Republicans could be in for a long summer

In Chris Christie:The Inside Story of His Rise to Power, authors Bob Ingle and Michael Symons describe U.S. Attorney Christie’s reluctance to use Solomon Dwek as informant during the Operation Bid Rig investigation in 2006.  “Do I really want to get in bed with this guy?” Christie is described as asking his deputies who were pushing for approval to make Dwek an informant. 

Ironically given how Democrats and defendants have argued that the July 2009 arrests based on Dwek’s sting were politically motivated to help Christie, the Deputy U.S. Attorneys advocating the sting argued to Christie that he would have been acting politically if he did not approve Dwek’s cooperation.

If this Star Ledger article by Matt Friedman is an indication of charades to come this summer, the Democrats on the Senate Judiciary Committee will make Joe Oxley’s confirmation hearing for his Superior Court Judgeship nomination a payback for the unceremonious end to former House Speaker, Senator and Commissioner of Community Affairs Joe Doria’s career when he his home was raided during the July 2009 federal operation. 

Doria has been cleared of any wrongdoing.  He has a letter from the U.S. Attorney, just like John Bennett does, but his career in public service is over.   Maybe Doria can become Chairman of the Hudson County Democrats some day.

U.S. Senate nominee Joe Kryillos is in the Democrats sites as well.  Dwek is the ammunition.

Democratic State Chairman John Wisniewski Tuesday issued a list of questions for Kyrillos, including how often he met with Dwek, what was discussed, who else was in attendance and whether he was ever contacted by law enforcement about it. “If you deny this and suggest Dwek is lying, does that raise the possibility with you that Dwek’s testimony that convicted others should be questioned?” Wisniewski wrote.

Kyrillos campaign spokesman Chapin Fay did not directly respond to Wisniewski, instead repeating that Kyrillos did nothing to help Dwek.

During the trial of Ridgefield Mayor Anthony Suarez it was revealed that among the diobalical schemes Dwek deployed in the 14 years leading to his 2006 arrest was a life insurance scam.  Dwek paid the life insurance premiums of people close to death who could not afford to keep their policies.  Upon the death of the insured, Dwek would give the deceased’s family 10% of the policy proceeds and pocket the rest.

Dwek’s father tried to get Soloman a pardon from President George W. Bush.  Maybe President Obama will pardon Dwek if he helps knock Chris Christie down a notch and helps keep Bob Menendez in the Senate.

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Oxley Righted The Ship

Photo credit: Scarcini, Hollenbeck

When Joe Oxley was elected Monmouth County Chairman in June of 2008, by acclamation and with no opposition, he took over a party that had gone through six tumultuous years that left it in debt, fractured and on the verge of losing control of Monmouth County’s government for the first time in two decades.

Four years later, the Monmouth GOP holds all seats on the Freeholder Board, all Constitutional offices, all Legislative seats in the county and the vast majority of municipal offices throughout the county.  New Jersey has a Republican Governor who would not have been elected if not for the voter turnout in Monmouth County.

One year prior to taking on the Chairmanship, Oxley made the politically shocking and personally risky decision not to seek a fourth term as Monmouth County Sheriff.   Oxley had excelled as Sheriff.  He made a national name for himself and for the Monmouth County Sheriff’s Department.  He was one of, if not the most, respected and popular elected officials in Monmouth County.  He was risking his career to lay the ground work for taking over the Monmouth GOP Chairmanship a year later in order to save the imploding  party from itself.

A hunger for leadership  and stability caused the various factions of the party to lay down their arms to acclaim Oxley the Chair without opposition.   Leadership, stability and winning is what they got, whether the faction leaders liked it or not.  Most often they didn’t as Oxley frustrated almost every party leader, ally or foe, during his two terms with an unorthodox but extremely effective leadership style that had nothing to do with building his personal popularity but everything to do with bringing leadership, stability and victory back to the party.  One could easily make an argument that he sacrificed much of his personal popularity for the good of the party. 

During his Chairmanship, Oxley earned his living as a municipal attorney.  He wasn’t greedy.  He didn’t abuse his political power for personal gain.  The level of work he took on was modest.  He and his new law partners lead the way in reducing legal fees on the county and municipal levels.

