McKenna Convicted Of DWI

Ed McKenna, Red Bank Green photo

Monmouth County roads will be a little safer for the next seven months.

Former Red Bank Mayor Ed McKenna, a Democrat, was convicted of driving while intoxicated last week in Tinton Falls Municipal Court.   He received a seven month suspension to his drivers license and a $764 fine.

McKenna was arrested by a New Jersey State Trooper on May 13, 2013 after being involved in a one car accident at mile marker 108 of the Garden State Parkway. He scored nearly three times the legal limit in a breathalyzer test.

Monmouth County Republican Chairman John Bennett did not issue a statement accusing all Democrats of being drunks who are unfit for office.  Bennett’s restraint stands in stark contrast to that of his Democratic counterpart, young Vin Gopal.  Gopal, 28, accused “local and County Republican politicians” of being corrupt last week after former Manalapan Mayor Andrew Lucas was indicted for allegedly fraudulent acts to secure the purchase of a farm.

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Walsh To Challenge Freeholder Incumbents

Howell Councilman Bob Walsh, second from left, and Freeholder Gary Rich, right, are set to compete for a 2014 GOP nomination. Andrew Lucas, left, then a Manalapan Committeeman and Wall Township Committeeman George Newberry, between Walsh and Rich. Photo from 2011 Freeholder nomination race. Photo credit Rhoda Chodosh

Freeholder Lillian Burry: “They (her opponents) should say what they would do better. Their negative attacks make them look like asses.  They are asses!”

The By-Laws instituted by Monmouth Republican Chairman John Bennett as the fulfillment of one of his major campaign promises in 2012 will likely result in one of his most ardent supporters, Freeholder Lillian Burry, being challenged at the 2014 Monmouth Republican Nominating Convention in March.

Howell Councilman Bob Walsh said he will seek a nomination for freeholder when the Republican County Committee convenes next spring.  Incumbents Burry and Freeholder Gary Rich both said they will seek the nominations for new terms…Burry’s 4th, Rich’s 2nd…and that they are prepared to fight back Walsh’s challenge.

“Tell him to wait his turn,” Burry said of Walsh’s challenge.  “I’m running and I support Gary Rich for another term.”

“I’ve heard the name mentioned as a candidate,” Rich said of Walsh, “but I haven’t heard from him. It is interesting that he would challenge an incumbent like Lillian Burry who has such an exemplary record serving the taxpayers of Monmouth County.  Lillian and I both work very hard to improve the county.”

“Freeholders are not elected for life,” Walsh, a former Howell mayor elected as an Independent, said, “my record speaks for itself.  Lillian and Gary are both vulnerable. The Democrats are looking to take them out are excited about running against them.  I am more electable than either of them and I would be a better freeholder than either of them.”

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Vin’s Folly

The reaction to Monmouth County Democratic Chairman Vin Gopal’s declaration of victory has been hilarious…and has overloaded MMM stat counter!

Two Tinton Falls officials called first thing this morning unable to contain their laughter at Gopal’s delusional claim of credit for Gerry Turning’s election as mayor.

Tinton Falls Mayor-elect Gerry Turning

“I’m the most conservative Democrat you’ll ever meet,” Mayor-elect Turning said when we got him on the phone. “I registered as a Democrat over 40 years ago when I was 18 and Jerry Brown was running for President.  I don’t consider myself a partisan.  I vote for the best candidates.”  Turning said he voted for Mitt Romney for President last year, Chris Christie for Governor on Tuesday and Steve Lonegan for U.S. Senate last month.

“Neither the Democrats or Republicans in Tinton Falls were involved in my campaign.  We spent no money.  I’m proud of that.  I’ve never run for office before and don’t consider myself a politician,” said Turning, “I have good relationships with John Bennett (the Monmouth GOP Chairman) and Gopal and I want to keep it that way.  But I am not a partisan person and Tinton Falls is not a partisan town.  The residents like it that way,”

A Manalapan resident said via facebook, “Gopal’s letter is actually very funny. He states, ‘In MANALAPAN, Ryan Urgo, Dr. Ayesha Chaudhary and David Goldstein ran a strong campaign for township committee but lost due to an onslaught of negative attacks from the Republicans.’  Manalapan Democrats: In fact, the Republicans never mentioned the Democrats, not wanting to give them publicity since they were all unknowns. The Democrats, on the other hand, spent their entire campaign attacking Andrew Lucas and the farmland preservation, rather than running against the Republican candidates.”

