Critics call Johnson a complete fraud for posturing with Valerie Huttle in supporting Bill Number: A 4326 in the Assembly, prohibiting newly elected officials from holding more than one elected office (both Johnson and Huttle have done so).  Furthermore Johnson has sponsored several anti-pay-to-play bills in the Assembly, including A119, A134, A173, and A180.

In October 2006 Johnson proposed a "12 Step Plan for Economic Recovery" along with Weinberg, and Huttle. 

 The plan included:

"1. Prohibit pension tacking----end the practice of allowing people to accumulate multiple public jobs to create a larger pension benefit.

2. Eliminate dual health and pension benefits for dual office holders with the elimination of dual office holding after a period of time."

Johnson is perhaps one of the biggest pension-tackers we know of, accumulating numerous government jobs over the years, from Englewood police officer, to Bergen County Sheriff, to Under-Sheriff and now District 37 Assemblyman/Englewood Councilman.As if his pension tacking and dual officer holder status weren't damning enough, a brief examination of Johnson's City Council ELEC filings reveals even more inconsistencies. 

Johnson hired Ray Ferraioli and his fundraising firm, Government Strategies, to rake in the cash. They are not exactly noted for their reform minded grassroots fundraising efforts but rather for ties to what Johnson calls the corrupt pay-to-play fundraising system.  In fact, all calls and checks regarding Johnson's May 20th fundraiser go directly to the for profit fundraisers found at Government Stategies, not a good government citizens fundraising group. Since hiring Ferraioli's firm, Johnson has been taking money from the likes of Federal Express, Deca Concrete and Iron Workers Local 483 (with the address of Iron Workers Local 11 in Bloomfield written on the ELEC form), not exactly the sort of contributors one would expect to find contributing to a "grassroots reformer."  

Johnson's recent fundraising activities and his apparent city council re-election bid call into question not only his credibility but the credibility of the entire "Real" Bergen Democrats splinter faction. These latest revelations about Assemblyman/Councilman Johnson suggest that the organization's attempt to balkanize the County Democratic Party has been motivated by power and greed, not by their stated goal of "taking on political corruption, and bossism." 

Inside Bergen attempted to reach Assemblyman Gordon for comment at his District 37 Legislative office, and spoke with his chief of staff, Omar Perez.  Perez had "No Comment" when asked if Johnson would seek re-election to his Assembly Seat in 2009 or if he would comment on Johnson's continuing to hold 2 offices after speaking and voting against the practice.