Big Night For Dems In The 11Th Assembly District

The biggest upset of the night came in the 11th Assembly District; Democrats Eric Houghtaling and Joan Downey defeated Republican incumbents Mary Pat Angelini and Caroline Casagrande.

The 11th District has been a Republican stronghold for a very long time. However, it was only a matter of time, Democrats have been making inroads throughout the district for the past several years. A lot of hard work has been put in over the years laid the ground work and was the difference.

Monmouth County Democrats, Vin Gopal and the candidates Houghtaling and Downey, deserve a lot of credit for unseating Angelini and Casagrande. Their hard work finally paid off!

Zipprich Calls Out Angelini's No Vote On 'Samaritan Act'

Red Bank Councilman and Candidate for the NJ State Assembly (D-11) Ed Zipprich, called out Assemblywoman Mary Pat Angelini for voting against "The Good Samaritan Emergency Response Act" with yesterday's featured letter in the Asbury Park Press.

Zipprich took issue with the fact that Angelini was one of only two State Assembly members to vote against the act that was signed with much fanfare last week by Gov. Chris Christie and states, "...when someone calls herself “pro-life,” she should vote in favor of saving lives, and no one should have to choose between saving someone’s life or ruining their own".

Here's the full letter:

The Good Samaritan Emergency Response Act eliminates criminal liability for persons who seek medical assistance for anyone in a drug overdose situation.

Gov. Christie set an example of good public policy taking precedence over political calculations when he signed this bill. Both parties reworked it to ensure that it saves lives.

Passage has given comfort to families who have lost a loved one to overdose, and it gives people involved in a difficult situation a second chance at life. It also spares a family the pain of having to bury loved ones who overdosed by encouraging people to call 911 before it’s too late.

Assemblywoman Mary Pat Angelini, R-Monmouth, was one of only two Assembly members to vote against it. Her first vote against this bill put her in alignment with Christie’s original position.

I applaud the governor’s change of heart. I ask Angelini to explain why she voted against something that saves people who are overdosing or protects those witnessing overdosing from arrest and prosecution if they call for help.

This new law saves lives, and parents are being spared the horror of a call from the emergency room with the ultimate bad news. As a constituent and candidate for this Assembly seat, I want to know why Angelini voted against the Good Samaritan Act.

When there is a chance to save a life, I believe that’s the right path. Mistakes happen. Emergencies happen. Life happens.

I believe when someone calls herself “pro-life,” she should vote in favor of saving lives, and no one should have to choose between saving someone’s life or ruining their own.

Edward Zipprich

APP Editorial "Decency absent in GOP mailing" Slams 11th District GOP Candidates For Smear Against Rival Gopal

Today's edition of the Asbury Park Press contains an editorial slaming 11th District GOP Assmebly candidates Caroline Casagrande and Mary Pat Angelini for the over the top and deceitful campaign mailer sent to district residents attempting to smear their Democratic opponent Vin Gopal, by insinuating that he is corrupt because he once worked as a campaign manager for former Perth Amboy Mayor Joseph Vas, as a 20year old college intern.

Vas and another campaign aid Raymond Geneske, were convicted and sent to jail for various campaign offenses which Gopal had nothing to do with.


The recent campaign flier approved by Republicans Caroline Casagrande and Mary Pat Angelini in the 11th District Assembly race seeking to smear Democrat Vin Gopal was beyond the pale — even by New Jersey standards.

It used reckless innuendo in attempting to portray Gopal as corrupt because he once was campaign manager for disgraced former Perth Amboy Mayor Joseph Vas.

Although the ad was produced by the Republican State Committee, Casagrande and Angelini both signed off on it. And, on Friday, both said they stood by it. That’s almost as disturbing as the mailer itself, which tried through deliberate misdirection to suggest that Gopal was mixed up in a campaign money laundering and fraud scheme.

Gopal was campaign manager for Vas in 2006 as a 20-year-old political science major at Penn State University, for which he received course credit and a modest salary. His chief job was organizing volunteers and answering phones. He had nothing to do with any illegal money.

On one side of the mailer, which showed dollar bills swirling in a clothes drier, it read, “To you, this might look like someone illegally laundering money. To Vin Gopal, it looks like pay day.”

