CamCo GOP Chairman Battle: Alterman vs. Tom Booth…and Chris Christie?

While there could still be some nominations on the floor, it seems that the lines are clearly drawn for the CCGOP’s upcoming Chairman’s election. Attorney and former Voorhees Township Committee candidate Tom Booth and Cherry Hill attorney Stuart Alterman will be squaring off for what is arguably the most thankless job in all of New Jersey politics. Our friend Jane Roh at the Courier Post has been following the events that led up to this races closesly and put out a comprehensive post on her blog yesterday that you should check out.

The most recent news in this debacle is most interesting to me. It seems that Alterman is taking issue with the procedure, which he characterizes as “unfair,” taken by the CCGOP in the lead up to the vote that will happen tomorrow night. In fact, he is not just shooting our press releases or making statements, but has actually elected to file a complaint in the Superior Court of New Jersey seeking an injunction to delay the vote to a later date. His 50 page complaint reportedly focuses on a lack of cooperation from CCGOP members and inadequate notice of the upcoming county meeting, which was given 7 days prior to said meeting (this I can confirm, because I got the email and the letter from interim Chairwoman Lovett).

In addition to the lawsuit, Alterman has also decided to take an interesting tact with his campaign for the top spot in the CCGOP. He seems to be making statements not against Booth, but Governor Christie. Jane Roh offered several statments by Alterman in her piece,

Alterman is not shy about criticizing the most adored Republican figure in the state, Gov. Chris Christie, in his work with the unions.

“Democrats and Republicans alike are engaged in what I would call activities to either limit or curtail collective bargaining,” he said. “I don’t think it’s a party-line thing.

“What Christie’s been doing is coming after unions because the leadership of the teachers wouldn’t deal with him.”

Asked if his critique of Christie’s attitude toward unions didn’t put him at odds with his own party, Alterman said, “I am critical of that philosophy and I think it’s wrong.”

But, he added, “The Democratic Freeholder Board and what they’re doing now in reference to public safety is also wrong.”

Alterman blasted Christie and Camden Democrats for exaggerating the dollar value of fringe benefits in police contracts and called the regional police proposal “horrendous.”

“In other areas of the country where they’ve consolidated police they’re having coverage and safety problems. It’s a failed experiment,” he said. “Consolidation in this particular climate is a gimmick.

“Unions have offered and continued to offer concessions in order to avoid layoffs, and they have been continually and unreasonably rejected by town governments.”

As usual Save Jerseyans, I will give a full disclosure. I had the pleasure of meeting Stu Alterman for the first time earlier this year at a Gloucester County event, and then again at the Camden County Lincoln Day Dinner. I like Stu, and the fact that he is an attorney for the Police Benevolent Association in Camden County did not bother me in the least. I agree with him that being an attorney and representing a union as a client does not preclude anyone from being a good Republican. However, my advice to Stu is this: when running to be the head of a political organization, do not do so by attacking the most popular and powerful figure that party has in the state!

If Alterman is able to pull this election off, he will assume his position immediately at odds with the Christie Administration, and that is never a good way to be, especially in a county like Camden where the GOP needs all of the help it can get. I understand that Stu also took shots at the Democrats in his statement, but that is not how this works. He is running for Chairman of the Camden County Republican Party, not to be head of a union! He needs to win over the CCGOP members, a constituency who is largely enamored with Chris Christie. Stu thinks that Christie’s philosophy is wrong for New Jersey and for Republicans. That is his opinion, and that is fine. But as far as I am concerned, it is not fine for a county chairman to hold that view.

Reforming the state’s relationship with public employee unions is one of the cornerstones of Governor Christie’s agenda. If Alterman is against this all important tenant of Republican policy, can we even be certain that he would want to support the Governor and give him the county line in his bid for reelection? This is a question I honestly cannot answer at this time, and that uncertainty is what really worries me. I hope to get an answer Wednesday night at the CCGOP meeting.

Further, while representing the PBA does not mean Stu cannot be a good Republican, it does do immense damage to his ability to deal with candidates locally. Could you imagine being a possible candidate for Mayor or Council in a Camden municipality, sitting down with CCGOP Chairman Alterman hashing out a campaign plan, knowing in the back of your mind that if you are elected there is a chance that this man in front of you, who is supposed to be your leader and friend, may end up taking you and your town to court if there is a dispute with the police union sometime down the road?

Late last night I received an unconfirmed report that Judge Orlando has set a 3:00PM hearing tomorrow to rule on Alterman’s complaint. If he grants the injunction, then the CCGOP election will be postponed. When I hear anything more, Save Jerseyans, you will be the first to know.

 

Brian McGovern
About Brian McGovern 748 Articles
Brian McGovern wears many hats these days including Voorhees Township GOP Municipal Chairman, South Jersey attorney, and co-owner of the Republican campaign consulting firm Exit 3 Strategies, Inc.