TOMS RIVER, NJ – Ocean County GOP Chairman George Gilmore called upon state and county leaders to condemn Councilman Daniel Rodrick over comments he made regarding overdevelopment in Toms River.
In his campaign mailers, Rodrick has accused Toms River Mayor Mo Hill of wanting to build “Lakewood Style Development” across the township. Hill has championed an urban downtown center and affordable housing under the former COAH rules and obligations.
Gilmore declared Rodrick’s use of the words “Lakewood Style Development” as being antisemitic. Gilmore was acting on behalf of his preferred candidate, Geri Ambrosio, who is actively seeking the endorsement of the Toms River Jewish Community Council. That council claims to represent the voices of Orthodox Jewish residents in Toms River.
The council has not publicly endorsed either Ambrosio or Hill, as members of the community are now split between the two.
Days later, Berkeley Township Mayor Carmen Amato, a close ally of Gilmore’s and candidate representing the Ocean County GOP for State Senate in District 9, was found guilty by jury, along with other township officials of violating the civil rights of a Jewish woman who worked for the township.
On Saturday, Gilmore defended Amato and his officials, pointing out that the jury’s $1.1 million award to the employee found township officials guilty of workplace harassment but did not feel the harassment was driven purely out of religious bias.
During the trial, the worker claimed Amato and other officials routinely harassed and criticized the female employee over her Jewish heritage.
Gilmore did not say whether or not he would issue a strong condemnation against Amato or the township in light of the jury’s decision. Amato is still the endorsed candidate by Gilmore and his faction of the divided Ocean County GOP.
Gilmore has been working behind the scenes to line up Jewish votes for his candidates, led by Ambrosio in Toms River.
Booky Kalusyner, one of the leaders of the TRJCC said the group may not issue an endorsement, but did have some harsh words for Rodrick, who featured Kalusyner in his recent mailings. Kalusyner, a lobbyist for reducing acreage for religious houses of worship and an ‘expediter’ by trade has been critical of Rodrick’s mailers and actions against “Lakewood style development”
Rodrick also refers to Hill as “Lakewood Mo”. Hill was born and raised in Lakewood and graduated from Lakewood High School. Later in life, he relocated to Toms River.
