The Chairmanship and Conflicts of Interest

My friend Jim Giannell  asked that I write a short piece about conflicts of interests and the County Chair, as it relates to the current race between Christine Hanlon and John Bennett.

Jim is supporting John Bennett for Chair.  While I haven’t made an endorsement yet, most people assume I am supporting Christine Hanlon given my recent coverage of John Bennett.  I’m on the fence between Christine and Bayshore Tea Party Group Co-Founder Bob Gordon.   No, not really.

Jim and I started our friendship working on Anna Little’s 2006 Freeholder race.  Over the last six years we’ve been on the same side and opposite sides of various races.  We’re not go on vacation together or spend Christmas Eve together kinds of friends, but we always take each others calls, help each other when we can, and neither of us is ever bitter with the other when a race is over.  I always tell him the truth and he usually tells me the truth after I call him on his bullshit.  When I launched this site and started selling advertising, Jim wrote me a check, even though he didn’t have a website to link an ad to.  We’re friends.  I owe him an ad.

In politics, as in life, holding grudges only nails you’re own foot to the floor.   It can be both humorous and maddening to watch grudge holders spin around in circles, while they think they are getting somewhere.

But enough about my friendship with Jim, and on to his request.

In the comments of the Chair’s race Part 3 post, Jim said,

Hi Art,
Wow ! Things are getting wild out there !
Anyway, talk about “Deals”, many of us have heard the rumor that a certain Chairperson of a fairly large town has been promised the job of “Commissioner of Registration”; an $80,000/yr job to support Christine, should she win. I know you can figure out who.
There is no question that a Republican County Chairperson should not have any business with County Government that is controlled by Republicans yet Christine fails to address this critical issue. Could you do a short piece on this before Tues ?
I could go on with many things I’ve heard but have to get to work. Lunch is either on you or me at the end of the week, we shall see Tuesday eve and then I’ll let you know why you have been wrong & vice versa !

I responded,

@ Jim Giannell

We both know how rumors work.

I promised you that I would find out the truth. From what I hear, the Commissioner of Registration appointment is indeed coming up. I hear that several inquiries have been made about it and that no deals or promises have been made by Christine.

Who, if anyone, has John promised the job to? I’m sure you know.

Regarding the chair doing work for the county, that only became a conflict of interest because John decided to say it is a conflict of interest and his supporters, like yourself and Gerri, are running with it. We all know its a red herring. County work is no more of a conflict for the chair than municipal work is. The county chair has as much power on the municipal level as he/she does on the county level.

In a perfect world, someone who doesn’t need to earn a living would be county chair and do the job passionately. We don’t live in a perfect world. The demands of the chairmanship would put most people out of business or out of a their jobs, or they would not be a successful chair. Vic Scudiery is such an example. Politics is not his business. He always took care of his family and his business and did the best he could as chair of the Dems with the deck stack against him. More than once, political pros tried to take him out. The Dems would have been more competitive in Monmouth if a politico was their chair all these years. There is really no question about that.

If John becomes chair, his income will not take a hit. If Christine becomes chair, her income will not take a hit either.

If a business person like you or me became chair, our incomes would take a hit.

I don’t like it, and I know that you don’t like it. But that is the way it is.

See you Tuesday night and again for lunch on Friday.

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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. 

Read the rest of this entry »

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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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Western Monmouth Mayors Endorse Bennett for Monmouth GOP Chair

Freehold Township Mayor Anthony J. Ammiano, Colts Neck Mayor Jarrett R. Engel, Howell Mayor Robert F. Walsh, Farmingdale Mayor John P. Morgan, and Manalapan Mayor Susan Cohen, have sent the following letter to the County Committee members from their communities:

We are writing to request your support for Senator John Bennett as our next Republican County Chair on Tuesday, June 12^th at 7:00 P.M. at the Colts Neck High School.

            Senator Bennett was born and raised in Western Monmouth County and graduated from Freehold High School.  During his twenty-four years in the legislature he represented our interests and remains well aware of our concerns.

            Dedicated to the acquisition of Open Space, Senator Bennett wrote the legislation which allows counties and municipalities to dedicate a portion of their tax revenue to acquire Open Space with voter approval.  Included among his many accomplishments in our area, is the toxic waste site clean-up in the Townships of Howell and Freehold, and his effective block of the proposed incinerator in the Township of Millstone. 

            Senator Bennett is a leader: he has served our State, our County, and our municipalities well.  His leadership roles in the State Legislature, including his tenure as Senate President, provide him with the experience and skill set necessary to unite factions within our Party, raise necessary funding, and both recruit and get Republican candidates elected.  

            We have a great opportunity to get someone like Senator Bennett who is willing to serve as our County Chair and we ask you to join us in supporting him as our next Chairman.  We need a strong turn out from Western Monmouth to make this happen and urge you to show up and vote for Senator Bennett.  Thank you for your attention and support.

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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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Patrick Murray predicts that Cullari will defeat Little

Monmouth University Polling Director Patrick Murray says on PolitickerNJ that Ernesto Cullari will defeat Anna Little in the CD-6 GOP primary based on Senator Joe Kyrillos coattails and “the bigger issue” that some of Little’s key supporters have fallen out with her since the 2010 race.

I wonder who Patrick is referring to.

CD6 GOP
2010 nominee Anna Little hopes lightning strikes twice and she knocks off the Monmouth County organization’s preferred candidate – this time, Ernesto Cullari.  But it just ain’t gonna happen.  It’s not because the party has gotten any better at GOTV.  Fewer than 14,000 Republicans voted in the last primary – and the only reason more will vote this year is that native son Joe Kyrillos is running for Senate.  The bigger issue is that some of Little’s key supporters have fallen out with her since the last race.  Winner:  Cullari

Murray predicts that 15% of partisan voters will come out on Tuesday statewide.   If the turnout is higher in Monmouth because of Kyrillos’ favorite son status, that should favor Cullari.  Little benefits from Kyrillos’s coattails in Middlesex where she appears under the senator on the ballot. 

Despite Murray’s swipe at the Monmouth GOP get out the vote effort, the real key to this race is will be the turnout in Middlesex.   If Sam Thompson’s team gets 5000 or more voters to the polls, Little should win.   In the 2010 race less than 3800 Middlesex Republicans voted.  However the Middlesex portion of the district is much larger now since redistricting.  If less than 5000 voters come out in Middlesex and 6000 come out in Monmouth, Cullari wins.   If 10,000 come out in Monmouth because of Kyrillos, Cullari wins handily.

MMM’s prediction:  In a repeat of 2010, the race will go to a recount. 

Unlike 2010 the race, the recount won’t be resolved before the Monmouth GOP convention.  Little will get up at the convention and endorse John Bennett for Chair as a payback for headlining her $10 per head spaghetti dinner fundraiser in Keansburg.  Cullari will get up and endorse Christine Hanlon because she’s Christine Hanlon.

Little will be forced to concede on June 15 in order to pay her fines from the FEC.  She won’t have enough money to pay her recount team and the fines.  John Bennett, fresh off his defeat in the Chair’s race, will be in Florida and unable to host a spaghetti dinner to pay Little’s fines and pay the recount team.

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Curley: “None of the above!”

Freeholder Director John Curley told MMM that he does not support either former Senate President John Bennett or State Committeewoman Christine Hanlon becoming the next chair of the Monmouth County Republican Committee.

“If I had a vote I wouldn’t vote for either one of them,” said Curley, “The chair should not be someone who is hussling for government contracts.”

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