Bennett responds to the Soprano State anonymous mailer

An anonymous mailing which included a copy of the book jacket of The Soprano State and the two pages of the New York Times Best Seller by Bob Ingle and Sandy McClure that featured former Acting Governor John Bennett was sent, from Trenton, to members of the Monmouth County Republican Committee this week, presumably to hurt Bennett’s candidacy for Monmouth County GOP Chair.

Bennett’s opponent, State Committeewoman Christine Hanlon, has denied any involvement in or prior knowledge of the mailing.

Bennett responded by mailing the County Committee members a photocopy of a March 24, 2007 Asbury Park Press article, Feds: Bennett is cleared in billing probe, which included a handwritten note from the former Acting Governor in which he refers to The Soprano State as a “politically charged and intentionally biased novel.”

A copy of Bennett’s mailing can be downloaded here.

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Bennett’s Rage: The Monmouth GOP Chair’s Race, Part 3

By Art Gallagher

Part 3 of this series was going to be about Christine Hanlon, but that will have to wait.

John Bennett called in a rage today over the two pieces about him.  He was screaming.  All the awful things people say about me are true.  At least he has the balls to say it directly to me.

He said he’s suing me and having me charged with extortion.  Extortion because Christine Hanlon and Ernesto Cullari advertised here.  He and Anna Little did not.  That’s why I was hard on Anna Little and that’s why I’m printing “lies and untruths” about him.

I’m not really a Republican because I talked to Bob Ingle.  I wish I had my wits about me to say he’s not really a Republican because he favors a woman’s right to kill babies, but I didn’t think of it until much later after someone pointed out to me how unprincipled Anna Little’s endorsement of Bennett was, given her pro-life commitment and Christine Hanlon’s pro-life commitment.  Not that a county chair has any power over Roe v Wade. 

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Bennett’s Baggage: The Monmouth GOP Chair’s Race, Part 2

Ultimately the job of a county chairman is to win elections.

Unfortunately, one of the candidates for Monmouth County GOP Chair is blinded to the fact that that his record will become a major issue in the next two general elections, should his revisionist history campaign successfully result in his chairmanship.

If John Bennett and his supporters think The Asbury Park Press and the new Monmouth County Democratic Chairman, whoever that ends up being, are not rooting for Bennett to be the next Monmouth GOP Chair, they truly have their heads in the sand.

Bennett has been promoting his early legislative career and electoral successes as a reason to elect him chairman as if the unceremonious and embarrassing end to his legislative career didn’t happen.  He even implored MMM not to write about the damage he has done, not just to Monmouth County, the Monmouth GOP, but to the entire State of New Jersey and the New Jersey GOP.  “Don’t write bad things about me!” Bennett exclaimed when we met for almost three hours early last month.  We hoped he would realize the obvious himself and that we wouldn’t have to write the truth about him.   Unfortunately that has turned out not to be the case. 

Just as he did in 2003 when he ignored then County Chairman Bill Dowd’s call to abandon his unwinnable reelection bid, Bennett has his head in the sand now.  Just as he didn’t see that his continued candidacy in 2003 would not only cost Republicans the 12^th legislative district but control of the State Senate where he was Co-President, Bennett doesn’t see now that his being Chairman could very well cost the Monmouth GOP control of the county government which we have worked so hard to win back over the last four years.

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Monmouth GOP Chair’s Race, Part 1: The way the game is played

Ultimately the job of a county chair is to win elections.

Unfortunately, much of the current campaign for Monmouth GOP chair has been focused on the spoils of victory—which lawyer would be a hungrier pig if he/she got elected.

That issue is a red herring.

John Bennett’s pledge that he, his daughter and his firm will forsake doing legal work for the county should he be elected chair would be impressive if he also pledged to forsake municipal work and pledged not to trade legal work at the county and municipal levels with chairs from other counties.  That will never happen.

