BRICK – Election season always brings out residents who don’t normally attend council meetings for the purpose of politicking during public comment.
The October 24 council meeting was a case in point when residents expressed a myriad of complaints about the current governing body, ranging from crime, municipal appointments, elected officials’ inertia, green initiatives, taxes and the appointment of Lisa Crate as mayor after John G. Ducey resigned to become a Superior Court Judge.
James Palmisano, a Republican who is running for council along with Mary Jonas Buckley, Rocco Palmieri, Theresa Gallagher and mayoral hopeful John Catalano, said they have sent a letter to former Mayor (now Judge) Ducey and to Assignment Judge Francis Hodgson.
“We told them that it has come to our attention that the Crate Team for Brick 23 is still using not only pictures of the former mayor, but his picture is also on your Facebook page ‘The Ducey Team for Brick,’” Palmisano said.
Crate is running along with council hopefuls, newcomer Steve Feinman and incumbents Vince Minischino, Derrick Ambrosino, and Melissa Travers. Travers was appointed to fill Crate’s seat when she was appointed mayor in February.
Township attorney Kevin Starkey, seated beside Mayor Lisa Crate, said that the attacks on former Mayor John Ducey have no merit. (Screenshot by Judy Smestad-Nunn)
Palmisano said the letter was sent as a courtesy to the former mayor to let him know that “others are using this information in political postings on Facebook,” which he called misleading and in violation of the Judicial Code of Conduct.
The letter stated, in part, “We kindly ask that you instruct those that are involved in the Crate Team for Mayor Campaign to cease and desist using your picture by shutting down the content Facebook page and creating a new Facebook page that is void of any previous endorsements or imagery associated with Judge Ducey,” Palmisano said.
“[Mayor Crate] consistently uses the fact that she’s associated with the former mayor,” he said.
Eliminating the use of Ducey’s image would prevent any potential misinterpretation or perceived involvement of Judge Ducey in any political activity, he added.
“If it occurs, we have no other choice but to file an official complaint,” Palmisano said.
He said Judge Ducey replied to the letter, saying he was unable to help with their request as he is not allowed to be involved with politics as a result of him being appointed as a superior court judge, which prohibits political involvement.
Judge Ducey said he would not respond to any further correspondence that tries to involve him in political matters.
Towards the end of the council meeting, township attorney Kevin Starkey said “there was a lot of politics tonight,” and said he wanted to address just one thing: defending John Ducey since “he’s not here to defend himself.”
Township Council meetings have been rife with people yelling political things in the weeks before the election. (Screenshot by Judy Smestad-Nunn)
The letter that was sent to Judge Ducey, referenced by James Palmisano, threatened Judge Ducey with a judicial ethics complaint about him being involved in a political campaign in Brick, Starkey said.
John Ducey was the Brick mayor for nearly 10 years and was then nominated and appointed as a Superior Court Judge, which means he cannot be involved in politics, the attorney said.
“Mayor Crate is entitled to say that she’s going to follow in the footsteps of Judge Ducey or Mayor Ducey, and Judge Ducey cannot be involved in politics,” Starkey said. “Those two things can exist at the same time.”
Starkey said that the former mayor does not deserve to have a letter sent to him accusing him of an ethical violation when he cannot respond to it.
“I urge you to leave him out of this,” Starkey said.
Council meetings are normally held on Tuesdays, but the next one will be held at 7 p.m. on Wednesday, November 8 because of Election Day.
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