2012 DEMOCRAT CAMPAIGN FINANCE

    The County Democrats' third quarter ELEC reports are in! Due on October 15, it was received in Trenton on October 24.
    It appears that they have been running their losing County Clerk and Freeholder County Commissioner campaigns out of the county organization accounts, as none of their county candidates ELEC reports show anything of substance. Freeholder County Commissioner candidate Kevin Lavan had only filed a D-1 back in July. William Shea filed his 29-Day Pre-Election (R-1) on October 10; his 11-Day Pre-Election was due on October 26 but is nowhere to be found. The 20-Day Post-Election Reports are due on November 26. The joint candidates committee, Shea & Lavan 2012, has only filed a D-2 and an A-2, both on October 10. Michael Steinhorn, their candidate for County Clerk seems to have been their only candidate who actually filed his reports on time, with a D-1 and an A-1 on Oct. 10, and an 11-Day Pre-Election filed on November 2.
    48 hour notices were required for contribution over $1,200.00 received between October 24 and November 6, none are filed. But then the Democrats in Monmouth County have played fast and loose with the definition of 48 hours before.
    We were wondering whether there would be any changes brought about by their new chairman boss, Vin Gopal, who is not the G. O. P.'s pal. Well, basically, same old stuff: Labor bucks, wheeling and whatnot. In other words, meet the new boss, same as the old boss.
    We will know more if they file their fourth quarter reports in January; also from the final county candidates reports.
    Let's look in...

1199 SEIU NYS Political Action Fund gave the Democrats $500.00 on Aug. 22. Last year they gave Amy Mallet's campaign $2,000.00.  Service Employees International Union (SEIU) is known for thuggishness, often supplying goons to physically disrupt events. These are bad dudes. The "NYS" stands for New York State. That is a separate state to the north of New Jersey; again we must reiterate, New York is a separate state. This is an out of state campaign contribution.

The Committee to Elect Sheila Oliver contributed $1,000.00 on Sept, 25. Sheila Y. Oliver is the Speaker of the New Jersey Assembly and represents the 34th District. That's in Essex County.

The Election Fund of Thomas P. Giblin Inc. gave $400.00 on Sept. 17. Thomas P. Giblin is Sheila Oliver's running mate in District 34, and is a mainstay of the Essex County Democrats.
Former Freeholder County Commissioner John D'Amico a/k/a "Flippy", contributed a total of $750.00 in four installments of various amounts. He just won't go away.

June Fallon, wife of former interim Democrat freeholder Charles D. Fallon, gave $400.00 on Sept. 14. Charles Fallon was one of many corrupt public officials busted by then-U. S. Attorney Chris Christie. Fallon, an accountant, had been bribing then-Hudson County Executive Robert C. Janiszewski to the tune of $2,000.00 a year, totaling $8,000.00. In return, Janiszewski would give county contracts to Fallon's accounting firm. Fallon would then do Janiszewski's tax returns so as to hide the bribes. One hand soils the other. Fallon pled guilty and was fined.

Norman Kauff contributed $500.00 on Sept. 17. Kauff was a longtime Scudiery lieutenant and is a major player in Western Monmouth and Bayshore Democrat circles.

Marlboro Councilman Frank LaRocca contributed a total of $420.00 in four installments of various amounts. LaRocca was an unsuccessful candidate for County Democrat Chair Boss against Gopal back in June. Nice to see them getting along. LaRocca is a law partner of Mayor Jon Hornik; let's take the time to give a shout out to all those Republicans for Hornik who we have to thank for this.

Local Union 400 IBEW PAC Fund gave $2,000.00 on August 14, and another $1,500.00 on Sept. 18. They're located on Route 138 in Wall Township.

The Middletown Democratic Party donated a total of $1,850.00 in three installments.

The Monmouth - Ocean Central Labor Council gave $400.00 on Sept. 17.

Plumbers & Pipefitters Local Union No. 9 of Manalapan contributed $1,000.00 on August 29.