As Oxley moves on to the next phase of his professional life he still faces risks resulting from his 2007 decision to give up an office, Sheriff, that was securely his for as long as he wanted it, in order to provide a greater service to the county that he loves.   The obviously politically timed release of Solomon Dwek’s 2006 allegations against Oxley, allegations that had been released two years ago, albeit with less detail, will make Oxley’s confirmation as a Superior Court Judge more difficult.

As the Monmouth County Republican Party concludes a heated campaign to choose Oxley’s successor tonight, we should first lay down our arms, as we did in asking him for leadership in 2008, and thank him profoundly for a job well done.

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Dwek smeared Oxley, Kyrillos and Handlin

Swarmy swindler Solomon Dwek  told federal investigators in 2006 that Joe Oxley, Joe Kyrillos and Amy Handlin were in his pocket, according to a Star Ledger report posted on NJ.com Monday night.

Dwek’s claims became public in an FBI report prepared in August of 2006 that was recently released after former Hudson County Assemblyman Louis Manzo unsuccessfully sued the U. S Attorney’s office to recover $100,000 in legal fees that resulted from his July 2009 Operation Bid Rig arrest.   Manzo had been indicted twice in the Bid Rig III scandal but all charges against him were eventually dismissed, according to Bob Ingle and Michael Symons writing in their just released biography of Chris Christie.

Dwek alleged that Oxley, while Monmouth County Sheriff, tipped him off about upcoming foreclosures two weeks before the information became public, thereby giving Dwek an advantage in purchasing the properties before the foreclosure auctions.  The FBI’s subsequent investigation of Oxley found no wrong doing.

Oxley is the Monmouth County GOP Chairman until Tuesday evening.  He has been nominated by Governor Chris Christie to be a Superior Court Judge.    Christie was U.S. Attorney during the investigation of Oxley.

Read the rest of this entry »

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Asbury Park Press Takes Note of Chairmans Races

The print edition of the Asbury Park Press has an six paragraph article today about the Republican and Democratic races for County Chair.

“Pair look to replace Oxley as county GOP chairman” is the headline of the piece which appears on page 3 of the local Monmouth section of the paper. The lead is  “Former Senate President John O. Bennett III and Christine Giordano Hanlon, a behind-the-scenes political organizer, both hope to succeed Joseph W. Oxley as chairman of the Monmouth County Republican Committee

The article explains that GOP Chairman Joe Oxley has been nominated to the state Superior Court and reports that he said he is stepping down to spend more time with his 10 week-old daughter, Margaux.

Bennett received one paragraph that said he would officially notify party officials of his candidacy today and noted his position with the Dilworth Paxon law firm. Bennett did not elaborate due to a recent death in his family, the APP said.

Hanlon received two paragraphs on her background.

The last paragraph mentioned the Democratic race between Marlboro Democratic Chairman Frank LaRocca and Long Branch publisher Vin Gopal.

It is unusual that the APP would cover an internal party race.  They did not even mention the January election for Freeholder until days after Serena DiMaso was already sworn in to replace Rob Clifton.

Given the extreme, to put it mildly, coverage that Bennett received from the APP in 2003 over his double billing of Marlboro Township while serving as the municipal attorney, many Republican leaders have been worried about the impact a Bennett chairmanship would have on the party and the coverage it receives from the press. 

The APP’s coverage of Bennett’s double billing his widely believed to the cause of his 2003 loss of his 12th district Senate seat, the losses of his running mates seats in the Assembly, and ultimately the exile to minority status of the Republican Party in Trenton which has continued to this day.

MMM will update this piece with a link the story on app.com, if and when it gets posted on the pay site.

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Oxley’s Nomination To Superior Court Announced By Christie

Photo credit: Scarcini, Hollenbeck

Governor Chris Christie nominated Monmouth County Republican Chairman Joe Oxley to the Superior Court this afternoon.

Oxley, who will complete his second term as Monmouth GOP Chair upon the election of his successor on June, 12, is a graduate of the University of Maryland and Delaware Law School.   He was elected Monmouth County Sheriff in 1995 after defeating William Lanzaro in the GOP primary and served as Sheriff until 2007.   He is a partner in the Scarinci Hollenbeck law firm and an adjunct professor at Monmouth University.

