Where does money for Monmouth's ruling party come from?

Published in The Bayshore Courier on June 23, 2005.

Where does money for Monmouth's ruling party come from?

By JACKIE CORLEY
Staff Writer

In light of recent grassroots concerns about "Pay-to-Play" legislation and corruption of government officials, area residents can trust most politicians to fully disclose the campaign contributions they receive by filing quarterly election reports.

The New Jersey Election Law Enforcement Commission (ELEC) requires elected officials and municipal, county and state committees to report the campaign contributions they take in on a quarterly basis.

One of the top elected officials in the county is state Sen. Joseph Kyrillos Jr., R-Monmouth. As well as being the former chairman of the state Republican organization, Kyrillos is a widely known and respected GOP leader in Monmouth.

Kyrillos received at least $47,200 from developer Jack Morris from April 1999 until April 2004. Kyrillos returned a $5,600 contribution from Morris's company, JSM @ New Durham on October 2, 2001, as well as five $1,800 contributions from the developer and his wife on February 23, 2005. The $14,600 was refunded by Kyrillos's campaign because the amount donated exceeded that allowed by election law, according to ELEC reports.

Morris's company, the Columbia Group, is Matawan's redeveloper for the Aberdeen-Matawan Train Station project.

Morris is not the only developer from whom Kyrillos has received campaign contributions. According to ELEC reports, the state senator received at least $85,275 from development companies and $27,375 from companies associated with developers for his 2001 primary and general election campaign funds. He also received at least $45,050 from developers and $26,570 from companies associated with developers for his 2003 primary and general election campaign funds.

Kyrillos is not the only top official in the county who has received ‘developer money’ for recent election campaigns.

During the 2004 freeholder race, Republican assembly candidate Amy Handlin received $14,100 in monetary contributions over $400. Of the $14,100, $5,750 came from developers and companies associated with developers, including a $400 contribution from James Wassel, president of Sandy Hook Partners, LLC, which is working with the Nation Park Service to redevelop Sandy Hook.

Former Matawan Mayor and current Freeholder Rob Clifton received $19,650 in monetary contributions over $400 for the 2004 freeholder race, $2,000 of which came from developers or companies associated with developers.

The 2004 freeholder race was significantly funded by “in-kind contributions,” or money that comes from the state Republican Committee and the Monmouth County Republican Committee, as well as campaign committees for municipal, county and state elected officials.

Much of the money given by the state and county committees is used to directly pay for campaign literature and labor, such as the $1,000 former county employee and FBI “person of interest” Tony “The Rat” Palughi was given to put up campaign signs for the 2004 freeholder and sheriff elections.

Handlin’s 2004 freeholder campaign received $111,265.95 in in-kind contributions, $50,598.12 of which came from the Monmouth County Republican Committee. Clifton’s 2004 freeholder campaign received $114,812.45 in in-kind contributions, $50,598.12 of which came from the Monmouth County Republican Committee.

Since Wall Township resident Fred Niemann, employed as a county counsel, took the reigns as Monmouth County Republican Committee chair in June, 2004, the committee has received $447,314.30 in contributions of $400 or more. Of the nearly $450,000, developers and companies associated with developers contributed at least $65,920. The $65,920 includes a $10,000 donation from Morris’s company, Smith Street Properties, Piscataway.

With state a local election finance laws becoming more and more narrow, elected officials around New Jersey, not just in Monmouth, have become more cognizant of who contributes what to campaigns for would-be office holders and incumbents.


SIDEBAR
DEVELOPERS: For the purposes of this article, developers are defined as companies or individuals who manage or work for companies that construct commercial or residential properties. Real estate companies that sell commercial or residential properties but do not construct such properties were not considered.

COMPANIES ASSOCIATED WITH DEVELOPERS: For the purposes of this article, “companies associated with developers are defined as contracting, engineering, architectural and construction firms, as well as individuals who manage or work for such firms. The businesses considered “companies associated with developers” benefit financially from commercial or residential property development. Some of these companies are also employed by county and municipal governments for public projects.