2011 DEMOCRAT CAMPAIGN FUNDING

As has so often been the case this time of year, nothing of substance has yet shown up on this year's Democrat Party candidate ELEC reports. Nothing new either yet to reflect any changes brought about under the new County Dem chairman boss, Vinod Gopal. However, there's always last year's final reports, which are relevant because two of their losing candidates from last year, William Shea (freeholder county commissioner) and Michael Steinhorn (surrogate 2011, county clerk 2012), are on this year's countywide ballot.

Let's first look at Amy Mallet's final report:

Pallone for Congress gave her $1,000.00 contribution on October 21, 2011, and another $1,000.00 on Nov. 1. After that it's the unions.

NJEA Political Action Committee contributed $1,250.00 on the same date. That's the teachers' union folks.

DRIVE Committee contributed $1,000.00 on Nov. 9. DRIVE is an acronym: Democrat Republican Independent Voter Education; it's the political action committee of the Teamsters Union.

1199 SEIU NYS Political Action Fund gave Mallet's campaign $2,000.00 on Nov. 17. Service Employees International Union (SEIU) is known for thuggishness, often supplying goons to physically disrupt events. These are bad dudes. The "NYS" stands for New York State. That is a separate state to the north of New Jersey; again we must reiterate, New York is a separate state. This is an out of state campaign contribution.

Now Bill Shea's report:

NJEA Political Action Committee contributed $1,250.00 on Nov. 7. Again, we must reiterate, this is the teachers' union.
Earlier union bucks to Shea can be found here.


And now, Mr. Steinhorn:

Realtors' Political Action Committee on September 30 gave $1,000.00 and another $1,000.00 on October 4.
Steinhorn's report is the only one certified as a final report.


Now, let's look at the Monmouth County Democrats report:

Election Fund of Joseph Cryan (D-Union), the rootinest, tootinest, double-dippinest undersheriff/assemblyman ever to bedazzle New Jersey contributed $10,000.00 to the County Democrats on October 5. Recall that on September 18, he also contributed 1,000.00 smackers to Amy Mallet's campaign account.
In late 2008 it was the Monmouth County Democrat Freeholder County Commissioner majority who looked to Cryan to fill key appointments.

Annette Quijano Election Fund (D-Union), contributed $5,000.00 on Oct. 26. Quijano is a part of the 20th District Legislative delegation along with Joe Cryan and Sen. Raymond J. Lesniak. (below) Quijano replaced former Assemblyman Neil Cohen, the well-known child-porn impressario, currently on parole from South Woods State Prison.

Election Fund of Raymond J. Lesniak (D-Union), contributed $1,000.00 on Oct. 27.

Union County Democratic Committee , Charlotte DeFilippo, chair, forked over $3,000.00 on Oct. 21. Monmouth and Union County Democrats have had a long and cozy relationship. Not sure whether or not that will continue under Gopal, who is Nopal to the GOP.

Union Township Democratic Municipal Committee, Joseph Cryan, chair, contributed $3,500.00 on Nov. 9, another $3,500.00 on Nov. 25, for a total of $7,000.00.

Election Fund of John S. Wisniewski (D-Middlesex), gave $7,500.00 on Oct. 24. Recall that on February 10 he contributed $1,000.00 and another $2,500.00 on September 15 for an aggregate of $11,000.
Democracy in Motion, the mysterious PAC, gave $5,000.00 on Nov. 2.  On July 8 they had contributed $5,000.00; they gave another $10,000.00 on September 15. They first showed up on the Monmouth County scene back in '09. Their chairman is Michael L. Broderick and their treasurer is Christina Montorio. Both are employed by Teamsters Local 469 in Hazlet, Broderick as Business Agent and Montorio as a Port Representative. They appear to be funded by professional firms; CME Engineering is a major player here, although T & M, Birdsall and various law firms have donated. They even got a check from Gary "Billboard" Taffet, former chief of staff to disgraced Gov. James E. McGreevey. Their disbursements go predominantly to Middlesex County Democrats.

