Friday, December 09, 2005

Mr. Broschart Responds

The Middle Road
By Rich Kohler
November 10, 2005

Last month, I wrote a letter to the editor of another newspaper criticizing its lax coverage of interim Committeeman Scott Broschart’s decision to withdraw his candidacy for an open seat on the Hazlet Township Committee. This month, Committeeman Broschart signed his name to a written response. In the interest of open debate and at the risk of being redundant, I dedicate this column to both sides of the issue.

“Mr. Kohler makes false accusations in his letter, such as his claim that Deputy Mayor Tracey Maffiore and Committeewoman Bridget Antonucci ‘assisted in helping to undermine the customary selection process,’ making reference to the appointment of myself to the Township Committee to fill Paul Coughlin’s seat.”

I did not make false accusations. I drew a logical conclusion from the events that had taken place.

“The county committee, which Rich Kohler is not a member of, selects three potential candidates to fill the vacancy.”

I never claimed to be a member of this committee. It is important to note, however, that since a fourth contender inexplicably withdrew his name at the last minute, no one on the county committee voted for Mr. Broschart.

“Those three names are turned over to the mayor and Township Committee to select one. This vote is confidential, so neither I nor Rich Kohler knows, or should know, how the committee voted. Since I was appointed to be on the committee, one must make the assumption that the majority, if not all, of the Township Committee selected me.”

Mr. Broschart can make whatever assumption he chooses, that’s why letters to the editor appear in a newspaper’s opinion pages. Nonetheless, I stand by my opinion of how he came to be a member of Hazlet’s Township Committee.

“Another false statement Mr. Kohler makes reference to is my résumé and the campaign I ran for both Michael Sachs and Bridget Antonucci. As I have stated, the money listed on my résumé reflects not just the campaign funds, but funds I have raised over a period of time for the Hazlet Republican Club and Executive Committee.”

Again, Mr. Broschart can make any statement he chooses, but the facts remain. Mr. Broschart’s résumé states that in his capacity as manager of the Hazlet Republican Campaign Committee, he “raised over $40,000 in contributions”. The reports filed with ELEC say otherwise. Should I believe Mr. Broschart’s letter to the editor, his resume, or the ELEC reports?

“Mr. Kohler, please, if you are going to dress up and play reporter, please play correctly. Instead of spreading false accusations about me, call and confirm facts before reporting on them so you don’t mislead readers.”

I am not a reporter, nor do I aspire to be one. I have written persuasive essays and the editorial staff at The Courier has seen fit to publish them as editorial columns. I did call and confirm the facts I cited in my columns...I just didn’t call Mr. Broschart.

“My decision to resign as the Republican candidate this year was due solely to a career change, which Mr. Kohler would have no knowledge of .”

Nor, would I have knowledge of Mr. Broschart’s present career. His resume lists a temporary job with the unsuccessful gubernatorial campaign of John Murphy and a job with State Senator Joe Kyrillos that lasted less than three months.

“I, unlike Mr. Kohler, have dedicated my time and energy to serve my town, not just stand on the sidelines and attempt to write about it.”

Writing an editorial column takes time and energy, and so does running a business well enough to support my family. I serve my community by paying attention to the actions of people acting on behalf of its multi-million dollar, tax revenue-financed budget. I also dedicate some of my time and energy to helping the library on behalf of the township. Many residents, as I do, spend most of their time and energy earning an income so they can live with their family in a decent community. Furthermore, I respect the great level of time and energy it takes to serve effectively and responsibly in elected office, and I vociferously support those who rise to the challenge.

“Since June, Mr. Kohler has openly attacked me and my family.”

I have criticized Mr. Broschart’s appointment to the Township Committee. I have criticized his manipulation of the selection process for his subsequent and brief candidacy. I have even criticized his decision to pass out campaign-related balloons along the 2004 Hazlet Day parade route. I have not “attacked” Mr. Broschart. I have not even mentioned his family.

“He has tried to convince people that I do not respect the office that I hold, but it is for that reason alone that I do not return his personal attacks.”

Since Mr. Broschart recently called me “a dirt-bag” in the parking lot of the Lakeside Manor, perhaps he has difficulty discerning between public opinion and a personal attack.

“Mr. Kohler, be forewarned that when my term ends next month, I will happily engage you in any public forum.”

