Judge: Anti-Kushner bias not cause of Jersey City dispute

JERSEY CITY, N.J. (AP) — A federal judge has dismissed a lawsuit that alleges Jersey City breached agreements with a group of real estate companies because of animosity toward President Donald Trump’s son-in-law.

Before he was named senior adviser to the president, Jared Kushner was CEO of Kushner Properties, a major investor in the companies pursuing the $900 million project.

The companies claimed the city issued a notice of default last year out of political retribution. They cited critical tweets by Democratic Mayor Steven Fulop. They city denied the allegations.

The judge wrote Thursday that the companies didn’t prove the theory in part because the city took its action more than a year after Kushner joined the administration.

The companies can still pursue other claims in state court.

An attorney representing the plaintiffs didn’t immediately comment.