Since taking control of the party almost one year ago, Ocean County GOP Chairman Frank Holman has made a slew of bad judgment calls that have put him and his party in hot water. First, was his firms’ financial contributions to Democrats in New Jersey that helped the opposing party win key elections up north.
Then, he and his goons went around Ocean County racketeering municipal jobs for his allies, such as Gregory P. McGuckin, who once had to give up his campaign for mayor of Toms River several years ago because the IRS placed liens on his house. McGuckin’s firm, the legal force behind Lakewood’s zoning board was awarded the township legal council job in Jackson, Manchester, Lacey and others. This was accomplished through strong-arm tactics with mayors and councilmen and even threats to cut campaign funding to mayors who did not go along with the plan.
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Then, his party drew condemnation from the RNC and State GOP for anti-Semitic social media posts made by Jackson GOP Club President Todd Porter and Jackson Municipal Chairwoman Clara Glory against Orthodox Jews. Holman stood firmly behind those two despite the backlash he received from the national GOP.
Then for a few VIP tickets to the Wildwood convention, Holman quickly endorsed former Democrat Jeff Van Drew over longtime Republican David Richter. That decision forced Richter to then run for Congress in CD-3 where the mess just continued.
Kate Gibbs looked like the frontrunner in the campaign. A solid woman that brought Holman the diversity he pink-swore to fellow Republicans after taking office. Days before the screening committee met, Kibbs’ past criminal and questionable behavior was made public.
Holman and his screening committee did not let simple things like arrests, drugs, public alcohol use or numerous lawsuits filed for not paying bills get in the way. Nothing gets in the way of that man’s Texas-sized pride…nothing…because…well, he’s not a great leader. Why? He leads with pride and ego, a toxic mix for leaders. I learned that in the Marine Corps. It just doesn’t work and that’s why the party is so split under his reign. Yes, reign, not leadership.
So for now, the second-tier leaders of the party can overturn Holman’s screening committee in March with a floor vote, but it’s unlikely that the minions will usurp the boss who rules with an iron fist, taking revenge on people personally. The good news is, we get to vote this idiot out of office next June.
Holman was probably in the room at the time when the screening committee voted for a convicted criminal to run for Congress in one of America’s most important swing elections to win Congress in 2020. But he got those VIP Trump tickets, so all is good. He represents all that is wrong with New Jersey Politics including conceit, superiority, arrogance, narcissism, selfishness, entitlement, self-absorption, cronyism, patronage and maybe a little corruption thrown in. Either that or he is completely oblivious to what his underlings over at the McGuckin lawfirm are actually doing to the party.
Phil Stilton
Editor (Not Owner), Shore News Network
OC GOP Committeeman