THOMPSON BILL EXTENDING HIGHER EDUCATION TUITION ASSISTANCE FOR NATIONAL GUARD MEMBERS SIGNED INTO LAW BY GOVERNOR

01/26/2007

Dear Fellow Republicans:
Congratulations to our own Assemblyman Sam Thompson. He’s getting things done – even with an obstinate, corrupt majority in Trenton. And he’s helping our brave troops – the best this nation has to offer. What a great leader! Please see below:
------------
Legislation sponsored by Assemblyman Sam Thompson that would allow National Guard members who are called into active duty to utilize state tuition assistance credits after their enlistment expires was signed into law this week by Governor Jon Corzine.
“This new law will correct an injustice,” said Thompson, R-Middlesex and Monmouth. “No longer will members of the New Jersey National Guard lose their tuition assistance credits because they were sent overseas to serve their country.”
Under the old law, active members of the New Jersey National Guard may receive up to 15 credits per semester tuition free from public institutions of higher education in the State. Similarly, the child or surviving spouse of a National Guard member killed in the performance of his duties may also receive this benefit.
This bill, A-2542, amended the law to extend eligibility for this higher education tuition benefit to members of the New Jersey National Guard whose use of the free tuition benefit is interrupted by a deployment to active duty. The change would permit these soldiers to receive their earned educational benefits should their enlistment expire, or should they be medically discharged, prior to completing their studies.
Lauren Pecoraro of East Brunswick and Tony Rispoli of Old Bridge had testified at a hearing last year in favor of Thompson’s bill. Both were placed on active duty and deployed to Iraq for a year, in addition to six months training leading up to their deployment.
“This bill will allow New Jersey National Guard members like Lauren and Tony, who were unable to take advantage of the tuition credit program because of their deployment, to do so when they return,” Thompson said. “It would be the ultimate irony if they were to lose this benefit that they earned through their service, because they missed out on the opportunity to use these credits when called upon to serve active duty. They have earned this tuition assistance and they should not be denied access to these funds.”
The new law will also increase the number of credits eligible for funding under this program from 15 to 16 per semester.
The bill cleared both houses of the Legislature in December and was signed by the Governor Wednesday.
---------------------------------------------------------------
Adam Puharic, Chairman
Monmouth County Republican Party
www.MonmouthRepublican.org
info@MonmouthRepublican.org
732.431.6664

Candidate Selection Update

01/21/2007

Dear fellow Republicans:
I wanted to update you all on the process leading up to our next party convention. Below are some important points I would like you to keep in mind:
1. No endorsements among screening committee members. Though it was implicit in the role, I want to make clear that all screening committee members should avoid publicly or privately endorsing any candidates before the convention. Stay above the fractionalism and small mindedness of the past two conventions. This is about choosing the best candidate for all Republicans, not one to win favor from a specific geographic region or special interest group.
2. No lobbying of screening committee members. Let me make clear that sending gifts or information packets to individual screening committee members is inappropriate. It is also dangerous if your information is not correct. It is also harmful to use surrogates who seek to tear apart our party unity in the hopes of reliving their past glory days. All candidates of good will shall refrain from this type of activity. In the next seven days, a detailed questionnaire will be forwarded to candidates with seats in contention.
3. Municipal chairs will be selected by February 14. All interested chairs, willing to take part in the legislature screenings, must make themselves available to attend the screening committee meeting on February 17th.
Thanks to all of the good Republicans who’ve offered to sit as additional chairs for the process. I will welcome all who have the best interests of this party at heart.
---------------------------------------------------------------
Adam Puharic, Chairman
Monmouth County Republican Party
www.MonmouthRepublican.org
info@MonmouthRepublican.org
732.431.6664

A "Wireside Chat" from Chairman Adam Puharic Update

01/15/2007

Dear fellow Republicans:
Over the weekend, I’ve received a large number of calls and emails offering support and encouragement for our decision to reform the candidate selection process and re-introduce a screening committee that has been in place, in one form or another, for the winning part of the last 20 years. I am grateful for the positive energy and messages of praise. Please keep it up, as it is the only salary I draw from this position.
I’ve also received three emails by critics. So in the hopes of clarifying any part of the process that may be murky, I’d like to take a few moments of your time to expand upon the screening process for the 2007 general election:

1. This only applies to the 2007 election. There will be revisions to the process, based on your input, before we re-apply the process for 2008. My intention is to take the amended candidate selection resolution, along with the outline of the party organization we have put in place, and create bylaws to submit for committee input at the conclusion of my first term. But please know that bylaws are secondary to winning elections. Winning in 2007 must come first. There are many democrat-controlled counties with strong Republican bylaws.

