Puharic should take a closer look at his associates

In Bayshore Journalista chairman opinion news...

Former Freeholder Ed Stominski and Mel Hood are wonderful men. However, they do not have the votes to win the chairmanship. Their base of votes will pull from Jim Giannell's, and thus elect Adam Puharic chairman. It will be unfortunate if their legacy becomes that of spoilers in one of the most important elections the Monmouth County GOP has faced.

And then the news that Adam Puharic may be considering Scott Broschart as MC GOP executive director. Jim Purcell reported it first, but I heard it from a different and highly reliable source as well.

I find this greatly disturbing for a number of reasons. One of which happens to be allegations about Broschart's campaign financing, which were investigated by the Monmouth County Prosecutor's Office, though Broschart was never charged with any crime or violation.

But there is also an incident I never put out there in the public record that I feel compelled to reveal now.

During the time I was a reporter, I received a tip that Broschart had allegedly been stalking two Democrats who were possibly in a relationship.

I readily admit to a certain level of deception in what happened next, but I felt it was necessary to uncover whether stalking had or had not occurred. I called Mr. Broschart under the auspices of having an interest level in the nature of the two Democrats' relationship.

Mr. Broschart said he had done "some investigating" into the matter and sounded pretty eager to show me what he had in possession.

The next day Mr. Broschart came to Courier with photographs of the woman's car at her home as well as two letters disparaging the individuals. Mr. Broschart said he had not taken the photographs or written the letters himself, but had received them in the mail from an anonymous source. I found this difficult to believe, as did others at the office.

The two individuals involved -- who were not in elected office -- suffered other indignities by a correspondent or correspondents who remained anonymous. The nature of these would turn your stomach, but for the sake of preserving the identity of these individuals, I can't go into specific details.

This story is pretty well known among party leaders.

If one of Adam Puharic's first decisions as GOP leader is to select Broschart as executive director, the party is on the road to total disaster. And it speaks a great deal to Adam Puharic's fitness as a potential chairman that he would allegedly associate with such people.

Committeeman to be sworn in

It's my understanding that Hazlet Committeeman-elect Kevin Lavan is going to exercise his right to be sworn into his unexpired term immediately -- namely at the Tuesday, December 6 committee meeting.

The seat was vacated by former-mayor Paul Coughlin after his February arrest on bribery charges. Scott Broschart was selected to replace Coughlin and was planning to run in the November race but withdrew his name one week before the filing deadline.

Lavan ran against political new-comer Will Kolibas.

New Hazlet candidate

William Kolibas was selected by the Hazlet Township Republican Committee to replace Committeeman Scott Broschart's name on the Republican line this year.

Broschart resigned his candidacy suddenly following heated questioning by Hazlet Democrats at the September 6 Township Committee meeting regarding campaign finance issues with the 2004 Republican Committee race, for which he was campaign manager. Broschart was absent from the September 20 meeting of the Township Committee.

Kolibas will be joining Ric Medrow as the Republican candidates in Hazlet this year. They are running against Hazlet Democratic candidates Jim DiNardo and Kevin Lavan.

Broschart drops out of race

Published in the September 22, 2005 issue of The Courier.

Broschart drops out of race

By JACKIE CORLEY

In an unexpected turn of events in Hazlet politics, Committeeman Scott Broschart resigned his candidacy for the November special election.

In May, Broschart was selected by the Township Committee to replace former Mayor Paul Coughlin. Coughlin resigned in April, two months after he was arrested by the FBI in a corruption sting that netted 11 Monmouth County officials.

At the time, Hazlet Republicans expressed reservations about Broschart’s ascension into government office.

“His work experience is close to nothing. The other Republicans that were nominated for his seat are professionals and own property [in town],” Rich Kohler, a Hazlet Republican, said in an article in the July 7 issue of The Courier.

In the same article, Hazlet Republican Chair Steve Grossman said, “There were qualified candidates. Someone as young as Scott has no real work experience. He has no real life experience.”

Broschart denied that his youth would affect the way he would govern and launched an “Ethics Reform Plan” that included campaign finance reform regulations.

When the Township Committee voted unanimously to approve an anti-Pay-to-Play ordinance, however, Broschart was bombarded with questions from Hazlet Democrats about his own campaign fundraising activities.

In the resume he submitted when seeking to fill Coughlin’s seat, Broschart wrote that he “raised over $40,000 in contributions” as campaign manager for the successful 2004 election of Mayor Michael Sachs and Committeewoman Bridget Antonucci.

