Tuesday, April 03, 2007

Is Jeff Cantor's redeployment "probable"?

Someone, maybe Jeff Cantor, didn't think my April Fools joke was too funny. The following comment was posted to that thread yesterday afternoon:

Jeff Cantor said...

You are a jack ass for printing this farce. I realize this was an April Fools joke, but I've been getting calls to my house all day about my deployment, which is very probable. I think you used lousy judgment and I regard this as being in poor taste. I can take a joke as well as the next guy, but this was really stupid!

My first reaction was that this was not really Jeff, but someone posting with his name. Upon checking the blog's activity, I found that someone from the company Jeff works for had visited the blog within minutes of that comment being posted. The comment came from an aol ip that was logged into the blog at the same time. Maybe this was Jeff posting after all. I was thinking of calling and asking him, but he was already complaining of all the phone calls he was getting.

If it was Jeff, and if his redeployment is probable, that creates some questions and leads to some answers of existing questions.

The most obvious questions; Why did he seek the party's nomination for Freeholder if he expected to be redeployed to active duty in his role as an US Army Major? Was this discussed in the screening committee?

If he does expect to be redeployed, that might explain why he was a last minute entry to the Freeholder nomination race, filing with the party after the 5PM February 2 deadline. It could also explain why Chairman Puharic included rule 16 in the convention rules passed on March 24:

(16) Resignation or Death of Nominated Candidate.

In the event any candidate so selected at the Nominating Convention resigns, dies or fails to qualify after such selection and prior to establishing a Vacancy Committee, then the County Chairman shall use his discretion in filling the vacancy so created.


One other question this raises: Does Jeff Cantor's status as an Army Reservist, active or not, make him a federal employee subject to the Hatch Act?

Not that the Hatch Act really matters in the Monmouth GOP. It apparently doesn't apply to Adam Puharic or Michael Borg, why should it apply to Jeff Cantor?

10 comments:

BayshoreRastaMan said...

To William Sewer:

This is a low blow. You should be ashamed and apologize to Mr. Cantor.

Barry Goldwater said...

In hindsight, perhaps it could be construed as in poor taste. But, we are anonymous bloggers, sometimes the whole point is poor taste.

Intersting questions about the Rules, though. Is there a distinction between pre- and post- Petition deadline withdrawals?

Anonymous said...

ANNUALLY

19:5-3. Membership and organization of county committees; vacancies; certification of unit of representation and number of election districts
The members of the county committees of political parties shall be elected annually at the primary for the general election in the manner provided in this Title for the selection of party candidates to be voted for at the general election by voters of a municipality. The county committee shall consist of one male and one female member from each unit of representation in the county. The male receiving the highest number of votes among the male candidates and the female receiving the highest number of votes among the female candidates shall be declared elected. Members of the county committee shall actually reside in the districts or units which they respectively represent. The county committee shall determine by its bylaws the units into which the county shall be divided for purpose of representation in the county committee.

The members of the county committee of each of the political parties shall take office on the first Saturday following their election, on which day the terms of all members of such committees theretofore elected shall terminate. The annual meeting of each county committee shall be held on the first Tuesday following the primary election, except that when such meeting day falls on a legal holiday then the said meeting shall be held on the day following, and when such meeting day falls on the day of a municipal runoff election within the county then said meeting may be held on the day following, at an hour and place to be designated in a notice in writing to be mailed by the chairman of the outgoing county committee to each member-elect, at which annual meeting the members of such committee shall elect some suitable person as chairman who shall be a resident of such county to hold office for 1 year, or until his successor is elected. The members shall also elect a vice-chairman of the opposite sex of the chairman to hold office for 1 year or until his or her successor is elected and the vice-chairman shall perform all duties required of him or her by law and the constitution and bylaws of such committee. Such committee shall have power to adopt a constitution and bylaws for its proper government. The chairman shall preside at all meetings of the committee and shall perform all duties required of him by law and the constitution and bylaws of such committee.

When a member of a county committee ceases to be a resident of the district or unit from which elected, a vacancy on the county committee shall exist. A member of a county committee of any political party may resign his office to the committee of which he is a member, and upon acceptance thereof by the committee a vacancy shall exist. A vacancy in the office of a member of the county committee of any political party, caused by death, resignation, failure to elect or otherwise, shall be filled for the unexpired term by the municipal committee of the municipality wherein the vacancy occurs, if there is such committee, and if not, by the remaining members of the county committee of such political party representing the territory in the county in which such vacancy occurs.

The chairman of the county committee of the several political parties shall before April 1, certify to the clerk of each municipality in the county the unit of representation in such municipality, together with the enumeration of the election district or districts embraced within such unit.

Amended by L.1948, c. 2, p. 31, s. 4; L.1955, c. 236, p. 904, s. 1; L.1964, c. 23, s. 1; L.1965, c. 4, s. 3; L.1966, c. 19, s. 2; L.1967, c. 7, s. 2; L.1967, c. 27, s. 2, eff. April 21, 1967; L.1968, c. 292, s. 2, eff. Sept. 6, 1968; L.1978, c. 29, s. 1, eff. June 7, 1978; L.1979, c. 458, s. 2, eff. Feb. 27, 1980; L.1980, c. 105, s. 3, eff. Sept. 11, 1980.

Anonymous said...

I believe this law was changed and that County Committee seats are up every two years.

Anonymous said...

Maybe Jeff is using a form of humor and making you wonder if he really is upset?

Art Gallagher said...

Anonymous said...
Maybe Jeff is using a form of humor and making you wonder if he really is upset?

That's why I wondered if it was really Jeff posting. Why would a guy who's experienced what he has in Iraq be bothered by a bunch of phone calls?

Anonymous said...

This blog is turning into a local gathering of vicious cats. Sorry if that offends some.

Barry Goldwater said...

Was there something in that mind-numbingly boring statute that answered my question?

I'm feeling pissy tonight, so I say, I've been called a pussy, but not a "vicious cat".

Honest Abe said...

Does Jeff Cantor's status as an Army Reservist, active or not, make him a federal employee subject to the Hatch Act?

I don't think i applies to reservists. Joe Azzolina was a Naval Reserve Captain while serving in the State Legislature. I don't think it ever came up.

the inside airbather said...

Beach weather will be here soon. Then it will be time to put my knees in the breeze and my buns in the sun and cowgirl up.