On the flip side, it said, “Corrupt Political Bosses. Money Laundering. Fraud. It’s just another day at the office for Vin Gopal.”

Further down, it had an April 2011 newspaper headline proclaiming, “Aide to former Perth Amboy Mayor Joseph Vas pleads guilty to money laundering.” The text of the story, which was covered with another headline, would have identified the aide as Raymond Geneske. The mailing implied it was Gopal.

“We didn’t say he went to jail. He was the campaign manager of a corrupt campaign,” said Tom Fitzsimmons, District 11 GOP campaign spokesman. “Everything in the mailer is 100 percent true.”

Maybe so. But it was a clear attempt to portray him as corrupt.

While the Gopal campaign has sent out some hard-ball negative mailings of its own, none of them have been in the same league as what the state Republican committee created and the candidates approved.


The mailer lacked a complete sense of decency and fair play, further contributing to voters’ cynicism and disgust with politicians who will do anything to win election.

The Republicans do not seem to care. Voters should when it comes to weighing their options for the Assembly seats at the polls on Tuesday.

11th District Assembly Candidate Vin Gopal, Speaks Out Against "Ugly" And Slanderous Campaign Mailer From Angelini Camp

11th District Assembly Candidate Vin Gopal, issued the an email (printed below) to friends and supporters this morning denouncing the ugly and unsubstantiated claims of his Republican opponent Mary Pat Angelini.

The Angelini campaign sent out an inflammatory and inaccurate campaign flyer to constituents after Gopal won the endorsement of the Asbury Park Press. The questionable campaign mailer insinuated that Gopal had been involved in money laundering and other corrupt activities while earning college credits, working as an intern, for former Perth Amboy Mayor Joseph Vas, who pleaded guilty to and was convicted of numerous campaign fraud charges and lying to federal investigators.

To claim that a 20 year old college student, working on a campaign as an intern to earn credits towards graduation, is somehow tainted and corrupt himself is a new low and shows how desperate some are to hold onto power.

In this campaign I’ve only talked about real issues, not personal attacks. When I talk to voters, have interviews with members of the press, send out material I talk about my ideas for New Jersey and what’s happened to us these last four years. What happened is the largest property tax increase since 2007, as high as 23.5% in some parts of the state. What happened is an unemployment rate that exceeds Pennsylvania, New York, and Connecticut. What happened is schools forced to end arts and foreign language programs while charging fees for extracurricular activities.

But my opponents are running an ugly campaign. They’re accusing me of being a party boss, of laundering money, of deep political corruption…for a job I had for college credit when I was 20 years old. That’s a desperate tactic—the incumbents are spending tens of thousands of special interest dollars trying to ruin me because they know that Monmouth County voters are ready for a real change.

I’m not upset that they’re attacking me. They wouldn’t be doing it if they weren’t worried. But this proves what I’ve been saying all along. My opponents are a part of a Trenton system more committed to reelection than protecting middle class families. They’re willing to poison the dialogue and destroy reputations if that means that they can hold on to their cushy jobs, funded by lobbyists and PACs who are interested only in their bottom line.

We need new people in Trenton. People like my running mates and I who are committed to incentivizing small businesses and restoring property tax rebates. Our campaign isn’t built on special interests, so we have no favors to pay back. We’re committed to the middle class because we are a part of it. That’s why our priorities will never change—because the policies that hurt regular people will injure us as well.

Can you help me push back against my opponents’ slander? Can you forward this email to every voter you know? We have just seven day left to get the word out that for the first time in a long time Monmouth County voters have the opportunity choose leaders committed to them.

With your help, we can make a real change for the better on November 8th.

Sincerely,


Vin Gopal


PS The incumbents are going to desperate lengths to destroy my reputation and our hope for change in Monmouth. We have to get the word out to stop them. Will you help me by forwarding this email to your friends, telling people about this election and signing up to volunteer?

APP Endorses Gopal For Assembly While Backing GOP Incumbents

This past Thursday the Asbury Park Press's Editorial Board came out with its endorsements for the new 11th Legislative District, in so doing the board once again has recommend that voters split their votes in the district, which leaves some to scratch their heads.

