TOMS RIVER, NJ – A criminal complaint has been filed with the Office of the Attorney General for the State of New Jersey regarding criminal actions performed by Toms River Councilmembers David Ciccozzi, Robert Bianchini, Clinton Bradley, and Tom Nivison. The charges stem from the council’s decision not to pay services rendered to a municipal vendor because that vendor, Shore News Network, exercised their right to free speech.
Update: Today, it was confirmed that a criminal corruption complaint has been filed with the Office of Public Integrity and Accountability (OPIA), a branch of the New Jersey Office of the Attorney General.
Ahead of Wednesday’s council meeting, Tom Nivison and Clinton Bradley conspired to refuse payment for advertising bills from Shore News Network. That exchange was captured on the township’s live TV feed, which was broadcast on the township’s official YouTube channel. During the meeting, Council members David Ciccozzi and Tom Nivison made it clear that they are not paying advertising bills for recreation ads run on Shore News Network because they did not like the news provided by Shore News Network.
In the end, Nivison, Ciccozzi, Bianchini, and Bradley voted no on services provided in an effort to silence the newspaper’s coverage of township affairs.
The named councilmembers all acknowledged they voted against those bills because of the content of the news, and not because of the services delivered were deficient or in question, a crime under New Jersey law. Councilman David Ciccozzi, prior to voting no on the bill, reported that the township’s golf course had an increase in revenue in 2026. That program was heavily promoted by Shore News Network this winter.
“It’s not the advertising,” Ciccozi said before stating he will refuse to pay for work done, in which the township has admitted financial gain from.
Phil Stilton, owned of Shore Media and Marketing, the parent company of Shore News Network confirmed today that a formal criminal complaint has been filed with the Office of the Attorney General and the Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office and that notice has been sent to the Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office.
“I will defend my state and federal right to free speech and fight aggressively to defend those rights against a municipal government seeking to silence free speech by holding valid municipal payments as ransom. It seems to be a trend around here these days. They believe they can silence freedom of the press as government officials, and they will soon find out the hard way that they cannot,” Stilton said, saying attorneys are also preparing a federal civil case against the four council members. “Maybe they should have taken the mayor’s recommendation to attend those classes for elected officials.”
The criminal complaints follow on the heels of another high-profile incident where corrupt public officials used public contracts to enact political retribution.
A federal civil lawsuit is also pending.
Current and Former SJTA Commissioners Indicted in Alleged Political Retaliation Scheme
A New Jersey state grand jury has indicted a current and former South Jersey Transportation Authority commissioner on charges they allegedly blocked payments to an engineering firm as political retaliation and later lied under oath about the scheme, former Attorney General Matthew J. Platkin announced last August.
The indictment targets current SJTA Commissioner and former Vice Chairman Christopher Milam, 46, and former Commissioner Bryan Bush, 53, both of Sewell in Gloucester County.
According to the Office of Public Integrity and Accountability (OPIA), investigators allege the two men conspired in 2023 to stop the transportation authority from paying a civil engineering firm for completed work because of a political dispute tied to Democratic Party politics in South Jersey and Mercer County.
Both defendants face six combined charges, including second-degree conspiracy, second-degree official misconduct, and third-degree perjury.
Prosecutors Allege Payments Were Blocked as Political Punishment
Investigators said the alleged scheme unfolded between February and May 2023 during a series of SJTA Board meetings.
According to the indictment, Milam and Bush repeatedly voted against approving invoices submitted by the engineering firm despite knowing there was no legitimate basis to deny payment.
Authorities said their votes prevented the board from reaching the five votes required to authorize payment, leaving the firm unpaid for months while additional invoices accumulated.
The Attorney General’s Office alleges the effort was tied to a political feud involving an employee of the engineering firm who also served as a Mercer County commissioner.
Investigators said the employee had reportedly defied pressure from a South Jersey Democratic Party leader to stay neutral during a Democratic primary race for Mercer County executive.
Prosecutors cited a February 8, 2023 text message allegedly sent by Milam to Bush stating: “They cut South Jersey in Mercer County so now we vote no.”
Key Points
• A state grand jury indicted two former South Jersey Transportation Authority commissioners
• Prosecutors allege the men blocked payments to an engineering firm as political retaliation
• Authorities also accused both defendants of lying under oath during grand jury testimony
Perjury Charges Stem From Grand Jury Testimony
In addition to the misconduct allegations, prosecutors accused Milam and Bush of committing perjury during testimony before a state grand jury in Trenton.
According to the indictment, both men allegedly provided false explanations for why they opposed paying the engineering firm.
Investigators specifically alleged that Milam falsely claimed his votes were based on operational concerns involving the firm, including an error that prosecutors said was not discovered until after the payment votes had already been blocked.
Attorney General Platkin said the indictment reflects an alleged abuse of public office.
“This indictment indicates that these defendants abused their positions of power to get retribution,” Platkin said in a statement. “Scheming to unjustly use a public office as a weapon to manipulate and punish political opponents is misconduct.”
Drew Skinner, executive director of OPIA, said the defendants allegedly “betrayed the public that they were meant to serve.”
Defendants Face Potential Prison Time
The charges remain accusations, and both men are presumed innocent unless proven guilty in court.
Under New Jersey law, second-degree offenses carry potential prison sentences ranging from five to 10 years and fines up to $150,000. Third-degree charges can carry prison terms of three to five years and fines up to $15,000.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant Attorney General Michael Grillo and Deputy Attorney General Amanda Nini under OPIA’s Corruption Bureau.