Raritan Bay Leadership Fund contributed $7,000.00 on Dec. 1. Their chairman is former Middlesex County Clerk Raniero Travisano of Sayreville and their treasurer New Brunswick attorney David Lonski. Their contributors and recipients are largely the same as Democracy in Motion.

Together We Can gave 2,500.00 on Nov. 2. Their chairman is former Kevin P. McCabe of Sewaren and their treasurer Woodbridge Township attorney James P. Nolan. McCabe is part of the management team of the Northeast Regional Council of Carpenters, Edison. Their contributors and recipients are largely the same as Democracy in Motion and the Raritan Bay Leadership Fund, with the addition of contributors Jamie Fox, DOT Commissioner in the McGreevey administration, and disgraced former Senator Robert Torricelli.

Is it because these contributors are extraordinarily civic-minded Americans who have a deep, abiding interest in local pols doing their jobs of serving their constituency? Might it be that these contributors just love participating in the political process?
Is Union County the Democrats' idea of "where Democrats are doing a better job governing than Republicans?"
Is Middlesex County the Democrats' idea of "where Democrats are doing a better job governing than Republicans?"
Well?????

UNION BUCKS COMING IN

Ready for the labor bucks? We thought so.
It's really not a lot this year (so far), but more will probably be reported after the election. Lately the Democrats have been trying to make their ELEC filings as complicated as possible, what with multiple accounts and whatnot.

Under the Monmouth County Democrats account, we only have a contribution from the Monmouth - Ocean Central Labor Council in the amount of $275.00 dated August 23, and Plumbers & Pipefitters Local 9 dated August 31 for $1,000.00. Both these unions have been known to contribute to both parties.

William Shea for Freeholder has more. They do not appear on Freeholder Amy Mallet's report or the Joint Campaign account report.

7/15/11 - IBEW Local 400, $1,500.00.
7/18/11 - Monmouth & Ocean Building & Construction Trades Council, $500.00.
7/21/11 - Plumbers Local 900, $1,000.00.
7/26/11 - Sheet Metal Workers Local 27, $500.00.
8/1/11 - Amalgamated Transit Union, $500.00.
8/4/11 - Insulators & Allied Works Local 89, $350.00.
8/10/11 - ATU NY COPE Fund, $2,600.00.
10/16/11 - IBEW Local 400, $500.00.
11/6/11 - NJEA, $1,250.00.

Again, these numbers seem pretty low campared to past years. As in the past however, it is notable that none of these unions are county public employee unions so it raises the question as to their interest in a Freeholder campaign in the first place. Knowing Mallet's past associations with South Jersey Democrat boss George Norcross and his lieutenant Steve Sweeney, we believe it all fits in.

