J. Gregory Gibadlo

The Monmouth County Democratic Party has nominated J.Gregory Gibadlo over Freehold resident Jason Butkowski and Colts Neck School Board Member Amod Choudhary, to replace Lenny Inzerillo on the ballot for the Freeholder seat held by Anna Little.

The results were reportedly overwhelming but not announced. At the convention in March that nominated Lenny, Anna Little received two votes. Maybe she received more this time.

According to the APP, Gibadlo said that in his career as a hotel/tourism/hospitality executive, "I've certainly met a wide, cross range of people"

"You have to learn to keep your eyes open, look for tips. That's what I'm going to do as freeholder," he said.

That might not have been the best choice of words.


Brian Unger didn't show.

Special thanks to the crazy Republican who crashed the party and snapped this photo before he was recognized and left without incident.

Change of Seasons

The days are shorter and the back to school days are in full swing. As summer unofficially turns to fall, the campaign fundraising season turns to the campaign spending season.

Are we ready? Who are we running against?

Why did a divided Freeholder Board make the appointments they made last week, thereby ceding the the moral high ground Chairman Puharic claimed with his Ethical Roadmap and turning the Asbury Park Press against us again? Was the timing of the appointments significant?

The first line of the APP's Saturday editioral, "So much for the dawning of a new age in Monmouth County government." speaks volumes and telegraphs what we can expect from them in October.

Will Anna Little's dissenting votes and her announcement that she will resign her Highlands Council seat if elected Freeholder make her an Amy Handlin type darling of the APP? Will they remember that she turned down Fred's PAC money and recognize that she is the type of Freeholder they called for when they said, "Fresh blood is needed. A watchdog on the board is needed, one who is independent, unconstrained by party bosses and campaign contributors and prepared to serve only one master — the Monmouth County taxpayer."

By the way, where is Fred's PAC money?

Who is Anna Little's Opponent?

Speculation is rampant among both Democrats and Republicans that Buddhist Priest and former Green Party candidate Brian Unger will compete to take Lenny Inzerillo's spot on the Democratic ticket for Freeholder. The Norcross/Lynch wing of the state Democratic party are reportedly pledging big money if Unger is the candidate.

Middletown Democrat J. Gregory Gilbado, a long time county committee member and friend of Bill Clinton will compete with Unger for the nomination.

LENNY'S OUT!

Democratic Candidate for Freeholder Leonard Inzerillo today announced that he is bowing out of the 2006 election.

The county chairman, Victor V. Scudiery, previously had expressed some concern over Inzerillo's candidacy weeks ago in light of a few ELEC discrepancies involving Inzerillo's 2003 Assembly run and his 2005 Assembly Exploratory Committee.

"The chairman and I have mutually arrived at the decision that it is best for now, in the interest of everyone concerned, for me to withdraw from this year's county race," Inzerillo said. "I do want to serve the residents of Monmouth County and I fully intend to do so in the future in elected office."

"Reports have been filed and accepted by the state Election Law Enforcement Commission. With the tensions going on Lenny and I decided he will step aside for now. It is his choice, though, and he is not being forced out in any way," Scudiery said. "This was a minor clerical error with ELEC and that is all."

Scudiery said even professionals these days are not in full command of these very complex ELEC laws.

"It was not Lenny's intention to do anything wrong," Scudiery said. "He is still an incredibly important part of this party and a very viable part of its future."

Inzerillo said he supports the chairman, the party and its candidates for 2006. "This is the right organization for residents in this county to trust," Inzerillo said. "I know that Democratic leadership in this county will make a difference between weak and strong leadership in Monmouth."

The Monmouth County Democratic Executive Committee will, according to Scudiery, announce its schedule for electing a new candidate within seven days.

Among the candidates being mentioned to replace Inzerillo are Ocean Township Committeeman Christopher Siciliano, Howell Democrat and former Freeholder candidate Steve Morlino, Belmar Mayor Kenneth Pringle, Atlantic Highlands Mayor Peter Donoghue, Former Highlands Councilwoman Rebecca Kane, and Wall Township Democrat Butch Neuhaus.

