Fred Niemann

PRESS RELEASE

REPUBLICAN PACS USED FOR WHEELING SHOULD BE CLOSED, LAWS ADDRESSED AND LOOPHOLES CLOSED

MIDDLETOWN TOWNSHIP (MONMOUTH COUNTY, NJ): Middletown Democratic Chairman Joe Caliendo said that the recent campaign finance scandal reported by the Asbury Park Press, involving the Monmouth County Republican Organization, demands action and not just talk.

Caliendo said that the Republican PACs used for wheeling named by the Press, specifically in the Northern Monmouth towns of Aberdeen, Union Beach and especially Middletown, should be closed immediately. Furthermore, Caliendo is calling on municipal and state lawmakers to modify pay-to-play laws that would create strong penalties against wheeling.

The results of a Special Election Convention last Saturday further threaten the re-election prospects of Monmouth County Republican Chairman Frederick Niemann, who backed the losing candidate to replace Amy Handlin on the Board of Freeholders. Anna Little, a Highlands Borough Councilwoman, won a second ballot victory over Howell Mayor Joseph DiBella, who had Niemann's tacit support and considerable help from his key supporters. Some party leaders say that Little's victory as very much an anti-Niemann vote. Niemann was elected Chairman in 2004, ousting the outspoken and often controversial William Dowd, who had held the post for seventeen years. This was the second time in two years that a Niemann-backed Freeholder candidate lost a party convention. Monmouth has become increasingly competitive at the county level, and in 2005 the Democratic Freeholder candidate lost by just 1,792; many pundits believe the Democrats would have won if a Green Party candidate endorsed by the Asbury Park Press had not won 18,698 votes.

Republicans expect two longtime officeholders to announce their retirements within the next few weeks: Freeholder Theodore Narozanick and Surrogate Marie Muhler. That will trigger another heated convention for the two posts. Several of the candidates who ran unsuccessfully on Saturday would likely compete for Narozanick's seat (and technically, the newly-elected Little could receive opposition for party support to run in a November Special Election for Handlin's unexpired term), but additional candidates could emerge as a result of the recent contest. Longtime Middletown Committeewoman (and former Mayor) Rosemarie Peters and Little Silver Councilman Richard DeNoia both want to run for Surrogate.

The 84-year-old Narozanick was an Englishtown Councilman from 1946 to 1954, Mayor from 1954 to 1962, Monmouth County Administrator from 1958 to 1985, and Freeholder since 1986. Muhler served as a Marlboro Councilwoman before winning a State Assembly seat in 1975 (she defeated Democratic incumbent Morton Salkind, still politicall active as a North Jersey developer). She nearly won election to Congress in 1980, winning 49% of the vote against eight-term incumbent James Howard, and became Surrogate in 1991.

Trivia: Who was the last Republican to lose a race for county office in Monmouth? That would be Fred Niemann, who lost his bid for Surrogate in 1986. Niemann also lost an '04 bid for Republican County Committee in his own district in Wall.

Elected to the Assembly after a bitter primary fight with Joseph Azzolina, Amy Handlin vacated her Monmouth County Freeholder seat on January 24th, triggering a Special Election Convention to fill her seat. The winner of the contest, called for February 25th at the suitably named Battle Ground Country Club in Manalapan, must run for a fourteen-month unexpired term in November 2006 and again in November 2007.

Facing off are: Howell Mayor Joe DiBella, Wall Republican Chairman Bob McKenna, Marlboro Mayor Robert Kleinberg, Hazlet Committeewoman Bridget Antonucci, Highlands Councilwoman Anna Little, Spring Lake Councilman Brian Reilly, former Aberdeen Councilman Gus Toomey and Howell resident attorney Thomas DeSeno. After early entrances in the race, Holmdel Mayor Serena DiMaso, who lost a convention battle for Freeholder last year, and Howell Councilman Peter Tobasco decided not the seek Handlin's seat.

This battle is lining-up to be in the South. DiBella, who works for Commerce National Insurance, is likely to have a close fight with McKenna. Before moving to Howell, DiBella lived in Middlesex County, where he was a Sayreville Councilman. He was Monmouth GOP Chairman Fred Niemann's unofficial pick for the seat, but if history is any guide, his support does not mean its locked-up. Last year, another Niemann pick from Howell, Councilwoman Cindy Schomaker, was upset by Colts Neck Mayor Lillian Burry who now sits on the Freeholder Board. DiBella is considered a better public speaker then Schomaker and has tacit support from some other corners of the county.

McKenna, who helped lead the effort to remove William Dowd as GOP Chairman two years ago, has recently had a major falling out with Niemann. His firebrand style of politics and a sizable committee in Wall, however, may be very appealing to conservative county committee members. McKenna also seems to have some support amongst his former Monmouth GOP for Change Coalition, that has now turned its back on Niemann who may be challenged this June.

With nearly 100 full seats, and a committee known for block voting, the big question in the upcoming contest is who will Middletown Republican Chairman Peter Carton's delegation support. With so many candidates in the running, Middletown's vote can easily swing the outcome.

Despite a lot of encouragement to run to fill Handlin's seat with another woman from Middletown, long-time Middletown Committeewoman Rosemarie Peters is rumored to be seeking the Surrogate's seat when incumbent Marie Muhler retires. Seven-term Freeholder Ted Narozanick, perhaps the last of the Monmouth GOP's old guard, is widely expected to retire. (Rob Clifton, elected in 2004, would become the senior member of the Freeholder Board). It is rumored that Niemann is helping Kleinberg seek Narozanick's seat, but a number of county officials have been encouraging Middletown Mayor Tom Hall to run this spring.

Aaronson & McMorrow treasurer demands retraction from Republican chairman

A letter was sent to Monmouth County Republican Chairman Fred Niemann today by Glenn Cashion, a Republican and treasurer of the Aaronson and McMorrow for Freeholder campaign. The letter requested that Mr. Niemann publicly apologize and correct the numerous lies the Republican Freeholder campaign has perpetuated about Rebecca Aaronson, a Democratic candidate for Freeholder.