Ocean county election board hides alleged quid pro quo hire, denies public records request

Ocean County Election Board Hides Alleged Quid Pro Quo Hire, Denies Public Records Request

by
May 7, 2021
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The Ocean County Board of Elections has long been known as a patronage pit for girlfriends, wives, ex-wives and political allies of well connected political professionals in Ocean County. Now, the board and its chairman, Frank B. Holman are being accused of using the public board to pay for political favors.

The allegations are coming out of Stafford Township where Holman has just executed a political coup to wrestle control of the municioal Republican club and he did it with some inside help.

This year, the board hired Stafford Republican Club President Esther Libenschek to a job with full benefits. In return, Libenshchek surrendered her municipal political club to the powers of Frank Holman, who also serves as the Chairman of the Ocean County Republican Club. Libenschek was Holman’s girl on the inside that helped Holman’s powerbase take over the municipal club.

Of Course, this quid-pro-quo is just an allegation, but today the Ocean County Board of Elections, for which Holman also oversees, declined a request of public records pertaining to the possible scandalous hiring of Libenschek to a job where ex-wives, friends and family of political power players find comfortable high paying jobs, with public benefits and full health insurance coverage.

Last year, Holman hired Beth McGuckin, the ex-wife of pay-to-play patronage king, Greg McGuckin. In return, McGuckin took power of the Toms River Club.

One might say Holman is giving public jobs to people who can turn political parties over to his control. We won’t know that because Holman is making sure public records aren’t released.

We asked the county for records pertaining Libenschek’s hiring, emails between herself and Frank Holman and others.

The county refused to release those records until after the 2021 primary election in which Libenschek was hired to win for her now, double-boss, Frank Holman. Libenschek is now bestowed to Holman both in politics and in her personal career.

A complaint with the New Jersey General Records Council will be filed as the County Election Board is withholding this information, citing COVID-19, but we feel to hide the truth about Libenschek’s quid-pro-quo hiring until after the contentious June Republican primary election.

“The Ocean County Board of Elections is fully committed to addressing the current state of both the Primary Elections cycle and the new standards and requirements for the newly enacted legislation requiring early voting for 2021, and will make a reasonable effort, as the circumstances permit, to respond to a request for access to a government record as soon as possible,” said Kevin Enright. “However, at this time the response cannot be fulfilled within the seven days.  Based upon the foregoing, it is anticipated that a response will be provided on or before June 11, 2021.”

Phil Stilton
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Phil Stilton is the Editor and Publisher of Shore News Network, an independent digital newsroom providing original reporting on New Jersey, national news, government, public policy, public safety, courts, and community affairs.

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