July's BaconHead of Da Month - "Alliance" Style

Da All New & Improved BaconHead of da Month Award for da month of July was an absolute slam-dunk. Da TruthTellers were unanimous on this one, with good reason.

This month saw da end of da 4 year old "Alliance" between current and former Manalapan Mayor Andy Boy and former Mayor Da Queen and their handlers. Born out of da need to keep power within a certain small group, da always "alleged" alliance allowed da Queen and Andy Boy to be mayor in 3 of those 4 years, and allowed both to try to achieve higher office, however with both of their campaigns failing miserably in defeat.

There are those who knew of da alliance and would not admit to its being. There are those who knew of it yet turned a blind eye to it. There are also those who did well within it. And, there are also those who blogged about it, such as daTruthSquad, and received much rebuke, and even da famous 2007 First Amendment Lawsuit from those who were a part of it.

It ended, as we see it, because one side saw a distinct window of advantage and as the old phrase goes, "Absolute power corrupts absolutely," decided to go for broke and make a run at complete political party dominance in Manalapan, while the other side was either blinded by power, or just simply didn't see da Pearl Harbor job coming their way, executed flawlessly by Team Andy Boy.

Which leads us to da coveted BaconHead Award.

Da end of da Alliance has left Team Da Queen in tatters. Her supporting cast at da so-called "Hate" website are all either on vacation, having a longer-than-expected lunch get-together, or are simply just too stunned beyond words to even discuss what has happened. For da first time since 2004, da Queen is now on da outside looking in, and has come to discover that she now has a lot less friends in Manalapan Town Hall on da Township Committee that she can truly stand beside. Her political party and their "Capo di Tutti Capi" are staring at da potential of having a united and all-of-one-mind 3 person majority if da GOP'ers win in November, and a possible 5-person super majority by 2012. And, one has to wonder how da Capo allowed himself to have da wool pulled over his eyes on this one?

Well, like da old phrase, "In for a penny, in for a Pound," da Queen and her court went all-in with this alliance, and in da end, she got steamrolled by it.

One has to admit while it lasted, it both gave a certain few nearly absolute power to do what they pleased in political circles, but also at a cost dragged da town of Manalapan through some very deep and thick mud that people have not forgotten.

Republican power in Manalapan seems to have shifted from da Manalapan GOP'ers club to da old-guard Yorktowne Club. Da Queen's supporters all seem to be on da same fishing boat somewhere off da coast, because they are nowhere to be found, and their faces have yet to be found on any milk cartons.

And, with lawsuits of da retaliatory type filed by da Mosked Man against da town for what da Manalapan Legal Dream Team tried and failed miserably to do to him, coupled with da now-infamous "Lady-Gate" situation with highly decorated Manalapan Police Chief Stu Brown who has filed a defamation case of his own against da Queen and da Township, it seems da Queen will get taxpayer-funded no-limit legal support, but that may be all da support she will be getting.

It seems her desire to stand up against a town budget she didn't believe in was da lynchpin (There's that name "Lynch" again) that allowed da GOP'ers to sever da alliance and caught da Queen - and especially her handlers whose job it is to watch her back - completely off guard.

Now, da Queen's Capo di Tutti Capi, da Boss of All Bosses Gerry "One Bourbon, One Shot and One Beer" Ward will lead his own Manalapan Democratic Party into an election with candidates who have as much name recognition as a "Smith" in da New York City phone directory. Da capo and da Queen now faces a Manalapan Republican party that is probably more dominant that they have been in da last 15-20 years that we can remember, ever since da days of a town overseen by Jimmy Gray. And, da Queen's "Information Superhighway" has been left at da side of da highway, with no friendly ear at da Snoozepaper anymore to depend upon.

Now, this is not to say that da Queen of Manalapan isn't someone who you should just step on and laugh it. To be fair, one has to remember that while a much larger former Manalapan mayor is quite known for carry around a shovel, it is da Queen who knows where many political "bodies are buried." Da question is - will she start telling people about those bodies? And, are there real stories to tell?

