show up with 56 one dollar bills, they wouldn't make him perform the same onerous task). He was also told that there was a warrant for his arrest, presumably for showing up with the pennies the first time. He had to pay $90 for bail to stay out of jail, and now has a January court date.

It's a jailable crime in New Jersey to attempt to pay a traffic fine with coins?

A local televsion station attempted to investigate, but the courthouse employees apparently feel that they don't have to respect the First Amendment as well as their own posted financial transaction policies:

"WCBS went by to get a comment from the court, but as soon as reporters got there, they were told: 'Turn the camera off.'"

Illegal behavior on top of illegal behavior is no way to go through life, people. It's sadly all too common for "professional" government employees to behave this way, though. Arbitrarily decide to not honor one's stated policies, and then attempt to intimidate and silence the press when they show up to investigate a citizen's valid complaint about the situation.

Gilberti is vowing to show up at his court date with the same 112 rolls of pennies. Here's hoping that the judge gives the Nutley city employees the smackdown they so richly deserve.