Pay-to-play reform leader Frank Kenny responded to a personal attack by Dover Council President Gregory McGuckin with a prepared statement delivered at Tuesday night's township council meeting.

McGuckin Has Numerous No-Bid Contracts

McGuckin, a lawyer with numerous no-bid public agency contracts, had charged that a lawsuit filed by Kenny and five township residents seeking to set aside a pay-to-play ordinance adopted recently by the Dover Township Council was "all about Frank Kenny's ego" and not about pay-to-play.

McGuckin Is A Major Part Of The Problem

Kenny said "it requires real arrogance for Mr. McGuckin to appoint himself the spokesman for pay-to-play reform in a situation where he is a major part of the problem."

Exerpts from Frank Kenny's statement follow:

"I’d like to make reference to the O.C. Observer and Asbury Park Press articles on our lawsuit to compel the adoption of a competent pay-to-play control ordinance in Dover Township.

Democratic Mayor & GOP Council "Devious On Ethics"

"It should be understood that our original program was launched before we had a full and complete understanding of how devious the Democratic Mayor and Republican Council are on ethics issues in the local government.

Betray Accountability And Full Disclosure Principles

"Their group effort to betray reasonable principles of accountability, transparency and full disclosure are an insult to every Dover Township taxpayer.

"The so-called “full disclosure” ordinance that was adopted by the Township Council was really a basic non-disclosure ordinance that included loopholes for 98% of the public officials and potential applicants who might be involved in the land use process.

"And, don’t forget, this same bogus “full disclosure” ordinance was vetoed by the mayor because the mayor didn’t want any disclosure at all.

McGuckin Comments "Disingenuous"
Kenny Group May Cite McGuckin For Conflicts

"In the context of these abuses by the new government, the comments by Council President McGuckin regarding our lawsuit are both disingenuous and self serving.

"We are thinking about asking a judge to cite Mr. McGuckin for a serious ongoing conflict-of-interest connected with receiving and dispensing campaign funds in Ocean County, and ordering him to make a full public disclosure of all of his connections.

McGuckin Never Made Disclosure On His Partner's Operation Of Huge Pay-To-Play Slush Fund

"Mr. McGuckin has never made a disclosure of his connections with millions of dollars in Republican campaign funding.

"Furthermore, Mr. McGuckin has never disclosed his connection to the largest pay-to-play slush fund in Ocean County, the one operated by his law partner Jerry Dasti, who just happens to be the chairman of the Ocean County Republican Finance Committee.

McGuckin And His Bloated Bank Account

"He says the controversy is “about Frank Kenny and his ego,” but the facts say clearly that it’s a whole lot more about pay-to-play attorney McGuckin and his bloated bank account.

"Mr. McGuckin, a lawyer in one of the largest pay-to-play, no-bid law firms in South Jersey, was withholding important information about his financial and professional interests even when he was a candidate promising to reduce spending and hold the line on taxes.

McGuckin's Campaign Fliers
Didn't Even Admit He's A Lawyer

“I want to put my extensive local government experience to work for Dover Township,” Mr. McGuckin said in his campaign fliers, but he never bothered to mention that he is a lawyer, and that his “extensive local government experience” was as the recipient of numerous no-bid legal service contracts at taxpayers expense.

"The damage to Dover Township from Mr. McGuckin and Mayor Brush and their campaign to bury our community under a dirt pile of broken campaign promises, ethical disasters, record spending increases and higher taxes, is appalling.

Too Many McGuckin Financial Entanglements

"Mr. McGuckin has too many financial entanglements and too many pay-to-play connections. At the very least, he should make a complete public disclosure of his interests, and distance himself from the appearance of influence peddling on pay-to-play, full disclosure and transparency issues we know the public wants us to address in the most forthright way possible.

Smug Council Should Address Full Disclosure

"In my judgement, the Council should not address pay-to-play issues without also addressing the accountability and full disclosure issues they have so smugly avoided and dismissed during the first year of the new government for which we once had so much hope."