Gadzooks! Inzerillo? Running for freeholder? Yes, sports fans, Middletown's Leonard Inzerillo has thrown his hat in the ring. Well, the Democratic ring. OK, he hasn't officially thrown it in the ring, but he and Middletown Democratic boss Joseph "King" Caliendo, in an article in this week's Courier, are said to be actively looking into an Inzerillo freeholder candidacy. In the article they cite Inzerillo's narrow 2003 loss to veteran Assemblyman Joseph Azzolina, and talk about how electable he would be this year.
Mr. Inzerillo has some housekeeping to do, however.
It seems in his losing 2003 assembly run with Old Bridge's William Flynn (for Senate) and Aberdeen's Tom Perry, his treasurer was none other than Union County's oompa-loompaesque publisher James Devine, of Handlin-Thompson.org fame. Handlin-Thompson.org was a controversial weBSite set up by Devine to mock the candidacy of now-Assemblywoman Amy Handlin. Devine's site was written up in this very blog back in December.
Anyhoozies, it seems that Mr. Devine filed the 29-day and 11-day pre-election reports with the state Election Law Enforcement Commission (ELEC), but no 20-day post-election report. Why? Well, the 11-day pre-election report shows that Devine closed out the Election Fund of Flynn, Inzerillo and Perry on October 13 (nearly a month before the election) by writing out a check in the amount of $2,473.47 to the Election Fund of Inzerillo and Perry. OK, fine, you say, but Trenton has no record of any such account as the Election Fund of Inzerillo and Perry. So nearly $2,500.00 goes bye-bye. Was it spent on campaign purposes? Probably, but there's no report on file. Were more funds raised for the new account? Again, probably, but it must be none of our business. Was Devine the treasurer or someone else? Maybe a high-school student? Did it go into Devine's personal bank account like donations raised from the Handlin-Thompson.org site?
Looks like Mr. Inzerillo might have some 'splainin' to do.
25 comments:
Thank you, Mr. President, for removing the nonsense from the previous post.
Mr. Inzerillo's campaign will be itneresting. He is from Middletown and Mr. DiBella is from Howell.
A Howell candidate doesn't really pull a lot in the North or the East. A Middletown candidate can. This is geopolitics.
As for his financing, if he has a problem, I am sure it will be reported. I know I will be the first to report it.
As for Mr. Devine, I cannot speak to whatever he has done and would leave that for him to do. I do think he is well intentioned within the context of the process, but goes over the top on occasion. But, don't we all? I do not defend or condemn him. We're just different. As for his credibility, it's as good as any of my competitors down here in Monmouth.
Inzerillo's problems go beyond ELEC and Devine.
Even after the showing he had in 2003 against Azzolina, he did not get the Dem party nod for Assembly in 2005. He lost in the primary and he lost his Board of Education seat in Middletown.
I don't see him beat Little(a Middletown native), DiBella or McKenna in November
I agree that Devine's credibility is on par with Purcell's. They will both write what they are told and paid to write.
He's certainly going to have his plate full if he decides to run. I think that his running mate is going to make or break the campaign.
In addition, if the campaign he runs isn't well run, then there is going to be another lopsided defeat. But, I think it's a little early, not knowing if he is going to run or who his running mate is to accurately assess.
Of course, who the Republican candidates are is going to make a difference. Weak ticket and he has a shot, strong ticket and it is more of a problem. Camapaign management comes in because if he gets someone's idiot cousing from Bergen County or someplace then call it a day. If he gets a sharp manager, then it could be a race I think
New poll set up for the Monmouth County Freehold race at:
http://monmouthrepublicans.blogspot.com/
Merla Indicted On Additional Charges
http://www.app.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060206/NEWS/60206009/-
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I am sure Courier will do expose on how Merla proclaims his innocence again, and call Joe Kyrillos, Amy Handlin, Rob Clifton and Serena DiMaso crooks.
We've covered John's situation in nes smore than anyone else. As for Serena, we've covered what she said and no one has ever called her a crook. I never called Joe Kyrillos a crook. He gets election money from people who do business in his district with big projects and then he involves himself to various degrees in some projects that seem unusual for a senator to do so.
