TOMS RIVER, NJ – Ocean County GOP Chairman Frank Holman spent his days this week calling New Jersey’s state committee members, lobbying votes for millionaire big pharma executive Bob Hugin. Holman was part of the never-Trumper contingency that sought the take over the New Jersey GOP and get behind Hugin, who most people haven’t heard from since his 2018 U.S. Senate loss against Bob Menendez. Hugin and former NJGOP Chairman Michael Lavery battled for votes among the 42 New Jersey state GOP committee members.
In the end, Hugin and Holman lost. Lavery won the election. Today, Holman, who earns $6,000,000 in annual public contracts through his pay to play accounting firm Holman Frenia was awarded a consolation prize by Virginia Haines and her chosen and beholden Board of Chosen Freeholders, a $65,000 public contract to put on the pile before the holidays.
“Awarding a Professional Services Contract with Holman Frenia Allison, P.C. to provide Auditing Services for the Department of Employee Relations Division of Risk Management, Department of Senior Services, and the Office of the Fire Marshal, for the period of 1/1/2021 through 12/31/2021, in an amount not to exceed $65,500.00, contingent upon the adoption of the 2021 Temporary County Budget and 2021 County Budget,” read today’s county meeting agenda.
It’s no surprise Holman joined the never-Trumper faction of the NJ GOP that was dealt a public blow on Tuesday, Holman’s firm often donates money to Democrats too.
Holman has mostly been a no-show chairman who has been wholly ineffective in mending fences within the war-torn Ocean County GOP. Even his closest allies criticize his absence from the political arena as he embarks regularly on exotic hunting adventures around the country, often while party politics burn around him.
It is evident now, and also cited in a New Jersey Globe article today, that the anti-Trump faction of New Jersey’s GOP, which include Chris Christie allies William Palataccui, Jack Ciattarelli and Virginia Haines don’t carry the weight they did when Christie was in power. Christie’s influence has also taken a hit in state politics with the defeat as Christie, now called “Chris” ahead of his 2024 Presidential election bid, didn’t move the needle at all in Tuesday’s committee chairman election.
