Frank LaRocca today announced a complete slate to lead the Monmouth County Democratic Party, reflecting the diversity of the county and a will to win on the part of local leaders.

“I’m honored to have the support of such a broad-based coalition and those who know what it takes to win elections in Monmouth County,” LaRocca said. “This is an outstanding team.”

As the Marlboro Democratic Party Chairman, LaRocca has won 8 out of 9 elections, making Marlboro a model for how to build a Democratic Party organization from the ground floor. When he took over, there was an all Republican Council and a Republican Mayor. Now, as a second term councilman in Marlboro, he is providing innovative, effective leadership in to his community.

The following is the LaRocca Leadership Team:

REBECCA AARONSON

Vice-Chair

Manalapan

In addition to serving as Mayor and Committeewoman in Manalapan, Aaronson was Chairman Victor Scudiery long-time vice-chair of the Monmouth County Democrats.

Rebecca volunteers as a Spanish interpreter at Parker Family Health Center in Red Bank. She has been honored by the Latino American Association of Monmouth County for her public service. She’s a graduate of Brookdale College. She and her husband Richard have raised two sons.

In 2005, Aaronson ran a strong race for Monmouth County Freeholder, nearly toppling an entrenched incumbent.

GERALD TARANTOLO

Corresponding Secretary

Eatontown

Mayor Tarantolo is currently serving his 14th year as Mayor of Eatontown and was last re-elected in November 2010 for a fourth four-year term. He also served on the Eatontown Council for 14 years and as a member of the community’s Board of Education.

Mayor Tarantolo was actively involved in the Save Fort Monmouth Committee, served as co-chairman of the Fort Monmouth Reuse Committee, the Governor’s Fort Monmouth Economic Revitalization and Planning Authority and now on the Governor’s Fort Monmouth Economic Redevelopment Authority (FMERA).

He is the 2007 recipient of the Eastern Monmouth Area Chamber of Commerce Spinnaker Award for Public Service and the 2010 SCAN Humanitarian Award.  

MICHAEL MANGAN

Recording Secretary

Manasquan

Councilman Mangan is serving his second term where he’s been a leader on the community’s Environmental Commission and Tourism Commission. A business executive, Michael is a graduate of George Washington University. He’s served as executive director of the Monmouth County Democrats under Chairman Scudiery.

VINCENT SOLOMENO

Sergeant at Arms

Hazlet

Vincent Solomeno has been fighting for Monmouth County Democrats since
he was fourteen.  In 2000, The Asbury Park Press called him a
“political prodigy” when he beat the odds and elected two Democrats to
the Union Beach Borough Council.  Since then, he has managed winning
races in Hazlet Township and helped elect Democrats across Monmouth
County.

Vincent received his B.S. in Political Science from the University of
Scranton.  As a Harry S. Truman Scholar, he worked in the Washington,
D.C. office of Congressman Frank Pallone, Jr.  The recipient of a
2007 J. William Fulbright Fellowship to the Netherlands, he earned his
M.A. in European Studies from the University of Amsterdam for his
study of Islamic radicalization.  He is a member of American Legion
Post No. 23, a former member of the Hazlet Township Planning Board,
past President of the Hazlet Democratic Club, and he presently serves
as President of the Bayshore Democratic Club.

SHARON LEE
Treasurer

Red Bank

Councilwoman Sharon Lee is a life-long resident of Monmouth County who has dedicated her public service to quality of life issues. In Red Bank, she chairs the Code Enforcement Committee and serves on the Police, Fire, Parks and Recreation Committees and is Council liaison to the Community Advisory Board.  Sharon served for seven years on the Planning Board where her priority was always protecting the integrity of our neighborhoods. During her eight years on Council, Lee has served as Council President, Chair of Parks and Recreation and interim chair of the Finance Committee. She is also the former Chair of Department of Public Works and former Chair of the Education and Technology Committee.  

U.S. Navy Blimp flying over Middletown

In New Jersey, Robert Menendez, a Democrat, has middling approval ratings and is below 50 percent in the polls against the most likely Republican nominee, State Senator Joseph Kyrillos. Mr. Kyrillos would need to catch some breaks to win the race — his fund-raising has lagged Mr. Menendez’s so far, and he might need Mr. Romney to be more competitive in New Jersey than Republican presidential candidates have been in recent years. Still, there is a plausible path to an upset, and so we now classify the race as Likely Democrat rather than Safe Democrat.

In an interview with Politickernj, the Monmouth County GOP nominee in the primary for the 6th Congressional District, Ernesto Cullari, said that Anna Little,  the 2010 GOP nominee in the 6th district and his primary opponent this year, was focused on herself and not the task at hand, defeating Congressman Frank Pallone, during the 2010 general election,

“What I saw was a candidate unwilling to go after (incumbent U.S. Rep. Frank) Pallone – like the fact that he got his wife a job at the EPA where she works while most people suffer an economic downturn,” Cullari said. “Frank Pallone and a slew of other leaders have been looking out for just themselves. I’ll make that case. I’m not ashamed to make it. 