2. The County Committee has all of the authority it always had. There will be a convention, and committee members will chose the candidates who represent them. The role of the screen is to do the homework so the committee has only qualified choices before it. The role of the committee is to choose the candidate.

3. The screening committee is not a representational body, it is an executive body. Our great nation has worked very well with a strong executive branch, and a deliberative body (the Congress) to act upon the leadership mandate. Our Republican committee should work the same way. The screening committee is made up of chairs, elected officials, and my executive board members. It is divided roughly equally among the three groups. No one owns this vote.

4. There is no secret behind the membership of the committee. I was not able to reveal it until all of the members were contacted, and consented to participate. Truth be told, I had a five-year old birthday party on Saturday that prevented me from sending this email over the weekend, but such is the life of this Chairman.

5. The screening committee membership is:
Chairman Sal Alfieri
Chairman Tom Apostle
Freeholder Director Bill Barham
Assemblywoman Jennifer Beck
Chairman Michael Borg
Freeholder Lillian Burry
Political Whip John Cantalupo
Chairman Peter Carton
Second Vice Chair Caroline Casagrande
Chairman Rick DeNoia
SERC Chair, Tom DeSeno
County Clerk Claire French
Leadership Council Chair Tom Gagliano
Vice Chair Molly Giamanco
Assemblywoman Amy Handlin
Assemblyman Sean Kean
Chairman Norine Kelly
Senator Joe Kyrillos
Finance Chair Andrew Lucas
Moderator, Council of Chairs Steve McEnery
Chairman Bob McKenna
Rosemarie Peters
Legal Council Michael Supko
The Chairman (votes to break a tie)

All incumbents will screen. I am especially proud of County Clerk Claire French, Assemblyman Sean Kean, and Senator Kyrillos – who all voiced vocal support for submitting before this committee.
I am grateful for Assemblyman Thompson’s council on this policy. He has been extremely helpful, with his prior experience as the Middlesex County Chair, in pointing out ways to improve this process going forward. His recommendations will help to create an improved plan for this and future elections.
I hope this answers some questions. Now, I have two questions for all of you:

1. Will you please forward the names of four municipal chairs from each legislative district who will join the screening committee for their respective potential assembly and senate candidates? I will wait to hear from you before deciding.

2. When you learned about this plan, was your first instinct to trust that if was done in the best interest of the party, or was it to cast dispersions and be negative? Where you sit on this point goes a long way to describing who you are.

Thanks for giving me a few moments to better explain the process.
---------------------------------------------------------------
Adam Puharic, Chairman
Monmouth County Republican Party
www.MonmouthRepublican.org
info@MonmouthRepublican.org
732.431.6664

Candidate Selection Process Update

01/11/2007

On January 11, 2007 the Monmouth County Republican screening committee convened and voted unanimously to open all seats involved in the 2007 general election to the screening committee process. All incumbents and interested candidates must submit a letter of intent to Monmouth County Republican Headquarters, PO Box 808 Freehold, NJ 07728. All letters of intent must be received by February 1, 2007.
I am honored and humbled at the courage of this screening committee, and their commitment to reforming the convention process.
---------------------------------------------------------------
Adam Puharic, Chairman
Monmouth County Republican Party
www.MonmouthRepublican.org
info@MonmouthRepublican.org
732.431.6664

