SOME PEOPLE WOULD RATHER SWITCH

On Sunday Art Gallagher at More Monmouth Musings linked to a post on corruption by Red Jersey's Eric Sedler. It's an interesting post, but we found an interesting sub topic that is very relevant here in Monmouth County, and that is the subject of Republicans becoming Democrats. He mentions a longtime Burlington County legislator, Assemblyman Francis Bodine, who has switched from Republican to Democrat, as well as some local leaders in Gloucester County. I wonder if George Norcross was involved in any of that.
While we haven't had any legislators switch here in Monmouth County (Ocean County did, some years ago when Assemblyman Jorge Rod crossed over to the Dem side.), we have seen it happen locally, enough that it may be a concern.
Different people have different reasons for changing parties. Some may do so because of a local party split, some may find that their philosophy no longer matches their party, yet others switch for purely opportunistic reasons.
Back in the 80's, then-Marlboro Mayor Saul Hornik became a Democrat in his first term. Rep. Frank Pallone is a former Republican; he never held office as a Republican, but he had a conservative reputation in the State Senate, only becoming the ultra-lib we know today after his election to the U. S. House. Another one to turn during the 80's was former Ocean Township Mayor Richard English. Son of Republican Councilman Ed English of Asbury Park, Richard English was an ally locally of (now) Sen. Joe Palaia. Richard English became a Democrat to run for freeholder; he lost.
Others who have switched include Beverly Bova-Scarano of Middletown, Marc LeVine of Freehold Borough, Michael Cannon of Matawan, Courier publisher Jim Purcell, former Red Bank Mayor Ed McKenna and others.
This spring, there was anticipation that Freeholder Anna Little would become a Democrat and run on their line; this proved to be as much wishful thinking on the Democrats' part as it was rumor mongering among some Republicans. She remains a Republican.
The Democrats, too, have had some of their own become Republicans, and we don't hold it against them. The late Joe Pepe served as Democratic mayor of Neptune Township before becoming a Republican, and Wall G. O. P. Chairman Bob McKenna was originally elected to the Township Committee back in the 80's as a Democrat.
As to the Republicans who become Democrats, is this a problem? Why is this taking place, is there a pattern? Are we hemorrhaging party members to the Democrats, or is this just a normal crossing over that takes place at times? Should we be trying to keep these people on the ranch, or say good riddance and don't let the screen door hit them on the way out? Probably both, as each case is different.

12th DISTRICT DEMS' TANGLED WEB

Team Kärcher Not Such Great Reformers After All

Barry Goldwater at the Voice of Reason has an excellent post today on the George Norcross influence in the 12th Legislative District.

I recommend reading it.

THE ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION FIASCO III

Two so-called "day spas" were busted by Ocean Township Police for providing "happy endings" to their massages; eleven people were arrested, according to the Asbury Park Press. Three Prostitutes and three johns were arrested at the Ocean Day Spa, and three prostitutes and two johns were arrested at the Sea Day Spa.

All six hookers were from Flushing, NY and all had mainland Chinese names. The names of the five johns were not released. The nationality of the prostitutes would normally not be relevant but for the fact that they may not only be illegal, they may be the victims of human trafficking. I wrote on this very subject last July 24th. Hopefully, Ocean Township has implemented the 287g Program and will investigate the immigration status of the arrested women, and contact the appropriate federal authorities if there is evidence of organized crime, international or otherwise.

An interesting aside to this Press article is the Asbury Park Press itself. A look at the Business and Service Directory in the classified section will reveal that nothing has changed since my post nearly a year ago. There are still ads touting "Asian", "East European", "Brazilian" and other tupes of "massage". Nude and "shemale" can still be found. Indeed, today's (July 18th) issue still advertises both the Ocean day Spa and the Sea Day Spa, on the very same day that the Press reports the busts of the very same brothels!

Human trafficking is a horrible crime against humanity, where individuals are forced into prostitution or slavery. The Asbury Park Press prides itself on investigative reporting; maybe it could look into the plethora of "happy ending" spas that litter its own classified section.

CORRUPTION CONVERSATION

The latest corrupt politician to fall before U. S. Attorney Chris Christie's federal forces is State Sen. Sharpe James (D - Essex), the thuggish former Newark mayor who believed that the long - suffering Newark taxpayer owed him a lavish living. James apparently believed it was OK to charge such things as movies and trips on a city credit card.
Christie has rooted out corrupt politicians of all political stripes including such Republicans as former Essex County Executive Jim Treffinger and former Paterson Mayor Martin Barnes. Operation Bid - Rig caught both Republicans and Democrats here in Monmouth County.
Still, some Democrats have accused Christie of partisanship, notably when Sen. Wayne Bryant (D-Camden) went down.

