Does Sussex County have a politicized police force?

The Republican primary to nominate a candidate for the open 24th District Assembly seat being vacated by Alison Littell McHose had a lot of strange elements to it.  None stranger was candidate Marie Bilik's attempts to politicize the police departments of Sussex County.

It began a few days before the start of the Memorial Day weekend, when Bilik campaign chairman Molly Whilesmith sent an email to police chiefs asking them to mobilize their departments in opposition to Freeholder Gail Phoebus, a candidate for Assembly.  At a Blairstown debate, Phoebus had suggested that some police chiefs received excessively large payouts and that some police officers were able to access their pension benefits too early. 

Both positions are perfectly defensible -- particularly in a Republican primary.  In 2013, Assemblyman Gary Chiusano -- then a candidate for Surrogate -- took a much harder line on police pensions and went on to crush a well-funded primary opponent by 20 percentage points. 

But Freeholder Phoebus went to great lengths to claw back her statements.  She personally apologized to individual police chiefs and officers, and she sent out at least two written apologies that we know of.  But apparently, it wasn't enough.  Embracing the idea that having an enemy is better than having a friend, some of the cops went all out to stick it up the poop-chute.  Perhaps they're just those kind of guys.

Watchdog has learned that Whilesmith -- who is a paid representative of Concord Engineering/ Energy, as well as an elected Sparta councilwoman -- organized a meeting of seven police chiefs, for the purpose of coordinating campaign operations against Phoebus.  At a PBA dinner held in Sparta, Bilik was the only candidate invited.  And there was a Facebook campaign organized to get police to vote for Bilik, along with Phoebus running mate Parker Space.  They even made a video ad to aid their efforts.

We've learned that the Phoebus camp was somewhat perplexed by the behavior of the predominately male members, refusing to accept the apology of a woman, more determined to make threats and carry them out.  One memo, obtained by Watchdog, referenced polling numbers on this issue and closed with the term "Assmonkeys", whatever that means.

In the end, this campaign appears to have helped Freeholder Phoebus, whose numbers were much closer to those of incumbent Parker Space than expected.  This is evident when compared to the last contested primary for an open Assembly seat, in 2007.

2007                                                                          2015

McHose (incumbent)        9,600 (35.5%)         Space (incumbent)            6,533 (40%)

Chiusano                               7,705 (28.5%)         Phoebus                    6,048 (37%)

Zellman                                 5,701 (21%)             Bilik                            1,696 (10%)

Woods                                   3,950 (14.5%)         Orr                             2,010 (12%)

Memo to the people who jumped on this scheme:  If you are going to publicly screw an elected official, don't come back with numbers like these.  Apparently however, Phoebus is a genuine friend of the police and a significant contributor to their causes.  She has stated that she looks forward to representing them in Trenton. 

That's a pity, as far as Watchdog is concerned.  We can't say we agree with her.

The bigger issue here is the politicization of the police.  Do we really want police chiefs behaving like party bosses?  Do we really want ward heelers with guns?  Instead of sobriety checks, how about traffic stops to check your voter ID?  Does anybody think having political cops is a good idea?

If the police want to become politicians, they should leave the force and run for office.  Law enforcement and the judiciary should be party blind if they want to maintain their integrity and the public's trust.

Police should reject effort to make them part of solar retaliation

 

In the middle of a criminal investigation into the loss of millions in fees paid by Sussex County taxpayers and the improper use of millions in United States Treasury grant money, Concord Energy lobbyist Molly Whilesmith has attempted to use the police to retaliate against Freeholder Gail Phoebus for blowing the whistle on the Sussex solar bailout.

Whilesmith is a lobbyist for Concord Energy/ Concord Engineering, an energy firm that just landed a fat contract from Sussex County.  She is also the chairman of the Marie Bilik for Assembly campaign. 

Bilik was recruited to run against Assemblyman Parker Space and Freeholder Gail Phoebus by another Concord lobbyist.  This was done in retaliation for Space and Phoebus' call for an investigation of a solar energy deal gone bad that cost Sussex taxpayers millions and had to require a $7 million bailout.  The deal is currently being investigated by federal and state law enforcement authorities.

