Embattled Camden County politician Arthur Barclay is in trouble again and could face jail time.
Five years after he was arrested for punching his girlfriend in the face and breaking her nose, Barclay will be back in court again after a pedestrian allegedly hit by his vehicle was seriously injured.
The 2018 domestic violence charge led to the 6’8” former high school and college basketball star’s resignation as an assemblyman from the 5th district. The charges were dismissed after his then-girlfriend failed to show up in court. Now he’s seeking to jumpstart his political career as a candidate for the Camden City Council.
Barclay was allegedly driving with a suspended driver’s license.
Court records show that Barclay was issued a summons at 12:17 AM on Saturday, July 1, for causing a serious injury while driving with a suspended license. The victim, a 37-year-old woman, was transported to Cooper University Hospital.
If convicted and the state can prove that Barclay knew his license was suspended, he could face three to five years in prison, a $15,000 fine, and a felony record.
Records show that Barclay was issued a summons for driving with a suspended license on May 4 in Atlantic City. At the same time, he received a summons for obstruction of windshield for vision of his red 2017 Lincoln in Atlantic City on May 4, with a court appearance set for August 16.
He was also issued a summons on December 23, 2019, for driving with an expired driver’s license in East Greenwich. He pled guilty on June 12, 2003 – six days after winning the Democratic primary – and was fined $290. He still owes $90, records show. Court records show an arrest warrant was recalled after his court appearance last month.
Should Barclay decide to drop out of the race, Democratic county committee members in Camden City’s Ward 1 would pick the replacement candidate. The full county committee is made up of organization loyalists.
Barclay’s latest legal troubles were first reported by TAPintoCamden, which said Barclay had just left a celebration for Camden County Commissioner Al Dyer, who retired from a job with the city’s public schools and now heads Camden’s Human Services Department.
The City of Camden Municipal Court transferred Barclay’s case to the Camden County Prosecutor on July 3. This is an indictable offense.
More than ten days went by before Barclay’s 2018 arrest became public, and even then, Assembly leaders had trouble getting him to sign a resignation letter. He was replaced by William Spearman (D-Camden).
Barclay was the captain of the state championship Camden High School basketball team in 2000. He played for the University of Memphis basketball team. The 41-year-old Democrat was elected to the Assembly in 2015 after Gilbert “Whip” Wilson gave up his seat to run for sheriff.
He had run unsuccessfully for the city council in 2009 but won a seat – this time with party support – in 2013.
Backed by the powerful Camden County Democratic machine, Barclay won the June 6 Democratic primary for the Camden City Council Ward 1 seat with 84% of the vote against off-the-line challenger Jose Javier Ramos.
With no Republican candidate, Barclay has a clear shot at returning to public office. The incumbent, Shaneka Boucher, did not seek re-election.
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March 23, 2019 -
