Red Bank Council President Art Murphy told MoreMonmouthMusingsthat he will resign from the borough council and he will not stand for reelection in November. He expects to submit his resignation by Wednesday of next week.
“Yes, I am stepping down,” Murphy said when asked if he was resigning, “this has been in the works for a while. They’re (the Red Bank Democrats) are looking for my replacement. I have a lot going on with my business.”
Everything that could go wrong did go wrong for Red Bank Council President Art Murphy yesterday when RedBankGreen posted a video of his drunken vulgar rant with former patrons of the former Red Bank business, Lucky Break Billiards.
Before the morning was out, the Asbury Park Press had picked up the story and Red Bank Republican Chairman Sean DiSomma was posting memes of Murphy on facebook. Murphy is a Democrat running for reelection this year. If DiSomma’s GOP candidates beat Murphy and his running mate, Councilman Michael DuPont, Republicans will control the Red Bank municipal government for the first time in this millennium.
Monmouth County Republican Chairman Shaun Golden released a statement this morning announcing that his slate of municipal candidates this year included six Young Republican Leaders under the age of 35.
Candidates for local office filed to run with their respective Municipal Clerks all across Monmouth County on Monday. It is clear by the two parties’ selection of nominees, that Republicans in Monmouth County are the only ones offering voters a chance to elect a new generation of leaders with fresh, bold ideas for the future.
“Red Bank Doesn’t Need Lobbyist Money Swaying Elections”
Senate President Steve Sweeney. file photo by Art Gallagher
Referring to Senate President Steve Sweeney as a conflicted Trenton lobbyist, and Red Bank Councilmen Michael Dupont and Art Murphy as influence peddling shady dealers, Red Bank Republican Chairman Sean DiSomma, launched a no holds barred attack on New Jersey’s highest ranking Democratic elected official, a presumed contender for the 2017 gubernatorial nomination, and the two councilmen he seeks to unseat next November in a statement to the press this afternoon.
DiSomma’s statement includes a warning that he will treat all lobbyists and politicians who support Red Bank Democrats to similar welcomes.
Sweeney is headlining a fundraiser for Dupont and Murphy tomorrow evening at Buona Sera. The Monmouth GOP is also holding a fund raiser in the venue at the same time.
DiSomma’s statement can be read in its entirety below the fold.
DiSomma says Dems fear losing control. Signals hard hitting campaign to come
Senate President Steve Sweeney. file photo by Art Gallagher
Senate President Steve Sweeney, a contender the 2017 Democratic gubernatorial nomination, is coming to Red Bank on December 17 as the headliner for a $175 per head fundraiser for Red Bank Councilmen Arthur Murphy’s and Michael Dupont’s reelection campaign.
The soiree is being hosted by Mayor Pat Menna and former Mayor Ed McKenna at Buona Sera.
The invitation includes a questionnaire to assure compliance with the borough’s “pay to play” ordinance. Contractors that do business with the borough, developers and “Alcoholic Licensees” must disclose their attendance and in certain circumstances limit their campaign contributions to $400.
Who would have guessed that Red Bank issues licenses to alcoholics?
Juanita Lewis, seated left in the beige pants and dark blouse, and Ed Zipprich looking lonely, at their Broad St, Red Bank campaign headquarters this evening.
Red Bank Council Members Ed Zipprich and Juanita Lewis, both of whom were out of town and too busy to debate their Republican challengers Sean DiSomma and Linda Schwabenbauer last night at the West Side Community Group’s 18th annual forum, were back in town this evening, nearly alone in their Broad Street campaign headquarters with four volunteers.
Zipprich and Lewis have yet to respond to DiSomma and Schwabenbauer’s offer to host a Tele-Town Hall debate for Red Bank voters this weekend.
Zipprich and Lewis invited 230 people to come to their headquarters for phone banking tonight. Two people RSVP’d via facebook and as of about 7PM, four people showed up.
150 people showed up to hear the candidates debate last night. Zippy and Lewis should have been there.
Republicans challenge incumbents to debate this weekend
Red Bank Councilman Ed Zipprich
Red Bank Council members Ed Zipprich and Juanita Lewis were no shows at the 18th annual candidates forum hosted by the Westside Community Group, according to a report on RedBankGreen.
Republican challengers for Borough Council Sean DiSomma and Linda Schwabenbauer fielded questions from the standing room only crowd of about 150 at the River Street Commons senior housing center on Catherine Street. DiSomma offered Zipprich and Lewis’s chairs to members of the audience.
Mayor Pat Menna, a Democrat running unopposed for reelection, showed up half way through the two hour forum. RedBankGreen reported Menna was at a campaign fundraiser at the Oyster Point Hotel for the first hour of the debate.
DiSomma, who is also Chairman of the Red Bank Republican Committee, told MMM that Zipprich and Lewis are afraid of facing the voters and are hoping that they can run out the clock of the election without defending their records.
“The Westside Community Group offered Zipprich and Lewis three different dates for the forum,” DiSomma said, “they cancelled last week’s Council Meeting, as they have done for 5 of the last 6 pre-election council meetings. If I had their record, I would want to hide too.”
DiSomma noted that under Zipprich and Lewis, Red Bank’s debt has increased 22% and spending has increased 28%. “Lewis doesn’t attend council meetings,” DiSomma said, “she literally calls in her votes on important matters to the people of Red Bank.”
Sean DiSomma, the Chairman of the Red Bank Republicans and a candidate for Council in the upcoming election has requested that MMM not to publish the video of Councilman Ed Zipprich’s arrest for Driving Under the Influence and not to release it to any other publications. Zipprich is one of DiSomma’s opponents in the election.
“Linda (Schwabenbauer, DiSomma’s running mate) and I decided to run our campaign on the issues…making Red Bank’s government more affordable,” said DiSomma, “Zipprich’s allegation that we are responsible for the release of the video to the Asbury Park Pressis baseless. Mr. Zipprich says he’s working every day to be a better person. I hope that is true and that he retracts the allegation.”
“Last year the Democrats went into the gutter with false allegations against me,” DiSomma continued, referring to Demcratic County Chairman Vin Gopal’s false allegation last October that there was a warrant out for his arrest in Texas for an unpaid speeding ticket, “two wrongs don’t make a right. If this campaign is on the issues, we win.”
Sean DiSomma, the heir apparent to Jack Minton as Chairman of the Red Bank Republicans, told MMM that he is staying out of the dueling endorsements contest that the Monmouth County Republican Chairman’s race has become. “I spoke with both Chairman Bennett and Sheriff Golden,” DiSomma said, “both expressed their commitment to supporting Republicans in Red Bank.”
Red Bank might not be 100% in Bennett’s camp. “I spoke to Republicans on both sides and asked them to help me fill the vacancies on the County Committee with people who want to be involved,” DiSomma said. As of the primary on Tuesday night, 7 of the 18 Red Bank Republican County Committee seats are vacant.
Vacancies can be filled via appointment by a municipal chairperson. In order for a County Committee member who was not elected in the primary to be eligible to vote at the GOP County Convention next Tuesday, the municipal chairperson for each town must submit a list of appointees to Bertha Sumick, the Monmouth County Clerk of Elections, no later than 4:30PM on Tuesday. Each appointee’s qualifications (residency and affiliation) will be verified before voting credentials are issued.
Sean Di Somma, above at lower right, on election night last November. Below, Jack Minton, center, with candidate Joe Mizzi and then-Councilwoman Grace Cangemi in 2010. (Photo by John T. Ward. Click to enlarge) By JOHN T. WARD Once again, a Red Bank…
