TRENTON, NJ – A new hot mic audio reveals New Jersey GOP candidate Bill Spadea bragging about how much money he and his radio station, New Jersey 101.5 made over his radio show’s opposition to wind energy.
“I love when people get angry enough to give us money. That’s fantastic,” he said in the recording. “It’s a great business model.”
“I love it because I have the audience to undo it, but at the same time, it’s bringing a ton of money to the station,” he adds.
A hot mic moment has surfaced involving Republican gubernatorial candidate and radio host Bill Spadea, in which he is heard acknowledging that wind energy lobbyists are advertising on his show — despite his vocal opposition to their industry — and expressing amusement over the revenue it generates.
The audio, timestamped and reviewed Thursday, captures Spadea during an off-air moment on New Jersey 101.5 discussing how advertisers representing wind companies are now buying airtime on his program.
“The lobbyists for the wind companies are now advertising exclusively on my show… saying things opposite of what I’m saying,” Spadea says in the clip.
He goes on to describe the situation as humorous, noting the irony of airing pro-wind ads while denouncing wind projects on the same platform.
Spadea, a former AM/FM radio talk show host, is running for the Republican nomination in New Jersey’s 2025 gubernatorial race.
His show had repeatedly featured segments critical of offshore wind projects, a topic that has sparked debate across the state’s coastal communities.
Spadea’s critics argue that his political campaign is following the same business model, by inciting voters into making small dollar donations to his campaign and political non-profit group, Common Sense Club.
Key points
- NJ GOP candidate Bill Spadea was caught on a hot mic joking about wind energy ads funding his radio show.
- He acknowledged advertisers are paying to counter his anti-wind commentary, calling it “fantastic.”
- Spadea is a vocal opponent of offshore wind projects and a candidate in New Jersey’s 2025 governor’s race.
Audio fuels campaign scrutiny
The audio leak could further intensify scrutiny over Spadea’s dual roles as a political candidate and radio personality, especially regarding conflicts of interest tied to advertising revenue and editorial independence.
Spadea has not publicly responded to the audio as of Thursday afternoon. New Jersey 101.5 has also not issued a statement regarding the content or its implications for the station’s ad policies.
Bill Spadea was caught on a hot mic mocking wind lobby ads funding his show, even as he campaigns against the industry.