Committeeman denies problems with filings
Former mayor and current committeeman square off in town hall
BY KATHY BARATTA
Staff Writer

MANALAPAN - Township politics past and present clashed at town hall on Jan. 24.

Former Democratic mayor George Spodak addressed the Township Com-mittee and charged that current Repub-lican Committeeman Joseph Locricchio violated state regulations that govern the filing of financial disclosure forms by Political Action Committees (PAC) and individual candidates.

Locricchio said Spodak's "attack" was politically motivated. Noting that Spodak previously challenged his right to sit on the governing body since he (Locricchio) rents his home, Locricchio said Spodak has "made it his mission to try and destroy me."

Referring to a flier signed by Locricchio in which he is listed as chairman for an October 2006 fundraiser called a 12th District Republican Rally, Spodak charged that the required financial paperwork had not been filed with the state by a deadline as required by law.

According to Spodak, that deadline was Jan. 16, an assertion later confirmed by an Election Law Enforcement Com-mission (ELEC) staffer.

Spodak told the members of the committee he had been in contact with ELEC and had been informed there was no filing by Locricchio made for the October 2006 rally, which the flier referred to as the second such annual event, nor he said, was there one made by the PAC for the first event held in 2005.

Spodak handed paperwork to the members of the governing body, with the exception of Locricchio, that detailed the October filing of the 12th District Republican Rally as a PAC with the stated intent to raise $50,000 in the next year to be used for the "election of legislative leaders," as well as paperwork detailing Locricchio's filing as a candidate for state Assembly.

According to Spodak, the necessary follow-up paperwork that showed how the money had been spent for both the PAC and for Locricchio individually had not been filed.

Locricchio later confirmed the filings to a reporter, but said he has abandoned his plan to run for the Assembly and had raised no money toward that effort.

Spodak said he was asking the governing body to pass a resolution asking the state Attorney General to investigate his allegations of election law impropriety by Locricchio. The members of the governing body accepted the paperwork Spodak handed them without comment and no motion for a resolution was made.

Locricchio had a bitter exchange with Spodak in which he denied being listed as a chairman of the 12th District Rally PAC.

Speaking after the meeting,

Locricchio corrected himself and said he had been listed as chairman of the 12th District Rally PAC "for about a week" (a filing received by ELEC on Oct. 6, 2006, confirms that), but then relinquished the position to Alexander Cedeno once he was informed that under the law he could not hold the position if he were in any way to benefit from the proceeds of the event as a candidate.

Additional paperwork provided by Cedeno confirms that Locricchio was removed as chairman of that PAC.

Cedeno's wife, Francine, is listed as treasurer of the 12th District Rally PAC. She provided paperwork to the News Transcript that showed that a little more than $13,000 was raised at the October 2006 fundraiser at the Freehold Gardens Hotel, Freehold Township.

According to copies offered by Cedeno, the 12th District Rally PAC filed paperwork with ELEC on Jan. 15 that disclosed there was $3,781.29 left after the expenses for the October 2006 event had been paid.

Manalapan Republican Chairman Steve McEnery said proceeds from the first 12th District Rally in 2005 were spent on that year's campaign for Manalapan Republican committee candidates Miracle Torregrossa and Peter Hall. He did not have a breakdown of the 2005 figures immediately available for a reporter.

Torregrossa and Hall were defeated by Democrats Michelle Roth and Anthony Gennaro.

Commenting on Spodak's allegation of impropriety, Locricchio said, "It's a deliberate political ploy to try and destroy me." He denied that he has done anything wrong.

Contacted on Jan. 26, a staffer at ELEC said the commission had not received the latest filing Cedeno said was sent on Jan. 15, but added, "The mail being what it is, that doesn't mean it wasn't sent."