More Ugly Nonsense In Atlantic Highlands GOP Primary
Atlantic Highlands Councilman Stephen Boracchia took to facebook yesterday evening and demonstrated why the Regular Republicans, who have been controlling the local party for the last several years, have lost 4 of the last 5 contested municipal offices.
Boracchia impugned the integrity of the Monmouth County Republican Organization team of candidates for promoting the fact that they do indeed have the support of the Monmouth County Republican Organization. Boracchia, who’s wife is a Regular Republican candidate for County Committee in District 4, implied that his military service makes him a good arbiter of other people’s integrity, while he inaccurately stated that the Monmouth County Republican Organization slogan is not an endorsement.
With the height of hypocrisy and hubris, the councilman attacked the Republican bonafides of his opponents based upon their past, in some cases long past, political affiliations and support of candidates who won while he was losing. This from a guy who ran against former Senator Joe Kyrillos as an Independent in 2011 and then ran against Declan O’Scanlon and Amy Handlin for Assembly in the 2013 Republican primary, before he was welcomed into the Monmouth County Republican Organization as a candidate for council in 2016.
All four council candidates on the ballot tomorrow have expressed their commitment to unite the local party and work for the betterment of the entire Atlantic Highlands community. Two of four candidates will be nominated by the Republican voters tomorrow. If the Monmouth County Republican Organization County Committee slate, in column 1, wins control of the local party, the third place finisher tomorrow will likely be nominated to compete for Democrat Councilman Tom Hayden’s seat. Hayden is expected to resign before the end of this month.
All four council candidates, Penny Hofman-Marshall, Rich Colangelo, Brian Boms and James Murphy, are to be commended for running positive campaigns. Unfortunately for Boms and Murphy, their Regular Republican supporters have made the campaign petty, ugly and dishonest.
Atlantic Highlands Republicans are fortunate that they can’t go wrong in their choice of council candidates tomorrow. Any of two of the four will be good candidates in November and good council members.
Primary voters are also fortunate that the choice of County Committee slates could not be clearer, based on the conduct of this campaign. The Monmouth County Republican Organization slate gives the Party the opportunity of uniting and winning. The Regular Republican slate has shown no change in their petty, nasty and losing ways.
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When the Monmouth County Republicans Organization leadership and candidates put giant democrat signs in their lawn and push to destroy the party several elections in a row and its two or three families trying to control the town at all costs including bringing in Democrats and calling them “Monmouth County Republicans”, it is in NO WAY unifying. It lacks integrity. Your example “this guy who ran against Joe Kyrillos” has nothing to do with the Regular Republicans yet the examples we have put forward on the candidates in town are very specific and corroborated by sources in every case. So I guess you’ve endorsed the Monmouth County Republicans but let’s keep it classy as a news organization and drop the front page editorials with your opinion or we will have the very first official “Fake News” organization in Monmouth County.
And have you forgotten about the letters that were sent by the spouse of candidate Mickey Rast’s of the Monmouth County Republican Organization to attack former Republican Jack Archibald and backing the other side? Hmmm…. seems like we have a convenient double standard here Art attacking councilman Boracchia.
of this turmoil. People, please stop with the personalities if you can, and try and put your town first. I wish you better!
You need to change your logo- fair and biased news and commentary – you are not! Why would you try to bash the integrity of Councilmen Boracchia? A Naval Midshipman, a Councilman who has moral uprightness and principals, get bashed? Everyone seems to forget the past when it comes to Fligor and Rast- here a link to one of your articles you posted
http://www.artgallagher.com/mmmarchive/2015/05/30/atlantic-highlands-mayor-fred-rast-encourages-republicans-and-independent-voters-to-vote-for-lou-fligor/
Now tell me how Councilman Boracchia lied? He tells the truth. Who remembers the nasty newletters- letter from the mayor’ that we all were subject to? Here’s what is happening in a nutshell- People are getting tired of the lies and are watching- some residents are pushing back- so the people who have run the town forever -get nervous- let’s form a way so we can keep a firm and OLD grip- so let’s put Hoffman and wife , Fligor’s wife and son in law, Centron(planning board member- remember carton!) and Mrs. Rast—so we have all the players in line.
That’s fair? Honest? Upright? I think not.
