News
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- Written by: John Paff
- Category: Open Government Advocacy Project
The Open Public Meetings Act (OPMA) requires public bodies to make the minutes of their meetings, both public and non-public (i.e. closed or executive), "promptly available to the public." Recent correspondence with one South Jersey township reveals that minutes from closed meetings held five years ago are still not available for public inspection and that minutes from closed meetings held in the 1980's and 1990's have apparently been lost forever.
A May 16, 2017 Open Public Records Act (OPRA) request to Deerfield Township in Cumberland County sought "the minutes of the three (3) most recently held [closed] Deerfield Township Committee meetings for which minutes are available in either full or redacted form." The request went on to explain that if "the three most recent closed meetings for which minutes are available in whole or part took place ten years ago in April, May and June of 2007, then those would be the minutes that are responsive to this request."
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- Written by: Mark Richards
- Category: Letters to Editor
This month it will be one year since I was charged with "harassment" and "criminal mischief" in the "People's Republic of Gladstone and Peapack". What heinous act did I commit to warrant those charges? Are you ready for this? I left history magazines at the drive-up windo at th Peapack-Gladstone Bank in Gladstone, NJ! Apparently leaving reading material in areas frequented by the public is not allowed in the"Constitution -free zone" called Gladstone!
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- Written by: Kevin Lowery
- Category: Latest News
Greetings Fellow Libertarians,
The New Jersey Libertarian Party is happy to announce that it will be partnering with http://TaiChiGala.com to offer its members discounted pricing for the 2017 Tai Chi Gala, held in Henryville, PA from June 2nd thru June 4th. The organizers of the event, who are also dedicated libertarians, have not only offered discounts to those who register using the code Liberty2017 but they will also be donating $50 for each of these registrants.
The NJLP feels that there is no better way for its members to enjoy the natural healing and stress relief of this Chinese martial art while also supporting the most relaxing and stress free political party on the market. Other topics covered during this event include eastern philosophy, mindfulness, meditation, qi energy development, mind/body healing, and push hands.
Act fast as space is limited and this discount will only be offered until May 19th!!!
Book now using LIBERTY2017 and help support the New Jersey Libertarian Party!!!
Best Wishes,
Kevin Lowery
VP of Programs
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- Written by: John Paff
- Category: Police Accountability Project
Police Accountability Project of the New Jersey Libertarian Party
April 27, 2017
Jersey City Police Department, IA Unit
1 Journal Square Plaza – 4th Floor
Jersey City, NJ 07306 (Via Fax to 201-547-5512)
Dear Sir or Madam:
I chair the New Jersey Libertarian Party's Police Accountability Project and ask that you accept this letter as our Internal Affairs complaint. We would like your agency to investigate whether Jersey City Officers Greg Wojtowicz, Carlos Lugo and other officers employed by your agency acted in accordance with department policy and the law regarding a warrantless search of minivan containing 500 glassine bags of heroin.
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- Written by: John Paff
- Category: Police Accountability Project
Police Accountability Project of the New Jersey Libertarian Party
April 6, 2017
Lieutenant Christopher Pew
Internal Affairs Unit
Salem City Police Department (Via e-mail to
Dear Lieutenant Pew:
I chair the New Jersey Libertarian Party's Police Accountability Project and ask that you accept this e-mail as our Internal Affairs complaint. We would like your agency to investigate Sergeant Melvin Vanaman's December 12, 2013 interaction with James T. Pritchett.
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- Written by: John Paff
- Category: Police Accountability Project
Police Accountability Project of the New Jersey Libertarian Party
March 1, 2017
Lieutenant Al Payne
Internal Affairs Unit
Raritan Township Police Department
2 Municipal Drive
Flemington, NJ 08822 (Via Fax to 908-782-1060)
Dear Lieutenant Payne:
I chair the New Jersey Libertarian Party's Police Accountability Project and ask that you accept this letter as our Internal Affairs complaint. We would like your agency to investigate Officer (now Sergeant) Benedict Donaruma's July 30, 2013 motor vehicle stop of Donna Alessi.
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- Written by: Patrick McKnight
- Category: Latest News
2017 NJLP Convention
March 11, 2017
Agenda
09:00 Call to order & quorum check [Chair]
09:05 Agenda review & approval [Chair]
09:10 Secretary's Report [Secretary]
Approval of prior meeting minutes (State Board Meeting 2/21/2016)
09:15 Treasurer's report [Treasurer]
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- Written by: John Paff
- Category: Police Accountability Project
On August 3, 2016, the City of Millville (Cumberland County) agreed to pay $40,000 to a teenage dirt bike rider who said that a Millville police officer "point[ed] a gun directly at him."
