A fire chief in Essex County has been fined $2,500 after state officials determined his involvement in a business venture with firefighters he supervised was a conflict of interest.

Andre Williams, chief of the East Orange Fire Department, is fighting the ruling and fine brought by the Local Finance Board, a regulatory body within the Division of Local Government Services of the New Jersey Department of Community Affairs.

Williams’ attorneys allege disgruntled city employees have been behind attempts to publicly discredit the chief for years.

“This action is merely a back door attempt to blemish the impeccable record of Chief Williams; it is being brought with malice and is completely frivolous,” attorney Anthony Iacullo said in a statement to NJ Advance Media on Wednesday.

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