Asbury Park Councilman John Moor said, “Funny that he claims the Asbury Park referendum a victory, I thought it was going to be non partisan.”

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Gopal Declares Victory

In an email sent to his party faithful this evening, Monmouth County Democratic Chairman Vin Gopal spun the Republican Romp in Monmouth County on Tuesday as a victorious holding of ground and claimed a net pick up of 1 municipal seat.

While we haven’t carefully fact checked Gopal’s claims, some of them appear to be laughable.  He’s counting a Board of Education seat in Wall Township as a pick up and Mayor-elect Jerry Turning’s uncontested election in Tinton Falls, a non-partisan municipality, as pick up. The Tinton Falls GOP support Turning taking over as mayor of the borough where he has been administrator, after retiring as Police Chief.

Gopal is also not counting Highlands Council President Rebecca Kane’s loss to Republican Mayor Frank Nolan as a defeat, because there are 120 uncounted provisional ballots, even though Kane conceded the race on Tuesday night.  Kane would have to get 77% of the provisional votes, assuming they are all ruled valid, in order to gain the 92 votes needed to over take Nolan’s lead.

The text of Gopal’s email is below the fold, for entertainment purposes.  Feel free to check his facts and comment accordingly.

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Gopal: When Dems Take Over Monmouth County, Republicans Will Never Win Statewide In New Jersey

There’s little hope for Republicans anyway if they don’t win a legislative chamber this year.

Vin Gopal’s ambitions are bigger than winning Democratic control of Monmouth’s county and municipal governments.  He wants to make sure New Jersey never again has another Republican governor or U.S. senator.

“Once we turn Monmouth County blue, a Republican will never win statewide,”  Gopal said last night at the annual Monmouth County Democrats Annual Chairman’s Ball, according to a report on PolitickerNJ.

State Senate President Steve Sweeney was on hand to boost Gopal’s plan of taking over Monmouth County from the bottom up.

“Build the party, bring as many people as you can to strengthen this  organization, … and then once you create it you can win, there’s no reason why not,” said Senate President Steve Sweeney, who was invited to speak at the  Monmouth County Democrats Annual Chairman Ball.

“It’s the effort that you put in and you’ve got to build from the foundation  up,” he said, explaining first it’s the councils and then the freeholder  boards.

“No Republican can win statewide if we can win this county,” Sweeney said.  “It’s just a matter of attitude, energy and focus, and that’s what I’m seeing  out of this county.”

Unless New Jersey Republicans win at least one chamber of the legislature on November 5, it is unlikely that a post Chris Christie Republican will be elected statewide for the foreseeable future anyway or that Republicans will ever control the legislature again.

If Republicans can’t pick up seats this year when they have a hugely popular governor cruising to a 30 point win on the top of the ticket, when will they?  Not until there is another Jim Florio or Jon Corzine in Drumthwacket, or a Democratic version of Richard Nixon or George W. Bush in the White House, if even then.

Christie is going to be reelected by huge margins.

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Colts Neck Democrat Fined By ELEC

“Rick” Ambrosia, center, with Vin Gopal, left and Ray Santiago, right, during a 2011 campaign event. Gopal and Santiago were candidates for legislature in LD 11 at the time. facebook photo.

Colts Neck Democrat Patrick “Rick” Ambrosia, Jr has been fined $250 by the New Jersey Election Law Enforcement Commission for failure to file primary election reports for his 2011 campaign to become a member of the Township’s governing body.

Ambrosia, who is best known as a frequent antagonist on center-right blogs, lost his 2011 bid in the predominantly Republican Colts Neck Township.

Click here for ELEC’s decision.

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Dina’s going Long for Christie

Sea Bright Mayor Dina Long, a Democrat, will endorse Governor Chris Christie for reelection tomorrow morning at Woody’s, according to a source who doesn’t want to be known for talking to a Republican blogger.

Sea Bright Mayor Dina Long. photo credit:RedBankGreen.com

The Christie campaign has announced a campaign event at Woody’s Ocean Grille for 11:15 am.

Long did not return a call for comment. Nor did Christie strategist Mike DuHaime.

Long’s support of the Republican governor is a set back for Monmouth Democratic Chairman Vin Gopal, one of Democratic gubernatorial presumptive nominee Senator Barbara Buono’s strongest supporters.

