Millstone committeeman wants federal inquiry into campaign flier attacking Roger Staib.
By: Scott Morgan
MILLSTONE The Township Committee says it wants no part of Republican John Pfefferkorn’s efforts to request a state and federal investigation into a "dirty" political attack against a GOP candidate last year.
Committeeman John Pfefferkorn last week announced he will ask for state and federal investigations into the infamous "slam-a-gram" letter, as residents have called it, against township resident and 2002 Township Committee candidate Roger Staib. The Democrat-controlled committee said Feb. 19 it was not interested in pursuing the matter and that Mr. Pfefferkorn would have to do so on his own, not on behalf of the governing body.
The letter, signed by resident Fred Raziewicz and stamped "Paid for by the League of Women Voters," was distributed around the township just days before the November election. The letter details an affair between Mr. Staib and Mr. Rasiewicz’s wife some years back and urged township voters not to trust Mr. Staib, who had publicly acknowledged the affair.
Many residents believe the presence of this letter may have cost Mr. Staib and running mate Nancy Grbelja, both Republicans, the 2002 election. The two faced Democrats Bill Nurko and Chet Halka for two Township Committee seats in the election. Mr. Staib and Ms. Grbelja received 1,223 and 1,291 votes, respectively, while Mr. Nurko and Mr. Halka received 1,455 and 1,424 votes, respectively. Mr. Nurko is serving as mayor this year.
In December, the Township Committee asked the League of Women Voters to confirm or deny its endorsement of Mr. Raziewicz’s letter. In January, the league stated in a letter that it had "no affiliation with Mr. Fred Raziewicz" and denied any support for the letter or its contents.
In addition to the "slam-a-gram," there was a second, unattributed flier titled "connect the dots," which accused Mr. Staib of trying to illegally profit from political connections and revised zoning laws. Mr. Staib has stated these accusations were untrue.
Mr. Pfefferkorn last week said he wanted the committee’s support in asking for federal inquiry into the matter, including a mail fraud investigation to discover who was behind the mailing and the distribution.
But the remainder of the Township Committee does not share Mr. Pfefferkorn’s concerns.
"It sounds like sour grapes," said Mayor Bill Nurko in response to Mr. Pfefferkorn’s proposal. Committeeman Cory Wingerter said the tone of Mr. Pfefferkorn’s intended letter to the postmaster general, the New Jersey Election Law Enforcement Commission and U.S. District Attorney Christopher Christie was "extremely political" in nature and said he wanted no part of it.
Mr. Pfefferkorn said the nature of the incident is inherently political and, therefore, warrants such action. The committee, however, didn’t bite.
"This is not township business," Mayor Nurko said, inviting Mr. Pfefferkorn to submit his request on his own.
During the second public comment session of the Feb. 19 meeting, Mr. Staib said the township committeemen, Mr. Pfefferkorn aside, should be ashamed of themselves.
"You talk about politics as though it was a buzzword," Mr. Staib said, adding that by letting the matter drop, the committeemen are condoning the attack of a resident for political reasons.
In a later telephone interview, Mr. Staib said the attack on him last November particularly the criminal allegations was beyond politics.
"You can’t even call that politics," he said. "It’s just too dirty."
He said that if the Township Committee chooses to do nothing to find out who is behind the attacks, it could keep good people from seeking public office for fear of libelous accusations that would be ignored and left as lingering question marks in the minds of some. He added that Committeemen Nurko, Wingerter and Charles Abate "should be run out of town."
Mayor Nurko this week said such accusations are an unfortunate fact of political life, and that the presence of the "slam-a-gram" does not constitute mail fraud. Since Mr. Staib admitted that the Raziewicz letter was true, the mayor said, there is no fraud. Mr. Pfefferkorn, however, said the League of Women Voters’ stamp could constitute fraud. Mr. Raziewicz’s letter was the only piece known to be mailed and was received by the Township Committee in November.

