Ocean County Politics

03/11/2019

Tax Debts Haunt Lacey School Board President

https://laceytownship.net/2019/11/03/tax-debts-haunt-lacey-school-board-president/

LACEY, N.J. - Shawn Giordano, the president of the Lacey Township Board of Education and a candidate in this year's

14/07/2019

Eyes On NJ News

Eyes On NJ News

Tune in at 7:30PM E.S.T. to hear Gavin Rozzi, founder of OPRAmachine, speak with Eyes On NJ News

Top 4 Stories of the week in NJ

1. Ocean Gate Superintendent Accused of Child Molestation
2. 300 Protestors March Outside Elizabeth Detention Center
3. Hit & Run in Gloucester County
4. Green Brook Flood Project Impact on Somerset County Residents

Hosted by John Edmunds IV & Jordan Kalmowitz

Major Support from
New Jersey Corruption Watch
Ocean County Scanner News
Actors Fund
JLK MEDIA


2019 Edmunds Productions
www.EyesOnNJ.org

13/07/2019

Eyes On NJ News

Eyes On NJ News

Join us this Sunday at 7:30PM when we chat with the founder of OPRAmachine & Ocean County Politics, Rozzi to discuss some of his recent contributions to society.

Hosted by John Edmunds IV & Jordan Kalmowitz


www.EyesOnNJ.org

02/05/2019

Journalist Builds OPRAmachine — A Faster, Easier Platform for Filing OPRA Requests

Journalist Builds OPRAmachine — A Faster, Easier Platform for Filing OPRA Requests

Gavin Rozzi was a journalist in Ocean County and finishing up his education at Stockton University when he came up with the idea for OPRAmachine. OPRAmachine is an open-source platform that lets citizens easily file requests to their local governments for public records, and it makes the requests an...

21/03/2019

Gopal Decries Lakewood School Funding Windfall

The additional aid to Lakewood comes amid painful cuts to school districts throughout Ocean County.

Monmouth County State Senator Vin Gopal (D) issued a statement today slamming the Murphy administration over the governor’s planned budget providing millions of dollars of additional state aid to the struggling Lakewood school district. The governor’s proposed 2020 budget would allocate an addit...

13/03/2019

State Probes Berkeley Fire Prevention

“Well, we’re in Ocean County, so…” one of the investigators quipped after discussing a past unsuccessful referral to the Division of Local Government Services of the DCA.

BERKELEY – State officials reviewed records and asked questions about the Berkeley Township Fire Prevention Bureau as part of a Tuesday morning visit to town hall. One of the state officials who was present was wearing a jacket with a shield indicating they were from the Division of Fire Safety wi...

10/03/2019

Response to NJ Law Journal Article | Gavin Rozzi

Response to NJ Law Journal Article | Gavin Rozzi

Responding to an attorney's commentary about OPRAmachine's impact on crime victim privacy

01/03/2019

George Gilmore Trial: Hearing Rescheduled in GOP Chair's Federal Case

The new date will now serve as a combined court date for two matters set to be resolved in the pretrial phase of Gilmore's case, as it will both cover a pretrial conference as well as a hearing regarding the court's inquiry into potential conflicts of interest by his defense attorney, Kevin Marino.

TRENTON – A hearing originally scheduled for March 15th, 2019 in the trial of Ocean County GOP Chairman George Gilmore has been moved up to next Friday, March 8th, according to federal court records. According to a notice dated February 20th, 2019 accessed via federal court records, a pretrial con...

01/03/2019

Lt. Governor Oliver Coming to Ocean County

POINT PLEASANT BEACH – Lieutenant Governor Sheila Oliver (D) is set to appear at a fundraiser for the Ocean County Democratic Women’s Caucus at the end of March.

POINT PLEASANT BEACH – Lieutenant Governor Sheila Oliver (D) is set to appear at a fundraiser for the Ocean County Democratic Women’s Caucus at the end of March. Oliver will be appearing for a fundraiser at B2 Bistro in the borough on March 25th, 2019, according to an announcement posted by Demo...

