Vent here

So I closed the anonymous comments on the Chairman’s race posts and now my phone is ringing off the hook and I’m being bombarded by private messages on facebook.

I had no idea that so many of the anonymous posters assumed (some correctly and some incorrectly) that I knew who they were AND that they really wanted ME to know their opinions.

I can’t be selfish and keep all this fun to myself.  So, if you have a comment about the Chairman’s race or any of the posts that I’ve closed the comments on, make them here.

But, if you’re going to be anonymous or use a fake name, use a fake name for the person you being critical of or praising. Got something to say about John Bennett or Shaun Golden, go ahead and say it, just don’t use the words John, Shaun, Golden, Chairman, Sheriff or Bennett.  Same goes for Fred Niemann, John Kaye, Wayne Pomanowski and Tom Arnone or anyone else.  Don’t use their names, titles or former titles (like former Senator.)

For example, if you have a complaint about me or something I wrote, don’t write, Art, you screwed the pooch. Instead write….pick a name..Willie, you screwed the pooch.

If after you’ve vented, if you don’t feel better and you really really really want me to know how you feel, then you can call.  You can use real names on the phone.

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Arnone Endorses Golden

Freeholder Director Tom Arone

All but one Monmouth County elected official above the municipal level (Legislators and County Officials) have stayed out of the Monmouth County GOP Chairman’s race between incumbent John Bennett and Sheriff Shaun Golden.

Freeholder Tom Arnone broke from the pack this afternoon with a positive, yet pointed, endorsement of his friend and running mate, Golden.

Arnone said that he is endorsing Golden because, “I have been a witness to his abilities on the campaign trail and I am keenly aware of what he has done for our party without bragging about it while other attempt to take credit for Shaun’s hard work.”

In an apparent jab at Bennett’s campaign management and fundraising accomplishments, Arnone implied that Golden is responsible for much of the Monmouth GOP’s success over the last two years.

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Ocean State Job Lot Opens in Shrewsbury

Pictured left to right: OSJL Regional L.P. Manager Bill Thompson, OSJL Director of Store Operations Paul Cox, OSJL Sales Manager Edmund Lynn, OSJL Regional Director Pat Nevue, Mayor Donald Burden, Freeholder Director Lillian G. Burry, OSJL Assistant Manager Hakeem Reynolds, Freeholder Thomas A. Arnone and Freeholder John P. Curley.

Ocean State Job Lot, the New England discount retailer, held the Grand Opening of their first New Jersey location on Saturday in Shrewsbury.

Freeholder Director Lillian Burry and Freeholders Tom Arnone and John Curley, as well as Mayor Donald Burden were on hand to welcome the company to Monmouth County.

OSJL sells brand name, first quality products at close out prices.  The company says their merchandise selection not only consists of a variety of manufacturer’s overruns, overstocks and packaging changes, but also includes many areas where our buyers have determined that “holes” exist in the marketplace. We are constantly on the hunt for special deals, which allow us to offer quality brand name merchandise at closeout prices.

While they are known as a closeout company, Ocean State Job Lots prefers to think of themselves as opportunistic merchants.

The Shrewsbury location is at 179 Newman Springs Rd East, which is near the corner of Shrewsbury Ave and across the street from  Butch’s Lube and Wash.

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VIDEO: Watch Holmdel High School’s End of the Year Lip Dub

VIDEO: Watch Holmdel High School’s End of the Year Lip Dub (via Holmdel-Hazlet Patch)

Hundreds of students and teachers are starring in the annual Holmdel High School “Lib Dub,” a sort of jubilant video yearbook in which the everyone gets to show off their creativity, school spirit, and ability to memorize lots of lyrics…

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Leading NJ Legal Scholar: Golden has no conflict serving as Chairman and Sheriff

Bennett dismisses the opinion, says the Local Finance Board should decide

By Art Gallagher

At his breakfast meet and greet gatherings in Freehold and Neptune, Sheriff Shaun Golden said the he had consulted “large law firms, much bigger than any firm here in Monmouth County,” about the “fabricated conflict” of a Sheriff serving as a County Party Chairman raised by Chairman John Bennett and Municipal Chairs Steve McEnery of Manalapan and Anthony Graziano of Freehold Township.

Golden said, “there is no conflict.” He said in Freehold he would show the letter to anyone who wanted to see it. In Neptune he said he would “publish it if need be.”

I told Shaun I wanted to see the letter and that I wanted to publish it.  Here it is.

In the seven page letter that reviews the Ethics Law, Common Law and court cases from 1935 through 2009, Thomas P. Scrivo, Managing Partner of McElroy, Deutsch, Mulvaney and Carpenter, concludes:

Scrivo is the author of New Jersey Government Deskbook, the plain language handbook published by New Jersey Law Journal that is updated annually in cooperation with the New Jersey League of Municipalities.   The book is a guide for Freeholders, Mayors, Council Members, Municipal Attorneys, etc, on numerous Local Government issues including Ethics.  Additionally, he has been published in New Jersey Law Journal on matters of ethics and conflicts of interests.

