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LD 12 Assembly candidate attempted to bribe a primary opponent into withdrawing from council election

LD 12 Assembly candidate Gene Davis. LD 11 Assemblyman Eric Houghtaling and Phil Murphy are in the background. photo via @DavisforAssembly

Gene Davis, one the of LD 12 Democrat Assembly candidates, asked his opponent in the 2010 Democrat primary for Linden’s 5th ward council seat to withdraw from that election in exchange for his pledge to support her and “give” her his council seat when his plan to be appointed mayor came to fruition, according to NJTODAY.

Rhashonna Cosby-Hurling, Davis’s opponent, turned down the bribe, recorded the conversation, defeated Davis in the primary and went on the be elected the first African-Amerian woman elected to the Linden City Council, Ward 5.

Here’s Cosby-Hurling’s recording: Read the rest of this entry »

Posted: September 7th, 2017 | Author: | Filed under: 2017 Elections, Monmouth County News | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment »

ELEC Reporting Lacks Transparency

NJ ELEC needs to improve its service to the citizens of New Jersey

By Harold V. Kane

Harold V. Kane

The print and electronic media have, since last September, shone a spotlight on the Middlesex County Democrats fundraising activities. The Democrats established a number of Political Action Committees designed to subvert the 2006 changes to the NJ election finance laws. The question arises-why did they think that they could get away with it, when all contributions are reported to the NJ Election Law Enforcement Commission. One answer could be because of a flaw in the ELEC computer program. The ELEC program is, at best, difficult to use. However once persons making queries understands how the programs work, then they also determine that all contributions and expenditures are there, somewhere. Even the administrators/treasurers for the Democrat PACs dutifully complied with the reporting requirements.

The ELEC reporting program offers a category of “Simple Search by Contributor”. When a user clicks on this category a page opens that states: “The Simple Search will search the campaign finance database for a contributor to campaigns, Political Party Committees, Legislative Leadership Committees and Political Action Committees.” Except that it doesn’t!

Read the rest of this entry »

Posted: May 5th, 2012 | Author: | Filed under: Harold Kane | Tags: , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on ELEC Reporting Lacks Transparency

Turning up the heat on Middlesex County pay to play scandal

Politickernj writers Darryl Isherwood and Max Pizarro posted an in depth piece yesterday afternoon that exposes an incestuous web of influence driving planning, zoning and development approvals before the Middlesex County Freeholder Board and several municipal planning boards in the county.  

State Senator Bob Smith of Piscataway is the leader of the PACs that fund the campaigns of the Freeholders and municipal officials who approve the applications.  The applicants are donors to the PACs.  Smith is the applicants’ attorney.

It’s all legal.  And no one would know about it if not for Harold Kane of Monroe Township painstakingly examining thousands of pages of ELEC reports to find out where all the Middlesex Democratic money was coming from and the good journalists at Politickernj and The Star Ledger following the money.

Smith, the Senator working the system, and Peter Barnes, the Assemblyman and Middlesex County Democratic Chairman who’s candidates benefit from the system, know the solution to this “craziness.”   Barnes said that “any impetus to close the hole lies with the legislature.”  Smith said, “There is a solution to the craziness we have now and that is publicly financed elections – or complete transparency. “In New Jersey, we have nothing but chaos. The state needs one set standard across the state.”

Where is their legislation?   Smith and Barnes are both powerful members of the legislature.  They obviously know how the work the system.  They know how to fix it. 

Sponsor the legislation gentlemen.  Publicly financed elections won’t work.  Complete transparency will.

Here’s a campaign finance system that would be transparent:

1) Remove all limits on campaign contributions.

2) Require that all candidates and campaigns disclose all contributions of any amount on a dedicated website within 24 hours of receipt.

3) Competing campaigns, good citizens like Kane, and good journalist will examine the donations and expose influence.  Voters will decide if the influence is acceptable of not.

Correction: Peter Barnes, Jr, the Middlesex Democratic Chairman is no longer in the legislature.  His son, Peter III is an Assemblyman.

Now there are two Barnes and a Smith who can advocate for legislation that creates complete transparency.

Posted: April 20th, 2012 | Author: | Filed under: Campaign Contributions, Campaign Finance, ELEC, Middlesex County Democrats, NJ State Legislature | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , | 12 Comments »

The Democratic Laundromat: Wisniewski’s Washing and Spinning

By Harold Kane and Art Gallagher

The legal money laundering of Assemblyman John Wisniewski in Middlesex County has been in the news this month as Politickernj and The Star Ledger brought to light the how Middlesex Democrats are circumventing state and local pay to pay laws by having government vendors, primarily the Middlesex based CME engineering firm, fund campaigns through PACs when the campaign finance laws prohibited contributions directly to the campaigns in jurisdictions where they were earning large fees.

