Politician Phoebus lies about firing staff

"...your services are no longer required.  Your position... is hereby terminated, effective immediately."  (Gail Phoebus to her employees)

Happy Thanksgiving!  Merry Christmas!

That's the terse, one paragraph letter Assemblyperson Gail Phoebus sent to the career civil servants at her legislative office staff just before Thanksgiving last November.  Phoebus fired them all and in their place, she hired a personal friend with no legislative qualifications and a questionable background in the skills needed to handle constituent services.

Since firing them, she has compounded her action by telling lies about it.  First, she tried to justify it by accusing them of wrong-doing.  When this didn't work, she claimed that the office had been shut on orders from the Office of Legislative Services (OLS).  OLS issued a statement refuting Phoebus' lie.  And now Phoebus is telling people that the firings never happened at all.

At a recent Republican club meeting in Warren County, Phoebus' new staffer (her lunch-buddy, Kim Seelagy) told those present that nobody was fired and Phoebus nodded in agreement.  Seelagy's very presence at the meeting is a testament to the employee's firing because she is being paid with the money that should have gone to them.

To settle this matter, Watchdog is publishing Assemblyperson Gail Phoebus' letter to her employees:

From: "Gail Phoebus" <gphoeb@gmail.com>
To: 
Sent: Friday, November 18, 2016 4:57:51 PM
Subject: Termination of Employment

Please read the attached letter.

Thank you,
Gail

So there you have it.  In black and white.  We have half-a-mind to mail it to every voter in the 24th District.  We haven't seen this kind of indifference to the humanity of employees since Leona Helmsley -- the Queen of Mean! 

Phoebus refused to meet with her employees before firing them, did not provide a reason for their firing, and did not give them notice face-to-face.  The firings did not provide for the customary two-week notice.  But this is nothing new for Phoebus.

Watchdog was recently asked to publish the story of five area residents who formerly worked for Assemblyperson Gail Phoebus at the country club she owns.  The former employees of the Farmstead Golf and Country Club contacted Watchdog.  One employee identified herself and forwarded a statement and the letter of dismissal from Farmstead.  This is an excerpt from that statement:

The former employees believed that their ages played a role in their firing.  They believe that the legislator's actions "speaks to her character."  Referring to Phoebus' firing of her legislative staff before Thanksgiving and to the further attempts to destroy their reputations and ability to earn an income to provide for their families, the statement notes that "this behavior with Gail Phoebus is nothing new.  She has been treating people badly for quite some time."

Not content with just firing people, she has attempted to destroy the reputations of those who served her loyally. That is very base behavior and it is not very nice.

Phoebus has a meltdown, blames staff she fired

If there is one thing you need to know about Assemblyperson Gail Phoebus it is this:  Since she fired her staff just before Thanksgiving, she has not authored a single piece of legislation.  None.  Nothing.  Nada.

In a weird, stream-of-consciousness posting on a Skylands Tea Party website, Phoebus channels that notorious "Queen of Mean", Leona Helmsley, and actually accuses those she fired of disloyalty because they were lucky enough to find employment because Assemblyman Parker Space and Senator Steve Oroho stepped in to help.

This is what comes from having a sense of entitlement.  Phoebus is a country club politician who owns a golf course and a restaurant in New Jersey and a ranch in Colorado.  She was a fixture on the wealthy equestrian circuit -- attending lavish parties where she bought and sold show horses. 

In 2012, Phoebus hired conservative Bill Winkler to do her writing and provide her with some intellectual help.  Phoebus allowed the Sussex County GOP to use her country club and she became the darling of the Sussex County GOP.  Her pathway to the Freeholder Board was cleared for her -- and three years later she was the anointed candidate to take the Assembly seat left by Alison Littell McHose. 

But it all went to her head and so quickly.  She replaced conservative Winkler with a liberal Obama supporter named Perez and started talking about forcing Senator Steve Oroho out of office.  At the same time, Perez let it be known that he wanted to be a Superior Court judge (something a Senator Phoebus could help him get).

PEREZ, DANIEL M MR

WEST CALDWELL

NJ

07006

MARC ECKO ENTERPRISES

SPECIAL COUNSELOR

OBAMA, BARACK / JOSEPH R. BIDEN VIA OBAMA FOR AMERICA

12/06/2007

500.00

In her meltdown-associated rant, Phoebus blanks out at the memory of how she fired her staff, just days before Thanksgiving.  Without warning she sent them a terse, one paragraph email (drafted by Perez?).  Like Leona Helmsley, the Queen of Mean, Gail Phoebus failed to treat her employees like human beings deserve to be treated.  Phoebus refused to meet with her employees before firing them, did not provide a reason for their firing, and did not give them notice.  Phoebus never looked them in the eyes or even spoke with them.  Phoebus never offered her assistance to help them find alternative employment.  Phoebus didn't care what happened to them -- so long as she has her country club, her ranch in Colorado, and her taxpayer-funded title.

In place of a constituent-service specialist and a legislative aide, Phoebus hired a personal friend to serve as her "body person" and follow her around to make her look important.  Phoebus failed to hire anyone to work on constituent problems or legislation. 

Phoebus lied when, in her meltdown-induced rant, she claimed that she told the LD24 legislators that she wanted to break up their constituent-service operation, before they endorsed her for Assembly in 2015.  If she had told them that, why would they have endorsed her?