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John Kaye: Vin Gopal and the Monmouth Democrats will “beat us over the head” if Golden is Chairman

By Art Gallagher

John Kaye

Former Monmouth County Prosecutor John Kaye, currently the President of the Monmouth County Affiliated Republican Club, wrote to the Republican County Committee members today to warn that Vin Gopal, the County Democrats and the press, will use Sheriff Shaun Golden’s “dual offices” as a campaign issue in the event he becomes Chairman.  Here’s a copy of Kaye’s letter.

Just as important as what John has done, is what he has not done – and that’s gift wrap a campaign issue for Vin Gopal and the County Democrats to beat us all over the head with. Unfortunately, I am concerned that is exactly what electing Shaun Golden to the dual offices of County Sheriff and County Republican Chairman will do.

Chairman Bennett called me on the day Golden announced he was running for Chairman and asked if I was going to “be fair with him this time.”  He felt my coverage of the 2012 Chairman’s race when I endorsed his opponent was unfair.   I told him I would be and I believe I have been.  Earlier this week I sat down separately with John and his daughter, Meghan Bennett Clark.  They both acknowledged that MMM’s coverage of the Chairman’s race has been fair.

So, if fairness, I have to say, the argument Kaye raises today in his letter to the County Committee is the same argument I raised against John Bennett being Chairman two years ago.  I argued that the Democrats and the press would have a field day with Bennett.  I argued that they would use Bennett’s record, pension and multiple public jobs to beat Monmouth County Republicans over the head.  It would be Club Monmouth all over again.

I was wrong.  It didn’t happen.

I don’t think it will happen this time either.  But if it does, both Bennett and Golden could both be vulnerable.

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Niemann Endorses Bennett, Says “You cannot be a Party Leader and an Elected Official”

Fred Niemann. Photo via ElderAbuseInNJ.com

Citing his personal experience on how difficult the job of Party Chairman is, former Monmouth Republican Chairman Fred Niemann issued an endorsement letter for John Bennett today.

Niemann served one term as Monmouth GOP Chair from 2004 -2006, a tumultuous time in the Party’s history that included the Operation Bid Rig arrests, raucous nominating conventions and the emergence of blogs and other new media.

While praising both Bennett and his opponent for Chairman, Sheriff Shaun Golden, Niemann argued that an elected official can not manage the conflicts or make the tough decisions a Chairman must make.

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DiSomma Staying Out of Chairman’s Race

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.”

Minton endorsed John Bennett for Chairman earlier this week.

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.

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Greg’s List: Things to do in Monmouth County this weekend, June 6-8, 2014

 SPONSORED BY SEASTREAK

By Greg Kelly

Friday, June 6

• All My Sons at Center Playhouse (Freehold) – MORE INFO

• Manasquan Reservoir Evening Boat Tour (Howell) – MORE INFO

• Shore Orchid Festival (Neptune) – MORE INFO

• Celtic Woman at Count Basie Theatre (Red Bank) – MORE INFO

• Greek Festival (Holmdel) – MORE INFO

• D-Day 70th Anniversary Ceremony (Lincroft) – MORE INFO

• Asbury Park Unplugged at The Wonder Bar (Asbury Park) – MORE INFO

• Hit the Road, Jack at First Ave Playhouse (Atlantic Highlands) – MORE INFO

• Atlantic Highlands Farmer’s Market – MORE INFO

• Long Term Care Options (Shrewsbury) – MORE INFO

• Dinner Theater Murder/Mystery (Ocean Grove) – MORE INFO

• One Night Standards at Duncan Smith Theatre (Holmdel) – MORE INFO

• Trapped: 5 Original Plays by Jen Marvel (Ocean Grove) – MORE INFO

• Pet Adoption Event at Monmouth Mall (Eatontown) – MORE INFO

• Comic Joe DeVito (Red Bank) – MORE INFO

• The Woman’s Exchange 80th Anniversary Celebration (Little Silver) – MORE INFO

• Historical Maritime Lecture by William White (Monmouth Beach) – MORE INFO

• Hospice Training Course (Long Branch) – MORE INFO

• Ladies High Challenge (Lincroft) – MORE INFO

• The Rocky Horror Picture Show (Aberdeen) – MORE INFO

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Howell Incumbents Prevail

COSTIGAN LOSES HIS COUNTY COMMITTEE SEAT

John Costigan. Photo by Rhoda Chodosh

Howell Township’s incumbent Council Members Rich Nicastro, Pauline Smith and Bob Walsh beat back a Republican primary challenge from Michelle Flahtery, Allen Kaplan and Matthew Rausmussen on Tuesday.

Monmouth Republican State Committeeman, John Costigan, the GOP municipal chairman, lost his bid to retain his County Committee seat.

Costigan was believed to be behind the challengers.  He told MMM that he was not backing the challengers but he was glad they were running.

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