Candidate Selection Process

01/10/2007

After a series of meetings with Republican party leaders on all levels, including county committee members, municipal chairmen, elected officials, and state party leaders, the Monmouth County Republican Organization is proud to announce the candidate selection process for the 2007 general election cycle. The objective of the Monmouth County Republican Organization is to strengthen the Republican Party’s effectiveness in winning elections and governing at all levels of government
On June 13, 2006, I was elected to serve as the Monmouth County Republican Chairman based on a platform of reforming the convention system to include a screening committee so that all potential candidates may be thoroughly vetted, and only those most qualified and able to hold elective office shall be forwarded to a vote of the county committee. Today, we are making good on this promise.
Effective immediately, and unless otherwise provided under the New Jersey Election Code (Title 19), any candidate seeking the Organization’s nomination must agree to submit to a comprehensive interview and interview process before the screening committee, if required.
The membership of the Monmouth County Republican Organization’s screening committee shall consist of member(s) of the Board of Chosen Freeholders, constitutional officers, member(s) of the State Legislature, municipal chairs from geographically diverse parts of the county, executive board members, and at-large members.
A complete reading of the candidate selection process is below. Future announcements may follow.

RESOLUTION CREATING THE

MONMOUTH COUNTY REPUBLICAN ORGANIZATION’S

CANDIDATE SCREENING PROCESS

WHEREAS, the objective of the Monmouth County Republican Organization is to strengthen the Republican Party’s effectiveness in winning elections and governing at all levels of government; and
WHEREAS, to achieve this objective the Monmouth County Republican Organization must recruit the most highly qualified and ethical candidates that embody Republican values and principles;
THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED THAT, unless otherwise provided under the New Jersey Election Code (Title 19):

(1) Any candidate seeking federal, state or county office, who wishes to seek the endorsement of the Monmouth County Republican Organization, must by February 1 of the year of the Republican primary election, file a letter of intent to seek the Organization’s nomination for the office sought.
(2) Any candidate seeking the Organization’s nomination who is not an incumbent having served a full term in the office sought, must:
(a) submit a detailed resume;
(b) provide any and all additional information as determined by the Chairman which may be required in writing;
(b) participate in a full and complete interview and interview process with the screening committee;
(c) if successfully screened, agree to participate in a Republican county convention; and
(d) agree that should they lose the Republican county convention, they will support the winner of the Convention and agree not to run against the Monmouth County Republican line as established by the Chairman.
(3) The Monmouth County Republican Chairman reserves the right to require any incumbent to participate in the selection process and submit themselves before the screening committee. If the Chairman exercises this option, his decision must be ratified by a majority vote of the screening committee. In the event the candidate shall not be required to submit themselves to the screening process, they will appear directly at the County Convention.
(4) Only those approved by a simple majority vote of the screening committee may participate in a Republican county convention to seek the Monmouth County Republican Organization’s endorsement and use of the Organization’s official slogan on the Republican primary election ballot.
(5) The screening committee shall recommend no more than two (2) persons per vacant office to be forwarded to the County Convention.
Make-up of the Screening Committee
(1) The membership of the Monmouth County Republican Organization’s screening committee shall be determined by the Chairman each election cycle. The membership shall consist of the Chairman’s selection of member(s) of the Board of Chosen Freeholders or constitutional officers, member(s) of the State Legislature, municipal chairs from geographically diverse parts of the county, executive board members, and at-large members.
(2) In addition, four municipal chairs representing each legislative district shall be added to the screening committee for potential legislative candidates. The additional chair members will only be allowed to screen candidates from their respective districts.
(3) No potential Republican nominee for the Organization’s endorsement serving on the screening committee may vote on their own screening, but may vote on others taking place during the same year.
(4) All members of the screening committee shall be selected by the Monmouth County Republican Chairman in January of each year and serve at the pleasure of the Chairman.
(5) The screening committee shall approve all convention rules by a majority vote at least one week prior to any county Republican convention called by the Chairman.