In fact, Election Law Enforcement Commission (ELEC) reports show that $20,535 was raised for the campaign, a number later adjusted to $20,831.

“Either you falsified the election report and violated state law or you falsified your resume to become a member of the Township Committee,” Vincent Solomeno, a Hazlet Democrat, said at the September 6 meeting.

In a later interview, Solomeno questioned whether or not Broschart’s appointment was in itself Pay-to-Play.

“He is the one who raised tens of thousands of dollars for the very people who voted to appoint him to his position,” Solomeno said. “What this says is that someone who doesn’t have a steady job, who doesn’t pay Hazlet property taxes can become a committeeman by raising tens of thousands of dollars.”

Anointed not appointed?

When Coughlin resigned his seat and a November special election was imminent, Grossman said he began planning a “mini-convention” for county committee members of the Hazlet Republican Party to select who would run on the Republican ticket.

On July 20, that process was thwarted when Monmouth County Republican Chair Fred Niemann signed off on Broschart’s candidacy.

Niemann, who campaigned for county chair under the promise on enacting by-laws and restoring greater control to municipal clubs, reportedly told Grossman he was unaware of what he was signing.

Under a little-known rule, the county chair does in fact have the authority to select a candidate for a special election, Grossman said. Nevertheless, the rule hadn’t been applied in Monmouth County in 20 years, according to Grossman.

Broschart bows out just under the wire

At a meeting of the Hazlet Republican Club held at the Lakeside Manor on Wednesday, September 14, Committeewoman and Republican Club President Tracey Maffiore announced that Broschart removed his name from the Republican ticket.

Broschart had attended the Hazlet Republican Club meeting but left before the announcement was made that he was resigning his candidacy.

Maffiore said that Broschart had made the decision to step down because the Hazlet Democrats were using him as a political issue.

In an e-mail, however, Broschart said he removed his name from the ticket so he could focus on his future.

“I need to focus on my career and I'm unsure if I will be residing in Hazlet over the next year. It would be a disservice to the residents of Hazlet if I were to run this year, possibly win and then have to step down if I am forced to relocate,” Broschart said. “In the meantime, I will continue to serve on the committee and fully plan on supporting Ric Medrow (a Republican running for the seat currently held by Maffiore, who is not seeking re-election this year) and the candidate who is chosen to run in my place.”

Hazlet Democrats, however, believe Broschart’s sudden resignation of his candidacy to be a direct result of the questions they raised at the last Township Committee meeting.

“Obviously I feel that our questions about Broschart’s campaign fund raising were instrumental in him stepping down,” said Jim DiNardo, Democrat candidate for Hazlet Township Committee.

DiNardo said that Broschart, as a sitting member of the governing body, still owes taxpayers answers about the ethical questions that have been raised by residents. The Township Committee also needs to be held responsible for Broschart’s appointment in the midst of these allegations, according to DiNardo.

“The Township Committee had a choice. They chose to put up a guy who obviously has some issues with campaign finances. It raises another cloud over Hazlet (following Coughlin’s arrest),” DiNardo said. “We need good government not more questions about the lack of honesty and integrity of our committee members.”

If Broschart had not stepped down by Monday, September 19, only a court order could have replaced him with another candidate on the ticket, according to Grossman. The Hazlet Republican Party will have until Wednesday, September 21 to present the name of the new candidate, who will have to be approved by Niemann.

Many members of the Hazlet Republican Club asked Maffiore to consider running in the special election. Maffiore said it was unlikely that she would run this November, as she took on a new job last year and found her free time severely limited. She said she was heartened by the show of support from other Republican Club members.

Grossman said the club will continue to move forward.

“I wish Scott the best of luck. I think he did the right thing for Hazlet and for the party,” Grossman said.

Kohler said he was pleased by the turn of events.

“I think [Broschart] brought this upon himself. I think we almost had a case of the system running amok,” Kohler said. “Thanks to Steve, we got it back under control.”

With reporting by Christian Alexandersen.

Bayshore News and World Report

...or maybe not.

Hazlet Republicans will meet tomorrow at 8 p.m. at the Lakeside Manor to decide who will replace Scott Broschart on the November ballot this year.

The three candidates currently in the running are: Dave Tinker, Donna Strickland and William Kolibas.

Want to donate money to the Hazlet Republican party? Click here and you can contribute $25, $50, $100, $250, $400 or a whopping $1,000 directly to... Scott Broschart.

