Serena DiMaso Announces Her Candidacy For Assembly In LD 13

Freeholder Serena DiMaso

Freeholder Serena DiMaso, a resident of Holmdel, announced her candidacy for the Republican nomination for State Assembly in the 13th Legislative District this morning in a press release.

LD 13 is located in northern Momouth County. The district is comprised of Aberdeen, Atlantic Highlands, Fair Haven, Hazlet, Highlands, Holmdel, Keansburg, Keyport, Little Silver, Marlboro, Middletown, Monmouth Beach, Oceanport, Rumson, Sea Bright and Union Beach.

“The retirement of our great State Senator, Joe Kyrillos, has left some big shoes to be filled and those shoes will likely be filled by one of our current Assembly members”, said DiMaso. “After speaking with my campaign team, and having Sheriff Shaun Golden and Freeholder Tom Arnone offer their encouragement and support I have decided to announce my candidacy for the New Jersey State Assembly from the 13^th District.”

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2017 Predictions

Joe Piscopo

In a repeat of Super Bowl I, the Green Bay Packers will defeat the Kansas City Chiefs in Super Bowl LI.  America will be great again.

Jared Kushner will buy Twitter.

The U.S. Supreme Court will reject Senator Robert Menendez’s arguments that constitutional separation of powers prohibits the Justice Department from prosecuting a New Jersey Senator for using the influence of his office in exchange for gifts and favors from a Florida businessman.  Menendez will step down from the Senate as part of a deal that excludes prison and a felony record.

Governor Chris Christie will appoint NJ Senate President Steve Sweeney to complete Menendez’s term in the U.S. Senate.

Republican Joe Piscopo will defeat Democrat Phil Murphy to become the Governor of New Jersey.

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Handlin will run for Assembly if she fails in Senate bid, wants O’Scanlon to do the same

O’Scanlon: “While I appreciate Amy’s confidence and endorsement for Assembly, I am running for Senate”

Assemblywoman Amy Handlin said she would seek another term in the New Jersey General Assembly if the 13th district County Committee members choose another candidate to replace Senator Joe Kyrillos in the upper house of the legislature.  So far, the only other candidate for the Senate seat is Handlin’s district mate, Assemblyman Declan O’Scanlon.

“Yes and yes,” Handlin said when asked if she would seek the GOP nomination for Assembly if she failed in her Senate bid and if she wanted O’Scanlon on the ticket as a candidate for Assembly.

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Year in review: April 2015

Governor Chris Christie pardoned Shaneen Allen, the single mother from Philadelphia who was arrested on gun possession charges in Atlantic County in 2013.

Senator Bob Menendez was indicted on federal corruption charges. Menendez stepped down as ranking member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.

State Senator Joe Kyrillos endorsed former Florida Governor Jeb Bush for the 2016 GOP presidential nomination.

Brookdale Community College President Maureen Murphy applied for the top job at Blinn College in Bryan, Texas.  She didn’t get it.

The year in review: 2015

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Christie comes home to reach across the aisle for campaign cash

Kim Guadagno will not be the Acting Governor today. Chris Christie is returning to the Soprano State to raise money to stimulate the New Hampshire economy.

NorthJersey.com reports that Christie’s fundraiser is being hosted by two registered Democrats and will be held at the Saddle River home of a deceased trucking magnate who was once convicted of racketeering in a case involving payoffs to the Genovese crime family.

Columba Bush, wife of former Florida Governor Jeb Bush will also be in Saddle River tonight.  The former Florida First Lady will be joining Jets owner Woody Johnson and State Senator Joe Kyrilllos in raising funds for husband’s presidential campaign at the home of of clothing manufacturer George Altirs and his wife Elisabeth, according to the NorthJersey.com report.

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Bush Makes Bank In Middletown

State Senator Joe Kyrillos and former Florida Governor Jeb Bush at the Navesink County Club, July 23, 2015. photo via facebook

Former Florida Governor Jeb Bush held a fundraiser for his 2016 Presidential Campaign at the Navesink Country Club in Middletown yesterday evening.

