Alisa Cooper

Atlantic County Freeholder Alisa Cooper

Atlantic County Freeholder Alisa Cooper sees a run for higher office in her future, but she’s not sure what exactly it will be.

“Certainly down the line. In the future.  I’m not saying definitely 2009, but most definitely I would like to run for higher office. Whether it’s going to be 2009 or 2010 I’m not sure at this point,” said Cooper. 

Cooper just won reelection to the Atlantic County freeholder board, and said she’s still catching her breath from that hard fought campaign.  But she said that she wouldn’t mind following the legacy of her mother, who went from being a freeholder to an Assemblywoman, serving from the 1980s to the early 1990s. 

Atlantic County Democratic Chairman Patrick D’Arcy, who succeeded Ronald Ruff as county chairman in June, seems to have inherited the helm of the party during at a fortunate time.

Democrats, for the first time ever, outnumber Republicans in Atlantic County – and by a lot.

“This is certainly a traditionally Republican area. Everyone can have philosophical differences, but Obama has energized people who have never been involved before. You’re talking about a 20,000 swing in one year. Last year there were 10,000 less Republicans, now there are 10,000 more,” he said. “When you’re looking at it pro-rata, that’s an insane amount.”

D’Arcy sees that number as a sign that Democrats are going to make up for the freeholder seats they lost last year, after which they’ll be able to make gains on top of it to eventually take control of the board.

Cooper is being represented by William Tambussi of Westmont, Camden County, who is the attorney for the Camden County Democrat organization as well as the personal lawyer for George Norcross, Camden County’s Democrat power broker.

"Cooper's continued silence is a stunning hypocrisy. She showed no reluctance to fling false accusations at others when it suited her political agenda, but has remained tight-lipped in the face of the actions of her party and her running mate."

“We remind and warn Cooper that this year county candidates are subject to the county’s ban on pay to play as well as strict limits on so-called wheeling of contributions in which money is funneled into the county from outside. If she sticks to past Democrat Party strategy, she runs the risk of violating the county’s ordinance --- one enacted with Cooper’s support --- and will be subject to complaints filed in municipal court.”

“By abstaining, Cooper has clearly sided with those who want to perpetuate an unfair and dishonest system and manipulate it for partisan political advantage. She has contributed to the cynicism which people feel about government and has reinforced the perception that political gain trumps the public interest.“

“The issue is clear cut: Either she can prove in a court of law that she was correct in her allegations or she can’t. The employee who brought the suit has a right to his day in court and the voters of the county have a right to know if Cooper’s motives were totally political.”

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“It is, unfortunately, a pattern of Cooper’s behavior to throw unsubstantiated claims and accusations around in public as a part of her political strategy,” Ballistreri and Aponte said. “When her phony allegations are revealed for what they are and collapse, she offers no explanation. It is politics and politics alone --- not truth --- which motivate her.”

“Her attack on county employees was politics at its worst and, whether she likes it or not, it is a part of her overall pattern of behavior.”