Wisniewski, of Sayreville, is the Chairman of the State Democratic Party and the Assembly Transportation Committee. 

Despite the fact that the PACs are run by his former staff members and fund campaigns in his district and county, Wisniewski says he has nothing to do with them.  If that is true, the State Democratic Committee needs a new chairman.  If it’s not true, the Democrats still should get a new chairman and the people of the 19th legislative district should elect a new Assemblyman.

Also in the news this month are the guilty pleas of insurance broker Frank Gartland of Federal Hill Risk Management.  Gartland plead guilty to giving $2 million in bribes to Toms River School Superintendent Michael Ritacco, and to theft by deception and money laundering for bilking the Perth Amboy Board of Education, an Abbott district, out of more than $2 million.

Gartland also admitted to making illegal contributions to the campaigns of former Assemblyman and former Perth Amboy Mayor Joe Vas through “straw” contributors.  Vas is now serving a 6 ½  year sentence for funneling illegal money from a real estate scheme into his unsuccessful 2006 congressional campaign.  Vas was Wisniewski’s running mate and they represented the 19th district together in the Assembly from 2004-2009.

While all of this bribery, stealing and money laundering was going on, Gartland and his associates were also donating heavily to the Middlesex County PACS that Wisniewski says he has nothing to do with.

All information from NJ ELEC

 

 

     

 

 

 
Democracy in Motion PAC

 

 

12 Deerfield Road

 

 

Sayreville, NJ  08872

 

 

democrat org

 

 

Christina Montorio – Treasurer

 

 

Federal Hill Risk Mngt – Frank Gartland

1/16/2009

$3,200.00

Federal Hill Risk Mngt – Frank Gartland

10/16/2008

$4,000.00

Federal Hill Risk Mngt – Frank Gartland

10/24/2008

$3,200.00

     
New Expectations PAC

 

 

2 Lincoln Highway, ste 511

 

 

Edison, NJ  08820

 

 

other ongoing cmte

 

 

Denise Anstett – Treasurer

 

 

AST Development – Robert D’Anton

1/7/2009

$5,000.00

Federal Hill Risk Mngt – Diana Gartland

1/7/2009

$4,666.00

 

 

 

Cmte for  Efficiency in Government PAC

 

 

11 Barton Road

 

 

Mountain Lakes, NJ  07046

 

 

other ongoing

 

 

Michael Revolinsky – Treasurer

 

 

Federal Hill Risk Mngt – Victor Bramble

10/20/2008

$1,300.00

Federal Hill Risk Mngt – Diana Gartland

10/20/2008

$2,400.00

Federal Hill Risk Mngt – John Hope

10/20/2008

$2,400.00

Federal Hill Risk Mngt –  Victor Bramble

8/15/2007

$2,000.00

Dynamic Claims Mngt

8/15/2007

$1,000.00

E-Administrative Systems

8/15/2007

$1,000.00

Dynamic Claims Mngt

10/17/2007

$2,000.00

Federal Hill Risk Mngt – Diana Gartland

10/17/2007

$2,000.00

Federal Hill Risk Mngt – Derek Johnson

10/17/2007

$3,000.00

 

 

 

Women for Good Government PAC

 

 

PO Box 11434

 

 

New Brunswick, NJ  08906

 

 

idealogical pac

 

 

Deborah Celey – Treasurer

 

 

Federal Hill Risk Mngt – Frank Gartland

10/22/2008

$2,600.00

Federal Hill Risk Mngt – Diana Gartland

2/9/2009

$4,666.00

Federal Hill Risk Mngt – Robert D’Anton

2/9/2009

$5,000.00

Federal Hill Risk Mngt – Diana Gartland

10/30/2008

$4,666.00

AST Development – Robert D’Anton

10/30/2008

$5,000.00

 

 

 

Raritan Bay Leadership Fund

 

 

251 Livingston Avenue

 

 

New Brunswick, NJ 08901

 

 

idealogical pac

 

 

David Lonski – Treasurer

 

 