Bennett has demonstrated over his thirty year career that he is a master of working the system for the benefit of himself and his family.  There can be no  little doubt that before he pledged that he and his daughter would not do legal work for Monmouth County should he be elected GOP County Chair, that he already had made a deal to replace and expand those billable hours and retainers in other counties.  To put it bluntly, if Bennett becomes Chair, his income will increase from Ocean County and Ocean County GOP Chairman George Gilmore’s income will increase in Monmouth County. 

“That’s the way the game is played,” one Bennett supporter recently told MMM in defense of the obvious.

John Bennett’s career is a case study in “the way the game is played.”   From the high five figure state pension, plus lifetime health benefits, he is collecting from tacking together part time jobs, a practice that is no longer legal, to the jobs he has secured for himself and his family members on the state, county and municipal levels, to making the government work that his opponent in the Chair’s race, Christine Hanlon and her partners, do an issue in this race, Bennett is the maestro.

Talk to me about the potential conflicts of interest of your opponent after you’ve pledged to give up all government work for yourself and your family.  Short of that, please stop insulting our intelligence.

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Current, Former Legislators Endorse Bennett for Monmouth GOP Chair

Senator Robert Singer, Assemblymen Sean Kean and Declan O’Scanlon as well as former Assembly members Clare Farragher, Michael Arnone, and Marie Muhler (also former Surrogate) have endorsed John Bennett for Monmouth GOP Chair in a letter to County Committee members that reads as follows:

We are writing to request your support for our friend, former colleague and State Committeeman Senator John Bennett as the next Chair of the Monmouth County Republican Party.

Senator Bennett, as a member of the Monmouth County legislative delegation for over twenty-four years, has always put the interests of the people of Monmouth County first.  Whether it was improving the environment, cutting taxes, bringing home State dollars or fighting for our seniors, John was in the forefront and got the job done.

Besides his excellent legislative record, Senator Bennett has time and time again demonstrated his leadership ability.  For years he served as Chairman of the Assembly Environmental Committee and championed some of the most effective environmental legislation in the history of our State.

Upon being elected to the New Jersey Senate, Senator Bennett was soon selected by his legislative colleagues to become he Deputy Majority Leader and thereafter the Senate Majority Leader.  In January 2002, Senator Bennett became the Senate President and was sworn in on the same day as Acting Governor of New Jersey.

Senator Bennett has proposed a Ten-Point-Plan for this platform as our Chairman which includes: returning the County Convention System for candidate selection, developing and implementing a set of by-laws within sixty (60) days and establishing a Board of Directors with regional representatives.  He has also pledged that his law firm will not accept any County work or any County job during his tenure as County Chair to avoid any perceived conflict of interest.

Senator Bennett is a proven leader who unites factions and can maitain our party as a strong and inclusive one,  his experience and leadership will serve our Coutny origanization well and we urge you to supoort him at the convention on Tuesday June 12 at 7:00 P.M. at the Colts Neck High School for Monmouth Republican Chair.

 

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Little Thanks Her Supporters, Endorses John Bennett For Monmouth GOP Chair

6th congressional district nominee Anna Little sent the following email to her supporters this afternoon, thanking them for her victory and encouraging them to support John Bennett for Monmouth GOP Chair:

Congratulations on your decisive victory in Congressional District 6! You sent a clear message to your Republican leadership that We The People are in charge, and WE will direct our government. Your hard work paid off. It is my honor to work side by side with you as we take back the people’s seat in Congressional District 6, replacing a liberal progressive incumbent with a true representative of the people this November.

Defeating Frank Pallone is serious business. We must present a unified front if we are to accomplish our goals. I urge each and every one of you to reach out to someone who did not vote in this Primary election, or who may have voted for someone else. Encourage them to work with us as We The People defeat our common enemy, Frank Pallone. Working together, grass roots organizations, Independent voters, Unaffiliated voters, Conservative Democrats, and Republicans will send a people’s representative to Washington from New Jersey. The General Election Campaign begins today.