Without revealing her connection to the Bilik campaign, Concord Energy, the solar deal, or the federal/state investigation, Whilesmith contacted every police chief in Legislative District 24 yesterday and asked them to politicize their departments in the effort to retaliate against Freeholder Gail Phoebus.

It was Freeholder Phoebus who opposed the solar bailout.  It was Freeholder Phoebus who led calls for an investigation.  It was Freeholder Phoebus who wrote to the United States Justice Department, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Securities & Exchange Commission, and the State Attorney General's Office.

Unfortunately, Watchdog has learned that a few did assist in the furtherance of Whilesmith's attempts at retaliation and in violation of accepted ethical practice.  This is unfortunate because most taxpayers in these heavily Republican counties believe that the police should not become partisan political agents in an attempt at retaliation -- particularly when there is an ongoing criminal investigation. 

Sparta Councilwoman attempts to politicize the police

All across America, people are concerned about what some call the "militarization" of our police departments.  There is a lot of discussion going on aimed at reassessing the interaction between police and citizens from various groups -- ethnic, racial, and political.

Into this already heated atmosphere steps Sparta Councilwoman Molly Whilesmith.

Whilesmith is a lobbyist for Concord Energy/ Concord Engineering, an energy firm that just landed a fat contract from Sussex County.  She is also the chairman of the Marie Bilik for Assembly campaign. 

Bilik was recruited to run against Assemblyman Parker Space and Freeholder Gail Phoebus by another Concord lobbyist.  This was done in retaliation for Space and Phoebus' call for an investigation of a solar energy deal gone bad that cost Sussex taxpayers millions and had to require a $7 million bailout.  The deal is currently being investigated by federal and state law enforcement authorities.

Without revealing her connection to the Bilik campaign, Concord Energy, the solar deal, or the federal/state investigation, Whilesmith contacted every police chief in Legislative District 24 today and asked them to politicize their departments in the effort to retaliate against Freeholder Gail Phoebus.

It was Freeholder Phoebus who opposed the solar bailout.  It was Freeholder Phoebus who led calls for an investigation.  It was Freeholder Phoebus who wrote to the United States Justice Department, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Securities & Exchange Commission, and the State Attorney General's Office.

Let's hope that Councilwoman Whilesmith's unethical attempt to politicize police departments in Sussex, Warren, and Morris Counties is thoroughly rebuked.  The police shouldn't become partisan political agents in an attempt at retaliation -- particularly when there is an ongoing criminal investigation.

Whilesmith's unethical request of police chiefs is printed below:

From: whilesmith@gmail.com 
Sent: Wednesday, May 20, 2015 10:20
Subject: Sparta Councilwoman needs you to be Aware...

Dear Chief,

I ask that you share the following information with your department. 

Though you may not know me, I consider public safety my number one obligation to the residents of Sparta, just ask any one of Sparta’s fine officers.

We have an important Primary coming up on June 2nd.  I recently attended the Assembly debate in Blairstown and it is imperative that all public safety officers understand what transpired.  You do not have to take my word, I will share a video with you so that you can see and hear for yourself. 

I am going to the trouble to send this to every police chief in the 24th Legislative District because this Primary is important.  People need to understand what is at stake.

A severe case of mendacity

There is an old American saying that was used to praise a man dependable in all his relations and who had the confidence of all around him -- "You always know where to find him."

In this simple and old-fashioned way we may define constancy, which is, in truth, just another name for loyalty, the virtue at the heart of all friendship.  Think of what a happy world this would be if we could always be sure of the constancy, loyalty, and dependability of all who share our work.

Sussex County has got a bad name in recent years for the lack of constancy of some of its elected  officials.  The talk is that their word isn't really their word and an endorsement here isn't worth what an endorsement is everywhere else.

A good example is Molly Whilesmith, a Sparta councilwoman and former mayor.  She signed the nominating petition of Parker Space and Gail Phoebus, giving her support for them in writing, only to turn around and circulate the petition of Marie Bilik a few days later.  She signed Bilik's petition when state law states that you cannot sign the petition of more than two candidates for Assembly.