27/02/2019

OPRAMachine Makes Requesting Records Easy for Everyone | Princeton Info

"An Ocean County journalist has created a powerful tool to simplify the process of requesting government records. At Gavin Rozzi’s “OPRAMachine” website (opramachine.com), users can pick a government entity or public authority, write a few paragraphs describing the public records they want, and hit send, and the website automatically files the request. No government forms to fill out, no phone calls, no visiting offices in person, no sending paper mail. Then the website automatically tracks the agency’s response to see if it responds within seven days, as required by the Open Public Records Act."

Home Survival Guide OPRAMachine Makes Requesting Records Easy for Everyone OPRAMachine Makes Requesting Records Easy for Everyone By Diccon Hyatt - February 27, 2019 10 Facebook Twitter Google+ Pinterest WhatsApp Open Season: Gavin Rozzi’s OPRAMachine removes some of the hassle of requesting gover...

19/02/2019

OPRAmachine

Ocean County Politics is brought to you by OPRAmachine

Take your public records requests to the next level with OPRAmachine Pro. Get private requests, an exclusive dashboard and unlimited OPRA requests with a Pro plan.

Learn more at https://opramachine.com/pro/pricing

17/02/2019

DEP Finds Violations at Berkeley Municipal Complex

The NJDEP has cited Berkeley officials with a $15,000 penalty for violations found at the municipal complex.

https://politicsoc.com/2019/02/dep-finds-violations-at-berkeley-municipal-complex/

13/02/2019

Prosecution "Unimpressed" by Gilmore Hoarding Defense

“I have told them that they could interview my expert if they wish to do so,” Gilmore's attorney Kevin Marino said. “They told me that they read the report and they were unimpressed. They believe that it does not negative [sic] any element of the offense. I quite disagree with them.”

TRENTON – Federal prosecutors are “unimpressed” by a November 30th, 2018 expert witness report claiming that Ocean County GOP Chairman George Gilmore suffers from a hoarding disorder, according to his attorney Kevin Marino of Chatham. Dr. Steven S. Simring has been revealed as the expert witne...

12/02/2019

OPRA Complaint Targets Point Beach Mayor's Anti-Legalization Lobbying

“Reid’s dual role of Mayor of Point Pleasant Beach and paid lobbyist of NJ RAMP poses a serious conflict of interest,” attorney CJ Griffin, Esq. wrote in a court filing.

POINT PLEASANT BEACH – A critic of Mayor Stephen Reid (R) has filed suit against the borough this week, challenging redactions to the mayor’s emails provided in response to a public records request, claiming they’re preventing the public from knowing the how the mayor is “mingling his govern...

11/02/2019

Feds Sought GOP Chairman's Cooperation in Corruption Investigation: Attorney

"There must be folks in Trenton that you know things about," federal criminal investigators said to Ocean County GOP Chair George Gilmore in 2016, according to his attorney Kevin Marino.

TRENTON – Federal investigators sought the cooperation of Ocean County GOP Chairman George Gilmore in an unspecified public corruption investigation as early as 2016, according to a statement made in court by Gilmore’s lawyer Kevin Marino documented in court transcripts. FIRST ON OCEAN COUNTY PO...

09/02/2019

Rozzi Wins Statewide Journalism Award

“We are truly honored to receive this recognition for our government transparency platform,” Rozzi said in a statement. “The health of our democracy and society requires that public agencies fulfill their obligation to be transparent. Decisions that impact taxpayers need to be done in a public process, and I am thankful that our service has made a positive impact in empowering citizens by restoring transparency & accountability to New Jersey government.”

PRESS RELEASE GREEN BROOK, NJ – Gavin Rozzi, editor of Ocean County Politics, announced that he and his team received an award for their work with government transparency and the Open Public Records Act (OPRA). Rozzi Media Group, publishers of Ocean County Politics, was awarded the Excellence in L...