UNION COUNTY BUCKS COMING IN

Is Union County the Democrats' idea of "where Democrats are doing a better job governing than Republicans?"
Well?
We've been monitoring the Monmouth County Democrats ELEC Reports and sure enough, they are getting some big bucks wheeled in from their Union County bosses.* The Democrats have been very coy with their filings, with separate filings for County Commissioner (neé Freeholder) candidates Amy Mallet and Bill Shea and Surrogate Candidate Michael Steinhorn, as well as a joint Mallet-Shea account. They try to hide behind sworn statements for the candidates and run the show out of the Monmouth County Democrats account. Most of these are from the Monmouth County Democrats account, except for that from Joseph Cryan, who contributed directly to Friends of Freeholder Mallet.
The Dems are obviously utterly unfazed by criticism of their wheeling. It's just what they do.
Checking the 48 hour reports, we find big bucks from two out of three 20th District (Union County) legislators. On October 26 the Assemblywoman Annette Quijano Election Fund contributed $5,000.00. Two days later, on October 28, the Election Fund of Senator Raymond J. Lesniak contributed $10,000.00. The third representative from that district, rootin' tootin' double-dippin' Undersheriff/Assemblyman Joseph Cryan, made his $1,000.00 contribution directly to Amy Mallet's campaign on September 18. Quijano's predecessor, child-porn impressario Neil Cohen has contributed to legislative races in the past.
Union County's neighbor to the north, Essex, has also shown its generosity through the largess of Assembly Speaker Sheila Y. Oliver (D-34). On April 12 the Committee to Elect Sheila Oliver gave $1,000.00 and on July 7 she ponied up another $500.00.
Between Union and Monmouth Counties lies Middlesex, always fertile ground for wheeled bucks. On July 8 the mysterious Sayreville-based Democracy in Motion PAC contributed $5,000.00; they gave another $10,000.00 on September 15. This contributor first appeared here in 2009. Also from Sayreville is 19th District Assemblyman John S. Wisniewski; on February 10 the Election Fund of John S. Wisniewski contributed $1,000.00 and another $2,500.00 on September 15.
This is what has surfaced so far. Certainly more will come to light after the election. Meanwhile, we will be delving into their Big Labor contributions.

*Of course, with the Democrats, down is up and up is down and wheeling isn't wheeling, so I guess the money isn't really wheeled. Or something.

BYRNES' FINANCES

The Honest Abe Research Foundation has been given the task of investigating Middletown Township Committeeman Sean Byrnes, this year's Democratic candidate for County Commissioner (neé Freeholder). Although they've only just begun to scratch the surface, Byrnes' ELEC reports are interesting.
On his primary '07 report, we have a $2,500.00 contribution from Upendra J. Chivukula for Assembly, made on June 4th, 2007, the day before the primary. Chivukula, a Democrat, represents convicted felon John Lynch's old district. He gained notoriety in 2007 for proposing a bill to allow illegal aliens to pay in state tuition.
In the general election, Byrnes maintained two sets of campaign books, one where he filed as a single candidate account, and the second where he filed jointly with his running mate, Janet Moscuzza.
There's not much activity shown in the single account, but the joint account is active, as one would expect in a large town like Middletown.
Pallone for Congress gave $2,500.00 on October 13th. Other contributors include the PRC Management Co. of West Long Branch, developers, who gave $1,000.00 on October 22nd. PRC is also a known supporter of John "Flippy" D'Amico. We're researching whether they were or are planning a project in Middletown where they may have desired Byrnes' influence.
The Wall Township based Local Union 400 PAC Fund gave $2,000.00 on October 31st, and $2,500.00 on November 19th, for a total of $4,500.00.
The '07 Byrnes Campaign finances seem relatively mild as Dem campaigns go, but remember this was a local race. In reality, his campaign finances were a pastiche of the above contributors, with large donations from both the Middletown Democratic Executive Committee and the Middletown Township Democratic Club, with both Byrnes' single campaign account and one from Moscuzza thrown in for good measure.
As I mentioned at the beginning of this post, we've only begun to scratch the surface with this guy. I don't know what it is with these Democrats from Middletown. This is not going away.

McMORROW'S FLORIDA FRIENDS

A few years ago we highlighted some contributors to Barbara McMorrow and Rebecca Aaronson's 2005 campaign. We still don't know what the reason is for all the Florida money. Since it looks like McMorrow is running for reelection this year, we thought it only fitting to refresh everyone's memory.

UPDATE

We had intended to publish a series of posts revealing the complete history of Director McMorrow's campaign finance. Not long ago she had expressed a desire to seek reelection to the board, and this information would have been very relevant. McMorrow would be a strong candidate and was the only Democrat on the board who was not blinded by sheer party loyalty; she would not jump every time "Flippy" D'Amico called. Still, she's very much a loyal Democrat.
She has declined to stand for reelection due to health reasons. While I am aware of what those reasons are, I will not publish them here out of respect for the Director's privacy; suffice to say, it's bona fide. We wish Director McMorrow well in her treatment and recovery.
We do not know who the Democrats will run for her seat, other than someone who will dance when Flippy calls the tune.