Rob Clifton accepted about $5K from a PAC that Jack Morris heavily contributed to, during his freeholder race, and it just so happens his administration unilaterally named Morris as the developer.
OK, so you're facts are...what? Nothing. Yeah, next time it would be a lot easier to just write "blah, blah, blah, I've got nothing to say."
John is a friend, and so is Paul Coughlin and, by the way, but The Courier was the only one to put both of them on the front page and run a full-length story about the arrests. I wrote an editorial about the justice system and stand by it. Your point is off base.
Have a Coke and a smile.
I am still waiting for Merla's new indictment to be the next newsflash on the Courier website, surely it deserves as much attention as the Middletown Super's suspension. I am still waiting for that Ray O'Grady indictment to be posted too. I am sure this week's headline will again be: "Merla Declares His Innocence." How about a newflash on Terrence Wall breaking campaign finance laws by not including a disclaimer on his robocalls. I guess "friends" of Purcell and Azzolina don't get negative press. There's nothing wrong or illegal about having a slanted publication with an agenda, but don't pretend to be objective when you're not.
"John is a friend, and so is Paul Coughlin and, by the way"
Some friend!
$23000 in bribes vs. $5000 from a PAC for an election?
I'd say that $23000 in bribes is a much more newsworthy story. But - wait a minute - we're waiting for on that one because he'll be vindicated- yeah right! I'd say it's time for Mr. Merla to step down and stop embarassing the residents of Keyport.
Innocemt until proven guilty! A politicaly motivated posecutor keeps throwing charges at John Merla. John welcomes his day in court. Make no mistake-John Merla will be vindicated! Until then he continues to work hard for the residemts of Keyport, the Pearl of the Bayshore. When John is vindicated and he will be, you people who trash him will come crawling back, kissing his ass and asking him for favors!
"John welcomes his day in court."
So do I! I need a good laugh!
Maybe he keeps throwing charges at Merla because Merla's a crook. True he is presumed innocent until proven guilty, but Merla knows the truth. If he did in fact do what he is accused of, he knows it, and should do the right thing and resign from office, plead guilty and just plain go away. He hurt many of his friends in the past year, and basically the Keyport GOP organization is now toast.
If he did not do anything wrong, let him have his opportunity to defend himself.
It doesn't look good at all for Merla; Christie's reputation is not one of frivolous prosecutions, so I'd say the charges are quite legit.
Christie got a patronage job, and he didn't have a lot of experience before he got it. Basically, his brother did a lot of fund-raising and so did his law firm. Almost from the day he became U.S. attorney he has floated rumors about governor. I wouldn't say he's the greatest example of a U.S. attorney ever. He seems to be doing a good job, in my estimate, at this point with as much information available to the public as has been released.
That is not to say John is innocent or guilty. It is to say that we are still dealing with a lawyer who hasn't done a lot on his own by way of criminal convictions or decision making. This is the drawback of patronage jobs. The whole "Joey Buses" thing... complete with "mob names" and all... come on. This is bush league. Joe had as much influence as my dry cleaner in things.
Merla is innocent until proven guilty in my book. And, if he's guilty, it will be by a jury of his peers or at the decision of a judge (as John wants it). John shouldn't receive special treatment because he is a public person, but then again he shouldn't be convicted of guilt while he is trying to prove innocence in a court of law. So, based on what I know about the man, I'm withholding judgment until a verduct is in (while reporting the news of the day in an impartial manner).
Christie hasn't really done a lot to stem the big guys in the "organized rackets" of the develoeprs in the "billionaire's club"...he's basically stuck to small-time guys who wouldn't be found in the Deal Country Club unless they were holding a serving tray. I'll be a lot more impressed when I see someone on the list from Navesink River Road or Rumson (wait...they're really rich...so they must be innocent). Come on.
Purcell is such a parochial bonehead. Merla is a crook, these things just don't happen by accident to the same people multiple times. Tell me how many cases this US Attorney has lost? Sorry Merla is your "friend" but many of your "friends" seem to have similar problems. Hmmmm. If you read a real newspaper, you may have noticed some of the high profile developers that the US Attorney has taken down and has his sites on. So soon we forget Charlie Kushner when it is convienent for our rhetorical rantings. What about John Lynch too? Jim Treffinger? and many others. . . . You're about the only person other than those who have been put in the pokey who think that Chris Christie has not done an amazing job, which makes one really wonder where your interests are.
