TOMS RIVER, NJ – A planned televised debate between candidates in the June GOP primary election for mayor in Toms River has effectively been canceled after Mayor Maurice “Mo” Hill said he would instead be attending a campaign fundraiser.
That left just two candidates to debate each other tonight.
Debate host Pat Omelia, of Hudson Media Group, confirmed Toms River Mayor Mo Hill would not be in attendance. Instead, he is attending a high-dollar political fundraiser.
Councilman Daniel Rodrick, a challenger and frontrunner according to recent polls is now pulling out of the debate as well in light of Hill’s absence.
“If Mayor Hill isn’t going to be there, then I’m not going either. The residents of Toms River want to watch a debate between the two frontrunners,” Rodrick said.
The councilman also expressed concerns about who was hosting the debate and the remaining participants.
Mayor Hill paid the organizer of the debate Pat Omelia, and Hudson Media Group to make his campaign videos. The moderator Karen Wall and the Patch have also accepted campaign advertising money from Hill as well, Rodrick noted.
Records on file with the New Jersey Election Law Enforcement Commission show Patch received thousands of dollars in political campaign funds from Hill. In return, commentary on the website was favorable to Hill, according to an analysis done by Shore News Network.
“Why would I go to a debate paid for by Mayor Hill if he isn’t going to be there? Hill just wants me to debate his spoiler candidates in his absence. I’m not going to do that,” Rodrick added. “This election is between me and Mo and the people of Toms River know this. Mo knows this.”
Omelia confirmed Hill’s conflict and cancellation on Wednesday.
“All candidates are confirmed,” Omelia said. “Mo’s an issue. He has a fundraiser at the same time but we gave Mo the debate date back on March 11th, so he created his own problem by booking the fundraiser on the same date. Last I heard Mo was going to air the debate at the fundrasier then head over after the debate.”
“The people of Toms River want to see Mo Hill answer what he is doing to our town and to be challenged on his agenda,” Rodrick added. “This is typical Mo Hill style, hiding in the closet like President Joe Biden, because he knows everytime he opens his mouth, he loses votes.”
Rodrick claims Ambrosio and Bianchini are only running to help Hill by dividing the vote against him. Rodrick pointed out the fact that Geri Ambrosio’s Husband works for Mayor Hill as his confidential aid for $134,000 a year and that she recently landed a public job for $90,000 a year.
“She has more family members working for Toms River than anyone. Ambrosio and her family depend on Mayor Hill financially. She’s only in this race to divide the vote against Hill. She and her family need Mo to stay in office, so they threw her in there just to take votes from me,” Rodrick said.
Bianchini was appointed to the Toms River zoning board by Mayor Hill. That’s the board that gave out the special variances to approve all the development in town. Bianchini is now running on a platform against development. Rodrick said the campaigns of Bianchini and Ambrosio are only meant to keep Mo Hill in office.
“Ambrosio and Bianchini are only in this race to hurt my campaign by dividing the vote against Hill. Mo Hill isn’t coming, but he wants me to debate them while being be filmed by someone on his campaign payroll who is going to ask the questions Hill wants asked. That’s not happening.” Rodrick said.
Today, Rodrick challenged Hill to a town hall-style public meeting, in town hall moderated by a more respectable journalist that didn’t come loaded in favor of Hill. He also wants to let the people of Toms River ask the candidates questions directly. Rodrick suggested Asbury Park Press reporter Jean Mikle to moderate such an event.
“Jean Mikle’s coverage of Toms River politics has been fair and balanced for years,” Rodrick said.
“It wasn’t a scheduling error that caused ‘no show Mo’ to cancel on tonight’s event, Mo knows he can’t debate me,” Rodrick said. “He won’t debate me because he knows it won’t go well for him if it’s on neutral ground. This whole planned debate was nothing more than a ruse for Mo to get his two spoiler candidates in a room with me, knowing he was going to be a no show. The people of Toms River want to see the main event, me versus Mo.”
We reached out to Art Gallagher, Mo Hill’s press secretary who did not reply in time for this article.