8.57% Turnout for Middletown School Borrow and Spend Referendum

4,109 of 47,906 registered voters in Middletown Township went to the polls yesterday to vote on a $32.2 million spending measure for repairs to the township’s schools.  The referendum passed 2,951 to 1,158 with 43,797 abstentions.   Mail-in and provisional ballots are not included in these unofficial figures provided by Monmouth County Clerk M. Claire French’s office.

The Middletown Board of Education is now authorized to borrow $19.3  million for school maintenance and repairs.  $12.9 million for the project is expected to come from 20 Regular Operating District (ROD) grants from the New Jersey Department of Education.

In an OpEd posted on Middletown Patch, School Board Member Vinnie Brand made the case for the referendum, arguing that the grants are a rare opportunity which give the board an opportunity to make the “critical need” repairs for 60% of cost while passing 40% off to statewide taxpayers.  Brand noted that interest rates are low and that labor rates are “more reasonable.”

Middletown resident Chris Fotache countered Brand’s argument in an OpEd on MMM submitted yesterday as the polls opened.  Fotache argued that the Board of Ed did not publicize the referendum in order to assure a low voter turnout that would favor the referendum.  He alleged fiscal mismanagement and duplicate spending on repairs and planning fees.

)

• Tweet

Vin Gopal Threatens Legal Action Against MoreMonmouthMusings

Monmouth County Democratic Chairman Vin Gopal, not Devender Singh

Monmouth County Democratic Chairman Vin Gopal has threatened the owner of this website, Gallco Media, LLC, with “all legal remedies under law” unless the post, Feds Charge Indian National With Abusive Sexual Contact, is removed from the site.  Gopal’s attorney, D. Sam Han, Esq. of Sobel Han, LLP of Englewood Cliffs, further demands that an apology and retraction be posted that clearly denotes the improper usage of Gopal’s picture on this site.  The photo in question is posted to the left.  Han’s letter can be viewed here.

On behalf of Gallco Media, I consulted with two attorneys to find out what these “legal remedies under law” might be. Both said there aren’t any and that Gopal does not have an actionable claim.  Bring it on, Han. Play it again, Sam. You’re not gonna win, Vin.

We really must have gotten under Gopal’s skin.  He didn’t threaten legal action against the campaign of Assemblywomen Caroline Casagrande and Mary Pat Angelini in the the 2011 legislative race when they sent the now infamous Joe Vas mailer out against Gopal who was running against them at the time.  The mailer was widely criticized in the media and even by many Republicans at the time.  MMM didn’t write about the mailer in 2011 because I was in jail on ginned up charges when the controversy broke. I’m particularly sensitive to the consequences of exaggerated allegations made in the media.

Gopal’s gotten a small taste of his own medicine.  We hope he’ll alter his conduct, and lead members of party to do the same.  It’s not looking too good, so far, but that is what we’re after in our “Monmouth County Republican Chairman John Bennett did not issue a statement…” posts and our posts calling Gopal on his duplicity.

Read the rest of this entry »

• Tweet

Tea Parties Take Credit For Obama’s Electoral Victories

Four New Jersey Tea Party groups and a Southern California Tea Party group joined forces today in warning national Republicans not to nominate a moderate for president in 2016.  In their joint statement released this morning, the Bayshore Tea Party Group, the East Jersey Tea Party Group, the NJ TEA Party Caucus and the Ventura County Tea Party from California claimed credit for the 2008 and 2012 electoral victories on President Barack Obama and promised more of the same if a moderate or liberal Republican is nominated in 2016.

In the event a moderate or liberal republican is nominated by the GOP in 2016, the Tea Party groups that joined together in this statement, have pledged to refuse any support for that nominee and urge all concerned Americans who believe in liberty, prosperity, smaller government and fiscal responsibility, to join them in their action. Other groups throughout the nation are expected to join within the weeks and months to come.