Within the Republican Party in Monmouth County we have the opportunity to select a new Republican Chairman on June 12. It is urgent that all County Committee members in Monmouth County attend this Convention and select a chairman who will return Monmouth County’s Republican Organization to an open convention candidate selection process. Former State Senator, Former Governor John Bennett will lead the Monmouth County Republican Organization in this manner. When Monmouth County’s selection committee chose an unknown, unvetted candidate to face Frank Pallone in District 6, John Bennett courageously took a stand supporting Anna Little, the candidate chosen by the people of Monmouth County in both the 2010 Primary and General Elections. John Bennett’s leadership will unite Monmouth County Republicans, Independents, and Unaffiliated voters working with grass roots organizations to defeat Frank Pallone and Bob Menendez in November. We must ensure that John Bennett becomes the new Chairman of the Monmouth County Republican Organization.

As I write this email we are assembling a list of Republican County Committee members in Monmouth County. Please consider visiting these folks door to door to remind them to attend the Convention on June 12 and to vote John Bennett for Chairman. In this way we can ensure Monmouth County Republican support for our campaigns against Frank Pallone and Bob Menendez this fall.

Thank you for all you do for your families, your county and your nation. You are an inspiration to me. God Bless you and God Bless America. Let’s go win an election!

 

Sincerely,

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Bennett Announces For Monmouth GOP Chair

John Bennett

Former Senate President John O. Bennett, III announced his candidacy for Monmouth County Republican Chairman this afternoon.   The following letter is being mailed to members of the Monmouth County Republican Committee:

I wanted to reach all of you as soon as possible after the Governor’s nomination of our County Chair, Joseph Oxley, to the Monmouth County Superior Court.  Joe has served our County and Party well and will be an excellent Judge.  As a result of his appointment, a new County Chair will need to be elected at our County Reorganization Meeting to be held on June 12, 2012, at the Colts Neck High School at 7:00 pm.  I would like you to support me to fill that vacancy.  I would consider the position of County Chair to be both an honor and a capstone to a very fulfilling political career. 

I have been in public service for over 30 years, and I believe my extensive experience and background will serve the County Committee well.  You will find a short resume enclosed that highlights my political life from Chairman of the Young Republicans of Monmouth County to my current position of Treasurer of the New Jersey Republican State Committee.

A few points that I wanted to share with you which I feel are important for our party.

            1)         I believe in the County Convention System for candidate selection.

            2)         Every effort should be made to fill as many county Committee slots as possible.

3)         A working set of bylaws will be established within 60 days of my becoming County Chair.

4)         I pledge to forego all County legal work during my term as chair.  My daughter, Meghan Bennett Clark, Esq., is currently the First Assistant County Counsel, and  has agreed to resign immediately upon my selection as Chair.

5)         Neither I, nor any member of my law firm, will take any paid appointments from the County during my term as Chair.  The perception of any conflicts must be removed, and no County chair should be employed by the County in any capacity.

6)         There needs to be improved communication between the County party and the local parties.  I will establish a working Board of Directors from throughout the County to report back to the Chair regarding issues and events and  regular meetings will  be held.

7)         Headquarters in Freehold should be open and available to all Monmouth County GOP groups.

8)         Our  website, www.monmouthrepublican.org, must be updated and kept current.

9)         Every effort should be made to value differences of opinion and have internal disputes resolved privately.

10)       Last, but certainly not least,  the County Party must refocus on raising money.  During my tenure as Senate President I raised more money than any other Republican in that time except for a sitting Governor.  The Chair needs to participate, while also abiding by all pay-to-play rules and negotiations.

I am asking for your support as County Chair in order to implement this platform and keep Monmouth County strong and Republican.  Together we can make a difference. 

                                    Very truly yours,

                                    John O. Bennett                                 

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Bennett: “I would be interested” in chairmanship

Former Senate President John O. Bennett, III told MMM that he is interested in seeking the Monmouth County GOP Chairmanship.

“I’ve declined many times in the past and I support Joe Oxley as Chairman,” said Bennett, “however if he becomes a judge, I would be interested. ”

Bennett said he would talk it over with his family before moving forward.

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