The Middletown Police were not called upon to provide security at the tax payers expense.

Bush raised “a lot more” than the $500,000 his campaign told the media was raised in Middletown and at a private dinner in Short Hills following the event.  A source familiar with the candidate’s New Jersey operation told MMM that the take in Middletown was $600,000 in “hard money” donated directly to his campaign plus “big money” to the Bush SuperPAC.

In a show of support to State Senator Joe Kyrillos, the first prominent New Jersey Republican to publicly break from Governor Chris Christie’s presidential quest and a Co-Chair of the Bush fundraising effort, Monmouth County’s Republican leadership, which helped Governor Chris Christie get elected twice and some of whom have publicly endorsed Christie for president were well represented, if camera shy, at the Middletown event, according to PolitickerNJ.

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Christie’s N.J. backers now donating to Jeb Bush’s 2016 campaign

WASHINGTON — State Sen. Joe Kyrillos isn’t the only supporter of Gov. Chris Christie to pitch his tent in Jeb Bush’s presidential camp. Kyrillos (R-Monmouth), a longtime Christie friend and political ally, contributed the maximum $2,700 to the former Florida governor’s presidential campaign. So have others who financially supported Christie during his two runs for governor.… Read the rest of this entry »

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In Middletown, Presidential campaigns have to pay police overtime or go without protection

Democratic and Republican candidates for President of the United States will have to reimburse Middletown taxpayers for police overtime if they want the Township’s finest to control traffic and provide security for their fundraisers, according to Township Committeeman Tony Fiore.

The Township was left with an overtime bill of about $14,000 in 2008 when Barack Obama held a fundraiser at Jon Bon Jovi’s Navesink home, according to Fiore.  That won’t happen again.  “The Township Committee will not approve the expense.”

Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, the presumptive Democratic nominee, is coming to Bon Jovi’s house today for a $1000 per head soiree, according to Star Ledger columnist Mark Di Ionno.

In 2008, the township requested reimbursement from the rocker, but didn’t have a prayer to collect.  Today, Fiore says the Police Department will not be present for the event unless Bon Jovi agrees upfront to cover the costs.

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Christie calls for interested parties to “come to the table” to solve pension crisis

Photo by Paul Scharff

Governor Chris Christie reacted to the New Jersey Supreme Court decision that he has the authority to cut pension payments from the State Budget and that the political branches of government…the Governor and Legislature…not the Court…must “deal with one another to forge a solution to the tenuous financial status of New Jersey’s pension funding in a way that comports with the strictures of our constitution,” by calling for “all interested parties” to come together and solve the New Jersey’s pension and benefit crisis “once and for all.”

“This decision is an important victory not only for our taxpayers who simply cannot afford these unsustainably high costs, but for limited, constitutional government that recognizes the proper role of the executive and legislative branches of government,” the Governor said in a statement issued by his office, “The Court’s position is clear, as is mine, it is time to move forward and work together to find a tangible, long-term solution to make our pension system and public employee health benefit costs affordable and sustainable for generations to come. In light of today’s decision, I urge all interested parties to come back to the table and partner with me to finally solve this problem once and for all.”

Assemblyman Declan O’Scanlon, R-Monmouth, the Assembly Republican Budget Officer, said,

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Monmouth Legislators: No more Ebola Patients at Fort Monmouth

The legislators representing Monmouth County from the 11th and 13th Districts want the New Jersey Department of Human Services to stop housing asymptomatic Ebola patients at Fort Monmouth at then end of this month when the current agreement to do so expires and they are calling on the members of the Fort Monmouth Economic Revitalization Authority to reject DHS’s request to extend the arrangement.

Senators Joe Kyrillos and Jennifer Beck joined with Assembly Members Amy Handlin, Declan O’Scanlon, Mary Pat Angelini and Caroline Casagrande in issuing the following statement:

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