Rottino Issues An Open Letter to Scott Rumana’s Henchman, Tom Buckley

By horatio

Dear Mr. Buckley aka blogger” “Capt. Republican” Dear Tom It seems that you are obsessed with my past and cannot help but publish largely misleading information about me in hopes of helping your boss Scott Rumana hang on to his two jobs as Republican Party Chairman and Assemblyman. I thought I would take a moment to respond to you so as to spare you from wasting your time making more out-of-context accusations and boring readers with irrelevant information. Unlike you – a career government worker – I have invested my own money in several enterprises. I am a businessman who risks my own capital putting people to work. Unlike you and your Boss, Mr. Rumana, I don’t live off the taxpayers.

As a businessman, I have been asked to buy tickets to various political functions -- some Democrat, some Republican. I made these donations because it afforded me access to government leaders and opportunities to attend functions where I could meet other business people. When I made those donations I was not in politics and never had a dream of entering politics.

Mr. Buckley -- you failed to mention that when Scott was mayor, I donated $1,000 to him, my friend Frank Catania gave him $1,000, and my father Agostino gave $1,500 to Scott. According to the Record newspaper of June 13, 2001, “Rumana said he has known all three for a long time and considers them friends.” Somehow you missed that in your research. Did you not think that was relevant?

Of more relevant concern to voters is why did your boss, Scott Rumana, make a $250 donation to Congressman Bill Pascrell when Mr. Rumana was already elected as a Republican Freeholder? Meanwhile Chairman Rumana did almost nothing to help Roland Stratton in his campaign against Pascrell.

Why does Mr. Rumana have on his fundraising team a man – Bob Pimienta -- who gave over $90,000 to the Bergen County Democrat Party Boss Joe Ferriero and his Democrat candidates. This is the same Mr. Ferriero who was indicted by Chris Christie, isn’t it? Have you bothered to discuss with Mr. Christie why Mr. Rumana insists on giving this man -- Pimienta – who has a no bid Bergen County contract that has paid him about $250,000 – a prominent position on Mr. Rumana’s campaign fundraising committee? Further Mr. Buckley, can you tell us why Mr. Rumana insists on putting so many of his friends and allies on the government payroll where they, like you, are eligible for taxpayer-funded pensions? Unlike you Mr. Buckley I work hard for my money and I haven’t been the recipient of politicians padding my pension. As I recall Mr. Buckley – you were the source of great embarrassment to the Republican Party when in 1997 you demanded and received two large pay raises late in your career at the Passaic County Board of Social Services. Those raises approved by then Freeholder Rumana and okayed by your mentor at the time – Peter Murphy – boosted your pension considerably. The raises made headlines, and dented the image of Republicans – but you didn’t seem to care – as long as you got your money. According to the Record article of November 1997 – just after the election – reporter David Voreacos reported that the Passaic County Welfare Commissioners approved a large retirement package for you – which was called “obscene” and “a break of the public trust.” The newspaper article goes on to point out that even though you were earning a princely sum at the time of $105,119 you got two – TWO –RETROACTIVE ANNUAL RAISES TOTALING 8.1 PERCENT – pushing your salary to $113,644 – and another 3.75 percent raise boosting your salary $117,906. These raises were issued and approved without objection by Freeholder Scott Rumana – whose campaign you are currently managing. The raises came just before your October 1998 retirement -- which boosted your pension to its current rate of nearly $80,000 a year – to sit home and do nothing but keep Scott Rumana employed in Trenton.

You also received payment from the county taxpayers for 89.5 unused sick days—which, according to the Record, you cashed in for $20,216.

Oh, and your raise came while there was a freeze on wages in the Social Services agency, which had also laid off about 100 people. Is it any wonder that with you managing Scott Rumana’s campaign that Assemblyman Rumana continues to be the pawn of public employee unions taking thousands of dollars to do their bidding and padding their pensions. How is it that Mr. Rumana has taken $1,000 from the Newark Teacher’s Union? Does he represent Newark? Mr. Buckley, I realize your attacks on me are your clumsy way of hiding Scott from the real issues of this campaign – such as Rumana’s failure to fight COAH mandates, failure to provide District 40 with adequate school and municipal aid; failure to improve the state’s horrid economy. Those are the real issues that voters care about. Let me know when you want to get around to debating them. Thank you and may God Bless Anthony Rottino

HORATIO can be reached via email at thom55@verizon.net.