The NJ Blog

Bowing to pressure brought on by a string of recent accusations, state Assemblywoman Evelyn Williams said yesterday she will not continue serving in the Legislature.

In a three-paragraph letter faxed to Essex County Democratic Chairman Philip Thigpen yesterday afternoon, Williams said she would step down when the current session ends Monday, citing a need to resolve the "misunderstandings and misperceptions" that have plagued her over the past three weeks.

Williams' problems began on Dec. 20, when she was arrested on a charge of shoplifting at an Irvington discount store. Two days later, Williams was fired from her $70,060 job at the Essex County Detention Center after county officials said they found out she had retired and started collecting pension checks without telling them.

That revelation sparked an investigation by the state Department of the Treasury into whether Williams knowingly defrauded the state pension system. If Williams is found to have defrauded the state, her $45,000-a-year pension could be revoked.

Most recently, Williams has been accused of not paying a group of electioneers she hired to push the Democratic ticket during this year's gubernatorial campaign.