Monmouth Dems Meet Tonight To Nominate Their County and Legislative Candidates

The Monmouth County Democrats will hold a “mini-convention” this evening at the IBEW Local 400 Union Hall in Wall Township to formally nominate their slate of County and Legislative candidates for the June 2 primary.

Jeanne Cullinane is challenging Assembly Members Amy Handlin and Declan O’Scanlon in the 13th legislative district

MMM has learned that Hazlet Board of Education member Tom Herman will be a candidate for Assembly in the 13th legislative district, challenging incumbent Republicans Amy Handlin and Declan O’Scanlon. Joining Herman on the Democratic ticket in the 13th will be Jeanne Cullinane, also of Hazlet, a political newcomer.

Cullinane has recently shared posts on facebook that compared Republicans to Iranian terrorists and Polish people to monkeys.

Monmouth County Chairman Vin Gopal has previously announced on his blog that Neptune Township Zoning Board Member Carol Rizzo will challenge incumbent Republican Freeholder John Curley.  There has been speculation that Rizzo was seperated at birth from Rumson Democratic Chairman and former Democratic candidate for Surrogate, Michael Steinhorn.

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Predictions: 2015

The Green Bay Packers will eliminate the Dallas Cowboys from Super Bowl contention with a victory in the Divisional Round of the NFL playoffs next Sunday.

Governor Chris Christie will announce that he is a candidate for President of the United States.  Christie’s independent polling numbers will drop to the low 40’s in New Jersey, but his national popularity will rise.

Kim Guadagno will officially be the Governor of New Jersey on more days than Christie will be in 2015. Yet, Guadagno’s name recognition will not exceed 20% in independent polls.

U.S. Attorney Paul Fishman will announce 3-4 indictments in the George Washington Bridge/Port Authority fiasco.  Christie will not be one of them. Neither will Acting Governor Guadagno.

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Do you have a Larry Luttrell horror story?

In recent days MMM has been contacted by readers with horror stories involving their personal and professional dealings with Monmouth County Democratic Freeholder Candidate Lawrence W. Luttrell.

Each person spoke of substantial financial losses, shattered dreams, intimidation and fear of Luttrell’s bullying tactics.

Luttrell wants to be a Monmouth County Freeholder; one of five elected officials responsible for overseeing a $500 million county government with 3300 employees that provides roads, public safety and law enforcement, health and human services, parks and recreation, a world class library system, vocational schools, senior services and much more.

For the people we’ve talked to, the thought of Luttrell in a position of power is frightening.

If you have a Larry Luttrell horror story, or know someone who does, and are willing to share it, please contact Art Gallagher at artvg@aol.com quickly.  Your identity can be kept confidential if you so choose.

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Lying Larry Luttrell Blames Lillian Burry For Operation Bid Rig

Democratic Freeholder Candidates recount their arrests, Threaten Blogger

By Art Gallagher

Democratic Freeholder Candidates Giuseppe “Joe” Grillo and Lawrence Luttrell talked about their arrests at the Lincroft Village Green candidates forum

Monmouth County Democratic Freeholder Candidate Lawrence W. Luttrell continued his assault on Freeholder Director Lillian Burry’s character tonight at a candidates forum in Middletown.

“There have been 10 indictments since Lillian Burry has been in office,” Luttrell declared at a League of Women Voters moderated debate sponsored by the Lincroft Village Green Association at the Lincroft Elementary School.  “Monmouth County has a corruption problem, ” he said.

Luttrell rattled off 10 names, starting with former Freeholder Harry Larrison and six other Operation Bid Rig defendants who were arrested in February of 2005.

“Those people were gone before I got there,” Burry angrily shot back at Luttrell.

Burry was first elected to the Freeholder Board in November of 2005, nine months after the Operation Bid Rig arrests.

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DiSomma: Squash Zipprich DUI Video

Sean DiSomma

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 Press is 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.”

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Zipprich blames Republicans for his DUI becoming public

Red Bank Councilman likes to have it both ways

What do Ed McKenna and Ed Zipprich have in common besides the same first name and being Red Bank Democrats? They both have a record of driving the wrong way on the Garden State Parkway after consuming too much alcohol.

The Red Bank Police should put a DUI check on River Rd on Sunday afternoon as McKenna is holding a fundraiser for Zipprich and his running mates at his home from 4-6.  Red Bank Taxi and Red Bank Limo should make sure their drivers are on standby.  The State Police should increase patrols at Exit 109.

