TOMS RIVER, NJ – An Ocean County worker wearing a reflective vest and driving a county public works vehicle was captured removing political campaign signs from Trump-aligned America first candidate Mike Crispi, but leaving signs placed by the party-backed candidate, Chris Smith.
It comes as no surprise that county workers are working for the benefit of political candidates aligned with Ocean County Sheriff Michael Mastronardy, Commissioner Virginia Haines and Commissioner Jack Kelly.
Photos released today clearly show the back of the county-operated pickup truck full of signs for Crispi and none for Republican establishment candidate Chris Smith.
Today, the Crispi campaign shared photos, saying, “Here are your tax dollars at work.”
In recent years, Ocean County officials have directed the removal of signs placed in the public right of way. Rumors persisted for years that county workers often only remove signs of the establishment opponent candidates, leaving the signs of Republican back commissioners and mayors.
“That is disgusting and Chris Smith, Kelly and Haines should be brought up on ethics charges for utilizing county resources for political retribution,” one Toms River resident said.
Calls to the county officials went unanswered today. The act was committed just 24 hours before polls open tomorrow morning in the highly contentious election between Smith, a 40-year-incumbent in Congress and challenger Mike Crispi, who is running under former President Trump’s America First banner.
The worker later told Shore News Network he was ordered to remove signs from the median, claiming he did remove signs for both slates running in Tuesday’s election. He said it is illegal to place campaign signs on the median of county roads.
