Loran Oglesby

Wenonah GOP Chairwoman Barbara Capelli, a former borough councilwoman has joined a group of elected officials, former candidates and municipal chairmen calling on Loran Oglesby to resign from her post as GCREC Chairwoman.

Today Elk Township Mayor Phil Barbaro, Deputy Mayor Tony Creta and Township Committeeman Bill Rainey joined Wenonah Mayor Capaldi, Franklin Township Mayor Petsch and Greenwich Township Mayor Shivery in their call for Gloucester County GOP Chairwoman Loran Oglesby to resign her post immediately.

Gloucester GOP Chair Loran Oglesby

As Gloucester County Republican Chair Loran Oglesby called for a cease fire, Elk Township municipal Chairman Ed Pearson threw his name into the mix of former candidates and elected officials calling on the embattled chairwoman to step down. 

"For the life of me I can't figure out why she is holding on," Pearson said. "I am not calling on her to step down for the unflattering remarks she made about one of our winning candidates last year, I'm calling on her to resign because that is what is best for our party. We need a proven leader and a proven winner to step in as our next party leader."

For Oglesby, the trouble flared when former  candidates Larry Wallace and Phyllis Scapellato - buried last year in their respective freeholder bids - called into question the chair's election year leadership.  

In Gloucester County, Franklin Township Republican Municipal Chairman Bill Fey said that he does not condone the public sniping from disgruntled Republicans at Party Chairwoman Loran Oglesby.

But he understands it.

“I do not condone the way they’re doing this now and the way that some people are trying to push it,” said Fey in a phone interview today.  “I understand the point they’re trying to make, but I think there’s a different way to approach it.”

The Gloucester County Republicans are in the midst of a public civil war that had been festering under the radar for months. It was only brought to the attention of the media at the beginning of this month, when former freeholder candidate Larry Wallace made critical comments about Oglesby to the Gloucester County Times, and his running mate, Phyllis Scapellato, started a Web site meant to help force Oglesby from her post. 

Gloucester County Chairman Loran Oglesby responding to a Gloucester County Times article on Sunday, February 1st that stated that former Washington Township Councilman, Steve Altamuro, was named solicitor for the Margaret E. Heggen Free Public Library’s Board of Trustees.  Steve Altamuro was a Republican while on Council, but switched late last year to support Matt Lyons for Mayor.

The Gloucester County GOP would like to congratulate the new RNC Chairman, Michael Steele. 

Sweeney should hold Bryant to the same standard he held others who cost the county money.

Polls opened with no way of knowing if voters were voting twice.

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