After reeling against incumbents all year long in their editorials, the APP has chosen to endorse two of them in Jen Beck and Caroline Casagrande, both Republicans that have shown that they will do or say anything to get reelected. They have both flipped-flopped on many issues that directly relate to their new district this year, gay marriage, women's health care issues and the funding of Planned Parenthood, just to name a few. It seems as though the only reason why the APP has chosen to endorse these two is because they seem to "tow the party line" on most, if not all the other issues that don't seem to have a direct impact on their reelection bids.

On the flip side of these endorsements the APP has decided to endorse Democrat Vin Gopal for one of the other Assembly seats up for grabs over Casagrande's running mate, Mary Pat Angelini.

In it's endorsement the APP had this to say about Gopal, "... we believe Gopal, who owns several small businesses including a group of community newspapers, would offer a fresh, perceptive set of eyes on the continuing set of problems plaguing New Jersey. In addition, he seems to be a candidate willing to compromise in order to get much-needed work done...."

Gopal, who was born in Neptune and grew up in Freehold currently serves on the Board of Directors for the Northern Monmouth Chamber of Commerce and was elected to a three year term as President of the Hazlet Business Owners Association in January of 2010. Vin Gopal also serves as a member of the Board of Trustees for Big Brothers, Big Sisters of Monmouth County where he is a member of their Finance Committee. Gopal also serves on the Advisory Board of New Leaders Council – New Jersey, is clearly the right choice for the State Assembly in the 11th district.

The same can't be said for Beck who is running against Ray Santiago in the for the open State Senate seat. She received a number of negative reader comments left by posters on the APP website.

Here are a few:

PoorBob
8:03 AM on October 28, 2011

It seems the APP glossed over Jennifer Beck's record. She IS NOT an ally of Chris Christie (have you seen the governor endorse her?). Beck attempted to override Christie's defunding of Planned Parenthood--the largest provider of abortions. She was one of two Republicans that attempted that ghastly deed. Thank god Chris Christie prevailed on that issue.

Jennifer Beck also received campaign contributions from Solomon Dwek. When it was exposed, Beck claims she "donated" it to charity; however, she refuses to be transparent and show proof of such donation. Isn't she the one that wants others to be transparent??

She is now for gay marriage. In her old district, she was against it. Gee, you think the large population of gay and lesbians in her new district had something to do with her flip-flopping??

Read below, and decide if you want Jennifer Beck around (again).

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Dump-State-Senator-Jennifer-Beck/181295051917672

sir99
11:35 AM on October 28, 2011

Beck is nothing more than a shill for her special interest contributors. When the Freehold Regional district wash awash with the Call me Doctor Wasser issue, she refused to get involved. That is up until it became the story of the year in the APP. Only then did she say a single word. Beck had the opportunity to go to bat for all the school districts that feed the regional but chose to only speak up for the regional who was fronted by one of her major contributors.

fraudfinder
7:05 PM on October 28, 2011

Are you kidding me?? Beck received money from Solomon Dwek??? What was she supposed to do..do what the other politicians did--vote for something and get something in return???

I read that "Dump Beck Site" I just can't believe her driver's license got suspended so many times. What a hypocrite, she likes to make laws, but not obey them.

It seems the people in Tinton Falls are angry with her for the same reason the people in the Freehold Regional HS District are angry--she did not go to an important Board meeting regarding the Fort Monmouth (non-military) kids going to their schools and costing them a huge amount. They reside within the jurisdiction of Colts Neck--why haven't they accepted them??? Where is Casagrande on this???

I can't believe they were endorsed by the APP---It is indeed time for a change!!!

Captain Joseph Azzolina Memorial Bridge in Highlands/Sea Bright Awaiting Governor's Signature

Almost forgotten over all the commotion surrounding Thursday night's pension and health care reform debate down in Trenton, was the fact that pension and health care were not the only business being debated and adopted that day.

Also approved by the Assembly Thursday night was legislation sponsored by Senator Sean T. Kean and Assemblywoman Mary Pat Angelini that designated the bridge which spans the Shrewsbury River, as the “Captain Joseph Azzolina Memorial Bridge”.

All that is left to making the naming of the bridge in honor of Joseph Azzolina is the signature of Governor Christie, which is expected to soon.