Before becoming mayor of Newark, New Jersey, Ras Baraka called for leniency in a case related to the leader of a violent street gang.
Baraka, a Democrat running for governor of New Jersey, made national headlines after attempting to enter an illegal-alien detention facility last week with New Jersey Democrat Reps. Robert Menendez Jr., LaMonica McIver, and Bonnie Watson Coleman.
The third-term mayor was arrested for trespassing at the Immigration and Customs Enforcement facility and appeared in federal court Thursday. Baraka’s case will proceed to trial, according to his campaign office, with a trial date expected for mid-July.
It’s not immediately clear how the case will affect his gubernatorial candidacy. He is one of six Democrats and five Republicans running for the seat being vacated by term-limited Democratic Gov. Phil Murphy, with the party primaries set…
