By Joseph Catena
John Alite knows a criminal when he sees one. This is exactly why he has his eye on a congressional seat next year.
“I know gangsters,” said Alite, a former affiliate of the Gambino crime family turned government witness, who was recently appointed councilman in Englishtown, N.J. “Being a gangster in my past, it was obvious to me with all the weaponization going on in government. There is manipulation of money, for one thing.”
Alite, a New York native who was raised on the Brooklyn/Queens border, views the U.S. government as a deeply corrupt institution that rivals any organized crime syndicate, especially when it comes to finances. He railed against “trillions going to other countries” and “foreign governments and Hammas,” while our inner cities deteriorate, and veterans go homeless.
His unlikely transition to politics began modestly. Alite, a Republican, described himself as an independent prior to 2016. Then, he became part of a political awakening.
“The Democrat party went all the way to the left, almost Communist,” he said. He campaigned aggressively for Donald Trump over Hillary Clinton, and did so with just as much, if not more fervor in 2020, against Joe Biden, and in 2024. “I saw them use covid and the ‘Russia, Russia, Russia’ hoax to bring Trump down. They don’t care about the will of the people.”
While winning a congressional seat would be a huge task, Alite is used to facing huge odds and conquering them. After his release from prison, he pounced on the opportunity to better his life and the lives of others, rather than inflicting harm and going back on the reckless path he once followed. An integral part of his focus is helping troubled youths. Alite has worked with numerous police departments and was even hired once in Switzerland to council youngsters after an episode where gang violence broke out.
“[At first], people thought I was doing it as a cover because of parole,” he said. “I did it for free. I wanted my life to be different. I wanted to save more kids’ lives.”
Another passion that burns deep within Alite is combatting the free flow of drugs in America. A father of five, he lost his only daughter, Chelsea, just days after her 30th birthday, when she unwittingly took a Percocet that was laced with fentanyl. Alite has pointed a finger at China for manufacturing the vast amount of this killer drug, and followed by saying much of it was imported by Mexico via the southern border.
While he describes himself as pro police and tough on crime, ironic as that may sound given his history, Alite does not put all criminals, even violent ones, in the same class.
“Criminals like pedophiles, rapists, and murderers have no empathy,” he said. “They are a different type of criminal. There is a difference in shooting a rival gang member than going out and killing an old lady.”
He indicated the government deserves a large portion of the blame for fentanyl and other drug-related crimes because of the aforementioned lack of border control and the access people have to buy and sell drugs. This is also why he believes a drug addict is not a criminal.
“An addict has to be treated for a disease,” he said.
If and when his congressional run comes to fruition, Alite is prepared for any kind of political assault. Unlike many politicians who try to downplay or lie about past indiscretions or controversies, Alite is an open book. He hides nothing, and he willingly speaks about redemption.
“I paid what I had to pay,” he said. “I’m not justifying being a criminal. But, I can be an example of someone who broke the law and learned from his mistakes. A troubled kid might be more willing to listen to a guy like me than a cop.”
His message is simple.
“I tell kids: read the small print,” he said. “There is a strong possibility that you’re going to go to jail, get hurt, or get killed. You have the ability to be an entrepreneur. If you’re good with your hands, take a trade. Find one thing you’re good at and you could be rich.”
His encouragement and motivation are always topped with this.
“Everybody’s forgetting about God and family,” he said.
Who knows? Just maybe if this bad guy turned good eventually earns a seat on Capitol Hill, he can turn around some troubled adults. He will certainly have numerous picks to choose from.
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