DEM CAMPAIGN FINANCE

OK, campers, it's time once again to take a trip down The Rabbit Hole to a land where up is down and down is up and wheeling isn't wheeling. That's right, we're going to take a look at the Monmouth County Democrats' 2008 4th quarter ELEC report! Along the way, be sure to munch on lots of mushrooms. You'll need them to believe that wheeling isn't going on.
$230,111.83. And very little of this money comes from here in Monmouth County. Very little.



Healy for Mayor. (Jersey City) $7,000.00 on October 29, and another $1,000.00 on November 3. A total of $8,000.00.

John Hamill, Jr. Also from Jersey City, he also contributed $1,000.00 on November 3.

Rush Holt for Congress. OK, at least he represents part of Monmouth County. $4,000.00 on October 20.

Upendra Chivukula for Assembly. (Somerset County) $1,000.00 on November 3.

New Jersey Democratic State Committee. $37,000.00 on October 24.

Election Fund of Joseph Cryan. (Union County) $15,000.00 in their trick-or-treat bag on October 31. No wonder they're asking this guy who to appoint to county patronage jobs!

Empower Newark. (Essex County) $10,000.00 on October 29. A PAC connected to Mayor Cory Booker. Christina DeSimone of the Rutgers-Newark Observer writes: "A political action committee called Empower Newark has reported a dramatic increase in funds, from $2,343 last year to $364,000 this year. The committee states that its goal is to support politicians who demonstrate a "genuine commitment to Newark." While the committee has donated to both Teresa Ruiz's and Bilal Beasley's Senate campaigns, Empower Newark has also supported candidates with little connection to Newark. Philadelphia mayoral candidate, Dwight Evans, and New York's lieutenant governor, David Paterson have each received $5,000 from the committee. How is this empowering Newark?" I guess Amy Mallet has a genuine commitment to Newark.

Election Fund of Stephen Schueler. Flippy's erstwhile running mate and current Assistant County Counsel Silent Steve. OK, this one is actually in Monmouth County. $3,611.00 on October 10.

Democracy in Motion. (South Amboy, Middlesex County) So far, I haven't found anything more on this PAC, but they contributed $2,500.00 on October 28.

Election Fund of John Wisniewski. (Middlesex County) $2,500.00 on October 28.

Bunion and Malley for Council. (Matawan) Alrighty, another from Monmouth County. This makes about 2 so far. $1,500.00 on December 21. Merry Christmas.

Election Fund of J. Christian Bollwage. (Union County. Again.) The Mayor of Elizabeth wrote a check for $500.00 on October 24.

Jon S. Corzine. The Bozo-coiffed governor himself contributed $25,000.00 on October 22.



Ready to see the labor bucks? I thought so.



Local Union 400 PAC Fund. (Wall) $12,000.00 on October 24.

District Council of Northern New Jersey Ironworkers. (Union County) $37,000.00 on October 28. Wow. Are the Democrats looking to start some projects using iron?

New Jersey State Laborers PAC, Non-Federal Account. (Middlesex County) $25,000.00 on October 13.

Local Union # 164, International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers COPE Fund. (Bergen County) $25,000.00 on October 24.

New Jersey Regional Council of Carpenters Non-Partisan PAC. (Middlesex County) $10,000.00 on October 10.

Heavy and General Construction Laborers' Union Local 472 PAC. (Essex County) $8,000.00 on October 10.

PAC, New Jersey State Association of Pipe Trades. (Camden County) $5,000.00 on November 3.

DRIVE Committee. (Washington, DC) The Teamsters' PAC (Democrat, Republican, Independent Voter Education). $2,500.00 on October 10.

Operating Engineers' Local 825. (Union County) $1,000.00 on October 28.