Here’s another old story for those who forget:
http://www.artgallagher.com/mmmarchive/2016/09/17/atlantic-highlands-democrats-endorse-independent-republican-council-candidates/
Look at the link down the 4th paragraph- notice the names-
http://www.artgallagher.com/mmmarchive/2015/01/02/republicans-split-in-atlantic-highlands/
I don’t think you should question the integrity of a Councilman who has stood up and stood firm , even when it was not poplar to do so.
Jane is Thoughtful, Smart, Tough & Able. Thanks for your service to our community. Jane and Bernie Frotton have over 30 years of success of not only guiding the local GOP but in improving Atlantic Highlands along with efforts to protect our waterfront from massive planned over development of our , preserve our woodlands, improve recreation facilities and the harbor. We have a bike trail because Jane & Bernie and others stopped the road along the waterfront from the harbor to HIghlands. In addition, as a Red Cross coordinator and Children & Family Service Jane has made a difference throughout NJ and elsewhere. I remember first working with Jane after Hurricane Andrew in Florida just out of Homestead where she was in charge of the Red Cross aide network for the disaster that comes from winds 145 miles an hour with an 18 foot storm surge. Jane used much of her training in the subsequent storms like Sandy that hit our shores. In addition, Jane set up a second hand store in Long Branch for those less fortunate which helped clothe young kids. Jane’s daughter is a nun who teaches challenged children. Jane Frotton loves our town and put her heart and soul into it. Even when Jane didn’t get the candidate she wanted, she worked to help them in the campaign. When she didn’t get her first choice (which happened plenty of times) the idea of putting a democrat opponents sign on her front lawn to undermine a fellow Republican WOULD NEVER EVEN CROSS HER MIND.
The Jane Frotton I know. Thoughtful Smart Tough and Able. There is still hope.
More Monmouth Musing’s despicable hit piece on Atlantic Highlands Councilman Stephen Boracchia advances internecine chaos within our ranks. When your candidate loses a primary in a big way you might be bitter, sit on your hands or decide to help the election for the good of the party. Councilman Boracchia ( a marine helicopter pilot and lawyer) won his primary and the general election. Instead of supporting him, bitterness crept into the ranks of some County County Committee Members and even elected Republican officials. They wanted to destroy the republican organization and not only active supported democrats in the general election but put up signs on their houses for the democrats, attended fund raisers for democrats and spent the five months before the general election and two years since bashing Republicans in office they wanted out. Now they are back telling Councilman Borracchia and other Rs they they are the honest and forthright candidates. Forgive my skepticism. Show me.
Mike,
Did I write anything inaccurate about Jane or Stephen?
You know I didn’t. The truth in Atlantic Highlands where the “Regular Republicans” have lost 4 of 5 seats is indeed “despicable.”
The truth is that the Republicans that Jane banished from the Party won those 4 seats..including that of Councilman Hayden who you praised on facebook when I broke the news of his pending resignation.
Jane announced that she was retiring and that Peter Doyle would be taking over. Now is a good time to make a change in leadership.
Chairman Golden stuck with Jane when she chose Jack Archibald over Lou Fligor for Mayor in 2015 and again when she denied Lou and Jake Hoffman the nominations for reelection in 2016.
Those were the decisions that led to the loss of 4 of 5 seats..Boracchia beating Hoffman by some 80 odd votes, while Archibald, Doyle, and Tidswell twice..lost handily.
This election is an opportunity to correct the mistakes of 2015, 2016 and 2017.
Chairman Golden made a wise decision this year to welcome the Republicans that Jane banished home—with an eye toward the future, informed by the past.
I encourage Atlantic Highlands Republicans to choose the team that has demonstrated it has the best interest of the town at heart and knows how to win in November.
