Dan Gallic & the People of Hope

Monmouth County Republican Organization Executive Director Dan Gallic has quite the interesting past:

• Women's eNews
  "Bucco, a member of the Right to Life Committee, hired a campaign manager known to be a leader in a quasi-religious group called People of Hope that advocates the active submission of women, discourages females from attending college and prohibits women from wearing pants or cosmetics. The manager, Dan Gallic, was quoted in Morristown's Morris Newsbee in late September saying of MacInnes: "The only thing that makes her legitimate is her husband or her husband's money."


• The Daily Record
  "The People of Hope have had a rocky relationship with the established church and what's worse, some dropouts from the group have called it a cult. Talk about a word with negative meaning. In the eyes of the public, Jim Jones ran a cult, as did David Koresh. Any group called a cult finds it tough to defend itself."


• The Observer Tribune
  "Daniel Gallic, campaign guru for Sen. Anthony Bucco, R-Morris, is a seasoned professional whose background includes numerous political contests and membership in the People of Hope, a controversial, fundamentalist religious group that has been called cult-like and says women are subservient to men...
  
  "He was previously involved in the abortive U.S. Senate campaign of Republican James Treffinger. Treffinger withdrew from the race and later pleaded guilty to federal corruption charges...
  
  "In the late 1980s, former Newark Archbishop Peter L. Gerety urged members of the People of Hope to leave the group. The former archbishop said the People of Hope did not adhere to the teachings of the Catholic church. Gerety also objected to the group's affiliation with the Sword of the Spirit, because the group includes members of various Christian sects.
  
  "At the time of Gerety's statements, several members of the People of Hope quit and later claimed the group operated like a cult, denigrated women and maintained overly intrusive rules on dating, marriage and other issues for its members.
  
  "Walter Quense of Warren Township, a former co-leader and still an active member of the People of Hope, said in an interview on Friday, Oct. 10, that the group's membership fell but that a core group has remained involved.
  
  "'Dan (Gallic) is involved, very much so,' said Quense. 'He is a fine young man.'
  
  "Quense said women are not denigrated and that the opposition was a result of 'personality clashes.'
  
  He said one strength of the People of Hope is its emphasis on the sanctity of marriage.
  
  "'If we've had one or two divorces, it's a lot,' Quense said. 'We support each other. We are not a cult. We're not right wing fundamentalists. We believe in the teachings of the Catholic church and the authority of the Holy Father.'
  
  "At one time, the People of Hope had more than 1,000 members. Quense said the organization now has about 250 adult and 250 young members.
  
  "Members buy homes near each other and function as a community, sharing all aspects of their daily lives, said Dinolfo.
  
  "'They are quite controversial,' Dinolfo said. 'People have accused them of being a cult. I know many members and they are wonderful people. They've been misunderstood and maligned.'
  
  "Dinolfo said the members meet in small groups and share common values, beginning with an unbending opposition to abortion and a focus on family strength. Members are free to leave the group at any time, he said.
  
  "The People of Hope believe its leadership should be men but that women work with the male leaders. But Dinolfo said the belief in subservient women is not recommended in secular life."

People of Hope

Former members of the People of Hope