A moderate Republican will result in the continuation of lower Conservative Republican voter turnout that began in the late 1990’s and was a significant contributor to Republican Presidential loses in 2008 and 2012.

Bayshore Tea Party Group Co-founder Barbara Gonzalez said the groups have polled their members and found that the majority will not support a Republican nominee who does not pass their litmus tests. Read the rest of this entry »

• Tweet

Monmouth Democrats Are Off And Running

Monmouth GOP has its pants on the ground

Larry Luttrell and Joe Grillo. Photo via facebook

Their nominating convention is not until March 22 at the IBEW Local 400 union hall in Wall Township, but Monmouth County Democratic freeholder candidates Larry Luttrell and Joe Grillo are off and running full speed ahead.

Luttrell, the Holmdel attorney who came in last against Freeholders Tom Arnone and Serena DiMaso, as well as his running mate Brian Froelich, after being endorsed by the Asbury Park Press last year, announced he was running again almost immediately after his sad showing.

Grillo is the former Executive Director of the Monmouth Democrats and the municipal chairman of the Asbury Park Democrats. Like Luttrell, he has never held elected office. Grillo was briefly a candidate for the Asbury Park City Council last year, withdrawing from the race prior to the filing deadline. Since leaving his position as ED of the Monmouth Dems, Grillo has worked for his family’s tile company in Howell.

Grillo stepped up his game over the weekend with a fundraising email blast that announced his candidacy.  He raised $6,200 online through Sunday. A Democrat who does not want to be known for talking to a Republican leaning site told MMM that Grillo has raised over $20,000 for his campaign including checks collected offline. His stated goal is to raise $50,000 by the June 3rd primary.

Read the rest of this entry »

• Tweet

Immigrants in the country illegally could legally drive in NJ under bill

Immigrants in the country illegally could legally drive in NJ under bill (via NJ.com)

TRENTON — A new effort is underway in the state Legislature to allow unauthorized immigrants to legally drive in New Jersey, setting up what could be the next state debate over immigration policy. Under the measure, New Jersey would be required to…

Read the rest of this entry »

• Tweet

Ron Paul Endorses Murray Sabrin for U.S. Senate

Former Texas Congressman Ron Paul endorsed Ramapo College Finance Professor Murray Sabrin for the New Jersey GOP U.S. Senate nomination, Sabrin’s campaign announced today.

In a letter to Sabrin expressing his endorsement, Paul said that the professor recognizes the dramatic overreach of ObamaCare will impact all Americans for decades to come.  Paul cited Sabrin’s opposition to NSA spying on American citizens.

“I have known Murray for 30 years, and he is a

true champion of liberty. I am proud to endorse

his campaign for U.S. Senate in New Jersey.”

“I’m honored and humbled to have the support of my friend, Ron Paul,” said Murray, “and I know his endorsement sends a strong message throughout New Jersey that I’m in this race all the way and in it to win.”

“America and New Jersey cannot afford Cory Booker in the Senate for a full, six-year term given his support of job-killing taxes, environmental regulations that will cost almost 8,500 New Jerseyans their jobs over the next 10 years and, of course the increasingly problematic Obamacare. We can’t afford to let Cory Booker pay attention to the nation’s business in the same way The New York Times recently exposed he failed to pay attention to the city of Newark’s business when he was mayor. The hard working people of New Jersey deserve better, and I will give that to them when I’m elected to the United States Senate.”

The Sabrin campaign said they are proud of Paul’s endorsement not only because of their shared principles, but because of the access to Paul’s grassroots fundraising apparatus that raised millions of dollars during the former congressman’s presidential campaigns.

• Tweet

Sabrin Filed Ethics Complaint Against Sweeney For Lobbying

Murray Sabrin, PhD raised questions about Senate President Steve Sweeney’s potentially conflicting roles as a labor leader and state legislator months before he considered running for U.S. Senate.  If his ethics complaint is politically motivated, the complaint itself was not made to boost his Senate candidacy. But the fact that he is shedding a public light on it now, over three months after he first raised the issue, is an effort to raise his public profile to support his candidacy.

