Former mayor arrested again

   
   MOUNT HOLLY — Former Springfield Township Mayor John Green was arrested March 1 and charged with contempt for the second time in a month after failing to appear in court in connection with an investigation by the state Bureau of Securities.
By:Vanessa S. Holt
   Mr. Green was placed in handcuffs at about 12:30 p.m. March 1 and transported to Burlington County Jail where he spent one night, said County Sheriff Gary Daniels. The arrest occurred a day after Mr. Green failed to appear at a scheduled deposition.
   The state Bureau of Securities began an investigation last year to determine whether Mr. Green had still been registered as a licensed investment adviser with the bureau when radio commercials were aired early last year for his services.
   Mr. Green did not resist arrest and cooperated with officers when they arrested him at his home, said Sheriff Daniels. After a brief meeting with Superior Court Assignment Judge A. Sweeney on Thursday afternoon, Mr. Green was ordered to meet with Bureau of Securities attorneys on Friday.
   Mr. Green was previously arrested on Feb. 16 after Judge Sweeney found him in contempt for "ignoring" a court order to comply with a subpoena from the bureau to appear in court and produce financial records.
   Mr. Green has been representing himself in the proceedings and has declined to comment on the matter. He had filed an appeal with the Appellate Division of Superior Court which was denied last week, said Judge Sweeney. The pending appeal was the reason Mr. Green had given for not having appeared at the scheduled deposition, said Deputy Attorney General Stephen Resnick.
   The judge said he had not set bail after Mr. Green’s March 1 arrest because of Mr. Green’s "persistent refusal to appear in court."
   At the Friday morning meeting, Mr. Resnick said Mr. Green answered the bureau’s questions under oath.
   "We only asked questions we felt we needed to get answers to," said Mr. Resnick.
   Mr. Resnick said the bureau wanted an explanation for the advertisement Mr. Green had placed on the radio last year.
   "We perceived it as solicitation for his business as an investment adviser and we wanted to know why he was doing that," said Mr. Resnick. "We have worked out an arrangement. If he produces them (financial records) within 30 days we will review them."
   The bureau requested three years of financial records, but will accept less, said Mr. Resnick.
   "They are willing to accept less than three years (of records)," said Judge Sweeney. "If he doesn’t provide them, they will subpoena them."
   After the interview with Bureau of Securities attorneys, Mr. Green was released from jail.
   Mr. Green was mayor of Springfield Township from 1999 to 2000.