This leads to the question: Who will take over the U. S. Attorney post when Christie leaves? That's right, Christie won't be there forever. The U. S. Attorneys are political appointments; the Administration in Washington gets to choose who gets the job. Christie was a Bush / Ashcroft appointment. Would a Fred Thompson, Rudy Giuliani or Mitt Romney administration reappoint Christie? Or if he's not interested would they appoint someone like him?

How about the Democrats? What sort of individual would they choose? Judging by some of the appointments made by former Gov. Jim McGreevey and the Bozo-coiffed Gov. Jon Corzine, we have reason to be apprehensive. McGreevey appointed Peter Harvey as Attorney General and Roberto Rivera - Soto to the State Supreme Court. And Corzine selected serial scofflaw Zulima Farber as AG, even after being warned that she was a foul ball. Farber had to quit after trying to fix a parking ticket for her boyfriend, fellow serial scofflaw Hamlet Goore, whose name sounds like a nursery rhyme character. If elected president, would Hillary Rodham Clinton appoint Harvey or Rivera - Soto as U. S. Attorney? Would Barak Hussein Obama choose Farber or even Goore?
These are some points to ponder as we approach the 2008 presidential election.

NEW ONLINE POLL

The Concerned Monmouth Republican has a poll asking who you think obscure blogger Monmouth RastaMan is. Most people in the know have long since figured out that RastaMan is not some "Democrat who tells it as it is", but sadly rather an insider in our own Republican Party with ties to the County Chairman and a contact inside the Hall of Records.
Any ideas who Monmouth RastaMan might be? Participate in CMR's poll here.

CATCH 22?

NOTE: I was fully prepared to go through the campaign without criticizing the County Chairman. The priority right now should be to elect our great G. O. P. Team. However, things have gotten pretty weird lately and it needs to be addressed.

Chairman Adam Puharic's recent e-mail initiative on pay-to-play reform has been criticized by many Republicans. Adam brings up some very valid points, but he has been criticized for the amateurish timing of his proposal, which has made our Freeholders look foolish and has handed unnecessary ammunition to the Asbury Park Press as well as to the Democrats.
An interesting by-product of this has been the attack on Freeholder Rob Clifton by an obscure blog known for its slavish devotion to the Puharic company line. Monmouth RastaMan writes,

"Out (sic) take is this: Cifton might as well just resign and hand over the freeholder job to D'Amico. From the looks of it, one must wonder if he is going to make it til' (sic) the end of the summer. ...Maybe it's (sic) simple. He is just looking for an excuse not to win."

Monmouth RastaMan has been a Puharic ally from the beginning; he/she/they first appeared on Current Times, Brett Palat's blog, over a year ago supporting Puharic's election as County Chairman, and since then has continued to support Adam and his policies. By attacking Clifton, RastaMan ironically now joins Courier publisher Jim Purcell, who has consistently opposed Clifton on other issues; Purcell has also been on the receiving end of some of RastaMan's more vicious diatribes.
It's almost as if RastaMan would attack Clifton no matter what stand he took on this issue, which would be consistent with theories during the candidate selection process that Clifton was targeted just as Freeholder Anna Little was.
Why, in a year with control of the Freeholder Board on the line, would two incumbent freeholders be targeted by their own party leadership?
That's a good question. A number of theories came out during the process as to why Adam was after Anna; one of those had to do with her "NO" vote on the reappointment of curmudgeonly County Counsel Malcolm V. Carton. Rob also voted against the sarcastic solicitor, and would thus be vulnerable to being similarly targeted.
But why would he be targeted during a general election? A Democrat could get in.
Exactly. With Clifton's running mate Jeff Cantor an unknown quantity and Rob himself a NO vote, factions loyal to the bombastic barrister may actually feel more comfortable with Democrat John D'Amico, a known Carton supporter, who when on the Board, moved Carton's nomination as counsel. D'Amico actually sponsored the resolution.
Other theories exist that, for various alleged reasons, deals were made to throw the election to the Democrats. Or the whole gooey mess could be just very amateurish politics.
Make no mistake, if the Democrats get in this year, it's control of the County, and it'll be very hard for the G. O. P. to get back in the driver's seat, if at all. Can you say Bergen County with beaches?
Regardless of what our party leadership may or may not do, whether you like Adam or not, it is imperative to get behind our candidates like never before. This is expected to be a tough election, and the candidates will need our help. With a county chairman bumbling from crisis, or worse, actively working for defeat, our candidates may not be able to depend upon the leadership for help. It then is important for the rank and file to step up to the plate, to "cowboy up" as it were, and work to ensure that the Democrats don't get in this fall.