OCP Associate Editor Joseph Haelig Responds To Wacky Speirs Letter And One More CyberThreat From STR  Cyber CreepSite Perp, Former Councilman Marshall

Speirs The Younger, Speaking From La-La Land, Says Editor-In-Chief Rich Schiff Launched Pornography Charges Against Himself And DMUA Commissioner Robert Haelig, Who Doesn't Even Own A Pornograph

Toms River - OceanCountyPolitics Associate Editor Joseph E. Haelig has responded to charges that OCP Editor-In-Chief Richard Shiff was responsible for calling himself a "pornographer" in the anonymous "watchdog" letters received a month ago by hundreds of Dover Township residents.

The charges, which were lodged in a letter to the editor printed in the Ocean County Observer, were made by Leland Spiers Jr., son of former GOP mayoral candidate Van Speirs.

Spiers' Letter Accuses Schiff Of Picking On Himself

Speirs' letter accuses Shiff of being the author of the "watchdog" letters, and the "mastermind" behind the primary election smear campaign against Spiers' father during the elder Spiers' campaign for the Mayor of Dover Township. 

The anonymous "Watchdog" flier maligned Haelig's father,  long time DMUA commissioner Robert K. Haelig Jr., calling him a Republican “pariah” and repeated false accusations of “pornography promotion” circulated by South Toms River Sewer Commissioner Steve Marshall and former Beachwood Councilman Robert DiBella against Schiff.

Speirs Was, Himself, Victim Of A Smear

During the 2003 primary campaign, Leland "Van" Spiers Sr. was the victim of a similar smear campaign, which Joseph Haelig referred to in his letter answering the younger Speirs.

"I am having a hard time believing someone whose father was a victim of dirty politics as a candidate in the 2003 primary election would, himself, write a letter full of lies", Haelig said.

Another Threat From STR CreepSite Operator

Just prior to the circulation  of the "watchdog" letters, Joseph Haelig received a threat from Marshall via AOL.

"You Have Until Jan 1st To Remove all reference to Me on OCP or you will suffer the legal and civil consequences this is your last warning," the Marshall threat demanded.

Marshall's CyberThreat Preceded Watchdog Letters

The first "watchdog" letter was delivered in the mailboxes of hundreds of Dover Township residents less than a week after Marshall's AOL Cyber Threat. The second letter came a few days after the first one.

Joseph Haelig's letter, which responded to Spiers' charges, appeared in the Observer earlier this week, and is reprinted here in its full context:

Associate Editor Haelig's Letter

To Editor:

I read with great interest a letter printed in the Ocean County Observer's Readers' Viewpoint section, "Watchdog" letters seem suspicious to reader, Tuesday, January 6, 2004.

The letter written by Leland Speirs Jr. tries to blame Robert K. Haelig Jr. and Richard Shiff for a recent smear campaign against Schiff and Haelig.

The smear campaign, which coincided with a threat received by me via AOL, was a failed attempt in two anonymous letters to attack Haelig's and Schiff's character.

More Functional As A Liner For The Cat's Litter Box?

Under normal circumstances, Mr. Speirs' letter would be a joke and more functional as a liner for my cat's litter box. 

But, I am having a hard time believing someone whose father was a victim of dirty politics as a candidate in the 2003 primary election would, himself, write a letter full of lies.

Speirs Family Knows Who Was Responsible

The Speirs family knows who was responsible for the tactics employed by the Democratic Party, on the local, county and state level, in an attempt to discredit former Mayor John Russo through fake support for Republican primary candidate Leland Speirs Sr.

Election law disclosures pointed the finger right at the guilty parties: Ocean County Democratic Chairman Fred Potter, "Doctor" John Moriarty and unreported $399 smear fund contributor Steve Secare.

Therefore, I can't understand why Leland Speirs Jr. would blame Richard Schiff and Robert Haelig for the bogus attack connected with his father's primary campaign.

This Haelig knows who was responsible for the "Watchdog" letters.

The letters, which were received not only by "some Republicans" as Mr. Speirs Jr. would like the readers of the Observer to believe, but were also sent to Democrats, Independents, friends, neighbors and members of Haelig's and Shiff's families.

 "Cowardly And Vicious Attack" On Schiff And Robert Haelig

In an anonymous, cowardly and vicious attack on Richard Schiff and Robert Haelig, the writers and senders of the "Watchdog" letters tried to discredit two of Ocean County's most forthright and outspoken political figures.

They failed.

No Guts - No Glory

The cowards who sent these letters, which were full of the most trenchant lies, did not even have the guts to sign their names.

The perpetrators of the "Watchdog" letters were so afraid of being caught they would not even use the Toms River Post Office, choosing instead to use the Eatontown, Monmouth Junction and Spring Lake Heights Post Offices.

Schiff And Haelig Are "Always Right Out Front"

On the other hand, when Shiff and Haelig have problems with the political process in Ocean County, each of them is right out front in their commentary on the issues.

 Instead of blaming obviously innocent people for the failures of his father's 2003 primary fiasco, Leland Speirs Jr. should do a little research.

Look At Election Law Disclosures

He should start by looking at the election law disclosures from the 2003 primary, and then he should write another letter with his facts straight. I look forward to seeing the corrections.

Joseph E. Haelig

If anything further develops on these issues, we'll be right there in the fullness of time with all the details on OceanCountyPolitics.

Click Here to access Post election Garbage - Smear Flier Part Two

Click Here to access Post Election Garbage - Smear Flier Part One.

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