Monday, November 4, 2013

Top Ten + 1 Reasons to Reject Dennis Pone’s Candidacy

1. Did Marliese Ljuba funnel over $10k in cash to the Pone Kenny campaign?  She says she did and she said it under oath in a Federal Courthouse while under the threat of perjury.

2. Pone like Kenny says he never took $$$ from Ljuba, but his June 22, 2009 ELEC filing says otherwise.  Why would Mr. Pone hide or misrepresent the apparent Ljuba donation?

3. According the Newark Star Ledger database of Birdsall engineering’s illegal campaign donations, Pone benefitted from $2,500 of illegal donations over the course of 4 separate events. http://www.nj.com/politics/index.ssf/2013/06/secret_list_birdsall_donations.html

4.  Publicly available ELEC filings do not show that Mr. Pone has returned or donated the ill begotten gains from the illegal donations. http://www.elec.state.nj.us/publicinformation/viewreports.htm

5.  Dennis Pone still has not been honest with Hamilton Voters and acknowledged his receipt of the dirty Birdsall money!

6.  Like his compatriot Kenny, Pone repeatedly voted to give Birdsall over $300,000 in Township contracts, even after his campaign had received the illegal funds. Examine Hamilton Council Minutes from 2009 -2012. http://www.hamiltonnj.com/content/83868/83968/85141/default.aspx

7.  Even after the Birdsall scandal was disclosed by statewide media reports and after Birdsall and its executives were indicted...Dennis Pone steadfastly supported his campaign contributor by voting yet again for another Birdsall contract. Hamilton Council Minutes page 15, Dec 4, 2012

8.  Pone like Kenny participated in a non public meeting of the full Hamilton Council on Nov 15, 2013   for the purpose of discussing and plotting the selection of Hamilton’s next Mayor even before Bencivengo was convicted.  Councilman Meara was present at the meeting and said it violated the NJ Sunshine Act. (Trentonian 12/1/2012).  Former Councilman Capodanno filed a State Ethics Complaint because of the Sunshine violation. (Trentonian 2/25/2013) Public officials should conduct the people’s business in the light of day at properly advertised meetings rather then in private back rooms.

9. Pone like Kenny ran away from the Hamilton corruption scandal when he voted to disband the Township Local Ethics Board at a time when the Board should have been empowered to hear resident’s complaints about municipal corruption, conflicts of interest, illegal campaign donations, OPRA, Sunshine Act violations and pay-to-play contracts in Hamilton. Hamilton Council Minutes page 15, March 19, 2013, (Trentonian 3/5/13 and 3/19/13).

10. Mr. Pone is often snide and some would say down right arrogant with his commentary on Council.  His behavior is never more apparent then when he has heard enough from a resident questioning the Mayor or Council.  His arrogance however spilled over at several Council meetings when he chastised and belittled the impassioned pleas from residents opposed to the proposed development of the Italian American Sportsman’s Club. His refusal to acknowledge the clear conflict of the Township soliciting an “impartial” opinion about the site from a member of the same IASC was incredible.  To berate the Council President’s brother, who resides in that neighborhood, during the process left us stunned.  Elected officials must be respectful of those they serve at all times, regardless of the differences in opinions.  Mr. Pone was also quoted in a periodical as believing that Hamilton is not representative of a democracy, rather he views it as a republic empowering him to govern as he sees fit.  Mr. Pone is wrong and has failed the test of being a representative to the people.

11. Mayor Bencivengo is in jail.  Former Hamilton Director, Rob Warney is in jail. Former Mercer GOP Chair and Hamilton Director of Recreation, Cathy Tramontana was fired.  $2,500 of Illegal campaign contributions directed by another former Mercer County GOP Chairman and indicted engineering firm.  Disbanding the Local Ethics Board in the midst of the largest scandal in Hamilton history and the insensitivity to those he serves. Allegations of a bag of cash from a government witness.  Sunshine Act Complaints. THE STENCH of the CLOUD OF CORRUPTION must be completely swept out of the Hamilton Township and the people’s Municipal Building.

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