NJ Spotlight's Interactive Map: Tracking The Gubernatorial Campaign Contributions

NJ Spotlight once again has put up an interactive map that shows us in which parts of the state this year's gubernatorial candidates received their campaign contributions from. Democrat Phil Murphy, has a clear money advantage over his rival Lt. Governor Kim Guadagno.

Here in Middletown, Guadagno has out fundraised Murphy by slightly more than $10,000 ($26,800 to $16,074).  Interestingly, $1,500 of which has come from the campaign account of Middletown's Stephanie Murray.  What does that tell you?

Either Guadagno is worried about the overall money difference between her and Murphy and shook down Murray's campaign for a $1,500 contribution or Murray's campaign thinks so little of its opponent, that it doesn't think it needs its money to win reelection. Maybe it's both.        

From 10/26/17 Friends of Stephanie Murray campaign ELEC report 

Did Middletown Committeeman Violate State Campaign Pay to Play Laws By Contributing To Christie Campaign?

That's a question which should be answered by Tony Fiore, the Middletown Committeeman in question.

An article published online last week over at the International Business Times, "Chris Christie Maintained State Pension Investments In Prudential After Top Official Gave Contributions", is an eye opening examples of one reason as to why NJ's state pension system is in such disarray and financial trouble.  It seems that Governor Christie likes to reward those that lavish him with cash in the form of campaign contributions.

Over the past 5 years NJ has paid Prudential Financial to manage New Jersey pension funds, even after company officials made substantial contributions to Christie's 2009 gubernatorial campaign, according to International Business Times.

The IBTimes article names 2 senior Prudential officials, Jon Hanson and John Strangfeld who donated to Gov. Christie's campaign and/or nonprofits favored by Christie and who each served on various Christie transition teams and have been personal advisers to the governor.

The article also mentions one other senior Prudential executive that donated to Chris Christie's campaign for governor in 2009, Middletown's very own township committeeman, Tony Fiore:

"Campaign finance records show that at least one other Prudential executive donated to Christie’s 2009 campaign. Anthony Fiore, then a vice president with Prudential Investments, gave $2,000 to the governor’s campaign. Currently a Republican committeeman in Middletown and a senior vice president at Prudential, Fiore’s bio describes him as “a certified retirement and pension specialist.” Still, Prudential's spokesperson asserted that "Fiore did not meet the definition of an investment management professional" under New Jersey rules, though he provided no further explanation. Fiore did not respond to a request for comment about his contributions to Christie."

The article states that, New Jersey’s pay-to-play rules very are clear and restricts contributions from firms managing state pension money. The rules "explicitly define a covered “investment management professional” as “any person associated with an investment management firm, its parent company, or any other entity that controls the investment management firm, who is a member of the executive or management committee of such firm or controlling entity, or similarly situated officials.”, IBTimes stated.

You can read the full article ... Here 

What Money Shouldn't Buy

The following is from Congressman Rush Holt's newsletter:



To be rich in the United States of America is to be privileged in many ways. But it should not mean that you can buy a privileged place in our democracy.

Yet on Wednesday (4/2/14), the Supreme Court offered the very wealthy a way to do precisely that. In a controversial, deeply divided opinion, the justices struck down individual limits on aggregate financial contributions in federal elections.

What does this mean? Under the law as it existed until Wednesday, an individual donor could give up to $123,200 to candidates and party organizations in a single election cycle. That cap was roughly equal to eight years of earnings for a full-time minimum-wage worker, or nearly three years of earnings for the typical American worker. Yet the Supreme Court struck down even that very generous cap, meaning that the voices of very privileged Americans will now become even louder – drowning out the voices of everyone else.

It is madness to say, as the Supreme Court did, in effect, that big money in campaigns has no undemocratic effect if it is not used in direct, corrupt buying of legislators’ votes. Our democracy does not need the granting of even more power and influence to the already-privileged.

A better way forward is the public financing of elections. There are several examples of functioning public financing systems across America, including here in New Jersey. For federal elections, I support the Fair Elections Now Act, which would leverage small dollar contributions by providing a 4 to 1 federal match of contributions of $100 or less. I also support the Government by the People Act, which would provide a 9 to 1 federal match of contributions of $50 or less for candidates who refuse to accept money from PACs. Rather than amplifying the voices of the already-privileged, these bills would amplify the voices of ordinary people.

The first bill I ever cosponsored in Congress focused on campaign finance reform. Yet as this week’s news demonstrates, the work of protecting the integrity of our elections is never done.

Further Details on Grandfathered Flood Insurance Rates

President Obama recently signed into law the Homeowner Flood Insurance Affordability Act, which will help reform the National Flood Insurance Program to avoid enormous premium increases. In an eGenda following House passage in early March, I noted, “The legislation also restores “grandfathered” rates for homes and businesses that were remapped into higher-risk areas.”

A few readers requested further details. Properties that benefited from “grandfathered” rates will be allowed to continue paying their lower premiums for their flood insurance policies. For properties being newly mapped into areas with special flood hazards they will – for one year – be permitted to pay a lower-cost preferred risk premium, before gradual increases within the caps established by the law are allowed to take effect.

We are a nation exposed to ever greater flood risk, and flood insurance premiums will continue to reflect that risk. It is my hope that the reforms that have now been signed into law will provide certainty and affordability to property owners as we continue to plan for a changing climate.