In his lawsuit filed on January 12, 2015, a thirteen year old boy, identified only by the initials C.F., claimed that Millville Police Officer Michael Thompson pointed "a gun directly at him" for about 30 seconds after Thompson stopped the boy for riding a motorized dirt bike in a wooded area near Magnolia Avenue on September 27, 2014. The boy and his parent, identified as D.F., claimed that the officer's decision to pull his weapon was unwarranted "because of the lack of severity of the crime at issue, because [the boy] did not pose an immediate threat to the safety of the police officer or others, and because [the boy] was not actively resisting arrest or attempting to evade arrest by flight." According to the lawsuit, the officer's decision to deploy his weapon amounted to excessive force and violated the boy's rights under both the federal and state constitutions.
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- Written by: John Paff
- Category: Police Accountability Project
A recently uncovered settlement agreement made on June 16, 2014 shows that the City of East Orange (Essex County) agreed to pay $200,000 to a police matron who said that a captain with the city's police department ejaculated on her love seat and his service revolver while he visited her home in 2007.
In her lawsuit, Candida Ray said that Captain Anthony Cooke visited her home on January 26, 2007 to "discuss a business matter involving the sale of cakes and cookies." She claimed that the meeting was "strictly business" and that she and Cooke never had an intimate relationship. According to the lawsuit, Ray left Cooke alone in the living room while she stepped into the kitchen. When she returned "she found that Captain Cooke had removed his penis from his trousers and was masturbating." When she told him to stop and leave her home, Cooke reportedly "refused and masturbated to orgasm, ejaculating over Ms. Ray's love seat and his gun, which he had withdrawn from his holster."
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- Written by: John Paff
- Category: Police Accountability Project
On July 15, 2016, the City of Linden (Union County) agreed to pay $45,000 to a man who said that he was wrongfully arrested and held in jail for 65 days.
In his lawsuit, Eon Flemming said that Linden Police Detective "M. Rawling" (presumably Maurice S. Rawlins) wrongfully arrested him on December 6, 2011 in Long Branch, New Jersey for a drug offense. He said that he was jailed for 65 days and that the charges were administratively dismissed.
The case is captioned Flemming v. City of Linden, et al, Docket No. UNN-L-4179-13 and Flemming's attorney was David B. Owens of Jersey City. Case documents are on-line here.
None of lawsuit's allegations have been proven or disproven in court. Settlement agreements typically state that payment does not constitute an admission of wrongdoing by any of the defendants. All that is known for sure is that Linden or its insurer, for whatever reason, decided that it would rather pay Flemming $45,000 than take the matter to trial. Perhaps the defendants' decision was done to save further legal expense and the costs of trying what were in fact exaggerated or meritless claims. Or, perhaps the claims were true and the defendants wanted to avoid being embarrassed at trial. This is the problem when cases resolve before trial--it is impossible to know the truth of what really happened.
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- Written by: John Paff
- Category: Police Accountability Project
On September 18, 2016, the Elizabeth City Council (Union County) agreed to pay $30,000 to a Roselle Park man who said that he suffered a fractured back after having been stomped by police.
In his lawsuit, Luis A. Padua said that on April 8, 2011 he was waiting for a ride outside of a parking garage on West Grand Street when he was approached by Captain Torner (presumably Tyrone E. Torner) and Officers A. Vrohidis and Marcos Diaz. Padua claimed that the officers, who had been notified of a vehicle theft at the parking garage, "began to beat and kick [Padua], pushing him against a wall and stomping on his back, to the point where his back was fractured." Padua claimed that the officers fabricated Obstruction, Resisting and Criminal Trespass charges against him that were eventually dismissed.
Also named in the suit were Police Chief Patrick Shannon and Police Director James Cosgrove.
The case is captioned Padua v. City of Elizabeth, et al, Federal Case No. 13-cv-04645 and Padua's attorney was Shelley L. Stangler of Springfield. Case documents are on-line here.