06/02/2019

Gilmore's Office Reviewing Lacey Water Line Deal

"That is not fair putting an undue burden onto our taxpayers when we already have not gotten any answers about the power plant shutting down," said Shawn Judson, a former Democratic township committee candidate.

LACEY – An attorney from Ocean County GOP Chairman George Gilmore’s office shut down discussion of a controversial deal involving the township committee paying for a water line extended to a private restaurant. She claimed that no funds have been expended on the highly controversial project, whi...

05/02/2019

Former Point Beach Mayor Barrella to Seek LD10 Seat

Barrella blasted the LD10 GOP incumbents in his announcement:

“Our current District 10 legislators have been totally ineffective in addressing the problems facing the State and its taxpayers,” he said.

“What they have been very good at is lining their own pockets with taxpayer dollars from patronage jobs."

POINT PLEASANT BEACH – Former mayor Vincent Barrella said he would seek the Democratic nomination for the 10th district assembly seat recently vacated by David Wolfe (R – Brick). Barrella, who served two terms as the borough’s mayor from 2008 through 2015, blasted the incumbent Republicans tha...

05/02/2019

Lawsuit: "Widespread Corruption" Plagues Lakewood

“Suffice it to state that after practicing land use law for over forty years, I have never encountered such an underhanded, surreptitious and devious approach," Michele Donato, an attorney challenging the Eagle Ridge development proposal said in court filings.

LAKEWOOD – A lawsuit seeking an injunction against development planned at the site of the Eagle Ridge golf course has claimed that Lakewood suffers from “widespread corruption,” according to court papers filed in the case. Lavallette attorney Michele Donato, Esq. has filed an application for a...

04/02/2019

Rodrick and Hill are currently neck and neck in our Toms River GOP mayoral poll.

You can vote until Friday here: https://politicsoc.com/2019/02/ocp-poll-toms-river-mayors-race-2019/

04/02/2019

Brick Mayor Ducey's New Democratic Club: Schick

"Ducey was offended because we were having Senator Vin Gopal as a guest speaker," writes OCP commentator Stan Schick. "Now that Gopal won his election Ducey wants to be his buddy. I would have to question Ducey’s motives under any circumstances."

What reasoning is Brick Mayor John Ducey using to create a New Democratic Club in Brick Township? There has been an Official Brick Democratic Club in existence for over 50 years, created before Ducey was even born. The Official Democratic Club in place has been a very good source of revenue to help....

02/02/2019

Cryptocurrency Investor Will Run Independent Campaign for Toms River Mayor's Seat

“My main priority from the moment I get in office would be to drastically look over and reform the budget of the city,” Castellano said.

TOMS RIVER – Andrew Castellano, a self-described “avid investor in crypto” announced his intention to run an independent campaign for mayor of the township. “My main priority from the moment I get in office would be to drastically look over and reform the budget of the city,” Castellano sa...

01/02/2019

OCP Poll: Toms River Mayor's Race 2019

Mayor Tom Kelaher, Maurice B Hill or Daniel Rodrick

Who has your support in the 2019 Toms River mayor's race? Vote in our poll.

TOMS RIVER – Mayor Thomas Kelaher (R) has not yet announced whether he will seek another term. Two potential challengers have emerged on the Republican side, Councilman Maurice “Mo” Hill and Daniel Rodrick. Vote in our poll below and let us know who has your support among the field of 3 likely...

31/01/2019

Deadline Friday in Gilmore Trial

Friday, February 1st, will mark one of the first important deadlines in the criminal trial of Ocean County GOP Chairman George Gilmore.

TRENTON – Friday, February 1st, 2019 will mark one of the first important deadlines in the trial against Ocean County Republican Chairman George Gilmore. On Friday, the federal government must provide Mr. Gilmore with all discovery materials required by Federal Rule of Criminal Procedure 16(a)(1),...

31/01/2019

Brick’s John Catalano has taken the lead in our poll.

31/01/2019

Atlantic GOP Chair Tapped to Fight Beach Haven Redevelopment Plan

Keith Davis, the Atlantic County Republican chairman, says that Beach Haven officials "palpably abused" their discretion and scheduled a meeting for the day before Thanksgiving to limit public input.