Should Long find herself in trouble with Gopal, Monmouth Republican Chairman John Bennett would welcome her to the GOP.

“I would welcome any caring mayor or council member, including Mayor Long, into the party,” said Bennett in a phone interview, “So long as they are working for the people and not out of a personal agenda, I will welcome them.”

Gopal did not respond to multiple messages.

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Golden, Arnone and DiMaso Annnounce Re-election Bid

Former Congressional candidate is seeking Democratic nomination for Freeholder.  Democrats still looking to fill their Monmouth County slate

Monmouth County Sheriff Shaun Golden, Freeholder Director Tom Arnone and Deputy Freeholder Director Serena DiMaso announced yesterday that they are seeking the Republican nomination for their offices and re-election as a team.  There is no known opposition to the incumbents for the GOP nomination.  The party will award the organization’s “line” for the June primary at its nomination convention on March 23.

Freeholder Director Tom Arnone, Deputy Director Serena DiMaso and Sheriff Shaun Golden

In a joint statement the team cited the county’s reduced spending, its response to Superstorm Sandy, and the positive business climate as the accomplishments of their first terms.  Golden and Arnone are completing their first full term in office.  DiMaso was elected by the Republican County Commitee in January of 2012 to fill Assemblyman Rob Clifton’s seat when Clifton moved to the Assembly. She was elected by the voters last November to complete the term.

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Marlboro Councilwoman Carol Mazzola Switches Parties

Former Republican joins the Democratic Party.  Says Local Democrats Put People First

Marlboro Councilwoman Carol Mazzola has joined the Democratic Party and will seek reelection this fall as a member of her new party, Muncipal Chairman and Council President Frank LaRocca announced today.

“Mayor Jon Hornik and Chairman LaRocca are doing phenomenal jobs,” Mazzola said. “It’s always people first with their team; not politics first. The Council is doing an excellent job and I feel very comfortable being part of their team. They have the best interests of Marlboro at heart.”

Mazzola is the second Republican to switch parties and join Mayor Jonathon Hornik’s and LaRocca’s team since they were first elected in 2007.  Coucilman Jeff Cantor, a former Republican Freeholder candidate, became a member of the Marlboro Democratic team in 2009.

Marlboro GOP Co-Muncipal Chair Selika Joshiah Gore said she was saddened by Mazzola’s decision.

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Gopal Goes Pro Buono

Monmouth County Democratic Chairman Vin Gopal went all in for State Senator Barbara Buono as the Democratic candidate for Governor.

Following multiple news stories yesterday that the Monmouth Dems would “unofficially” endorse Buono pending the outcome of the party’s convention, Gopal released his endorsement today including the names of 75 Monmouth County Democratic Municipal Chairs, party leaders, elected officials and former elected officials.

“I am pleased that over 40 municipal leaders will join me in supporting the candidacy of Barbara Buono as the next Governor of New Jersey,” Gopal said. “She has the guts, the independence, the courage and the will to take on Chris Christie toe to toe on every single issue. As the 4th largest county in the state with over 100,000 registered Democrats, we look forward to aggressively supporting Senator Buono for Governor. This past election cycle, we defeated eight Republican incumbents here in Monmouth County and not a single Democrat was defeated anywhere in the county. We look forward to building on that this November with Barbara Buono at the top of the ticket.”

Notably missing from Gopal’s pro-Buono list are Marlboro Mayor Jon Hornik, Belmar Mayor Matt Doherty and Red Bank Mayor Pat Menna, three of Monmouth County’s most prominent Democrats.

“Its January, said Hornik, “the filing deadline is not until April.  While I am fond of Senator Buono, I would like to see who else is running.  I don’t feel personally compelled to endorse anyone so early.

“I understand what the Chairman (Gopal) is doing.  I have great respect for him, but it is too early for me to be endorsing a gubernatorial candidate.”

Menna was surprised by Gopal’s announcement when reached by MoreMonmouthMusings, “I haven’t seen the letter. It’s still early in the race. Some are still surprised that Booker (Newark Mayor Cory Booker) didn’t run and Codey (State Senator and former Acting Governor Richard Codey) is looking like he might run.”

Doherty, who is running for reelection in Belmar this fall has a new bff in Governor Christie.  Christie and Doherty has been public in their admiration for the jobs they are doing in rebuilding post-Superstorm Sandy. “I don’t have any comment about that,” said the normally forthcoming Doherty when asked about Gopal’s efforts on behalf of Buono.

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