None of lawsuit's allegations have been proven or disproven in court. Settlement agreements typically state that payment does not constitute an admission of wrongdoing by any of the defendants. All that is known for sure is vthat Elizabeth or its insurer, for whatever reason, decided that it would rather pay Padua $30,000 than take the matter to trial. Perhaps the defendants' decision was done to save further legal expense and the costs of trying what were in fact exaggerated or meritless claims. Or, perhaps the claims were true and the defendants wanted to avoid being embarrassed at trial. This is the problem when cases resolve before trial--it is impossible to know the truth of what really happened.
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- Written by: Jim Tosone
- Category: Letters to Editor
Published in The Record, 11/11/2016
Regarding "2016 county, municipal, election results" (Page L-3, Nov. 9):
Those who voted by absentee ballot should be aware that they were not in the unofficial results posted on the website of the Bergen County clerk at 11:18 p.m. on election night. Nor were they in the vote totals shown in The Record the following day. There were 33,000 absentee ballots, about 8.5 percent of the total votes cast.
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- Written by: Mark Richards
- Category: Letters to Editor
This letter was published in the Suburban Trends, 1027/2016
Allow me to respond to two letters which appeared in the Suburban Trends on Oct. 12, 2016. First, we had a letter by a writer who usually goes on an anti-Japanese rant every December on the anniversary of Pearl Harbor, even though World War II ended over 70 years ago.
This time around the writer attacked athletes like Colin Kaepernick who didn’t stand for the national anthem at recent football games. The writer equates patriotism with blind nationalism evidently, which are two different things entirely. I wonder if all the "Fox News Conservatives" out there realize America didn’t have a national anthem until the 1930s or that the tune to which the anthem’s lyrics are set to is actually an old English drinking song.
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- Written by: Erol Sirimoglu
- Category: Letters to Editor
Originally Published in The Record, October 18, 2016
Regarding "A meeting of the minds at freeholder forum" (The Record, Oct. 14, 2016):
At the Bergen County freeholders candidates forum last week there were seven candidates: six "Republicans: and one Libertarian.
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- Written by: Webmaster
- Category: Candidates and Elections
This past weekend, three of our candidates sat down at the Liberty Cafe studios for an interview about their campaigns.
Michael Chazukow for West Milford Town Council
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- Written by: Patrick McKnight
- Category: Press Releases
New Jersey Libertarian Party
PO Box 56
Tennent, NJ 07763-0056
njlp.org
Contact: Patrick McKnight Chair NJLP
PRESS RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
The New Jersey Libertarian Party opposes the proposal of a 23 cents per gallon increase in the gas tax. This tax hike could cost New Jersey motorists $4 Billion over the next 10 years. New Jersey spends $2 million per mile of road, the most in America and twice as much as the next highest state. The problem isn't revenue, it's spending. Let's abolish prevailing wage laws and stop using taxpayers as an ATM for special interest groups.
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- Written by: Mike Mazzeo
- Category: Letters to Editor
Published in The Record
I have been reading the many less-than-positive things people have to say about Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton for this election.
It seems the majority of people find both to be a "hold your nose" choice. Their aim seems to be to keep the other from winning the election.
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- Written by: Patrick McKnight
- Category: Press Releases
New Jersey Libertarian Party
PO Box 56
Tennent, NJ 07763-0056
njlp.org
Contact: Patrick McKnight Chair NJLP
PRESS RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Former NJ State Treasurer to Chair Johnson-Weld Campaign in New Jersey
New Jersey Libertarian Party Chair Patrick McKnight announced that former New Jersey State Treasurer Andrew Sidamon-Eristoff has agreed to chair the campaign of Libertarian Party presidential and vice presidential nominees Gary Johnson and William Weld in the Garden State.
Mr. Sidamon-Eristoff stated:
“I am honored to serve as Chair of the Johnson-Weld 2016 campaign in New Jersey.
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- Written by: John Paff
- Category: Open Government Advocacy Project
In an August 31, 2016 ruling, Burlington County Assignment Judge Ronald E. Bookbinder denied Burlington County's and the New Jersey Police Benevolent Association's (PBA) bid to reverse his previous decision calling for disclosure of a redacted list of Internal Affairs complaints against corrections officers at the Burlington County Correctional and Detention Facility.
In his ruling in John Paff v. Burlington County, et al., Docket No. BUR-L-36-15, Bookbinder wrote that disclosure of the list, with the names of the officers redacted, will help me to "research the frequency and nature of complaints brought against Burlington County Corrections Officers" without jeopardizing "the privacy interests and potential safety concerns of the officers named on the list."