For now, however, her political situation has left her with not too many friends, an uncertain future in Manalapan politics, and with a devastating loss in last year's New Jersey State Assembly to carry around with her like an albatross, her overall political future is in doubt too.

Now, while she must bear some of da fault here, you have to seriously question where da Capo of da Manalapan Democrats was when da alliance began to crumble? Da ending of da alliance was clearly not a split second decision. It was in da opinion of some planned over time, and he was obviously on that fishing boat when da plans were made because he never saw it coming.

Unfortunately for da Queen, while da Capo has no egg on his face, da Queen is da one left wearing da hat of shame as da public face of humiliation. And, while there were some who believed da Queen should be da next recipient of da coveted BaconHead Award, it's clear she is da victim here of someone else's failures.

Therefore, to be fair, we cannot give da coveted BaconHead Award to someone who was clearly a victim of not having her back watched. We at daTruthSquad must give da BaconHead to da person who not only dropped da ball, but kicked it down da sewer and fiddled while da Queen was left to be da scapegoat.

So, for being completely played da fool by his opposition party and being unbelievably naive enough for allowing da alliance to fall to pieces and placing your own political group in da potential position of being completely swept out of office within da next 17 months, and for allowing da Queen of Manalapan to twist in da wind as da face of da now-failed alliance, our choice for BaconHead of da Month is as clear as an empty bottle of "Jack Daniels."

For da month of July, daTruithSquad's BaconHead Award is bestowed on none other than Manalapan's Democratic Party Boss -- da Capo di Tutti Capi, da Boss of All Bosses Gerry "One Bourbon, One Shot and One Beer" Ward!

Da Animal Guy Loses in Court - Again

It was a case you didn't read about in da newspapers but you did see it in blogs, and daTruthSquad also read about it in da law journals. Manalapan decided to fire a guy in its employ named Mark Solinski. He was an animal control guy, and spent 23+ years of his life dealing with everything from deer to critters to roaches and rats and everything in between. He was fired, just over a year before his 25-year pension and medical-benefits-for-life would kick in.

Some said his firing was unjust. Some says some members of da Manalapan government had it in for him. Others had no opinion, however Mr. Solinski did have an opinion and didn't think it was OK.

Recently, his argument was heard by a judge, who followed previous precedents and current case law and rendered a judgment siding with Manalapan - meaning Yes - a lawyer under da employ of Manalapan actually won a case in court!! Even more recent, his case brought forward by da Superior Court of New Jersey, Appellate Division. Using daTruthSquad's handy-dandy legal database, you can now know what really happened to da animal guy in court that you won't read anywhere else.

First, when it comes to da legal process, any qualified lawwyer who truly knows how to represent their client will tell you that you must look not at da person, but how da person in this case is deemed by da court. Solinski was what is classified as an "at-will employee," meaning in layman's terms he was not protected by civil service rules, statutory tenure, collective bargaining, personal services contract or a contractual obligation, and he was not a member of any union or labor group. In effect, he was no different from da per-diem dishwasher at a fast food eatery. From a legal standpoint, that obviously didn't help him much.

Second, da township, led by Tara Tiara, held a hearing before lowering da boom on da animal guy. According to da case history in da legal database, they charged that he used a township vehicle for his personal use "for several days," and transported gasoline containers in that vehicle after being told not to. He also apparently violated his bosses orders concerning interactions with residents about, of all things, the spaying or neutering of feral cats. Saying he violated several policies and work rules, and he was apparently suspended for one day in 2007 for something he allegedly did (unlike in da case with Chief Brown where his rights were vigorously fought for by his highly qualified attorney), they decided to neuter da animal guy's job.