Federal Hill Risk Mngt

1/19/2006

$2,000.00

Federal Hill Risk Mngt – Diana Gartland

1/28/2009

$4,666.00

Federal Hill Risk Mngt – Frank Gartland

1/17/2008

$2,600.00

Federal Hill Risk Mngt – Diana Gartland

10/30/2008

$4,666.00

 

 

 

Committee for Civic Responsibility

 

 

PO Box 184

 

 

Kendall Park, NJ  08824

 

 

68 Old Road, Princeton, NJ 08540

 

 

civic association

 

 

Bharat Patel – Treasurer

 

 

Federal Hill Risk Mngt – Derek Johnson

6/9/2009

$2,500.00

 

 

 

19th District Democratic Leadership Fund

 

 

13 Zaleski Drive

 

 

Sayreville, NJ  08872

 

 

Michael D’Addio – Treasurer

 

 

Federal Hill Risk Mngt – Frank Gartland

1/16/2009

$3,200.00

Federal Hill Risk Mngt – Frank Gartland

10/16/2008

$4,000.00

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

$82,730.00

 

Wisniewski and Port Authority Deputy Executive Director Bill Baroni, a former Republican State Senator, got into it this week over the PACS and Wisniewski using his authority as chairman of the Assembly Transportation Committee to issue subpoenas requiring that Port Authority executives appear before his committee.  Baroni accused Wisniewski of a “shakedown” because CME did not receive preferential treatment while pitching their engineering services to Port Authority.

In response, Wisniewski said “the truth is an expendable commodity” for the “Christie character assassination team”

Let’s see some truth from Wisniewski regarding these PACS, including what quid pro quo Gartland received for his “contributions.”

Posted: April 15th, 2012 | Author: | Filed under: Pay-to-play | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , | 21 Comments »

CME Associates Buys Middlesex County Democrats

By Harold V. Kane, Monroe Township

It is no secret in Middlesex County that the Middlesex County Democrat Organization never seems to have problems raising money for political campaigns. What is strange is who some of the donors are. Did you ever hear of Citizens for a Green Environment, Women for Good Government, or the Coalition for Government Efficiency. These three groups are political action committees that support Democrats exclusively. One has to ask where their funds come from Are tree huggers, feminists, and efficiency experts so interested in electoral activity that they are willing to donate huge sums to their respective groups. The answer is of course NOT!

These three groups are among 12(list below) that the Democrats established for scrutiny-avoidance so that large sums of money could be contributed but not readily made available for review. The key to this type of operation is the difference in the contribution level that may be given to an individual candidate versus to PAC.  The maximum that a single person or organization can make to candidate’s committee is $2,600 per election. However, the maximum that can be made to a PAC is $7,200 per election. If a donor wants to contribute large sums to a candidate or series of candidates, the easiest way is to contribute to PACs and let the PACs distribute the money. This is what happens in Middlesex County.

Since January of 2008 up to August of 2011, the PACs controlled by the Middlesex County Democrats have accepted $1,715,264 from various contributors with $621,000 (36%) coming from the five principals  ( David Samuel, John Stefani, Jay Cornell, Michael McClelland, and Gregory Valesi) of CME Associates of Sayreville. This does not include the $250,000 that the CME principals contributed to various candidate committees. In total the CME principals contributed $854,550 to the Democrats and a paltry $17,550 to the Republicans for a total of $872,100 during this 3.5 year period.

Obviously CME was not alone. Second on the donor hit parade was T&M Associates of Middletown, third was the Gartland Family of Companies of Baltimore and fourth was Federal Business Centers of Edison. The citizens of Middlesex County have gotten a partial reprieve from these clandestine activities. Francis Gartland, the scion of the Gartland family of companies, has pled guilty to bribing a public official in Ocean County. This should keep the Gartland check book closed, at least for a while.

You must be wondering how this massive scrutiny-avoidance can happen. The Democrats are exploiting a fault in the NJ Election Law Enforcement Commission computer system. The fault precludes a standard name query from extracting contributor names that gave to PACs. The information is available, but is not overly easy to find.

