jeffrey brindle

Former Star-Ledger Statehouse reporter Joe Donohue is joining the Election Law Enforcement Commission (ELEC).

Donohue, who took a buyout from the Ledger last year and moved on to become an Assistant Treasurer for the New Jersey Department of the Treasury, will serve as a Deputy Director with responsibilities in communications, legislative outreach, and development of “white papers” on campaign finance trends, according to a press release from the commission.

“Joe Donohue brings to this position a wealth of experience in campaign finance issues and a reputation for fairness that will greatly assist the Commission’s efforts to protect the integrity of the State’s election finance system and to encourage a more engaged electorate,” said Brindle.,” said ELEC Executive Director Jeffrey Brindle.

County political parties have raised and spent less money this year than at the same point four years ago – the last time there was a gubernatorial race while all 80 assembly seats were up for reelection.

Fundraising by county committees is down 17% across the board, according to numbers released by the Election Law Enforcement Commission (ELEC), while spending is down 18%.

The 42 Republican and Democratic committees have raised a combined $7.1 million this year and spend $6.2 million – down from having raised $8.6 million and $7.6 million at this point in 2005.

Jeffrey Brindle, executive director of ELEC, attributed the lower fundraising to the weak economy and new pay-to-play laws, along with a new development.

“More and more we are witnessing political action committees (PACs) being formed, in many instances by party members,” said Brindle.  “This activity may be drawing funds away from the county organizations as well.”
 

The lagging economy and new pay-to-play laws have dramatically reduced the amount of money raised and spent by the state parties and legislative leadership committees.

“This reverses a trend of increased financial activity that has been apparent over the last two decades,” said Jeffrey Brindle, executive director of the Election Law Enforcement Commission (ELEC).

Combined, the “big six” state parties and legislative leadership committees for both the assembly and state senate have raised $8.1 million and spent $5 million.  That’s a 44% decrease from this point four years ago, when they had raised $14.5 million and spent $8.6 million.

During the last reporting quarter, Assembly Republican Victory (ARV) – the political arm of the Republican Assembly caucus – raised $218,000, spent $308,000 and has $244,000 on hand.  Their Democratic counterparts have much more money, having raised $522,000 last quarter and spent $708,000.  The Democrats have roughly $804,000 on hand.

The Democratic State Committee took in $1.45 million and spent just over $2 million during the last quarter, leaving them with about $374,000 on hand.  The Republican State Committee took in $257,000, spent $167,000 and has $148,000 on hand.

Democratic Assembly candidates have raised and spent more than twice as much as Republicans, according to a press release from the Election Law Enforcement Commission (ELEC).  

Democrats in the state’s 40 legislative districts have raised a total of $6.8 million and spent $4 million so far, while Republicans have raised $2.9 million and spent $1.2 million.  

Democrats also lead in cash on hand, with $2.7 million left over to Republicans’ $1.6 million.  

All 80 assembly seats are up this year, but only a few districts are considered competitive.

ELEC Executive Director Jeff Brindle said the numbers were a significant drop off from this same point in the 2005 – the last year that saw gubernatorial and assembly races.  In all, there has been a 21% drop in fundraising and a 19% reduction in spending, according to Brindle.

At this point in 2005, Assembly candidates had raised $12.2 million and spent $6.4 million.  This year they have raised a combined $9.7 million and spent $5.2 million. 

New Jersey Election Law Enforcement Commission (ELEC) Executive Director Jeffrey Brindle confirmed today that candidates who have not filed a lieutenant governor are not eligible to receive matching funds.  

Although he raised the $340,000 necessary to qualify for two-for-one matching funds from the state and was approved by ELEC, independent gubernatorial candidate Chris Daggett has not yet received the money because he has yet to choose a running mate.

The problem is that, in order to receive public funds, state law requires both the gubernatorial candidate and his or her running mate to file paperwork with ELEC stating that they are willing to participate in the required public debates and disclosing whether they’ve ever been involved in an issue advocacy organization.  

“The law says that both [candidates] – governor and lieutenant governor – must file these reports before receiving funds,” said Brindle.  “We’re very protective of public money.”

The New Jersey Election Law Enforcement Commission has named Jeffrey Brindle, an ELEC staffer since 1985, as the new Executive Director.  He will replace Frederick Herrmann, who is retiring after 25 years in office.  He becomes the fifth ELEC Executive Director, following David Norcross, Lewis Thurston, Scott Weiner and Herrmann.

Brindle was active in Republican politics before taking a post at ELEC.  He worked as a political consultant in the 1970's, served as New Brunswick GOP Municipal Chairman, worked on the legislative staffs of State Sen. John Ewing and Assemblymen Walter Kavanaugh and Elliot Smith, and as Deputy Somerset County Clerk.  He was the Republican candidate for State Assembly in the 17th district in 1977, but lost the general election to Democrats David Schwartz and Joseph Patero.  He joined state government after Thomas Kean's election as Governor and was the Communications Director at the Department of Community Affairs from 1982 to 1985.