Now, to be fair, da town wasn't exactly handling things perfectly, a point supported by da facts in da case and strong legal precedent that da judge had no choice but to agree with. At one point, da animal guy was suspended for almost two weeks without pay. That was a big no-no, because, as it was determined by legal authority, he was suspended without pay pending his departmental hearing a couple of weeks without being given formal approval of the Manalapan Township Committee. Because da Township didn't follow proper protocol in this matter, they had to give him his back pay.

However, that matter didn't really help his case. Da original judge put together a 48-page decision, and found for Manalapan and against da animal guy.

Then came da appeal.

Da Appellate Division heard da case, and da judges decided on da following:

When a public employee such as, in this case, da animal guy is unprotected by Civil Service or by any statutory tenure, contractual commitment or collective negotiations --- "the employer (Township of Manalapan) has the right to discharge such employee with or without cause (as da decision read)." A similar case that has some merit to this would be Grexa v. State Department of Human Services, case law that da judges in da Solinski appellate case could not ignore.

Accordingly, da judges decided simply put that da town has da right to fire anyone, unless it is proven to be arbitrary and capricious. There was case law in New Jersey that backed up this claim made by da Manalapan lawyers, which could have also included Bryant v. City of Atlantic City.

When da dust cleared, da judges believed da town had da right to fire da animal guy, writing "given the series of written reprimands, supervisory directives, and lesser disciplinary sanctions ..... Plaintiff's transgressions in continuing to deviate from the clear policies of his employer were adequately proven."

So, in da end, da animal guy's lawyer could do nothing to block out those alleged "transgressions" in his record of service to da Township, da animal guy's job was neutered, and he will not get his 25-year pension and benefits for life.

DaTruth is, in this case, it appears there were many things that were never released to da public, such as da number of "transgressions" and accordingly, da level of these transgressions. Whether da "transgressions" in this case were bad or not was up to da judges, and in this case da animal guy's lawyer couldn't cite case law to da arbitrary nor prove any persecution or harmful work environment complaints against da township (in effect, not enough of a paper trail). While in this case you can't blame da lawyer, all you can say is when you do have a job, you should make sure you know what your responsibilities are and follow da letter of da law - and maybe keep your own paper trail in case you need it someday for what you may consider malicious prosecution.

We at daTruthSquad wish da animal guy well in his future endeavors.

As for da town of Manalapan, there are other lawsuits they are currently facing. One is Chief Brown's defamation lawsuit against Manalapan over that whole "Lady" thing, and da other is "Da Mosked Man vs Manalapan Township." They will be worth watching - and you know we will have a front row seat for both of these cases!

Also worth watching is what happens next in Manalapan's newest soap opera, "As Da Alliance Turns." It stars da Queen, as "Da Spurned One." Her character was kicked unceremoniously to da curb by "Andy Boy," da town mayor who "Pearl Harbored" da alliance and purpotrated da Queenly kicking. This show also stars "Benedict Arnold," a guy who claimed to be a member of one party but helped da other to win at least one election who also doubles as a powerful political party broker, along with da little township party brokers "Iron Girth" and "Da Capo di Tutti Capi."

In da last episode, da Queen was kicked to da curb when da alliance she had shared, along with da township power, was torn apart without her knowledge or da knowledge of any member of her "Cadre" and she was tossed out like yesterday's garbage. How will she respond? Will she stand up to da new and more powerful Andy Boy? Will she meekly stand by for da next 17 months and live with da insults and actions she may not like and be treated da way she and other treated Mr. Anthony Gennaro? Or, will da Queen go on da offensive and try to derail Andy Boy's election campaign for more power?

Stay tuned, TruthTellers, because we'll have a lot more about what will be happening next in da new Manalapan soap opera, "As Da Alliance Turns."

And that's daTruth.

More Details Emerge About Da Death of Da Alliance

This may have been da biggest thing to happen in Manalapan politics since da Manalapan Township Committee voted to approve of da filing of da lawsuit against da Mosked Man - and also daTruthSquad to remove da First Amendment, and then claimed that it was da lawyers who did everything.

