Woodcliff Lake, NJ – The last Republican elected to the Bergen County Freeholder Board prior to 2009, Lisa Randall today endorsed Woodcliff Lake Councilman Jeff Bader for one of the three nominations for the Republican Party.

"At $735,000 per job, the only thing this  spending spree is stimulating is the urge of people to move out of New Jersey.”  

Bergen County freeholder candidate Chris Calabrese, who was considered a favorite to win the Bergen County Republican Organization's (BCRO) endorsement, has suddenly found his candidacy in jeopardy over a flyer he distributed to county committee members.

Calabrese lost his freeholder race last year by a relatively narrow margin, but he was the top vote getter of the three Republican candidates for those positions.  He highlighted that fact in the flyer by comparing his vote totals to those of the party's other freeholder candidates over several past election cycles.

The controversy over the flyer centers on its lack of context -- that it failed to take into account the much higher turnout in 2008 than in years when the other candidates ran.

Bergen County Clerk Kathleen Donovan and former Assemblywoman Lisa Randall have endorsed attorney Robert Ortiz for Bergen County GOP Chairman. 

Ortiz, a 35-year-old Republican fundraiser from Ridgewood, is running in a special election to succeed Guy Talarico, who resigned the day after the primary.

Robert OrtizRobert Ortiz has officially entered the race for Bergen County GOP Chairman.

Ortiz, a lawyer from Ridgewood, has built up a reputation as a successful Republican fundraiser. And at the age of 35, Republicans are hoping that a young leader with fresh ideas can revive Bergen County party.

“I think at this point we are at the bottom of the barrel, and what I’m trying to do is show that we’re going to have a different face for the party now and we’re going to start fresh – new ideas, new ways of doing things,” said Ortiz. “I want to put a good team together of leaders all across the county.”

Guy Talarico’s resignation was pleasant news for many Bergen County Republicans.

The loss of Todd Caliguire in a State Senate primary last night was widely considered the last straw for Talarico’s four-year chairmanship.

He’s left behind a county party that many local Republicans consider to be broke and in shambles, having spent considerable dollars fighting primary battles – with no money left to take on the Democrats.

Now the question of a replacement, which has been bandied about hypothetically for months, is real.

Two of the last three Republican Freeholders from Bergen County have been denied party support for re-election to a second term. In 2004, Louis Tedesco lost his bid for a second term amidst allegations that he had been arrested twice on domestic violence charges. Yesterday, Lisa Randall, elected to the Board of Freeholders in 2003 after serving in Governor Christie Whitman's cabinet as Commissioner of Banking and Insurance and as a State Assemblywoman, lost the Republican primary. Democrats have a 7-1 majority on the Freeholder Board.

DONOVAN WILL CUT ALL UNNECESSARY EXPENSES AND MAKE COUNTY GOVERNMENT SMALLER AND ACCOUNTABLE

For immediate release: 5/23/06
Contact: Alan C. Marcus/201-902-9000

Kathleen Donovan, Republican candidate for County Executive, pledged today to "conduct a top to bottom review of the county budget and eliminate all unnecessary expenditures."

According to Donovan, "A quick review of the county budget discloses taxpayer funds being sent to agencies outside of government. Unless these expenditures including grants provide direct taxpayer benefit they should be eliminated. Immediately."

For Immediate Release
Contact: info@LaurenThomson.com

PENSION REFORM IS NEEDED NOW:
Donovan & Co. Should Lead by Example

May 7, 2006- Republican County Freeholder candidate, Lauren Thomson, welcomes Kathe Dononvan's agreement with her position on removing part-time politicians from the full-time pension system. Thomson is reiterating “The need for reform is apparent. There is something inherently wrong with the system when part-time politicians are given the same benefits as hard working full time employees.� Under current law the Public Employee Retirement System (PERS) enters employees into the pension system that make a minimum of only $1,500 per fiscal year.
“It is ironic that Donovan, Randall, and Trawinski have all held part-time political positions that they are using to boost to their public pensions, yet claim to want pension reform.� continued Thomson “Both Randall and Trawinski are currently holding part-time positions that pads their public pensions. If they are truly concerned about pension reform, they should lead by example by voluntarily declining to pad their pensions.�
Kathe Donovan is currently padding her pension at a salary of $99,905 with benefits, prior to that she padded her pension as a part-time legislator. Lisa Randall is currently padding her pension at $27,263 with benefits, prior to that she padded her pension as a part-time legislator and State Insurance Commissioner. Ed Trawinski is currently padding his pension as a part-time councilman, prior to that he padded his pension in local government and part-time positions on legislators’ staff.
Earlier this week, Thomson published a plan on her campaign website to eliminate part-time politicians from reaping the benefits of full time employees. For more information about Lauren Thomson visit her campaign website at: www.LaurenThomson.com

Woodcliff Lake Council President Endorses Donovan Team After Candidates Square Off In Joint Appearance

Paul Camella, President of the Woodcliff Lake town council, has endorsed Republican County Executive candidate Kathleen Donovan and her running mates. Camella's endorsement follows the first joint appearance by the two rival GOP slates vying in the June primary which was held in Woodcliff Lake on Thursday (April 20) night.