Of course, there are many in the county who see nothing wrong with this duplicity.  The smile and handshake -- accompanied by the stab in the back -- is just our distinctive style, they say.  But with so few primaries this year, and the state GOP and the Governor's personal involvement, it is getting noticed more and more.  Eyes are rolling. 

A couple years ago, the Republican county chairwoman appointed a friend to serve as the coordinator of the local Christie for Governor campaign, only to have her trash the Governor for the way his state pensions reforms affected her state employee husband.  That kind of thing happened nowhere else in New Jersey.

The Governor throws his support to a candidate to replace Assemblywoman McHose -- only to watch three Freeholders who had previously supported the same candidate snub the Governor and withdraw their support because the candidate hadn't voted for a solar bailout.

Is there anyone who can be counted on to keep their word? 

Bilik operatives in line for County Contract

On Sunday, May 10th, the New Jersey Herald reported that the solar bailout was in danger of unraveling with a cost to Sussex County taxpayers of further millions. 

http://www.njherald.com/story/29037774/2015/05/12/solar-rescue-could-face-more-delays-as-schools-uncertain-of-project-progress

The bailout -- which was engineered by the County's top bureaucrats and supported in a 3 to 2 vote by Freeholders Vohden, Crabb, and Mudrick -- split Sussex County Republicans.  Prior to the vote, the three had supported Parker Space for re-election and Gail Phoebus for election to the Assembly.  After the vote, Vohden and Crabb supported the candidacy of Marie Bilik.

Since the fallout from the vote, the County's top bureaucrats have all announced their resignations.  Now it looks like they are preparing to hand their allies a no-bid contract as they get ready to head out the door. 

According to the official Agenda for the Sussex County Freeholder Board for tomorrow night, May 13th, an ordinance will be voted on that makes Concord Energy Services (an affiliate of Concord Engineering) the provider through which Sussex County will purchase energy.  The contract covers the period June 1, 2015 to May 31, 2017.

Concord Engineering's Vice President of Government Relations is Wendy Molner.  It was Molner who recruited Marie Bilik to run for Assembly.  Bilik's campaign chairman, Molly Whilesmith, is a lobbyist for Concord Engineering.  Both Molner and Whilesmith are paid to convince county and municipal governments to use the services of Concord Engineering and its affiliates.  

Both Molner and Whilesmith are former Mayors.  Molner was Freeholder Crabb's campaign manager in 2014.  Whilesmith, a Democrat turned Republican is still a member of Sparta Council.

Concord Engineering is a very political South Jersey firm that has made hundreds of monetary contributions to elected officials.  The firm is located in Voorhees, New Jersey, where it maintains a close relationship with the political machine of Camden County Democrat boss George Norcross.

Concerned citizens of Sussex County should attend tomorrow night's meeting of the Freeholder Board.  The meeting begins at 5:00 PM and is held at the Sussex County Administrative Center, 1 Spring Street, in Newton.

Update on Tuesday, May 12, 2015 at 7:30PM by Sussex County Watchdog

Update

The Agenda of the Sussex County Freeholder Board reads:

K. RESOLUTION RE:  AUTHORIZATION TO EXECUTE AN AGREEMENT FOR ELECTRICITY GENERATION SUPPLY SERVICE UNDER THE PASSAIC COUNTY ENERGY COOPERATIVE PRICING SYSTEM TO VARIOUS BUILDINGS WITHIN

SUSSEX COUNTY (Pricing for this agreement is $.0869 per kilowatt for a 24 month period beginning June 1, 2015 and ending in May 31, 2017)

Concord Engineering is  the Program Manager for Passaic County Government Energy Aggregation Program

http://www.concord-engineering.com/

PASSAIC COUNTY ENERGY COOPERATIVE PRICING SYSTEM

http://www.northjersey.com/story-archives/questions-over-fees-stall-paterson-s-plan-to-reduce-residents-electric-bills-1.593334