The recent revelations about financial misconduct within the Brick Republican Club have shaken the trust of our community. Reports indicate that Marc Vasquez, a club leader, paid himself nearly $20,000 in consulting fees, including $1,000 for Election Day services, during the 2023 election cycle. This self-dealing, coupled with other questionable expenditures, demands accountability. It’s time for Brick’s Republican leaders to do the right thing: return the money and restore integrity to our local party.
The details are troubling. Internal records show not only Vasquez’s hefty payments to himself but also a $7,500 check to Restoring America’s Mission PAC, a group linked solely to Stephen Scaturro, husband of club president Ruthanne Scaturro.
Add to that multiple post-campaign dinners labeled as “wrap-up meetings,” and a pattern of financial impropriety emerges.
These actions suggest a leadership more concerned with personal gain than serving the public. As a community, we deserve better.
The Brick Republican Club is not a personal piggy bank. Its funds, raised through the support of dedicated members and donors, are meant to advance the party’s mission—supporting candidates, mobilizing voters, and promoting conservative values. When leaders siphon off these resources for their own benefit, they betray the trust of every member who contributed time, money, or votes. This isn’t just a breach of ethics; it’s a slap in the face to the grassroots supporters who keep the party alive.
The timing couldn’t be worse. With a critical election cycle approaching, the Brick GOP should be uniting behind a shared vision, not squabbling over self-awarded payouts.
The controversy has already sparked calls for Vasquez and Scaturro to resign, with members warning that continued inaction risks undermining the party’s credibility. Democrats, sensing weakness, are seizing on the scandal, accusing Republican leaders of conflicts of interest. If the GOP hopes to maintain its influence in Brick, it must act swiftly to address these concerns.
Returning the money is the bare minimum. Vasquez and any other leaders who benefited from these questionable payments should refund every cent to the club’s coffers. This gesture would signal a commitment to transparency and accountability, qualities sorely lacking in the current leadership. Beyond that, the club must implement stricter financial oversight to prevent future abuses.
Clear guidelines on expenditures, independent audits, and full disclosure of payments to insiders are non-negotiable steps to rebuild trust.
Some may argue that consulting fees are standard in political campaigns, and leaders like Vasquez were simply compensated for their work. But this defense falls flat when the payments are self-approved, poorly documented, and disproportionately large. A $20,000 payout for consulting, including a specific Election Day fee, raises red flags about the legitimacy of the services rendered. If the work was truly essential, why wasn’t it transparently contracted through an impartial process? The lack of answers only deepens suspicion.
The broader context makes this issue even more urgent. The New Jersey Election Law Enforcement Commission is already investigating financial discrepancies in Brick’s 2023 GOP campaign, signaling that state authorities are watching.
If club leaders fail to act voluntarily, they risk further scrutiny and potential legal consequences. Returning the money now could mitigate damage and demonstrate a proactive effort to make amends.
Brick’s Republican leaders have a choice: cling to their self-interest or prioritize the party’s future. By returning the consulting fees, they can begin to repair the damage done to the club’s reputation. By refusing, they invite further division and distrust, jeopardling a fire that could burn away any hope of unity. The path forward is clear. It’s time for Vasquez, Scaturro, and their allies to put the party—and the people of Brick—first. Return the money. Resign if necessary. But above all, do the right thing.