Working for You

Recently I heard from a West Windsor woman who was being repeatedly contacted by the IRS about a tax liability – even though she had already paid the amount due. On her behalf, I contacted the New Jersey Local Taxpayer Advocate, and the problem was quickly resolved.

Have you encountered a similar problem with the IRS, a passport center, the VA, Social Security, Medicare, or any other federal agency? If so, please call me at 1-87-RUSH-HOLT or by sending an e-mail. I’ll do all I can to address your problem.

As the April 15th tax filing deadline approaches, you may also be interested in assistance in completing your tax return. A list of venues in New Jersey that offer free tax filing assistance is available online.

Sincerely,

Rush Holt
Member of Congress

THIS IS WHY THEY WOULDN’T TELL US!!!

Brian Froelich

This is why the Monmouth County Republican Freeholders wouldn’t tell us if they received any money from Birdsall- because they did!

It was reported today that all of the current Ocean and Monmouth (Republican) county Freeholders received money from the indicted Birdsall organization. The records show that Monmouth politicians got over $66 thousand dollars and Birdsall received over $4 million in contracts.

In Birdsall’s home of Monmouth County the Freeholders (Arnone, DiMaso, Burry, Curley, and Rich) received $18,200 from 2008 to early 2012. In addition Sheriff Shaun Golden, Clerk Claire French, and various Monmouth Republican organizations received Birdsall funds. Arnone and DiMaso also received donations when serving as municipal officials.

Sources said that donors understood the message to be ‘if you want to work, you better pay up’. And a Birdsall executive admitted that these illegal donations were given to "curry favor" with officials and "gain a competitive advantage" and that they "regularly won contracts" for the company. One article on the subject said that “(s)ecret donations flowed every year like free wine from Birdsall.”

For example “(i)n November 2011, at a fundraiser hosted by Birdsall, the company wrote Monmouth County Freeholders Gary Rich Sr. and Lillian Burry corporate checks for $300 each, then gave Burry another $1,200 and Rich $900 in secret checks.”

And while critics and campaign experts have said that the Birdsall money should be given back, some politicians are responding that the money has already been spent.

Interestingly, Birdsall also gave substantial donations to Manalapan Committeeman and former Mayor Andrew Lucas who was involved in a recent controversy along with the Freeholders. The Freeholders awarded Lucas over $1 million for some land preservation rights. That transaction was widely and highly criticized.

In November the voters’ broom will sweep clean the Freeholder/Birdsall mess.

Brian Froelich
Candidate, Monmouth County Board of Chosen Freeholders

This Month Marks the 3rd Anniversary of Citizens United v. FEC

by Linda Baum

Last year, comedian Stephen Colbert’s “super” political action committee (PAC) raised over a million dollars that he said was used “to materially influence the elections – in full accordance with the law.” “It’s the way our founding fathers would have wanted it,” he said, “if they had founded corporations instead of just a country.”

Colbert was poking fun at what many Americans believe to be one of the worst U.S. Supreme Court decisions in our nation’s history.

This month marks the 3rd anniversary of the controversial Citizens United vs. Federal Election Commission decision, which narrowly passed by a 5-4 vote on January 21, 2010 and gave corporations the status of individuals for the purpose of election contributions.

Following that decision and others in lower courts, the FEC implemented changes in the election laws that further expanded corporate power. Super-PACs were born to legally channel unlimited amounts of money to campaigns, giving corporate interests enormous influence over government policy.

With public welfare already taking a back seat to corporate profit, the Citizens United decision was utterly misguided. The inevitable effect of the ruling was of such concern that even retired Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O’Connor spoke against it.

In the three years since the decision, a national movement has taken root to overturn Citizens United by amending the U.S. Constitution. There is broad support from businesses, organizations, and individuals across the political spectrum.

In October 2012, New Jersey became then the 9th state in the nation to pass a resolution supporting an amendment-to-overturn.

Keith Olbermann: Statement To The Viewers Of Countdown

The following statement was released earlier tonight by MSNBC's Countdown host Keith Olbermann. Olbermann wishes to thank his many loyal viewers for sticking by him and supporting him while he was suspended from the airwaves for contributing to the campaigns of three Democrats that were running for Congress:

I want to sincerely thank you for the honor of your extraordinary and ground-rattling support.

Your efforts have been integral to the remedying of these recent events, and the results should remind us of the power of individuals spontaneously acting together to correct injustices great or small.

...I also wish to apologize to you viewers for having precipitated such anxiety and unnecessary drama. You should know that I mistakenly violated an inconsistently applied rule – which I previously knew nothing about -- that pertains to the process by which such political contributions are approved by NBC.

Certainly this mistake merited a form of public acknowledgment and/or internal warning, and an on-air discussion about the merits of limitations on such campaign contributions by all employees of news organizations.

Instead, after my representative was assured that no suspension was contemplated, I was suspended without a hearing, and learned of that suspension through the media.

You should also know that I did not attempt to keep any of these political contributions secret; I knew they would be known to you and the rest of the public. I did not make them through a relative, friend, corporation, PAC, or any other intermediary, and I did not blame them on some kind of convenient 'mistake' by their recipients.

When a website contacted NBC about one of the donations, I immediately volunteered that there were in fact three of them; and contrary to much of the subsequent reporting, I immediately volunteered to explain all this, on-air and off, in the fashion MSNBC desired.

I genuinely look forward to rejoining you on Countdown on Tuesday, to begin the repayment of your latest display of support and loyalty - support and loyalty that is truly mutual.

It's good to have you back Keith, I'll be watching!