“What I witnessed in Anna was someone deeply focused on herself instead of the task at hand – namely advancing the small government ideology,” he added. “She missed that opportunity.”

Cullari went on to define himself as the true Tea Party conservative in the primary,

“When Anna was in office she raised debt by 30 percent,” Cullari said. “It’s very hard for me to understand how one can call oneself a conservative when they have a history of raising fees and taxes. You can’t expect to raise government productivity when the weight of government is around your neck. We’ve reached a point where it’s just obvious.”

About his lack of public office holding experience, Cullari said,

“Our founding fathers intended that ordinary men and women would serve their communities, that they wouldn’t go from one elected office to the next,” Cullari said. “Our founding fathers intended that for a time people would leave and serve in Washington and then come home.”

On the economy, jobs and taxes,

“I know many people, friends, who are unemployed and looking for work, and some have been at it for two or three years,” Cullari said. “Something happens to you mentally when you can’t find work for that long. You can become demoralized. I don’t think it’s controversial to say corporations and individuals need tax cuts. We need a corporate tax cut. If we have the most aggressive tax cuts in the world we would have companies repatriate.”

Senator Jennifer Beck and Assemblywoman Mary Pat Angelini each touted Cullari’s stand for smaller government in their endorsements which were released yesterday.

Beck said, “I am proud to endorse Ernesto Cullari for the Republican nomination in the 6th Congressional District. Ernesto is a believer in smaller government and lower taxes which will provide a stark contrast with Frank Pallone Jr. this coming November. 

I believe Ernesto’s conservative principles and sense of public service are a great fit for the 6th Congressional District and I look forward to seeing Ernesto Cullari emerge victorious this November.”

Angelini said,

“I am proud to offer my support for Ernesto Cullari in his effort to unseat liberal Democrat,Frank Pallone Jr.

Ernesto is the right person at the right time…whose background gives him the unique skill set to reign in government spending. 

He will fight for our Republican values -smaller government, lower taxes and personal accountability. I am proud to support Ernesto Cullari who will fight for us in Washington – the time is right!”

Little is the Middlesex GOP nominee in the primary.  As of this evening, she has yet to file as a candidate for Congress with the Federal Election Commission.

It is clear Menendez doesn’t care about holding ‘individuals’ accountable. See no evil. Hear no evil. Time and again, he has proved unwilling to put his oversight role on the Senate Banking Committee above his self-serving double standard. The people of New Jersey can no longer afford to play second fiddle to Menendez’s political allies.

Little terminated her Anna C. Little for Congress committee on April 2, 10 days after she was awarded the Middlesex GOP endorsement for the 6th Congressional District primary.   She filed a Statement of Organziation for U.S. Senate on February 13.   There is no active record on Little being a candidate for the House of Representative with the FEC, as of this writing.

Ernesto Cullari, the Monmouth GOP nominee in the CD-6 primary, filed his Statement of Organization on March 26.

Little’s treasurer, Brett Rappaport has yet to respond to an inquiry from the May 6 story.  Little’s former treasurer, Jane Frotton, said she had nothing to do with the FEC reports, despite her signature.  She also said to stop picking on Anna.

Middletown, May 15…When individuals and their families lost their savings with MF Global, Bob Menendez protected his ally Jon Corzine by steering the Senate Banking Committee’s investigation away from the CEO’s role in the collapse. Yet, when asked about JP Morgan’s loss resulting from a risky bet, Menendez called for ‘system controls.’  Menendez’s self-serving double standard of protecting his political allies- like Jon Corzine and the rest of the executive team- while calling for everyone else to play by the rules has got to stop.

“The collapse of MF Global and the risky bet placed by JP Morgan clearly demonstrate that regulators need to take a closer look at Wall Street practices and institute reforms to protect investors and the economy as a whole,” said Joe Kyrillos, who has been calling for Menendez to recuse himself from the banking committee’s investigation citing conflict of interest.

“People who took advantage of the lack of controls on Wall Street need to be held accountable. Menendez has again proved that he is not willing to put his personal ties aside to serve as an unbiased congressional investigator. The people of New Jersey deserve someone who is looking out for their best interests- not the best interests of past political cronies.”

Two Piscataway physicians, Drs. John and Alieta Eck, who provide charity medical care to the needy, had an investment account with MF Global that was completely wiped out as a result of the collapse. The Doctors Eck lost $200,000 and rightly demand answers from a thorough Senate investigation.

“The fact that Menendez failed to even mention the CEO Jon Corzine by name demonstrates that he is putting his personal relationship with the CEO ahead of the customers of MF global and the people of New Jersey. This requires a fair and comprehensive investigation, not a political whitewash,” said Dr. John Eck.