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Larry Luttrell Lunges At Lillian Burry

Democratic Freeholder Candidate Lawrence Luttrell at Four Seasons debate in Manalapan. photo by Rhoda Chodosh

In a move reminiscent of Congressman Rick Lazio’s aggression towards First Lady Hillary Clinton in the 2000 U.S. Senate debate in New York,  Lawrence Luttrell, a Democratic candidate for Monmouth County Freeholder jumped from his seat and lunged towards Freeholder Director Lillian Burry Wednesday night at a candidates debate at the Four Seasons Club House in Manalapan.

Deputy Freeholder Director Gary Rich and Giuseppe “Joe” Grillo, Luttrell’s running mate, braced themselves to protect Burry as it appeared that Luttrell would leap over them to get to Burry.  Rich and Grillo were seated between Burry and Luttrell.  Luttrell pulled back before going airborne and turned to the debate moderator and shouted, “This is not what I came here for.  If this is going to be a kangaroo court where we don’t follow the rules, I’m leaving right now.”  Luttrell was living up to the name of the paper organization he created with his wife and mother-in-law to sue Monmouth County last year; R.A.G.E.

What apparently set Luttrell off was Burry asking him, “Is your name Pinocchio?”

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Gopal: Essex County is the model he wants for Monmouth County

These men want to turn Monmouth County into South Essex County.
CD-4 Candidate Ruben Scolavino, Larry Luttrell, Senator Cory Booker, Joe Grillo, Congressman Frank Pallone, NJ Democratic Chairman John Currie and Monmouth Democratic Chairman Vin Gopal.  photo via facebook

Monmouth County Democratic Chairman Vin Gopal said that Essex County’s Government is the model he hopes to impose on Monmouth County should he ever win control of the Board of Freeholders.

Gopal and his freeholder candidates Larry Luttrell and Joe Grillo ventured north to Essex this week, hat in hand for money to fund their quest to transform Monmouth into South Essex, according to a report on PolitickerNJ.

“They have done an extraordinary job in Essex County as far as managing a county government, and it’s all Democratic,” Gopal said. “It’s a model for Monmouth to hope to achieve one day.”

Let’s take a look at what that means.

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The Monmouth Dems Finally Have An Idea

Democratic Mayors Pan Their Freeholder Candidates’ Call For A County Ethics Board

By Art Gallagher

Democratic Freeholder Candidates Larry Luttrell and Joe Grillo with Congressman Frank Pallone and campaign volunteers

The Monmouth County Democrats have finally put forth a proposal to improve County Government.

It is not a new idea. It is not even a good idea. But at least they have put forth an idea for debate instead of spreading the lies and baseless character assassinations that have comprised their campaign so far this year.

Their campaign had been wholly negative; primarily baseless character attacks on Freeholder Director Lillian Burry.  They lied and said Burry hired an unqualified campaign worker for a mental health position.  Even after their lawsuit alleging that Burry had a conflict of interest over the Andrew Lucas farmland preservation deal was thrown out of court, they continue to beat that drum.  The GOP controlled Freeholder Board has cleaned house at Brookdale Community College since former President Peter Burnham was caught with his hands in the cookie jar. Yet the Democrats have been blaming Burry for Burnham’s transgressions.

Democratic candidate Joe Grillo told The Asbury Park Press that he wants to reinstate a County Ethics Board.   I know I’m being generous by saying this is a proposal to improve County Government instead of calling it an excuse to keep talking about the baseless allegations they are making about Burry.  But what the heck.  MMM is fair and biased. Let’s play along and debunk the idea on its merits.

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A Teachable Moment

Editor’s note:  Freeholder Director Lillian Burry submitted this column back in February. In light of the recent “push polling” negative campaign tactic on the part of the Monmouth County Democrats and what looks to be an ugly seven weeks coming before election day, we thought it might be a good idea to run her column again.

By Lillian G. Burry, Monmouth County Freeholder Director

Photo by Vinnie Amessé © www.amessephoto.com

When Vin Gopal launched his latest attack, I heard from friends with two different types of advice.  Some said I should fight back immediately because silence would suggest I had no defense.  Others said I should do nothing because to respond to bullying would make me just look defensive.  I thanked them all for their kind thoughts but told them all the same thing.  I see this as a teachable moment to be shared with everyone who may be thinking of someday entering public life.

You may see public office as I do – a way of giving back to society and being thankful for the success you’ve had in your professional life.  In an ideal democracy opponents would challenge you by putting forth a competing vision of the future they would work for and offer up their record of accomplishments so people could judge whether or not they had as good a record as yours when it comes to getting things done.  Unfortunately, that’s not how our democracy has evolved.

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