Is this a threat or an invitation? Aren’t newspaper op/ed pages, community clubs, and committee meetings, public forums? What does Mr. Broschart propose: a push fight behind Middle Road Elementary School?

“Mr. Kohler is merely a salesman…”

This comment is rather condescending for someone who has yet to hold a steady job. Or at least, one that Mr. Broschart deems worthy of mentioning on his résumé.

“…trying to sell his poison to the public.”

My opinions do seem somewhat toxic to self-serving politicians, but they are not for sale.

“Good riddance to bad reporting.”

I would rather help rid our community of politicians who attempt to silence his or her critics by claiming that the pertinent facts are confidential.

Election 2005

The Middle Road
By Rich Kohler
November 3, 2005

“You don’t even belong here. You’re a dirt-bag.”

Those were the words with which Hazlet’s interim committeeman, Scott Broschart, chose to greet me as I entered the newly remodeled Lakeside Manor for the October meeting of the Hazlet Republican Club.

After the regular business portion of the meeting, Mr. Broschart asked for the floor. In the spirit of the brown shirted, armband wearing fascists who dominated Europe sixty-some years ago by eliminating all those who opposed their point of view, he angrily accused me of not supporting the Republican Party. Disregarding proper procedure, Mr. Broschart then demanded that I be dropped from the membership rolls of the club and requested an immediate vote on his resolution.

Led by the club’s president, Tracey Maffiore, the executive committee did not to allow Mr. Broschart’s antics to continue and tabled his motion pending further debate. This civil reaction to Mr. Broschart’s shocking demand for a no-dissention policy reinforced my belief in the integrity of Hazlet’s Republican Party.

When I joined the Hazlet Republican Club, I was an unaffiliated voter. Many of my early letters to the editors of local newspapers and my early columns in this newspaper criticized the Hazlet Democrats for conducting themselves in a manner that seemed to be more concerned with staying in office, than with serving the residents of Hazlet. When I disagreed with the direction of the then Democrat-led Township Committee, perennial candidate Kevin Lavan publicly and angrily claimed that I was suffering from dementia. I don’t doubt that anyone even mildly involved with politics could recall an incident when either political party encouraged members who had acted in a similar manner, as this is, after all, politics in New Jersey.

That was then, but this is now. Today’s political climate demands more accountability from our elected officials. Recently enacted sunshine laws and campaign finance reforms are a beginning, but without any real punitive action, loopholes are aplenty. It is the responsibility of the individual political parties or governing bodies to police themselves by encouraging open and legitimate debate from their members or constituents.

That’s exactly what is happening with the Hazlet Republicans. While the township Democrats are running recycled candidates from the same old Democratic group of cronies, the Republicans sought out and fought for the opportunity to bring new faces to the township dais. After two fair and open conventions of the district leaders, the Hazlet Republican Party chose Ric Medrow and Will Kolibas as its 2005 candidates.

Democratic candidates Kevin Lavan and Jim DiNardo have centered their deceitful campaign on the fact that Hazlet’s badly-needed municipal complex could cost up to 9 million dollars, interest included. Anyone who takes the time to either check the information on record with the township or to discuss their concerns with those involved with this large-scale and important project, will learn that Committeeman Scott Aagre, an architect by trade, and Mayor Michael Sachs have supervised it with professional and cost-effective pragmatism.

Hazlet Democrats recently concocted a plan that includes abandoning the construction already in progress, buying a building that is not currently for sale, and reconfiguring an old medical building into a functional town hall for an unlikely and unconfirmed 1.8 million dollars, interest not included.

Much like the leading members of the Township Committee, the 2005 Republican candidates, Ric Medrow and Will Kolibas, believe that honest management of our tax dollars is crucial to sustaining and improving the quality of life in our community. By vowing to respect the value of opposing opinions and reasonable debate, both candidates characterize the positive direction of Hazlet’s Republican Party. Mr. Kolibas’s candidacy alone is a testament to how a clean and open political process combined with strong party leadership can offset a sometimes volatile political climate.

Professional and transparent leadership often exposes power hungry political hacks that advance dishonest schemes, push personal agendas, and aspire to exert and maintain their own sense of power. Because when an informed public objects to such behavior, these self-serving perpetrators often resort to condescension and name-calling.