THIS JUST IN: Hazlet committeeman resigns candidacy

Hazlet Township Committeeman Scott Broschart resigned his candidacy for the November special election to fill former Hazlet Mayor Paul Coughlin's seat. (Coughlin was arrested in February, along with 10 other officials, in an FBI sting operation conducted by the state U.S. Attorney's office.)

Broschart was selected by the Township Committee to replace Coughlin after the former mayor stepped down. Monmouth County Republican Chair Fred Niemann approved Broschart's candidacy for the November special election.

At the Hazlet Republican Club meeting held tonight, it was announced that Broschart has removed his name from the Republican ticket. The township Republican organization has until Wednesday to submit the name of its new candidate.

Documents for Broschart article

The following are screen captures of documents pertaining to the "Broschart comes under fire about campaign finances" article. (Click thumbnails for larger documents.)

In his resume seeking to fill former Hazlet Mayor Paul Coughlin's seat on the Hazlet Township Committee, current Committeeman Scott Broschart stated that he raised some $40,000 as the Republican campaign manager for the successful 2004 Hazlet Township Committee race. (See circled portion of document.)


In fact, election documents show the total contributions raised to be $20,585.



This amount was amended three months later showing $20,831 was raised.

Broschart comes under fire about campaign finances

(Published in the Thursday, September 8, 2005 issue of The Courier.)

Broschart comes under fire about campaign finances

By JACKIE CORLEY

What was supposed to be the passage of an anti-Pay-to-Play ordinance led to allegations of wrong-doing by a sitting committeeman at the Tuesday, September 6 meeting of the Hazlet Township Committee.

Committeeman Scott Broschart, 26, who was selected to replace former Mayor Paul Coughlin despite questions by both Republican and Democrat leaders about his qualifications for the office, initiated “Operation Public Trust” in late June 2005.
The ethics reform package proposed by Broschart included Pay-to-Play regulations and an anti-nepotism ban. The anti-Pay-to-Play ordinance was passed unanimously by the Township Committee at the meeting.

However, Democrats charged that Broschart had severe campaign finance issues of his own to answer.

In his resume seeking to fill Coughlin’s vacant seat, Broschart wrote that he “raised over $40,000 in contributions” as campaign manager for the successful 2004 election of Mayor Michael Sachs and Committeewoman Bridget Antonucci.

In fact, Election Law Enforcement Commission (ELEC) reports show that $20,585 was raised for campaign.

When Democrat candidates for Hazlet Township Committee Kevin Lavan and Jim DiNardo attempted to question Broschart regarding the sum of money during the public portion of the Thursday meeting, Sachs refused to allow either man to speak on the issue.

“It’s political and has nothing to do with the business of this town,” Sachs said.

In an interview outside the meeting room, DiNardo disagreed with Sachs’s assessment.

“I feel it does matter to the citizens of Hazlet because Scott Broschart was the one appointed to the committee,” Lavan said. “I think it was a political appointment. The other two people who applied for the position had better resumes. We had one fellow in town (Coughlin) arrested because of illegal money, now we have a second person who took his seat having questionable financial actiivity himself. We have to take the political black cloud off of Hazlet.”

DiNardo concurred, saying, “I’m not happy with what’s happening. We’re not getting any answers from the Township Committee.”

Lavan said he and DiNardo filed a complaint with the Board of Elections and the Monmouth County Prosecutor’s Office in regard to potential violations of the state’s election statutes.

“Where exactly is this missing $20,000?” DiNardo said.

Vincent Solomeno, a Hazlet Democrat, was able to make more headway during the public portion of the meeting, posing questions to Broschart about his conflict of interest in serving as a campaign fund-raiser “to the tune of tens of thousands of dollars for the Hazlet Republican Party” and serving as the proponent of Hazlet’s anti-Pay-to-Play ordinance.

Broschart denied engaging in the practice of Pay-to-Play, noting that he had an obligation to raise funds as campaign manager and was not a member of the governing body at the time he raised money. He said he trusted the Township Committee to make fair and ethical decisions.

“You were engaged in Pay-to-Play and now you’re a member of the township committee supporting Pay-to-Play reform. I think it’s hypocritical,” Solomeno said.

Solomeno also publicly questioned Broschart’s claim of raising $40,000 for last year’s campaign.

“Either you falsified the election report and violated state law or you falsified your resume to become a member of the Township Committee,” Solomeno said.

In a later interview, Solomeno questioned whether or not Broschart’s appointment was in itself Pay-to-Play.

