Earlier this summer, Brookdale Community College President Peter Burnham pled guilty of stealing tens of thousands of dollars in taxpayer money. The web of corruption surrounding this case is just another example of Monmouth County Republican cronies profiting at the taxpayers’ expense.
Mr. Burnham, along with Brookdale Community College’s then-Board President Howard Birsdall and Brookdale’s Board Attorney John Cantalupo, were all close allies and major political supporters of the Republican Party establishment here in Monmouth County.
Mr. Cantalupo served as Freeholder Lillian Burry’s close confidant and official Campaign Treasurer in her 2005 and 2008 Freeholder campaigns.
In this same time period, Mr. Cantalupo negotiated the terms of Peter Burnham’s lavish Brookdale contracts.
This represents a clear conflict of interest, given that Mr. Cantalupo was Freeholder Burry’s right-hand man. Perhaps this is why Freeholder Burry sat silently on the sidelines as the truth about Mr. Burnham's theft was being exposed.
As a result of the Republican-controlled Freeholder Board’s lack of oversight, student tuition increased at Brookdale Community College -- while their college president profited immensely.
This is what happens when a chief advisor for the Republican Freeholders is negotiating salary contracts on behalf of a College President that is funded by these same Republican Freeholders.
It is time for Monmouth County taxpayers to unite against the Good Ol’ Boys Network here in Monmouth County.
Vin Gopal is the Chairman of the Monmouth County Democrats.
The only reason the freeholders stumbled on Burnham's fraudulent acts was their bruised egos. Burnham had challenged the freeholders by raising tuition to avoid cuts in school program that would have resulted from a recent slash in county funding. They were miffed that he had the unmitigated gall not to get with their program and slash education. None of the freeholders assigned to oversight had the right to claim they did their oversight job. The idea that they were appalled at his high salary, perquisites, etc,, ideas that raged in the newspapers, was a weak argument. They were lucky to stumble on a smoking gun. It was only after they started digging that they found justification for their contempt. Otherwise their shock and awe at Burnham would have been totally disingenuous.
So please, Mr. Gopal -- have your fun while it lasts. Corruption never seemed to bother the Democrats when they ran Monmouth County -- but it seems Mr. Gopal has a problem when Republicans shake things up and do something about the problem. Trying to cast a net over everyone who associated with the ousted head of Brookdale is a pretty long, logical leap -- don't you think?
How could the present Brookdale leadership and present County freeholders allow this monument to a crook to remain?
OK, Mr. Gopal: * Please show us the following direct link between how "Monmouth County Republicans" profited from the crook, Peter Burnham of Brookdale. * Was it not the REPUBLICAN FREEHOLDERS that demanded the resignation and charges against Peter Burnham? * Your logic is falling apart. How can the Freeholders be "for" and "against" corruption at Brookdale at the same time?
How sad when they don't have anything of substance to attack.
Club Monmouth will be going through another Operation Bid Rig. See below for details: http://newjersey.watchdog.org/2012/05/14/conflicts-controversy-plague-dcj-investigation-of-lt-gov-guadagno-245k-pension-scam-investigative-report-by-mark-lagerkvist/
Nor have they said anything about the pension abuse at the Sheriff's Department (see below for details). The Republicans are acting like the three monkeys--see, hear, say no evil. Oh by the way, before you accuse me of being a Democrat--I am not. I am a former Republican now turned Independent due to the silence of the Republicans regarding this scandal and others in the past i.e. Operation Bid Rig.