As chairman of the Mon-mouth County Democrats, and specifically in the interests of those registered Democratic voters residing within the township of Hazlet, I feel compelled to clarify several misstatements and oversights contained in the April 17 issue of the Independent with regard to the contested Hazlet Democratic primary.
The article seeks to be "… mindful of the long-known fact that there’s a split in the (Democratic) Party in Hazlet …" The Democratic Party in Hazlet is, in reality, formidable and prospering. On June 4, the party will be fielding a full slate of 34 candidates for Monmouth County Democratic Executive Committee seats in each of the township’s 17 municipal districts. The party also recently held its annual dinner-dance April 5, which was both a financial and community relations success.
The split this article speaks of is and has been perpetuated by one or two discontented individuals with personal agendas. During his interview for this article, James Brady repeatedly pointed to the recent debate over the location of a new municipal complex for the township. What he fails to mention is that, when approached by Mayor Christopher Cullen, he volunteered to serve on the committee commissioned to seek alternative sites for the new town hall.
Let’s also set the record straight. Mr. Brady officially resigned from his position as president of the Hazlet Township Mobile Home Owners Association in November 2001, and was forced to do so due to a conflict of interest.
Brady will not have the endorsement of the Monmouth County Democratic Party. Our Democratic candidate for Township Committee, Kevin Lavan, will be on the same Democratic line as Sen. Robert Torricelli, Congressman Frank Pallone Jr., county clerk candidate Mayor Patricia Siano-Gilligan of Keansburg; and freeholder candidates Jeff Pringle of Tinton Falls, and Belmar Councilman John P. Szeliga Jr., along with the 34 Democratic County committee candidates in their respective districts.
Victor V. Scudiery
Chairman
Monmouth County Democrats