When Alison Littell McHose announced that she would not be seeking re-election in 2015, Phoebus personally solicited the support of all the legislative staff members and assured them that she would continue the constituent service operation that had helped thousands of citizens in Sussex, Warren, and Morris counties.  There are literally dozens of people who heard Phoebus say those words, and the first mailing to voters from the Phoebus campaign referenced them:

 Before making her decision to step down, Alison wanted to make sure that the 24th District continued to get the strong constituent services that it has received from the joint legislative office with Senator Steve Oroho. 

Apparently, Gail Phoebus' promise to the voters wasn't worth very much, because it took her less than a year to break it.

Phoebus lied again when, in the midst of her meltdown, she let loose with the accusation that one of her staff members was too political.  Phoebus knows how she demanded that her staffer help the Freeholder campaign of George Graham and Sylvia Petillo.  It was Phoebus who involved her staffer in after-hours politics, something perfectly acceptable, but something that Phoebus now uses as an excuse to rudely fire someone. 

Further, as Freeholder Petillo and her husband can well confirm, the "consultant" that Phoebus' staffer assisted was not Mr. Winkler, it was Mr. Russell.  The campaign finance reports filed by the campaign of Freeholders Graham and Petillo and attested to for accuracy by their treasurer, will confirm this.  And again, it is perfectly acceptable to hire a consultant and Mr. Russell is a fine one.

For years and years, Gail Phoebus has dealt in lies.  She is an unashamed spreader of rumors.  She has whispered some incredible things into the ears of people over the years -- and especially over this last year.  This meltdown by Phoebus has provided the first glimpse -- in writing -- of what she's been about.  It will be our pleasure to unpeel this onion. 

Staff Phoebus fired includes employee planning a wedding

It was the letter from the boss that everyone dreads:

"Your services are no longer required.  Your position is hereby terminated, effective immediately."  (Gail Phoebus to her employees)

And coming just days before the holidays, it was exceptionally painful.

Happy Thanksgiving!  Merry Christmas!

Assemblyperson Gail Phoebus sent terse, one paragraph letters to the career civil servants at her legislative office staff and fired them all.  In their place, she is hiring personal friends with no legislative qualifications and questionable backgrounds in the skills needed to handle constituent services.

Before spending her holidays at her 2 million square foot ranch in Colorado, Phoebus ruined the holidays of an employee who is about to get married.  We haven't seen this kind of indifference to the humanity of employees since Leona Helmsley -- the Queen of Mean! 

The actions of Gail Phoebus give the GOP a bad name.  When people talk about "Country Club Republicans" they think Phoebus -- a millionaire who actually owns a country club and a golf course with it! 

This is yet another flip-flop or lie by Phoebus.  When Alison Littell McHose announced that she would not be seeking re-election in 2015, Phoebus personally solicited the support of legislative staff members with the promise that their jobs were safe with Phoebus as their new boss.  Apparently that promise wasn't worth very much, as it has now been broken.

Phoebus refused to meet with her employees before firing them, did not provide a reason for their firing, and did not give them notice face-to-face.  The firings did not provide for the customary two-week notice.  When asked about it, Phoebus claimed that she didn't know her employee's last name.

One source described Phoebus' actions as a "cruel and undiplomatic way of thanking loyal employees."  Another noted that Phoebus' friends need and want the money and the taxpayer-funded benefits (health care and pension), so she's put them before the needs of her constituents. 

Either way, Assemblyperson Gail Phoebus has made for a miserable holiday season for her employees' families.  That's not the face we want for the Sussex County GOP.

Fired Phoebus staff includes woman with disabled husband

It was the letter from the boss that everyone dreads:

"Your services are no longer required.  Your position is hereby terminated, effective immediately."  (Gail Phoebus to her employees)

And coming just days before the holidays, it was exceptionally painful.

Happy Thanksgiving!  Merry Christmas!

Assemblyperson Gail Phoebus sent terse, one paragraph letters to the career civil servants at her legislative office staff and fired them all.  In their place, she is hiring personal friends with no legislative qualifications and questionable backgrounds in the skills needed to handle constituent services.

Before spending her holidays at her 2 million square foot ranch in Colorado, Phoebus ruined the holidays of an employee who is about to get married and another who is the primary breadwinner and whose husband is disabled.  We haven't seen this kind of indifference to the humanity of employees since Leona Helmsley -- the Queen of Mean! 

The actions of Gail Phoebus give the GOP a bad name.  When people talk about "Country Club Republicans" they think Phoebus -- a millionaire who actually owns a country club and a golf course with it! 

This is yet another flip-flop or lie by Phoebus.  When Alison Littell McHose announced that she would not be seeking re-election in 2015, Phoebus personally solicited the support of legislative staff members with the promise that their jobs were safe with Phoebus as their new boss.  Apparently that promise wasn't worth very much, as it has now been broken.

Phoebus refused to meet with her employees before firing them, did not provide a reason for their firing, and did not give them notice face-to-face.  The firings did not provide for the customary two-week notice.  When asked about it, Phoebus claimed that she didn't know her employee's last name.

One source described Phoebus' actions as a "cruel and undiplomatic way of thanking loyal employees."  Another noted that Phoebus' friends need and want the money and the taxpayer-funded benefits (health care and pension), so she's put them before the needs of her constituents. 

Either way, Assemblyperson Gail Phoebus has made for a miserable holiday season for her employees' families.  That's not the face we want for the Sussex County GOP.