But if Sabrin thought his efforts against Sweeney would help him garner support with the GOP establishment for the Senate nomination, he is mistaken.  Former Acting Govenor/Senate President Don DiFrancesco, still a power player in the establishment, defended Sweeney in the Chasing New Jersey report (video below) that brought Sabrin’s complaint to public light.

Sabrin says that Sweeney’s employment as General Vice President of the International Association of Iron Workers, where he earns over $200,000 per year, is a conflict with his role as Senate President because he lobbies senators that he overseas.

DiFrancesco told Chasing New Jersey’s Sibile Marcellus that Sweeney is “not lobbying the legislature, he’s in government relations.”

Read the rest of this entry »

• Tweet

Jury Selection Starts For Eatontown Man Accused Of Throwing His Daughter Off A Bridge

Arthur Morgan III during a hearing at Monmouth County Court last October. Photo courtesy of Wall.Patch.com

Jury selection for the murder trial of Arthur Morgan III, 29 of Eatontown, started yesterday in Judge Anthony Mellaci’s courtroom in Freehold.  Jury selection is expected to continue throughout this week. Opening statements in Morgan’s trail could start as early as Tuesday, March 11, according to a statement by Acting Monmouth County Prosecutor Christopher Gramiccioni.

Morgan is accused of murdering his 2-year old daughter, Tierra Morgan-Glover, on November 21, 2011, by tossing her off an overpass on Schoolhouse Road in the Shark River Park section of Wall Township.   Tierra’s mother filed a missing persons report after Morgan failed to return his daughter to her mother’s custody as agreed after a visitation scheduled for a few hours. The toddler’s body was discovered by passers-by on November 22, 2011.

Morgan fled the area and was apprehended in San Diego, CA on November 29, 2011.  He has been held on $10 million bail in the Monmouth County Correctional Institution since his extradition.

• Tweet

Sandy Fraud Task Force Bayshore Office Is Closed

The Monmouth County Prosecutor’s Superstorm Sandy Task Fraud Task Force office at the Bayshore Activity Center in Middletown closed last Thursday, February 27, Acting Prosecutor Christopher J. Gramiccioni announced on Monday.

The Task Force Command Center had been set up in Bayshore Waterfront Park, Port Monmouth, in February of 2012 to protect Sandy survivors from unscrupulous contractors and predators looking to defraud residents in the process of rebuilding their homes.   Residents who continue to need such assistance are encouraged to visit the Task Force’s website, SandyFraud.com, or call the Task Force hotline at 855-SANDY-39  (855-726-3939).

Acting Prosecutor Gramiccioni urges everyone to keep in mind the following list of “red flag” situations when dealing with a Home Improvement Contractors:

Read the rest of this entry »

• Tweet

Toms River Crowd Gives Christie A Standing Ovation

Sharon from Toms River asks the last question at Governor Chris Christie’s Town Hall Meeting in Toms River. March 4, 2014

After Governor Chris Christie gave his customary warning to the last questioner at Town Hall meetings…don’t ask a stupid question or the crowd will turn on you…he called on Sharon from Toms River.

While the announced topic of the Town Hall was Sandy Recovery, Christie told the crowd of over 550 jammed in to the club house of a senior citizens’ community that they were welcome to ask him about anything.

Sharon brought up ObamaCare and the crowd started to boo.  “What can we do?” Sharon asked after expressing her healthcare concerns to the governor over the boos.

“Elect a new president,” Christie said a matter-a-factually.  The crowd erupted spontaneously. 550 senior citizens jumped out for their seats as if they had bed bugs and cheered Christie’s answer for a good minute, maybe two.

Christie said his answer was not a matter of partisanship, him being Republican and President Obama being a Democrat, but a matter of what works and what doesn’t work. The governor noted that Obama keeps delaying the implementation of parts of ObamaCare, “because they are not working.”

Read the rest of this entry »

• Tweet