---------------------------------------------------------------
Adam Puharic, Chairman
Monmouth County Republican Party
www.MonmouthRepublican.org
info@MonmouthRepublican.org
732.431.6664

2007 Organizational Update

A "Wireside Chat" from Chairman Adam Puharic
01/08/2007

On June 13, 2006, the Monmouth County Republican Committee honored me with the great responsibilities to serve as County Chairman. I campaigned on a platform to unify the party based on three guiding principles: (1) professionalize the organization; (2) raise campaign funds ethically; and (3) concentrate our energies on defeating Democrats—not each other.
With the new year upon us and the dawn of another election cycle, we take the next step in this process through the development of new policies for candidate selection and conventions. As the Asbury Park Press quoted me upon becoming your chairman on June 14, 2006: “Puharic pledged not to abolish the practice of holding county conventions to pick the Republican candidates. He proposed creating... a screening committee for candidates before they are put to a vote of the committeemen and women.”
A Chairman will be measured by his record of wins and losses. I take the loss of Andrew Lucas’ seat personally, and the buck stops here. With this tough experience behind us, I am even more convinced about the need to reform the candidate selection process.
We must make sure no future Republican candidate ever faces a divided base of powerbrokers and convention fanatics – angry that their candidate did not win. Many of the loud convention voices fell silent during the campaign trail, not raising money, not putting up signs, not interested in anything other than their own self-aggrandizement.
This weekend, therefore, I have briefed Republican elected officials throughout the county of my intention to implement a screening committee prior to any county convention. Based on their input, I will modify my original plan design to accommodate their concerns. I have briefed my executive committee, and explained my intentions to the council of chairs during our December meeting.
In the coming days, I will explain the process, including:
The structure of the screening committee and the procedures for dealing with vacancies and incumbents;
The deadlines for interested parties submitting letters of intent;
The process for thoroughly vetting all candidates and forwarding the most qualified;
The schedule for screening potential candidates; and
The schedule for the next convention.
You will also undoubtedly hear from voices of disunion, intent on smearing any plans for reform. Critics will charge that we intend to limit the democratic process. This is not true. I intend to restore a representational Republican form of leadership to this county party that will help ensure victory in future elections.
My fellow Republicans, you know my values. I told you the current convention system was a cancer. My opponents thought they would defeat us by attacking this position. We defeated them, overwhelmingly. This was a clear mandate. Now is the time to stick together and reform this process. I am counting on your support for victory in 2007.
---------------------------------------------------------------
Adam Puharic, Chairman
Monmouth County Republican Party
http://www.MonmouthRepublican.org
info@MonmouthRepublican.org
732.431.6664

It's Time for Lincoln Day!

01/05/2007

Dear Fellow Republican:
The 44th Annual Lincoln Day Reception will be held on Monday, February 19, 2007 at Addison Park (formerly The Garden Manor), Route 35, Aberdeen. We hope you will attend and be part of the excitement!
Our cocktail hour starts at 6 pm with three hours of butler hors d’oeuvres and serving stations. The program will start at 7 pm featuring our exciting guest speakers and candidates. Tickets are $45 per person and may be obtained using the order form below. This is the largest gathering of its kind in the State. Please join all of your elected officials and candidates for a night of good food, fellowship and fun! As in past years, a Souvenir Program Journal will be published. We need your help and greatly appreciate your continued support of this very important effort. Please follow up on your previous years’ ads and solicit new ones as well. Remind supporters that over 600 people attend this event and will see their advertisement. A 2007 Souvenir Program Journal form is enclosed.
Why not consider a Municipal Page, highlighting your 2006 local winners, your county committee or club? The success of this event depends on your support. Be part of the new energy we are experiencing in the Monmouth County Republican Party.
With best wishes for a happy, healthy and prosperous New Year!

ADVERTISING RATES
FULL PAGE AND RESERVED TABLE OF TEN TICKETS . . . . $600
GOLD PAGE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $300
FULL PAGE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $200
HALF PAGE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $110
QUARTER PAGE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $60
PATRON (One line name and address) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $25

DEADLINE FOR ADS TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 2, 2007
Please make your check payable to:
“MCRC”
P.O. Box 808 • Freehold, NJ 07728
Telephone (732) 431-6664 • Fax (732) 431-6619
Sponsorships Available: Bar $1000 (6); Music $1000; Entertainment $1000(Call For Additional Information)
---------------------------------------------------------------
Adam Puharic, Chairman
Monmouth County Republican Party
http://www.MonmouthRepublican.org
info@MonmouthRepublican.org
732.431.6664