In an interview on MSNBC yesterday discussing the JP Morgan loss, Menendez said, “What I care about is not an individual, I care about a system. Having system controls to ensure that no matter who is at the head of a company, this can’t happen.”

It is clear Menendez doesn’t care about holding ‘individuals’ accountable. See no evil. Hear no evil. Time and again, he has proved unwilling to put his oversight role on the Senate Banking Committee above his self-serving double standard. The people of New Jersey can no longer afford to play second fiddle to Menendez’s political allies.

Trenton, NJ – A New Jersey Marine returning from Afghanistan today presented First Lady Mary Pat Christie with the New Jersey Heroes banner she and a group of volunteers originally signed and sent overseas as part of an Operation Shoebox care package in December 2011. Lance Corporal (LCpl) Zachary R. Sanders, of Somerville, returned the placard to Mrs. Christie with a photograph of his fellow soldiers with the banner. 

“Operation Shoebox is such a great cause, and the fact that Zach returned to New Jersey to deliver this banner from the soldiers in Afghanistan really demonstrates how much it means to our military personnel to know they are supported on the home front,” said Mrs. Christie. “We’re so proud of the courage Zach and his team members have displayed in serving our nation and we are thrilled that they have safely returned to their loves ones.”

Lance Corporal Sanders graduated from Somerville High School in 2010. He attended Boot Camp and graduated from Parris Island on November 11, 2010. After marine combat training and military police training, he spent five months at Camp Pendleton, California. He then volunteered to join a police advisor team that was attached to 2^nd Battalion 4th Marines. On August 26, 2011, LCpl Sanders was sent to FOB Musa Qala in Helmand Province, Afghanistan to train and mentor the Afghan National Police as well as recruit local police from the surrounding areas. LCpl Sanders returned back to California on March 23, 2012 and will be joining the Law Enforcement Battalion on June 1, 2012.

“I joined the military because the older I got I began to realize all the freedoms we have in America and I knew we didn’t just get them by sitting around,” said LCpl Sanders. “I love my job. I loved working with the police in Afghanistan and teaching them some of our techniques and our knowledge of things. I was working with an outstanding team, PAT1 2nd Bat 4th Marines. There were 16 of us and I thank God everyone on the team made it back safe. It’s great to be back in America.” 

Since 2005, Operation Shoebox New Jersey has shipped more than 50,000 total packages to U.S. military members at posts in the Middle East, including Iraq, Kuwait, Afghanistan. The contents of all 50,000 boxes were generously donated by individuals and companies large and small in New Jersey. In December 2011, First Lady Mary Pat Christie named Rod Hirsh, founder of Operation Shoebox New Jersey as her ninth New Jersey Hero. 

At the time, Mrs. Christie joined Operation Shoebox volunteers in assembling care packages to be sent to military personnel in the Mideast. Several times a year, Shoebox volunteers ranging from veterans and church groups to corporations and school children give their time to sort donated supplies and then pack boxes to be shipped overseas. Items needed include lip balm, sun block, moist wipes, bars of soap, small bottles of shampoo, non-aerosol deodorant, powdered drink mixes, cereal/snacks, granola bars, individual packets of instant oatmeal, popcorn and hot chocolate, small cans of fruit with pop tops, gum, candy, athletic socks and batteries.

To learn more about Operation Shoebox New Jersey, visit www.opshoeboxnj.org.

New Jersey Heroes is an initiative of First Lady Mary Pat Christie that showcases the positive and unique ways people and organizations are impacting New Jersey and their communities. To nominate a hero, go to http://newjerseyheroes.org and follow the application instructions and submit the person you believe is a true New Jersey Hero.

Photo credit: Scarcini, Hollenbeck

Governor Chris Christie nominated Monmouth County Republican Chairman Joe Oxley to the Superior Court this afternoon.

Oxley, who will complete his second term as Monmouth GOP Chair upon the election of his successor on June, 12, is a graduate of the University of Maryland and Delaware Law School.   He was elected Monmouth County Sheriff in 1995 after defeating William Lanzaro in the GOP primary and served as Sheriff until 2007.   He is a partner in the Scarinci Hollenbeck law firm and an adjunct professor at Monmouth University.

Oxley was elected Chairman by acclamation in June of 2008.  After narrowly losing control of the Monmouth County Freeholder Board in the Obama election of 08, Oxley brought stability and three straight victorious elections to a previously divided party.  He will leave his successor with a 5-0 Freeholder Board and an entirely Republican legislative delegation.

Oxley’s nomination has been referred to the Senate Judiciary Committee for a confirmation hearing.

Former Senate President John Bennett and State Committeewoman Christine Hanlon are running to replace Oxley as Monmouth GOP Chair.