PART III

Democratic Chairman Potter Is Teamster Political Action Committee Officer

Teamsters File Registration Statement For “Voters For Responsible Government”, Committee Pushing Smear Fliers For Speirs Campaign Against Mayor Russo

Speirs Describes As “Twisted Scheme” Last Minute Campaign Of Negative Fliers And Telephone Calls To Thousands Of Dover Township Republican Voters  Attacking Russo And Supporting Speirs

Speirs Says He Had “Nothing To Do With With The Creation, Promotion, Or Distribution” Of The Mail And “Strongly Condemns Such Negative Political Tactics”; But Says “It Is Up To The Voters To Determine For Themselves Whether He (Mayor Russo) Is Or Is Not The Devil”

Dover Township: Two Ocean County residents and one resident of Atlantic County have filed a registration statement with the New Jersey Election Law Enforcement Commission for “Voters For Responsible Government”, the committee sending negative fliers and sponsoring thousands of telephone calls in an effort to defeat Mayor John Russo in his campaign to win the Republican nomination for Mayor of Dover Township.

Two of the organizers, Jack Curran, a resident of Brick, and Todd Thompson, a resident of Ventnor in Atlantic County, are associated with the International Brotherhood of Teamsters.

Curran gives his occupation as “truck driver” and Thompson describes himself as a “staff” member of the Teamsters in Washington, DC.

The third organizer, and the only resident of Toms River, is Edward Myers, who says he is retired and gives his address as 1984 Mt. Carmel Boulevard.

Democratic County Chairman Potter A Long Time Teamster Official

Democratic County Chairman Fred Potter is a long time Teamster official and an officer in the state Teamsters Political Action Committee, where he has been the state treasurer.

48 Hour Disclosures Not Filed

The three fliers mailed to GOP voters in Toms River, and the telephone drive may have cost as much as $16,000 or more, but no 48 hour disclosure forms have been filed with the state election commission.

If expenditures over $800 have been made, or contributions of more than $800 have been made in behalf of a committee or a candidate within 11 days of any election, a disclosure of the transaction must be made within 48 hours.

Speirs Says He Was Referring To Fliers He Ran On His Computer

Speirs appeared to acknowledge a connection with the negative campaign fliers last Friday, saying “we’re  inundating the town with them”.

But after failing to return telephone calls for 36 hours over the weekend, he said yesterday that the fliers he was referring to were printed on his home computer and circulated by him. “I don’t have the money for direct mailings”, he added today in a prepared statement.

“Nothing To Do With With The Creation, Promotion, Or

Distribution” Of The Negative Mail

Speirs said he had “nothing to do with with the creation, promotion, or distribution” of the mail and “strongly condemns such negative political tactics”, but says “it is up to the voters to determine for themselves whether he (Mayor Russo) is or is not the devil”

Some of the fliers refer to Russo as “the devil” and one of the photos has been doctored to include satanic horns attached to Russo's temples.

Horned Photos Reminiscent Of Moriarty WebSite Ploy

The horned photos are reminiscent of a ploy used by local Democratic boss “Doctor” Jack Moriarty in a WebSite he used to attack Russo earlier this year.

Furey’s Poll, Six Months Old, Is Trotted Out  Just Before GOP Primary

The release of a six month old poll by Democratic Mayoralty candidate John Furey on Friday appeared to coincide with the Teamsters mail campaign. Furey said the “poll” showed Russo Jr. left the Democratic party because he (Furey) would have beaten Russo by 15 points in a Democratic primary election..

Who Dunnit Part IV will include more on these issues and the results of Tuesday’s primary election.. Click here for Part I and Click here for Part II of Who Dunnit?

June 2, 2003

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