In Roselle, Smith challenges local party organization to give back Cohen contribution

ROSELLE - Backing his own School Board candidates in what amounts to a larger ongoing war with the Union County Democratic Organization, Roselle Mayor Garrett Smith today challenged opposing School Board candidate Anthony Esposito to return $7,500 Smith’s old nemesis, disgraced former Assemblyman Neil Cohen (D-Roselle), contributed to the organization he once ran.

Now standing trial for keeping child porn images on his office computer, Cohen until last year headed the Roselle Democratic Party, an organization Esposito serves as treasurer.

“The integrity of the Democratic Party is called into question with this donation, especially with the treasurer running for the School Board,” said the mayor. “It’s hypocritical for him to deposit money from Cohen knowing the conditions behind it.”

Esposito objected to Smith’s characterization of his work as treasurer. 

“I just received the treasurer’s job on Jan. 18, and that (deposit) happened before Jan. 18,” said Esposito, a former School Board member looking to return to the local governing body, who succeeded Councilman Jamel Holley as treasurer. 

“It wasn’t during my watch,” Esposito said. “That money went for outstanding debt for the 2008 primary campaign. It’s gone.”

Smith said the Roselle Democrats have not reported cash allocations for the last five years, and that if what Esposito says is true, he ought to provide receipts to prove it.

“It’s public information,” the mayor challenged.

A chemist, Esposito is running for the School Board on a ticket with Michael Boyd and Shondalyn Gales – all private sector workers. They’re running against a Smith-backed slate of Ken Haynes, Charles Mitchell and Charles Simmons.

“Garrett is trying to paint us with a broad brush, but we’re not party hacks,” said Esposito. “I’m one of thousands of people who supported Neil Cohen. His own law partner didn’t know what he was doing. His district mates didn’t know what he was doing. Garrett is trying to act as if he’s a member of the Democratic Party, but he has pushed away anyone from the Union County Democratic Party as he has tried to create his own organization.

“If you want to see a massacre, look at his back-to-back 12% tax increases in two years,” Esposito added. “He’s looking at a $2.7 million dollar hole and I don’t know how he’s going to fill that hole.”

Smith said since Cohen’s departure, the Roselle Democrats have begun a rapid crumbling process he means to expose when his School Board candidates beat Esposito and his slate.

“They’re in a shambles,” said Smith. “Neil Cohen was the glue that held that organization together, and once he was gone, it never got itself back together. Anthony Esposito did well when he ran in non-competitive races, but let’s see how he fares when he receives a real challenge.”