TOMS RIVER, NJ – A report today in the Asbury Park Press claims Ocean County Sheriff Michael Mastronardy who is being propped up to run for Ocean County GOP Chairman in July often mocks Trump supporters, is disgusted by the former President and admires former President Barack Obama.
The bombshell report comes from the newspaper on the same day former Ocean County GOP Chairman George Gilmore officially challenged Mastronardy for the job as chairman.
Mastronardy has come under fire recently by Gilmore and the Trump Aligned America First Republican team after it was learned the sheriff who earns over $250,000 in annual public salary between his position as sheriff and as a retired Toms River chief of police serves as a private ‘Uber’ driver for elected officials including his running mate Virginia Haines.
‘”Over the past decade, Mastronardy has not allowed his party affiliation to dictate his views. He has expressed admiration for Barack Obama and disgust for Donald Trump, even refusing an invitation to serve as a delegate for Trump at the 2016 Republican National Convention in Cleveland,” the Asbury Park Press reported today. “Since Trump left office last year, the sheriff has poked fun at 2020 election conspiracy theorists and those in the party who continue to profess an almost religious-like devotion for the former president.”
Gilmore was convicted of filing a false loan application but later pardoned by former President Trump on his last day in office.
Today, Gilmore took a shot at the failures of Ocean County Chairman Frank B. Holman, who under his leadership saw the once strongest Republican party in New Jersey fall apart due to petty beefs and infighting over political contracts and job appointments.
“The current party chair failed to support Republican candidates in many Ocean County towns including Brick Township, Manchester, and South Toms River,” Gilmore said. “Elected officials and professionals have been intimidated and threatened if they did not support the current County leadership. This is not the way the party should operate. All elected officials and professionals should be treated fairly and with respect and be free to support the Republican candidates of their choice.”
The Asbury Park Press reported that Mastronardy has confessed he is simply running for the chairman’s job because nobody else wanted it and is being coerced by former Ocean County GOP Chairman Joe Buckalew. Buckalew runs the highly controversial Joint Insurance Fund with South Jersey powerbroker George Norcross. Together, they control millions of dollars annually in insurance premiums and payouts, often split between settlement recipients and politically aligned municipal attorneys.
At a recent Ocean County Board of Commissioners meeting, Gilmore questioned Mastronardy’s use of the county sheriff’s office vehicle to shuttle commissioners back and forth to political events across the Jersey Shore.
Mastronardy is often seen shuttling Haines and aging newly elected commissioner Bobbi Jo Crea to and from political events using the county-issued police vehicle.
In 2016, Mastronardy told the Asbury Park Press he was ‘revolted’ by then-candidate Trump, saying he was offered to serve as a delegate for the President at the 2016 Republican National Convention, but declined the offer.
Mastronardy and other Ocean County GOP party elites bucked Gilmore, who was then chairman after Gilmore suggested the party should endorse Trump for President.
Mastronardy was contacted to comment on this article but did not reply.