The Dems are obviously completely unfazed by criticism of their wheeling. It's just what they do. And remember at reorganization where John D'Amico (Flippy) proposed major construction projects. Now you know why.

The FIGUREHEAD, HAMMERHEAD and FLIPPY

Sounds like a child's fairy tale, doesn't it. It isn't.
The Democrats are now in charge of Monmouth County. Bergen County with beaches. Cherry Hill Shores. Whatever. Let's take a look at the players here.
The Figurehead. That's Director Barbara McMorrow. A nice lady by anyone's opinion. That's why she's the director. It's good politics on their part. She's popular, likeable and puts a human face on their operation. She's their only real vote-getter and she's up for reelection this year. The Party needs to reelect her in order to stay in power. At this point she's really more window dressing than anything else, because it doesn't look like she's really calling the shots. We'll see if Republicans still ♥ Barbara McMorrow after a few months of her being the face of Union County South.
Flippy. We all know this guy. County Commissioner John D'Amico. We probably should start calling him "The Prime Minister", because it appears that he's really the director in everything but running the meetings. An old-time politician, he took care of his cronies while at the State Parole Board and is well known for chamaelaeonic changes on issues, hence his moniker, Flippy. He continues to flip-flop. From the Asbury Park Press editorial of January 3: Democratic Freeholder John D'Amico, about to start his second year on the board, campaigned in 2007 with a promise to oppose paying fees to lobbyists. He said, quite rightly, that it's the job of the freeholders and the county's federal representatives to lobby for federal funding. But he voted along with the majority last year to reappoint one of two transportation consulting firms.
Last month, he and fellow Democrat Barbara McMorrow approved spending $220,000 to reappoint both firms. The one D'Amico voted against last year, Gibbons P.C., will get an 11 percent pay boost this year.
And the Press actually endorsed this guy!
His latest proposal is to renovate the County Court House. It is telling that D'Amico was a Superior Court Judge and would want to take care of his former co-workers, like he did when he got Democratic Assignment Judge Lawrence M. Lawson's wife Valeria a job on the Parole Board. And back in '06 I wrote about all the contributions to the County Dems from construction trades unions. Guess this is their bonanza. Basically Flippy's lost in the 80's, out of touch from all those years in the ivory tower of the judiciary.
Hammerhead. That's Amy Mallet. Amy is like a shark and a shark is fishy and so is Amy. As shallow as a mud flat at low tide. An empty suit. We wrote here and here about her longtime connections to out-of-county operators like George E. Norcross III. She touted herself as a "businesswoman", but was very secretive about just what her business was. A look at what commentary she has made would reveal her as somewhat of a gaffer, kind of a "Biden with boobs". She's basically there to do what she's told.
Rasputin (Распутин). A new character. Democratic party mouthpiece, Michael Mangan. He seems to be well-involved in calling the shots, and may actually be the conduit between County Democratic Boss Victor Scudiery and Prime Minister Flippy. Or he may be a conduit between the out-of-county bosses and Flippy, in which case Scudiery becomes a second Figurehead.
This saga will continue. We don't know where or if The Curmudgeon will figure into this. Other characters will emerge as these people make their appointments. It could well become a veritable Jerry Springer Show of stars here.

SITYS

"You heard it right: If you want to work in Monmouth County, you have to ask Union County first."
...Freeholder Robert D. Clifton