Democrat scrutiny-avoidance Organizations      
From Jan. 1 2008 to August 1, 2011      
       
PAC Total Contr. CME Amount CME %
       
Coalition for Government Efficiency $130,350.00 $50,000.00 38.00%
Box 263, Eatontown

 

 

 

Democracy in Motion PAC $189,716.00 $65,000.00 34.00%
12 Deerfield Road, Sayreville

 

 

 

New Expectations PAC $196,066.00 $60,000.00 30.00%
2 Lincoln Highway, ste 511, Edison

 

 

 

Cmte for  Efficiency in Government PAC $38,500.00 $26,000.00 67.00%
11 Barton Road, Mountain Lakes

 

 

 

Women for Good Government PAC $238,616.00 $75,000.00 32.00%
250 George St, New Brunswick

 

 

 

Raritan Bay Leadership Fund $203,466.00 $77,500.00 38.00%
251 Livingston Avenue, New Brunswick

 

 

 

Committee for Civic Responsibility $222,450.00 $70,000.00 31.00%
68 Old Road, Princeton

 

 

 

People Energizing  Government PAC $136,900.00 $50,200.00 37.00%
105 Morristown Road, ste 105, Bernardsville

 

 

 

Higher Point Leadership $59,300.00 $28,000.00 47.00%
1377 Main Street, Millstone Borough

 

 

 

Citizens for  Green Environment $119,350.00 $60,000.00 50.00%
1102 Hazelwood Avenue, Middlesex Borough

 

 

 

Bergen County Young Democrats $35,900.00 $8,500.00 24.00%
14 Brinkerhoff Avenue, Teaneck

 

 

 

19th District Democratic Leadership Fund $144,650.00 $51,000.00 35.00%
13 Zalewski Drive, Sayreville

 

 

 

  $1,715,264.00 $621,200.00 36% avg

 

 

CME

$621,200.00

T & M Associates

$167,500.00

Gartland – Federal Hill Risk Management

$95,864.00

Federal Business Centers

$85,700.00

Richard Alaimo

$77,700.00

EPIC

$66,300.00

Houdlik & Morrison

$47,300.00

Feist Engineering

$46,600.00

Remington Vernick

$46,400.00

NAIK Consulting

$31,800.00

Shain, Schaefer, and Raffanello

$29,500.00

Omar Boraie

$17,700.00

Martin Murphy

$16,000.00

Larry Berger

$15,500.00

Golden, Rothschild, et al

$15,000.00

Omland Corp

$15,000.00

Klein Advertising

$14,400.00

Eric Bernstein – attorney

$13,200.00

Lori Dvorak – attorney

$11,400.00

Hoagland, Longo, Moran

$11,200.00

Dwyer, Connell – attorneys

$10,500.00

Michael J. Stone – attorney

$10,500.00

Elaine Flynn

$10,000.00

William Flynn – attorney

$9,000.00

Najarian Assoc

$7,750.00

David Klein

$7,200.00

Hatch Mott McDonald

$7,200.00

R3M Engineering

$7,200.00

Higher Point Leadership

$7,000.00

Paul Weiner

$6,250.00

Borrus, Foley, Golden

$6,000.00

Adams, Rehman, and Heggan

$5,000.00

Bowman and Company

$5,000.00

Carpenters Union

$5,000.00

Laborers Union

$5,000.00

McManimon and Scotland – attorneys

$5,000.00

Robert Paulus

$5,000.00

John Parker – attorney

$4,250.00

BGIA

$4,000.00

Dennis Enright

$4,000.00

Bill Neary for Mayor

$3,500.00

J. Kane – attorney

$3,500.00

Bayshore

$3,000.00

Charles Carley

$3,000.00

Concetta Gerbi

$3,000.00

Neglia Engineering

$3,000.00

Robert Morrison

$3,000.00

Nicholas Rentas

$2,600.00

Realty Management Associates

$2,600.00

Aforce

$2,500.00

Convery, Convery, Shihar

$2,500.00

JH Reid

$2,500.00

MBI Gluckshaw

$2,500.00

Harris Realty

$2,000.00

John McManus

$2,000.00

MK Management

$2,000.00

Carr Eng.

$1,750.00

Grand Sanitation

$1,700.00

Aforce

$1,500.00

Francisco Taddeo

$1,500.00

Middlesex Medical Group

$1,500.00

Bayshore Recycling

$1,250.00

Lawrence Sacks – attorney

$1,250.00

Raymond Lesniak

$1,250.00

Albany Street Plaza

$1,000.00

Cahn and Parra – attorneys

$1,000.00

Christine Grippo

$1,000.00

Elite Auto group

$1,000.00

John Kwasnik – attorney

$1,000.00

K-Land #11

$1,000.00

Lanzo and Son

$1,000.00

Old Castle Pipe

$1,000.00

multiple small contributors

$76,250.00

 

$1,715,264.00

Posted: September 13th, 2011 | Author: | Filed under: CME Associates, Harold V. Kane, Middlesex County Democrats | Tags: , , | 10 Comments »