And people are entitled to legal representation, even during the immigration process. Nice try.
As for anonymous:
My "interests" are among the brokest in Monmouth County, money bags. I'm not from your country club, pal, and wouldn't want to be. I like the Bayshore fine.
I am in the private sector, which means I have to work damn hard for whatever living I have. I do not have the privilege of office, nor do I want it, and I am not in real-estate, law or something where I can make barrels of money off friends and acquaintances.
I sure as Hell have no money to donate to anyone, outside of a little now and again to whoever I think is right.
It means I have to actually make something happen in the world outside politics to make my dollars. And, as for our coverage: Kushner isn't in my circ. area, not that we wouldn't have reported on him if he were. As for the rest of the rogues gallery, it's the same: But, we did report on Lynch extensively, as well as on the real-estate interests of Kyrillos. We also reported extensively on Coughlin, Merla, etc. So, grow up and find a point or shut up.
And, as for my opinion about Christie, not having everything handed to me in my life, I do sort of expect people to earn things they get and not buy them (especially where it involves office...hey, my bad). But, that said, he is doing an OK job. I think there are District Attorneys that were and are probably a lot more qualified, on either side of the aisle...but that isn't how things work. So, yeah, he's doing OK. So, it's turning out.
As for people I know that are in public life, I know a good chunk of the state's lawmakers. In Monmouth, I know about everyone in office and the political game on both sides of the aisle. But, you could have named anyone in office in Monmouth and I would have known them...and probably liked them.
I really only don't get along with complete and utter morons, like yourself. : )
Mr. Purcell, no response is needed becuase once again you embarass yourself with your own ignorance and tempermant. You are your own worst enemy, and that's what I love about you. Remember, you're only as good as the company you keep. Happy Valentine's Day.
hey abe
Honest Abe said...
And people are entitled to legal representation, even during the immigration process. Nice try.
you can't be that unitelligent
When illegals aliens walk in to her office and she can't win the case they don't leave the country-- she let them walk out of her office and stay in NJ. Is she then supporting the constitution
You can't be that unintelligent, Joe. Stop playing with Norcross's computer and get to work, Joe!
Purcell's paper is 30 pages. It reads more like a school newspaper than a real news paper. I think there might even be ten real articles in the whole paper. Also Jim's circulation numbers don't add up. One website, run by Jim, say's it doesn 15,000, but the press association only shows 7,000. That's pitiful. I wonder what he tells the advertisers what his circulation is. Jim, perhaps you should work more and stop blogging. Maybe then you'll have enough time to check your facts.
You really should tell me when you are going to mention me
I don't have anything to say about Lenny Inzerillo, but the joint campaign account for which I was treasurer closed out without raising much money.
The lack of any report could be due to the fact that none was required, because you don't need to file anything except a notice if you spend less than a certain amount on your campaign.
The fundraising advantage in Monmouth County, and the culture of corruption, belongs solely to Republicans!
As for handlin-thompson.org, you should check the site because I will update it as long as that crooked combo holds office... Amy Handlin and Sam Thompson are just plain old political hacks!
Amy Handlin -- the Tawana Brawley of the GOP -- hired crooks and gave no-bid contracts to GOP donors. She has a no-show secretary and a lackluster record. She has been responsible for sham legislation that has been called 'reform' instead of what it really was.
I make no apology for trying to help Democrats in the 13th District. God knows the GOP has failed residents of the Bayshore!
The Courier's distribution kind of speaks for itself, "Anonymous." The reason my newspaper is basically beating the press day in and day out on stories is because we are absolutely a rag and don't have ANYTHING going on. I bet you know a "newspaper" that does, "Annon."
Courier is doing it's job (that's pretty clear) and the NJPA screwed up the numbers and it's stuck in a book for a year. I don't even think that's this year's book. Don't get me wrong, I wouldn't be surprised.
And...I'm sure NO ONE is picking up Courier since absolutely no one is reading our stories. That's what you're selling?
One word...moron.
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