Da Manalapan Township Committee voted 4-1 to approve da township budget - but that was not da big story.

Da really huge story was da destruction of da non-written-but-everybody-knew-about alliance between certain Republicans and Democrats, specifically, between da Queen and alleged Manalapan/and or Freehold resident and alleged Republican/and or Democrat Andy Boy. We all know now we can remove da "alleged" from da "Republican/and or Democrat." He's a GOP'er, and he slammed da door right in da Queen's face on his way out.

Da Queen was publicly embarassed and even betrayed in da newspapers by Mayor Andy Boy, who manipulated da budget and using da money saved when he slashed da local school budget, cut his own plan to raise taxes and equalled out da tax increase to become a flat increase with da help of da township surplus - a move that even on former mayor called a "flim-flam" budget. It may have cost da jobs of a bunch of teachers, and furloughs for lower-paid town workers, but in da process, and much to da surprise of da Cadre and da Queen, he slammed da Queen for coming out and calling his budget "reckless" among other things.

Da Question is - was this budget da straw that broke da GOP'ers back with da Queen, or was this what da GOP leadership was looking for all along to sever their alliance?

From a historic standpoint, da alliance was born between da Queen and her backers and Andy Boy and his backers had one singular focal point - - da Mosked Man. Both camps shared a common hatred of da Mosked Man - da Democrats because he stood up against corruption and other issues that Manalapan Democrats would have rathered not discuss, while da GOP'ers turned their backs on him because they felt he was gaining too much influence after he helped Andy Boy win his 2004 election. Also, there was a certain Ginfluential OP'er who hated da Mosked Man, and it has been told to daTruthSquad that this one person was an important reason da GOP'ers lost their election in 2005 and 2006 when he publicly turned his back on his own party and sided with da Queen.

It was their combined hatred of da Mosked Man that led to da "Township of Manalapan vs Da Mosked Man" lawsuit, that then morphed into da daTruthSquad First Amendment case that gained Manalapan worldwide scorn and rebuke.

When Manalapan Township - after 25 months of persecution in da local newspapers and a certain so-called "Hate" website, suddenly dropped da case against da Mosked man because it seemed to lack one simple little thing that many cases need to succeed - EVIDENCE - da Mosked man returned da favor, filing a lawsuit against da township, but specifically named both Andy Boy and da Queen as DEFENDANTS!

And note - despite pinning it on da lawyers --- da township has not as of this time filed any LEGAL MALPRACTICE lawsuits against nay of da lawyers who were part of da Manalapan Legal Dream Team!

It didn't end there. Da Queen then claimed that highly decorated and respected Manalapan Police Chief Stu Brown disrespected her by calling her a "Lady" (that's not a typo), which spawned a case against Brown, which in turn spawned a lawsuit against Manalapan with da Queen named as a DEFENDANT. This, of course, dragged Andy Boy and da GOP'ers directly into it, and while real Republican Susan Cohen publicly disputed what da Queen was saying about da events, Andy Boy was silent.

Da question is - what really happened - and what will happen next? We polled da TruthTellers, and here's what we uncovered:

How did da "Alliance" really break down?

DaTruth is, it appears this entire situation was not something that was decided at da last second. From what we are hearing, it is quite likely this was a coordinated effort by alliance members of da GOP to fracture and end da alliance, and it hinged on da need to find a topic that could split da Queen and Andy Boy. This year's budget apparently was da dealbreaker, since history shows us that two successive tax cuts combined with two successive years of heavily using budget surplus to make them work leaves a budget in da 3rd year that could be very ugly. Add to that one of da worst business ratable rates in da entire state, and building of homes in Manalapan slowing to a trickle, and it looks like whoever is running for election in 2011 could be heading into a buzzsaw of unhappy voters - da year da Queen is up for reelection.