SITYS. See, I Told You So.
Readers of this blog will know that for the last few years I have been writing about the Monmouth County Democrats' connections with Camden and Union Counties.
It's come full circle.
In my last post I revealed how County Commissioner-elect Amy Mallet, a George Norcross acolyte, had received a contribution of thousands of dollars from a Camden County assemblyman. Now it comes out that they have asked Assemblyman Joe Cryan (D-Union), a wheeling supporter of theirs, to help them in filling at least four top appointments in county government.
Let's take a look at the county. Back in the days of Director Harry Larrison, positions were filled based upon party loyalty, as well as personal fealty to Harry. Often a job would go to members of a local governing body so as to augment their pension. We had people like Ray O'Grady (Middletown Township Committee), Tom Broderick (Marlboro Township Committee), and Tony Palughi (Long Branch City Council), as well as others. County Commissioner John "Flippy" D'Amico voted for Palughi based on a blank application.
Since the Bid Rig days, with new Republican freeholders, the county has attempted to get away from that. Department heads are now chosen based on their resumé. Often people who have worked their way up from entry level are now promoted from within, as in the HIghway and Bridge departments.
Recently, the Republican freeholders were criticized for turning over hiring authority to County Administrator Robert Czech. Democrats, with the assistance of the Asbury Park Press, accused them of attempting to "burrow in" GOP loyalists. It now looks as if the freeholders were more interested in preserving the reforms of the past four years and protect the Monmouth County taxpayer from outside Democratic interests.

As Freeholder Clifton said: "That tells us that not only are the Democrats eager to begin instituting an expensive and outdated patronage system here in Monmouth County, it appears they are looking in to burrow in these loyalists with civil service titles as quickly as possible."

Get ready for a long, bumpy ride, campers. This could get ugly. Fast.

CAMDEN. IT'S CLOSER THAN YOU THINK

A look at County Commissioner-elect Amy "Hammerhead" Mallet's November 24 ELEC report shows a November 3 contribution of $3,000.00 from the Election Fund of Assemblyman Louis Greenwald. That's Greenwald, D-Camden.
So, we were correct about her George Norcross ties.
She also got $350.00 from Carteret Mayor Dan Reiman's fund. Carteret's in Middlesex County, and then there's $2,000.00 a mysterious PAC, the Coalition for Government Efficiency, based in Eatontown.
And the wheel goes round.

WHEELING IN MIDDLETOWN

Art Gallagher posts a press release by Middletown Township Committee candidate Tony Fiore exposing wheeling* by Middlesex County based engineering firm CME Associates through a bogus Ocean County PAC (OC-PAC) into the Middletown Democratic Executive Committee, led by party boss Joseph "King" Caliendo.
So, I guess we know now that CME will be township engineer if the Dems take control in Middletown. I wonder if all the papers will pick this up?
Other recipients of OC-PAC's generosity include the Democratic sheriff of Mercer County and the Democratic mayor of Los Angeles, California.

*Of course, with the Democrats, down is up and up is down and wheeling isn't wheeling, so I guess the money isn't really wheeled. Or something.

ANOTHER UNION COUNTY CONNECTION

Is Union County the Democrats' idea of "where Democrats are doing a better job governing than Republicans?"
Apparently the Matawan Democrats believe so.
Recently the Voice of Reason has run a series on the fiasco that the Democratic council majority has transformed that borough into. Read it here, here and here. The behavior of their governing body seemed odd, even for Democrats, so we directed the Honest Abe Research Foundation to look into this.
Wow.
The Matawan Democrats' ELEC Report shows the usual contributions from the seemingly bottomless pit of money that the unions have. The very generous Plumbers & Pipefitters Local 9 from Manalapan is there with $4,500.00; indeed labor unions make up a clear majority of the funds reported. We still don't get what these unions' interest in these campaigns is.
But what really stuck out was a $1,000.00 contribution from the Election Fund of J. Christian Bollwage, dated September 17th. Abe, you ask, who is J. Christian Bollwage? He is the Democratic Mayor of Elizabeth. Elizabeth is in Union County.
And the wheel goes round.
Union County democrats have stuck their nose into Monmouth County campaigns before. They are just one of County Democratic Boss Victor Scudiery's many sources statewide. But what is their interest in a diminutive borough like Matawan?
Is it because they are extraordinarily civic-minded Americans who have a deep, abiding interest in local pols doing their jobs of serving their constituency? Might it be that they just love participating in the political process?
Is Union County the Democrats' idea of "where Democrats are doing a better job governing than Republicans?"
Well?