Art we rarely agree, but when we do, we are totally on point. Calling Fred a fake Republican is the craziest thing I ever heard in local politics. Dude had NRA approved gun training classes lol…
Art your article is despicable pack of innuendo and baloney. You also left out that Mr. Boracchia has a darn good reason to call out those who abandoned the party and put up democrat signs on their front lawn which is the main reason our party lost. I have not called Fred a “fake republican”. I have repeatedly defended him as a good Mayor who got us through Sandym reorganized our borders with Highlands and had a great 8 years in my opinion. He was also instrumental as Mayor in helping out my family when our property was being destroyed by flash floods and for that I will always be grateful. Others wouldn’t even bother to come see the damage being caused by the town’s failure to maintain storm drains above us. Fred came the next day and vowed to do the right thing. He did. Yet when the primary didn’t go his way for his handpicked successor Fred actively campaigned for the democrat. So what are Rs and the public suppose to think when they ride by his house year-after-year and there are massive Democrat signs on his lawn. So we all have some grievances and I do hope that this primary will help mend the fences. Certainly all four candidates are impressive.
No innuendo or baloney, Mike.
I’ll count you on the losing team that would rather be “right” that win.
We can’t govern if we don’t win.
Thank you Mike Harmon for kind words. Art, you accuse me of “writing that flyer” that Brian “disavows”.which I did not write. Had nothing to do with it. It was sent to me after I asked the candidates what was happening? I received a message from one of our candidates who said “I guess you were not copied on this” I have proof that I did not. As you always do, you tricked Brian into discussion regarding the primary.took his words and twisted them into your sleazy blog.
Former Mayor Dick Stryker and Former Mayor Bob Schoeffling both endorsed James Murphy and Brian Boms. “Regular Republicans”
I did not “hand pick Brian or James.” Steve recruited Brian and Pete Doyle recruited Jim. I stood back. I have not been involved in the campaign. I attended two events.
I sent a letter stating my position, I am retiring. Enough use and abuse from Fred Rast. You must be a genius if you are stating Peter Doyle would be the new chairman. (Maybe you are conceding), it is the committee who nominates the chair. You don’t need to be County Committee member to be chair. That is why Fred Didn’t want his name on the ballot. Mark my word, Should his County Committee win, He will be chair of the GOP. Fred does not want to unite the party, just control it.
Steve Boracchia is a fine gentlemen, and one who works “across the isle” as they say. I believe that Crowley, Hayden and Boracchia did their homework on the budget and believe that budget could have been reduced to a flat tax by reducing the surplus. $188,000 in surplus is more surplus than the town has had in many, many years. $60,000 less surplus still leaves $128,000 in surplus. They were right on.
You also stated that Pete Doyle or Sue Tidswell will be the Republican Candidate in November to replace Hayden. Again that is done by Committee……
I ask that you stop using my name in your blog. You never called me to “fact check” and I resent your innuendo’s!!
Jane,
I wrote that you distributed the flyer. I did not write that you wrote it.
I have the email, from your address, that proves your distributed it, as I accurately reported.
Forward it to me.
Here it is:
http://www.artgallagher.com/mmmarchive/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/janes-email.pdf
Basically the democrats gleefully agree with Art Gallagher. If the the slate of Republican candidates lose by massive margins, those who lost and those who backed them (even if they are elected Republican officials) have Art Gallagher’s permission to put up Democrat signs on their lawns, campaign and donate to democrats. Party loyalty and discipline is necessary to advance the ideas that distinguish good governance by republicans. Honest republicans prefer presenting a cogent message like “careful use of taxpayer funds, quality of life, open space, & care of the environment along with trying to solve difficult issues like opiates, Sandy ravaged homes and families. Let’s see if Gallagher’s Republican picks now help fellow Republicans (like they said they would) or again start actively campaigning for the democrats to win. You are the reporter Art…ask them what they intend to do now.
in all contested municipal contests now produce actual victories against Democrats, this November. It may be fine when “ new blood” takes down folks who have dedicated themselves for decades, through good times and bad, but the proof is in their electoral-wins-pudding: let’s see, (and keep track,) whether this wave of “ upstarts” in several of our supposedly “Republican” towns, have the fortitude and ability to run cogent, winning campaigns, put up with all the complaints and disinterest, and, actually GOTV, WIN, and then, hello, LEAD.
And, let’s see if they fill and keep filled, all their county committee seats, ( some towns like Aberdeen purportedly filed no one,) and finally, let’s see whether the great new leaders are around 2, 3, or 5 years from now: they may have won a point, and a title, and assuaged their egos and agendas, but are they really in it for the long run, the party, and, for better governing?? Only time, and actual election statistics, will tell!