Saturday, September 16, 2006

LYNCH PINCHED

"Our team is not done. Put this on the billboard: 97 and 0, and counting."
...Leslie Weiser, Special FBI Agent in Charge of the Newark Office.

Middlesex County Democratic Boss John A. Lynch, Jr. pleaded guilty in Federal Court yesterday to accepting $25,000.00 in bribes and failing to declare $150,000.00 on his federal taxes. He could get up to 41 months in prison.

Lynch's PAC, New Directions Through Responsible Leadership, funded many Democratic campaigns throughout New Jersey, including here in Monmouth County.

In a very related matter, Lynch associate John E. Westlake, a Democratic member of the Monmouth County Tax Board, pleaded guilty to failing to declare $350,000.00 on his federal taxes.

And two more corrupt politicians bite the dust. Sentencing will be December 19th. Merry Christmas.

9 comments:

Downtowner said...

Jack Westlake was a Republican appointee starting under Dowd/Larrison and to this day.

He was a Democrat by registration, who I was told eventually became a registered Republican.

Beverly Bova-Scarano, then a Republican, fell into disfavor when she tried to blow the whistle on Westlake on the board for giving bogus farmland assessments to GOP contributors in Upper Freehold.

Result: She was thrown off the Tax Board, Westlake stayed and she became a Democrat.

Honest Abe said...

JIM_PURCELL addressed...
"Jack Westlake was a Republican appointee starting under Dowd/Larrison and to this day."

Commissioners on the County Tax Board are not appointed by the Freeholders, they are a gubernatorial appointment like the Board of Elections. By State Law the Board consists of three Republicans and three Democrats. Usually these appointments are signed off on by the appointee's County Chairman. Westlake has been on the board long enough that John Fiorino, Sr. was probably the Democratic boss at the time. While Dowd and Larrison no doubt supported him, Westlake was a Fiorino ally and was probably nominated to the governor by Fiorino. For reappointment, the Democratic boss would have been Victor Scudiery (the present one), and if Vic didn't object then, maybe he should have. Of course, maybe he didn't object...

JIM_PURCELL addressed...
"He was a Democrat by registration, who I was told eventually became a registered Republican."

Wrong. He's still a Democrat. Didn't change. Sorry Jim. Do the research.

JIM_PURCELL addressed...
"Beverly Bova-Scarano, then a Republican, fell into disfavor when she tried to blow the whistle on Westlake on the board for giving bogus farmland assessments to GOP contributors in Upper Freehold."

Do you have evidence of this? Like maybe the names of these GOP contributors? Like maybe a block and lot?

JIM_PURCELL addressed...
"Result: She was thrown off the Tax Board, Westlake stayed and she became a Democrat."

Beverly made her choice. Some may stay and work within the party for change, others may leave and join the opposition. Beverly chose the latter. It is her decision.

Jackie Corley said...

Lynch's PAC, New Directions Through Responsible Leadership, funded many Democratic campaigns throughout New Jersey, including here in Monmouth County.

Let's not forget the Republicans who got money from Alma Ltd.

You said it yourself re: Westlake:

Although a Democrat, Westlake was soon found at Republican events. This appears to have created the opportunity for Lynch, who appears to have had an interest in undermining County Democrat Chairman Victor Scudiery in order to gain control of the Monmouth County Democrat apparatus. Funding the Republicans, according to the Courier, may have been Lynch and Westlake's way of creating Democrat losses, thereby eroding support for Scudiery.

the inside airbather said...

Sounds like Purcell protests too much.
Having a gret time here @ Sandy hook Jim. Wish U were here.

Downtowner said...

airbather/"marvin" (aka. weird hairy gop dude), keep the posts coming.

abe: who told me about jack getting put on by republicans? harry. he said he did it and that he liked jack...unless now you want to make harry a democrat too.

as for the deal about beverly... it was in the courier. she did a big feature JUST ABOUT THAT at the beginning of her candidacy (when the gop still LOVED jack and john's money). of course, let's not forget about the gop affinity for jack morris too.

Downtowner said...

I just noticed in your post, Abe, you were talking about Lynch PACs...like the one CLIFTON used during his "absolutely clean" run for county freeholder, after his council gave Morris the "lead developer" job. So if the Matawan GOP wins again...I guess Morris is back in business, right? I mean, he made "the investment" and all already.

J. Joseph Rivera said...

It will be interesting to see how the absence of Lynch will impact Menendez's candidacy.

Jim McGreevey said that Lynch was one of three major Dem Party Bosses and if all three are united, Republicans stand no chance.

I always felt that Norcross was questionable at best as far as throwing his full support behind a North Jersey Party Boss, especially after the Budget fiasco over the summer. Now with Lynch out of the picture, it looks as though the Dems are extremely vulnerable at the moment. At this rate, John Guarini might do better than expected in Middlesex County and make the 13th District Race at least somewhat respectable.

New Jersey Dems are coming completely unglued before our very eyes. At this rate, even if Menendez DID end up dropping out of the race, it probably wouldn't make one bit of difference.

Downtowner said...

i found out more about the tax board thing. it's long and it's on my site.

Downtowner said...

i am not a fan of mr. morris, mr. lynch or mr. westlake and never have been...unlike a lot of others. no trick questions there. i've been saying the same thing for a long time.