Report: Gopal Considering Another Run For Assembly

What will Dan Jacobson do?

Vin Gopal

Ever the optimist and desperate for relevancy, Monmouth County Democratic Chairman Vin Gopal is floating his name as a candidate for Assembly in 11th District.

The district’s Assembly seats are currently held by Mary Pat Angelini and Caroline Casagrande.  Gopal and Red Bank Councilwoman Kathy Horgan lost to Angelini and Casagrande by over 3000 votes (out of 37,093 cast) in 2011.  Former Democratic Assemblyman Dan Jacobson, publisher of the triCityNews and AsburyParkSun earned 2358 votes as an Independent candidate that year.

MoreMonmouthMusings hereby endorses Gopal for one of the Democratic Assembly nominations in the 11th.

We were worried that 2015 would be a boring year politically in Monmouth County and that we’d have to start covering restaurant openings to keep our traffic up next year.  With Gopal on the ballot, MMM’s political focus would be assured for another year.

Another reason we like Gopal as a candidate for Assembly is that it takes an issue of the table for Sheriff Shaun Golden’s reelection in 2016.

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Losers: The Battle for Monmouth

This morning we gave you the winners from the Battle for Monmouth.   Without further adieu, the losers:

Vin Gopal. Underneath that boyish smile and pleasant demeanor is a nasty, dirty, ruthless political operative.  The Monmouth Democratic Chairman showed his true colors in 2013 with his defamatory allegations against Sean DiSomma in the Red Bank Council race. Give him several hundred thousand dollars, which the NJ Democrats did this year, and he tries to destroy the good names of distinguished public servants simply because they hold offices he wants. Monmouth Republicans, particularly some in the legislative delegation, who are friendly with Gopal should reconsider their judgement about him.  It no longer can be said that Vin is a wolf in sheeps clothing.  He’s a wolf.

The NJ Democratic State Committee, Essex County Clerk Chris Durkin, Senator Cory Booker, Assemblyman Joe Cryan, various labor unions and anyone else who gave Gopal money.  They got nothing for it.

The Asbury Park Press. Neptune Nudniks is no longer an appropriate moniker for them.  They are not stupid or incompetent as “nudnik” implies.  They are dishonest and lazy. Their coverage of the Monmouth County Freeholders race was spoon fed or edited by Gopal and his candidates Larry Luttrell and Giuseppe “Joe” Grillo.  Gopal, Luttrell and Grillo used APP to counter MMM’s coverage of the race, which we find hilarious and complimentary.  It didn’t work because APP no longer has influence in Monmouth County.

Their election night coverage was a disaster.  While APP was reporting on software problems at the Monmouth County Clerk’s Office, MMM was reporting election results.

The Monmouth County Clerk’s Office.  The Monmouth County Election Results website is the New Jersey equivalent of HeathCare.gov.

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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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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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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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Booker comes to Monmouth, Only Raises $25K

Selfie via twitter.

Senator Cory Booker’s fundraiser for the Monmouth County Democrats only yielded $25,000, according to a report on PolitickerNJ.

Booker has had much better nights in Hollywood and on Twitter than he had last night in the county he lost by 10,000 votes last year to former Bogota Mayor Steve Lonegan.

Monmouth County Democratic Chairman Vin Gopal confirmed the take and said he was happy with it.

Democratic Freeholder candidate Larry Luttrell was excited in his remarks at the Wall Township home of Gary Faraci, the Wall Democrats only nominee for three Township Committee seats this fall.

“This is different. This isn’t like any other year. This year is special. We have a rock star on top of the ticket,” said Luttrell, of Holmdel, an attorney, as he pointed to Booker. “He’s here to help us, and that means a lot. We’re going to out work them, we’re going to out raise them, and we’re going to make it happen.”

OK Larry.

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Jeffrey Foster resigns from Wall Township Committee

Jeffery W. Foster resigned from the Wall Township Committee last week.  He is applying to be the Director of Public Works for the Township and wants his application to be considered on it’s merits, not based upon his political position.

Jeffrey Foster

Foster was elected to the Township Committee in 2007 and served as mayor in 2012. He has been chairman of the Public Works Committee throughout his tenure.

If only a certain former Manalapan Township mayor had taken the same approach when he wanted to sell the development rights to his farm to the government.

Foster, 59, has been looking to get a municipal public works position for last the last few years.  He applied to be the Director of Public Works in Belmar two years ago. Belmar Mayor Matt Doherty said Foster’s application was given serious consideration. “Jeff would make an excellent Public Works Director,” Doherty told MMM in a phone interview.

Foster has also applied to be an Assistant Public Works Director in Middletown. He sold his auto repair and towing business last summer.  He started working as a maintence worker at the New Jersey Department of Transportation last September.  “They let me use the heavy equipment,” Foster said, “I love this work. ”

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Booker coming to Wall Township to raise funds for Monmouth Dems

photo via facebook

Senator Cory Booker is lending his star power and fund raising prowess to the Democratic Freeholder candidates who are looking to unseat Freeholder Director Lillian Burry and Deputy Director Gary Rich in November.

Booker is headlining  a July 25 fundraiser for Larry Luttrell and Joe Grillo at the Wall Township home of Gary and Linda Faraci.

All of Monmouth County’s Democratic mayors, including Tinton Falls Mayor Gerry Turning are listed as hosts of the fundraiser on the event’s invitation.

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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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