MANCHESTER, N.J. — A $20.5 million land purchase in Manchester Township has ignited controversy following revelations of political contributions and ethical concerns tied to Ocean County GOP figures, including former Mayor Robert Arace and county Republican Chairman George Gilmore.
The Ocean County Board of Commissioners approved the acquisition last August, agreeing to buy 89.57 acres of environmentally restricted Pinelands property on Ridgeway Road from Lakewood attorney and longtime Republican donor Larry Bathgate. The land, assessed for just $13,600 and with an annual tax bill under $400, was purchased for the equivalent of nearly $220,000 per acre—well above the $60,000 to $80,000 per acre estimated by local realtors.
According to the Ocean County Board of Commissioners’ meeting agenda, the purchase was made “in an amount not to exceed $20,500,000.00 plus up to $2,500.00 in property tax adjustments,” citing open space preservation. However, much of the land is considered unbuildable due to wetlands tied to the Ridgeway branch of the Toms River.
The transaction was supported publicly by Gilmore, who also spoke in favor of the sale at a board meeting. Gilmore, a development lobbyist and consultant to Republican gubernatorial candidate Bill Spadea, was convicted of tax fraud in 2019 and later pardoned by former President Donald Trump.
Just weeks after the sale, Bathgate made a $5,000 donation to Gilmore’s Ocean County Republican Chairman’s PAC—his first contribution to that group, despite a long-standing policy of steering clear of local political donations. Bathgate family members and a Lakewood developer connected to the deal contributed additional funds to Gilmore-aligned candidates, including three maximum donations of $5,800 to Spadea’s campaign, according to filings with the New Jersey Election Law Enforcement Commission (ELEC).
Bathgate’s own giving had been dormant since 2008 until it resumed in 2023 with $1,500 donations to both Gilmore’s Southern Ocean County Conservatives PAC and the Ocean County Conservative Republican Organization PAC.
Gilmore has denied being paid by Bathgate and downplayed any connection to the sale. “He’s not being paid directly by Bathgate,” Gilmore stated at the time. Still, his advocacy for the transaction and overlapping roles as lobbyist, political consultant, and GOP chairman are drawing increased scrutiny.
Critics point to the 8.17% property tax hike facing Manchester residents this year and question the fiscal stewardship behind paying a premium for preserved land. The property, listed as Block 62, Lots 15, 16, and 33, was recommended for purchase by the Ocean County Natural Lands Trust Fund Advisory Committee.
While no laws appear to have been broken, the deal’s timing, valuation, and subsequent campaign donations have raised questions of propriety and influence. Gilmore remains under FBI observation following his federal conviction and pardon.
After the deal was made, Manchester Mayor Arace was hired by Morgan Municipal, a politically connected firm owned by Joanne Gilmore, the wife of Chairman Gilmore. While Joanne’s name is on the paperwork, George Gilmore is the key player in the firm. Gilmore also named his as the candidate for county commissioner in 2024, possibly also as a reward for assisting Gilmore’s associate.
Arace was fired from that job this month, allegedly for being ‘ineffective’ by executive Scott Tirella.
