Marliese Ljuba’s Evolution in Hamilton & the Friends She Acquired Over 17 Years

By all accounts Marliese Ljuba arrived in Hamilton in 1996 when she 1^st received a contract with the Hamilton BOE.  It’s been rumored that she was introduced to the power brokers in Hamilton, as well as to the Board of Education by current School Board candidate Tony Celentano who was also a member of the BOE in 1996. Ljuba was employed by Madison Consulting Group in 1996.

On Jan 31, 1996 Ms Ljuba’s company was approved as the insurance broker to service the Hamilton Board in the areas of health insurance and prescription benefits. Ironically, the motion to approve Madison and Ljuba was moved by Joe Tramontana, who is currently the suspended Business Administrator for the Hamilton BOE, likely in no small part because of his relationship with Ljuba 16 years later.  Interestingly the 2^nd on the motion was cast by none other then current councilman, Ed Gore. That maneuver was just 9 months before Gore became embroiled in his own ethics scandal as a Hamilton Board member. Gore was eventually Censured by the School Ethics Commission, the Commissioner of Education and the State School Board. See our link at the top left of this Blog.  Surprisingly, Tramontana, voted against Ljuba’s appointment but Gore and Celentano voted aye.

So 17 years later the chairs on the deck have been shuffled, but literally the names remain the same.  Even Ms. Yaede approved several of Ljuba’s initial jobs with the Board of Education during her 3 year tenure as a Board member. Marliese Ljuba, Ed Gore, Cathy and Joe Tramontana, Kelly Yaede and Tony Celentano all have known each other for the better part of 17 years.  Yet, most of them could not run away from the Ljuba association fast enough when the water was rising.

Through the years Ms. Ljuba embedded herself in Hamilton Republican politics. She changed jobs several times but the Hamilton BOE always hired her firm as its broker. Councilman Kevin Meara was quoted in a May 2012 Times story saying Ljuba was involved in Bencivengo’s 2007 campaign and helped organize the republican victory party. Ljuba made herself a player in local politics through regular attendance at various Hamilton Republican political events and through her consistent financial contributions and Yaede confirmed that Ljuba attended Bencivengo’s last mayor’s Ball.  Times 5/3/12.   NJ ELEC reports confirm and various media outlets have reported that through the years Ljuba contributed substantial sums to Bencivengo, the Hamilton Republican Committee and the Mercer County Republican Committee.

When John Bencivengo and Kelly Yaede celebrated their election in 2011, Marliese Ljuba joined them on stage at the victory celebration.  Times 5/2/13.  It is now more then just a little unbelievable to imagine that Ms. Yaede, and Messrs Kenny, Pone and Gore hardly knew Hamilton’s former GOP starlet.  The relationships Ljuba built during her 17 years in Hamilton, not only made her well know, it made her a star in GOP circles.  Now that the star has fallen this year’s republican slate would like us to forget the Hamilton corruption scandal and their cozy relationship with the Government’s star witness.