Lisa Annetta, center, Marilyn Piperno, left and Kim Eulner
The Monmouth County Republican Committee will run a slate of three women against Senator Vin Gopal and Assembly members Joann Downey and Eric Houghtaling in the 11th Legislative District, Chairman Shaun Golden announced this morning.
Lisa Annetta of Freehold Borough will seek to unseat freshman Senator Vin Gopal. Marilyn Piperno of Colts Neck and Kim Eulner of Shrewsbury will seek to deny Downey and Houghtaling fourth terms in the Assembly.
The 11th is the only district in Monmouth County with more registered Democrats than Republicans.
State Senator Vin Gopal of the 11th Legislative District renamed his public figure facebook page to Re-elect Senator Vin Gopal this morning and announced a virtual campaign kickoff event for January 21 over the weekend.
Photo by Kevin Sanders courtesy of New Jersey Globe
Senator Vin Gopal (D-11) submitted the following response to Tom DeSeno’s column criticizing his response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
By Senator Vin Gopal
I appreciate Tommy DeSeno more than he knows.
I know we disagree on a lot, but I firmly believe that if we hadn’t implemented aggressive social distancing measures over the past 2 months, we could have 80,000 deaths instead of the 10,000 horrific deaths that we’ve seen in New Jersey. That’s not my opinion: That’s according to every public health report–including the President’s.
The Colts Neck Township Committee elected Frank Rizzuto mayor on Saturday during their annual reorganization. Sheriff Shaun Golden issued the Oath of Office.
Bill Robinson, center, with Monmouth Dem Chairman Dave Brown and Asbury Park Dem Chair Joe Grillo. photo via facebook
Bill Robinson, the Democrat volunteer operative and sign guy who former congressional candidate Tiffany Kaszuba accused of “concerning” and “unhealthy” behavior has resigned from the New Jersey Democratic State Committee, according to one of the Monmouth County Democrats who is allowed to talk to MMM.
Monmouth Democrat Chairman Dave Brown (not allowed to talk to MMM) called for Robinson’s resignation from the State Committee and banned him from Party activities after he and Senator Vin Gopal (allowed to talk to whoever he wants) were widely criticized on how they initially handled Kaszuba’s concerns.
Tiffany Kaszuba, left and Bill Robinson, right at an event in Asbury Park in September. Photo via Kaszuba’s twitter page
Monmouth County Democrat Chairman Dave Brown issued an apology this morning for the way he handled the concerns of Tiffany Kaszuba, a lobbyist who ended her candidacy for Congress in CD4 on Tuesday with explosive allegations against Bill Robinson, the former Chairman of the Eatontown Democrats and former member of the Monmouth Democrats Executive Committee.
Kazuba issued the following statement announcing her withdrawal:
Monmouth County Democrats, LD 11 Assembly members Eric Houghtaling and Joann Downey in particular, must think Moira Nelson, the Democrat freeholder candidate who views law enforcement officers as trigger happy racist slave masters, represents the character and value of Monmouth County voters.
In case you missed it, we alerted the Dems that they had a second radical cop hating, drug loving candidate in Nelson on their ticket last week.
The General Majority PAC is spending to protect their investment in Assembly Members Eric Houghtaling and Joann Downey. They must have polling data showing Houghtaling and Downey vulnerable without Sen Vin Gopal’s coattails.
State Senator Vin Gopal said it would be up to the courts to decide if New Jersey has the right to keep a presidential candidate, President Trump or any other candidate, off the ballot in the state if they do not disclose five years of tax returns, as required by legislation he voted in favor of last week, should the bill pass in the Assembly and be signed by Governor Phil. Murphy.
Gopal reached out to object to MMM’s coverage of his vote on the bill, S119,which would also prohibit Electoral College electors from voting for a candidate who did not disclose their tax returns, regardless of how voters cast their ballots. He objected to the use of the phrase “fellow cronies” in describing his relationships with the other Democrat senators who passed the bill last week. He said I was inferring that he was corrupt for not wanting the the disclosure requirement to apply to him and other NJ elected officials and that I was implying that his cash purchase of his Tinton Falls office building was nefarious.
