Scott Rumana

Misuse of Thousands of GOP $$$ 

EX-CONVICT MURPHY’S GROUP DEALT ANOTHER DEFEAT

Showing they are serious about ousting Passaic County Republican Chairman Scott Rumana, the splinter group GOP Strong has filed 277 county committee candidates.  

The group, whose candidates are running under the slogan “Passaic County Republican Organization, Inc.” as opposed to the establishment organization’s “Passaic County Regular Republican Organization Inc,” also filed a full slate of county candidates and assembly candidates in heavily Democratic districts 34 and 35. 

Jan Bidwell Gaunt is hoping that three times is the charm.  The social worker who ran unsuccessfully for the State Assembly in 2003 and 2005 is expected to again become the Democratic nominee in the heavily-Republican 40th district.  She will run with former Little Falls Councilman John Agostinelli for the seats currently occupied by Republicans David Russo (R-Ridgewood) and Scott Rumana (R-Wayne).

The two Democrats will have the line in Passaic County, and they are presumed to be the organization candidates in Bergen and Essex as well.

Russo and Rumana face a primary challenge from businessmen Joseph Caruso and Anthony Rottino.  Agostinelli lost a bid for Little Falls Mayor last year, and unsuccessfully sought the backing of the Passaic County Democratic organization to run for Freeholder in 2009.

Lonegan’s Failing Campaign Leaves Murphy Few Options

Scott Rumana, left, an Assemblyman and the Passaic County GOP Chairman, accepting an award from a onetime employee of a Catskills ski shop.

Passaic County GOP Chairman Scott Rumana is proposing a change in the party by-laws that would prevent a convicted felon – or that person’s designee – from serving on the executive committee of the county organization.  Rumana’s objective is to remove two municipal chairmen, Jonathan Soto of Passaic and Peter Murphy of Totowa.  Both are convicted felons.  Murphy has served his sentence, and Soto is facing jail time after his jury conviction last month.

“What Scott Rumana doesn’t quite get is that there is only one right number for the COAH mandates – it’s zero,” said Rottino. “Municipalities and taxpayers should not be saddled with the responsibility and costs of building someone else a house.”

Candidate Robert Cruz Switched Voter Registration Two Days After Nomination By Renegade Group

A Passaic County Republican group has fielded a slate of two assembly candidates to run in the heavily Democratic 35th Legislative District.

The group, called GOP Strong – a rival to the county’s establishment Republican organization -- picked Lynne Anne Shortway, a 28-year-old teacher from Hawthorne whose family has long been active north Jersey Republican politics, and North Haledon community activist George Sawey.

“We are excited to have these two great candidates represent GOP Strong and the Republican Party,” said GOP Strong leader Mike Ramaglia. “This is just another indication that our organization is growing and attracting more and more supporters.”

A Republican splinter group from Passaic County last night unveiled a slate of three freeholder candidates and one county clerk candidate to take on whomever the local Republican organization fields in the June primary.

Members of the group, called GOP Strong, said that about 300 people turned out to a Little Falls union hall to see the three freeholder candidates -- Bruno Varano, a retired federal law enforcement agent from Wayne; Debra Andriani, a legal assistant from Totowa; and Robert Cruz, a Web developer from Pompton Lakes.  The group also fielded county clerk candidate Kristin Corrado, who has a law practice and is the Totowa Municipal Attorney.

GOP strong, which counts former Republican chairman Peter Murphy as a co-founder and is headed up by activists Michael Ramaglia and Michael Mecca, has been feuding with current Passaic County Republican Chairman and Assemblyman Scott Rumana (R-Wayne) over control of the mainstream organization.