“He is the one who raised tens of thousands of dollars for the very people who voted to appoint him to his position,” Solomeno said. “What this says is that someone who doesn’t have a steady job, who doesn’t pay Hazlet property taxes can become a committeeman by raising tens of thousands of dollars.”

Rich Kohler, a Hazlet Republican, was the first to raise questions about Broschart’s campaign fund-raising claims in his column in The Courier in its May 19, 2005 issue.

In the column, Kohler wrote, “In [Broschart’s] capacity [as 2004 Republican campaign manager], he sent several arrogant and hostile campaign related e-mails to members of the Hazlet Township Republican Campaign Committee. These letters were barely written at a fifth-grade level…Although I supported both candidates, I limited my involvement in the campaign as a result of Mr. Broschart;s irresponsible correspondence and his lack of regard for the value of positive leadership. Rewarding this type of leadership with ordained political power will most likely lead our township in a negative direction.”

Kohler noted that questions about Broschart’s financial management of the 2004 campaign should be answered, especially in light of the Township Committee’s decision to propose anti-pay-to-play regulations.

“How can he pass the legislation if he has this hanging over his head? The money question needs to be answered,” Kohler said.

Following the Township Committee meeting, Broschart said DiNardo’s and Lavan’s decision to file a complaint with the Board of Elections about discrepancies in the 2004 campaign was “a political ploy aimed to get press for the campaign.”

Pay-to-play and the November election

At the Tuesday meeting, Kohler and other Hazlet residents questioned whether or not the township’s pay-to-play ordinance had “any teeth.”

Hazlet Township Attorney James H. Gorman acknowledged that Hazlet’s ordinance was essentially similar to the state’s anti-Pay-to-Play ordinance, which goes into effect January 1, 2006. The Hazlet ordinance would put the regulations into effect earlier but would not go beyond the state’s legislation as such a step would be nullified by the state when its bill went into effect in January.

“There are other bills pending [at the state level], which may or may not even be passed, that would allow municipalities to set different standards for Pay-to-Play bans,” Gorman said. “Right now, I don’t see why we should spend any money, time or effort on regulations that would be nullified by state legislation in three months. The state has effectively said, ‘This is all you can do.’”

Hazlet resident Eugene Gere questioned whether the introduction of the anti-Pay-to-Play ordinance was merely politicking during election season.

“From a political angle, this will just allow candidates to grandstand. There are real problems that are not being addressed. There are no anti-wheeling provisions. I’m not sure what we’re really getting with this,” Gere said.

Ric Medrow, a Republican who is running for Hazlet Township Committee, said the baby shouldn’t be thrown out with the bathwater.

“I’ve never seen a perfect piece of campaign finance legislation. We can’t let that be an excuse for not cleaning up dirty money in politics. You have to start somewhere,” Medrow said.

Also, Medrow noted he was interested in expanding pay-to-play regulations to include developers looking to build property in town.

Broschart was selected by Monmouth County Republican Committee Chairman Fred Niemann to run for the second committee seat up for election this year, making Broschart, by default, Medrow’s running mate, despite concerns issued publicly and privately by high-ranking Hazlet Republicans about Broschart’s candidacy.

Nevertheless, Medrow feels he has much to offer to Hazlet residents and has been knocking on doors since the beginning of the summer.

“It’s essential that you get out there and talk to the residents and get to know their concerns and let them know what you’ll do as an elected official to ease those concerns,” Medrow said. “I’ve knocked on 2,200 doors so far. I’ve been out when it was 104 degrees and I’ll be out when it’s 47 degrees. The residents of Hazlet deserve that.”

Bayshore News You Can(Not) Use

Not much new in Bayshore Journalista-ville. I spewed-forth a 1,000-word story on the ruckus that was the Hazlet Township Committee meeting last night, and I'm mighty tired.

The whole mystery of the $20,000 discrepancy between what Committeeman Scott Broschart said he raised as 2004 Hazlet Republican campaign manager and what was actually raised has yet to be fully explained. The Hazlet Dems have filed a complaint with the Board of Elections and the Monmouth County Prosecutor's Office. I guess it's wait-and-see now.

In Middletown, Anthony Spalliero, everyone's favorite alleged politician-briber, was taken into custoday yesterday "following an altercation with a young woman in a Brookdale Community College parking lot," according to the Asbury Park Press.

In other area news, William Flynn and Michael Dasaro, Democrat candidates for the 13th District, have bowed out of the Clean Elections program, citing the high fundraising threshold. The pair have pledged to abide by spending limits and other regulations proposed by the Clean Elections pilot program.