Steven Santola

September 23, 2007 - 11:36pm

Fight for zoning change in Cranford touches race for U.S. Senate

Tags: Frank Lautenberg, Jon Bramnick, Phil Morin, Anne Estabrook, George Jorn, Michael Plick, Steven Santola, George McDonough

Union County GOP Chairman Phil Morin and U.S. Senate candidate Anne Evans Estabrook stand in the middle of a controversial real estate development deal in Cranford that has become an issue in the race for Township Committee.

The County Chairman can’t give money to help at least one GOP candidate, because if he did, the candidate says he believes the money would leave him open to an attack of being a sell out -- and crush him politically.

That’s because Morin also serves as the attorney for Woodmont Properties, LLC. Woodmont wants to alter the zoning for two properties on Birchwood Avenue from low density office to residential, so that the Parsippany developer can buy nearly 16 acres from Elberon Development, which is owned by Estabrook, a Republican who wants to run against Frank R. Lautenberg next year.

Morin serves on Estabrook’s campaign exploratory committee – his early support surprised some Republicans because Union County Assemblyman Jon Bramnick is mulling a U.S. Senate bid -- but the fledgling candidate said Morin’s presence as the applicant’s attorney does not constitute a conflict.

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