Think about this - if major cuts need to be made next year doe to a "cap" on taxes, how will voters feel if there are major infrastructure cuts in town, including trash and other things da residents sometimes take for granted. Voters would want to take out their frustrations hypothetically on da incumbents, which, by da way, will be da Queen next year - something not unknown to d Manalapan GOP'ers.

From what daTruthSquad has been able to uncover with da help of all of our TruthTellers, in what can be called a "Pearl Harbor" maneuver, da alliance was severed by Andy Boy's side, and apparently with no warning to da Queen or her backers that it was coming. Rumors have surfaced that da alliance was originally one of convenience and power sharing between da Queen and Andy Boy, and considering both became mayors and got their pictures on da Town Hall Wall of Shame, they got what they wanted. However, it appears that da whole "Chief Brown" affair with da Queen turned off some of da GOP backers of da alliance.

However, it appears with da Village about to be started thanks to Route 33 access, something both sides fought against, with that now over, to da GOP it didn't leave much for da Queen to hold up. You can theorize that they didn't need her anymore, and they decided to leave her at da side of da curb like last night's garbage.

And, they looked at da upcoming political elections. If Andy Boy and his Yorktowne Club running mate win, then with Ryan Green you will have a majority of da Township Committee on da same side with no inner rumblings - something that hasn't happened since da 1990's! It will also leave them one election away from a 5-0 super-majority -- if they defeat da Queen and her running mate in 2011. You could say da busting of da alliance now is also about political power - and who has it.

However, they also needed a valid reason to make it appear there was never an alliance at all. That's where this year's budget comes in.

Da budget approved and designed by Andy Boy was crafted in a way that it appears da Queen would not be too happy with. A $$$$$$ of $$$$$$$ from da surplus was used, just like it was a year ago, and apparently da Queen was not happy with that. Da queen wanted more givebacks, knowing full well next year's budget could be a disaster without it - and she was spurned. She also wanted more education cuts, and was also told NO. It appears that many things she wanted for da budget was turned aside by Andy Boy & Ryan Green, and approved by their handlers. This left da Queen in a lerch - does she sit quietly and accept a budget she very much doesn't want, or stand up against it.

If she stood up against it, that would be all Andy Boy would need to sever his ties with da Queen and end their alliance. You could call this a bold and calculated maneuver, and knowing da Queen wouldn't just back down, he put a budget through he knew would force da Queen's hand. She took da bait, and Andy Boy reeled in da alliance like a fisherman pulling in trout. Andy Boy ended da alliance amd sets himself up for election victory in 2010, and da Queen was left with a hook in her mouth dangling at da end of his line.

ISSUE 1: Who Will Stand and Hail da Queen?

Her close core of supporters, much like da Queen's waistline, have actually thinned somewhat. Besides an out of work former coupon clipper alleged "reporter," a guy who once had serious issues with da SEC, a former mayor known for carrying a shovel to meetings, a guy who once said "Because I Hate Italians" during a Manalapan Township Committee meeting, and a well-known Manalapan Republican who is not Mayor Andy Boy, da pickings are somewhat slim. Da Manalapan Democratic Party Chairman either moved to Tibet, or has been as quiet as a mannequin in a department store window. Da regular writers on da so-called "Hate" website are nowhere to be read. And, even her farmer running mate from 18 months ago voted against her on da Manalapan budget. At this point, if you invited all of da Queen's alleged supporters into one room for a meeting, you wouldn't have to spend much on appetizers.

ISSUE 2: How Will da Broken Alliance Affect Da November Election?

More than one TruthTeller has spoken of da political resurgance of da Yorktowne Club. They have two members running as GOP'ers this year - Andy Boy and Jordan "Stu" Maskowitz. This, of course, came after daTruthSquad learned that Manalapan Committeewoman Susan Cohen was told she would not be allowed to run for reelection for her committee seat - something even da Monmouth GOP Chairman apparently could do or would do nothing about, despite a stellar record as a committeewoman, which shows there was no surprise at all that he narrowly kept his Chairmanship this time around. If da GOP'ers in Manalapan win this year, then you will have all three men on da very same page, explicitly following da orders of da very same handlers - a majority that could last for at least 24 months or more without issue - and could lay da foundation for a future 5-0 super-majority in just a year away!