Courier Publisher Jim Purcell is not a candidate.

The Sweetness and the Sorrow

Kiss the day goodbye
The sweetness and the sorrow
We did what we had to do
And I can't regret what I did for love, what I did for love

Look my eyes are dry
And towards always tomorrow
It's as if we always knew
But I won't forget what I did for love, what I did for love

Gone, love is never gone
And we cary on, love's what we'll remember

Kiss the day goodbye
And point me toward tomorrow
And wish me luck, the same to you
Won't regret, can't forget what I did for love

What I did for love
What I did for love

Puharic's spending and ethics plan endorsed by APP

The Asbury Park Press has endorsed Chairman Adam Puharic's Ethical Roadmap

Will the County Democrats voluntarily take the wheeling off their fundraising machine? Their rhetoric suggests otherwise.

Even if the Dems agree to limit spending to $75,000 per candidate, will we know if they complied before Easter?

Blogs as Scapegoats

Overheard at the 51st Annual Cocktail Gala

Despite the fact that our opposition is in disarray, some party big wigs and former big wigs are still lamenting the emergence of the Monmouth GOP blogs and blaming us for all that ales the party.

Lenny's ELEC problems should have been held for an October surprise is a big complaint. This despite the fact that Abe broke that story before well before Lenny got the nomination and the Dems nominated him anyway. The real October surprise would have been the Dem County Org not filing its ELEC reports at all for 2005. If Abe had that story, he didn't break it. That story was leaked by our esteemed former chairman to deflect the controversy over his PAC scheme. Of course that the PAC scheme ever became public is the blogs' fault too.

And did you know that the blogs have put a big damper on fundraising? Yep, donors are afraid to give because of the blogs. If funds raised are down, it may have more to do with our chairman refusing to be a puppet of the rain makers. It may also have to do with the fact that the state Dems have rigged the system so only unions are giving big money anymore.

DiBella recall short signatures

The effort to recall Howell Mayor Joe DiBella has come up short.

The Committee to Recall Mayor Joseph M. DiBella of Howell "just missed", according to a post on their website, with 7200 of the 7774 signatures needed to force a special election.

Mayor DiBella said,"The people behind the recall effort have never documented or showed anyone the signatures they claimed to collect, so we don't know if they had 7,200 or 70," DiBella said. "We'll never know. And to me it's not important, because what was important was that I was never distracted from working for the residents of this community, and the support and encouragement I've received from thousands of people is overwhelming", according to the Asbury Park Press.

BREAKING NEWS

Monmouth County Democratic Chair Victor Scudiery has asked Lenny(Everyone Loves Anna Little) Inzerillo to resign his candidacy for Monmouth County Freeholder, according to anonymous sources.

Scudiery is concerned that Lenny's ELEC reports from his 2003 race for Assembly have still not been filed, as first reported by Honest Abe on February 5 of this year. Abe's blog and Everyone Loves Anna are reportedly the source of Victor's concern.

Inzerillo, who was nominated by election in the Democratic primary in June, is said to have refused to resign, blaming the snafu on Monmouth County Dems Executive Director Kate Burlett, and former Executive Director Robin Panten.

Scudiery is said to have taken the story to the Asbury Park Press, in an effort to put public pressure on Inzerillo to bow out.

UPDATE: Asbury Park Press August 3, 2006

DEMOCRATS WITIHDRAW ENDORSEMENT OF INZERILLO. LENNY REFUSES TO RESIGN

"This is not about campaign filings," Inzerillo said of the party's stated reason for backing off his candidacy.

"This is about the direction this party is taking. I questioned that direction, and as a result, I was told I was "out of control.' Well, I won't be bullied and I won't be bossed," Inzerillo said.

Scudiery: "I hope he comes to his senses and resigns"