BEACH HAVEN – A lawsuit challenging the borough’s redevelopment plan claims that the town government “palpably abused their discretionary authority” in passing the borough’s maritime district redevelopment plan and scheduled meetings in a manner designed to limit public input. Davis, an at...

29/01/2019

Our current poll results. Point Beach Mayor Stephen Reid is currently ahead, with Brick’s John Catalano now in second place.

Vote here: https://politicsoc.com/2019/01/ocp-poll-gop-10th-district-assembly-hopefuls/

29/01/2019

Palmer Says He Won't Pursue 10th District Assembly Seat

“While I am humbled to be considered, I will not pursue that position. I am confident whomever the Ocean County Republican’s select to run in the fall, will represent the residents of the Tenth District with as much integrity and skill as David Wolfe.”

MANCHESTER – Mayor Ken Palmer said he will not pursue the nomination to replace David Wolfe in the State Assembly. “Over the past few days I have received a number of calls and inquiries about my interest in pursuing the Assembly position for the 10th Legislative District,” Palmer said in a st...

29/01/2019

Stafford Conservatives Sell Out: Editorial

"The Conservatives are single-handedly responsible for bringing Gilmore back into the fray in Stafford," OCP Editor Gavin Rozzi writes. "They now have to own that, and answer to their supporters and residents as to why they thought it was such a good idea to appoint his firm once more."

STAFFORD – The first thing the newly elected Stafford Conservatives – who surprised the political establishment by winning in a primary upset – did once in office was hire indicted Ocean County GOP Chairman George Gilmore’s firm, after taking campaign contributions from a PAC tied to the cha...

28/01/2019

McGuckin Pays Off More Liens

The liens that have been released against McGuckin (R - Toms River) covered income taxes owed for the years 2009 – 2012 and totaled $57,889.32.

10th District Assemblyman Greg McGuckin (R – Toms River) recently paid off federal tax liens, public records revealed. George Gilmore isn’t the only Ocean County political leader facing tax troubles, although this case is likely to have a far different outcome than that of the influential Ocean ...

28/01/2019

Ken Palmer, Mayor of Manchester is neck and neck with Brick's Ruthanne Scaturro in our 10th legislative district poll for the race to succeed incumbent Assemblyman David Wolfe (R - Brick).

Vote here if you haven't already: https://politicsoc.com/2019/01/ocp-poll-gop-10th-district-assembly-hopefuls/

27/01/2019

OCP Poll: GOP 10th District Assembly Hopefuls

Four are vying to succeed outgoing Assemblyman David Wolfe (R - Brick). Who has your support? Vote in our poll.

10TH LEGISLATIVE DISTRICT – Who should succeed outgoing Assemblyman David Wolfe (R – Brick)? Vote in our poll and tell us who has your support in the comments. Print This Article

26/01/2019

Gilmore Pleads Not Guilty, Bail Set at $250K for Ocean County GOP Chair

U.S. District Judge Anne E. Thompson also ordered that Gilmore undergo mental health testing & treatment as a condition of release.

TRENTON – Ocean County GOP Chairman George Gilmore pleaded “not guilty” to the federal tax charges late last week. Bail was set at $250,000 and the chairman will also undergo mental health testing & treatment, according to documents filed in federal court. Gilmore entered a not guilty plea bef...

26/01/2019

Kanitra Will Seek Point Beach Mayor's Seat if Reid Gets the Nod for LD10 Assembly

One GOP councilman from Ocean County is hoping to move up to the mayor's seat if Point Beach mayor Stephen Reid gets the nod to run for state assembly.

POINT PLEASANT BEACH – GOP councilman Paul Kanitra announced his intention to run for Mayor Stephen Reid’s position if Reid vacates his seat to take over for outgoing Assemblyman David Wolfe (R – Brick). Reid is among several vying for the seat. Local Republicans are already circling the wagon...