ISSUE 3: How Will da Broken Alliance Affect da Two Big Legal Cases Against Manalapan?

This could become da singular issue, and depending on how it's handled, it could potentially spell da end of da political career of da Queen. Both da "Mosked Man vs Manalapan Township" and "Chief Brown vs Manalapan Township" cases are moving along very slowly, and maybe with good reason. While one case definitely intertwines with Andy Boy, both cases include in one form or another da Queen, and da "discovery process" may be something that some politicians and their handlers will want to not have happen, for it could be deemed "embarrassing" if some information is found to be accurate.

Da issue here, is how will da town politicians proceed? If da township committee decides to vote to settle or end one of these lawsuits, all it would take is a 3-person majority. Andy Boy, Ryan Green and "Stu" Maskowitz equals 3. They could vote to end da Chief Brown lawsuit, settle it, and even say it was da fault of da Queen and da Queen, much like those committeepeople slapped with a worthless "censure" would have absolutely no say about it. Da settlement could even potentially or possibly include a censure, depending on da language of da agreement and again da Queen potentially could have no say in that matter.

With a united GOP, and everyone working on da very same "grey" page, da Queen's tenure on da Manalapan Township Committee could be ugly to say da least.

And, you can add to this da whole Village fiasco. Da Queen, and a certain GOP'er power broker were very much against it slowed da process down to a crawl and saying NO to da much-needed Route 33 access. Now that da Manalapan Township Committee is backing it - including da Queen who was once adamantly against it - how will those who once believed her and helped her to win two elections feel about her promises now?

From what we are hearing from within da confines of da Cadre, they were completely blindsided when those who helped forge da alliance to keep both of their politicians in power suddenly and without warning pulled da rug from da Queen and da Capo di Tutti Capi. At this time, we have heard rumblings from TruthTellers within da Manalapan GOP that da "former" GOP'er alliance members have been given da cold shoulder by da Queen and her backers, but that cannot be 100% verified. We do know there are some within da Democats side of da alliance that still believe da alliance is strong and long-lasting. Whatever they are smoking to believe that, it should be checked to see if it is illegal.

So, what does this mean for da players involved?

For Andy Boy and his running mate from da Yorktowne Club, it means they will unify da GOP against one common enemy - not da Mosked Man - but da Queen. And for Andy Boy - a lot more power and less dependence on da Queen for his direction.

For da Grand Poobah, he can once again claim he has control of da Manalapan GOP with no Democratic ties.

For da Capo, it means he's in serious trouble for backing an alliance to win an election or two, only to now find himself alone on da island and may quite possibly lead his party to have no seats on da Manalapan Township Committee by January 1, 2012.

For da Queen, it could quite possibly spell da end to her political career, unless she moves to another state and starts over. It was da Queen who was favored in da former "alliance" and she had da upper hand. Now, she may become not only completely irrevalent, but could become da poster child for whatever budget problems come about in 2011. If you are da Queen now, one could suspect you have to size up who your "real" supporters are, and consider your options.

For a certain person who works in Freehold, he keeps his 6-figure county job with da county now in safe GOP hands with no concerns of Democrats taking over and losing his job - this time around.

And of course, if anything can change all of this, it is one very simple observation. What does Andy Boy really know about da Queen? But even more important - what does da Queen know about Andy Boy - and his handlers?????? Will someone be spilling da beans about da other - and what are those beans? Will we find out that da once-rock-solid "alliance" was built on a house of cards? Who has more dirt on da other? Who is willing to expose that dirt?

Yes indeed TruthTellers, if you thought political intrigue was fun before, this should get interesting because, as they say, "There's nothing worse than a woman scorned."

There's more to come - And that's daTruth.