Smear Mailer Originated With County Boss George Gilmore, The TR School Board’s $600,000 Lawyer And Chairman Of The County Board Of Elections., Henry And Gethard Say.

John J. Meehan filed as a Toms River School Board candidate against incumbents supported by Republican County Chairman George Gilmore, then withdrew as a candidate and endorsed the incumbents.

Meehan said he had a “moment of clarity” after first criticizing the Board for a variety of actions including a $3.9 million tax increase after saying there was no tax hike, and the $347,400 pension salary of controversial School Superintendent Michael Ritacco..

Meehan dropped out of the school election after it became known he was associated with Ocean County Democratic Chairman and Gilmore flunky, Wyatt Earp, see http://politickernj.com/todays-news-politickernjcom-9.

Meehan is now described as the “treasurer” for a sham organization calling itself “Citizens For Responsible Leaders” which produced a mailer this week smearing challenger BOE candidate Charles Henry.  

Henry and running mate Mary Gethard are the only challengers against board incumbents Betty Vasil, Linda Garvey and Meera Malik supported by Ritacco, Gilmore and Earp.

Gilmore is the Board’s $600,000 attorney and the Chairman of the County Board of Elections as well as the most powerful GOP political boss in New Jersey.

“The Meehan smear piece has the DNA of Gilmore’s little band of character assassins,” Henry said, adding that “Mr. Meehan, School Superintendent Mike Ritacco and the current T.R.B.O.E. have stooped to a brand new low.” The campaign piece accuses Henry of lying, acting illegally in criticizing board incumbents and being “banned” from a local talk show.

“Other than my name and the fact I am running for the T.R.B.O.E., every statement made by Mr. Meehan in his smear mailer is an outright lie,” Henry said.

Mary Gethard added, “The Meehan mailer is another crude attempt by Gilmore and Ritacco to hide a variety of school district scandals including the Wellness Center scam, the Sports Bubble fiasco, the Camp Albocondo swindle and excessive supervisory costs which wasted millions of dollars.”

“The public is tired of being lied to by Gilmore, Earp and Ritacco, especially when the lying is done through flunkies like Meehan,” Gethard and Henry said. They also demanded to know who authorized the smear piece, and who printed and paid for it.