This issue was very weird. Here's what I did.
1) Verified ALL classpaths/paths at the OS level, and the websphere level -> Including pointing to the new version of log4j/gson
2) Uninstalled CMOD V10.5
3) Reinstalled CMOD V10.5 + FixPack 7
4) Redeployed the ICN ear file
5) Repository successfully added.
Essentially, a reinstall of the base CMOD, fixed us up.