Oxley was elected Chairman by acclamation in June of 2008.  After narrowly losing control of the Monmouth County Freeholder Board in the Obama election of 08, Oxley brought stability and three straight victorious elections to a previously divided party.  He will leave his successor with a 5-0 Freeholder Board and an entirely Republican legislative delegation.

Oxley’s nomination has been referred to the Senate Judiciary Committee for a confirmation hearing.

Former Senate President John Bennett and State Committeewoman Christine Hanlon are running to replace Oxley as Monmouth GOP Chair.

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Monmouth GOP Chair Race: Bennett vs Hanlon

State Committee Members Set To Face Off 

John Bennett

Former Senate President John O. Bennett, III, a present State Committee Member and Christine G. Hanlon, Bennett’s colleague in representing Monmouth County in the State Republican Party are readying for what is likely to be a heated race for the Monmouth County GOP chairmanship.

With Chairman Joe Oxley’s nomination to the Superior Court all but official, both would be chairs are busy lining up support from elected officials and municipal chairs, both with the caveat that they would support Oxley for another term should Governor Chris Christie’s “intent to nominate” notification to the State Senate not become an actual nomination.  There is typically a 10 day period before the Governor notifies the Senate of his intent to nominate a judge and the actual nomination being received by the Senate.  Christie’s Notice of Intention regarding Oxley was filed on May 3.

By statute, the Chair must be elected on June 12, the first Tuesday after the June 5 primary.  County Committee members elected in the primary will cast their votes at a convention.

Former MA Governor Mitt Romney, Christine Hanlon, NJ Governor Chris Christie

Bennett vs Hanlon will be a battle of the sexes and a battle of generations.  Bennett, 63, represents the senior generation of the Monmouth GOP’s good and bad “old days”. Hanlon, 44 and a mother of four, who has served as Oxley’s unofficial assistant chairperson for the last four years, represents the recent success of the Monmouth GOP.  Both candidates expect a bright future.

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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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Oxley to be nominated to Superior Court

Photo credit: Scarcini, Hollenbeck

Governor Chris Christie has notified the State Senate of his intention to nominate Monmouth County Republican Chairman Joe Oxley to a seat on the Superior Court.

Gannett’s Michael Symons broke the news yesterday on the Capital Quickies blog.  The nomination was not included in the Governor’s email announcement of appointments and nominations yesterday but appears under Senate nominations on the legislature’s website.  Hat tip to Symons for thorough reporting.

Rumors of Oxley being appointed to the Monmouth County Vicinage were feverish throughout the Monmouth County legal community last November when the State Police was calling Oxley’s associates as part of the background check required before a judicial nomination.

Oxley told MMM at the time that unless the nomination was official, he would seek a third term as Chairman.   It appears to be official and the Monmouth GOP would appear to be heading into a race for a new Chairman on June 12th

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Margaux Jade Oxley!

MoreMonmouthMusings congratulates Jackie and Joe Oxley on the birth of their daughter, Margaux Jade.

Margaux Jade was born at 5:55 this evening at Monmouth Medical Center in Long Branch.  She weighs 6 pounds, 5 ounces and is 17.5 inches long.

Margaux Jade and Jackie are healthy.  Joseph is elated.

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Our deepest condolences to the Oxley family

Ruth A. Oxley of Middletown passed away on Monday. 

Her son, Joseph, is the Chairman of the Monmouth County Republican Party.

Ruth was born in the Bronx 81 years ago.  She lived in Middletown for 50 years and was the owner of Monmouth Day Camp for 57 years with her surviving husband Joseph T.  Together they raised 5 children and touched the lives of thousands more.  Ruth’s 12th grandchild is due to Joe and Jackie next month.

Visitation will be Wednesday and Thursday, 2-4 and 7-9 at the John F. Pfleger Funeral home, 115 Tindall Rd., Middletown.  A Funeral Liturgy will take place on Friday morning, 10:30, at St. Mary’s Chapel, 26 Leonardville Rd, Middletown.

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