TOMS RIVER, NJ – Toms River Democrat Terrance Turnbach is running for re-election to the township’s municipal council, but now, he’s upset because his opponent isn’t pulling punches when it comes to the campaign. Turbach was referring to his opponent David Ciccozzi, a Republican who is challenging him in November for his seat.
Turnbach who is a criminal defense lawyer by trade cried foul about a mailer sent to residents identifying him with New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy and the Democrat party.
“In June, my opponent stood before the council and indicated verbatim that ‘I promise Mr. Turnbach that I will keep it clean and to things that are facing our town’,” Turnbach said. “You have my promise on that as well, but on October 1st, when many residents of the town called me to ask who put out this disgraceful political mailer on me with pictures of Haitian immigrants at the Mexican border, I knew that my opponent did not honor his word.”
Turnbach also said the mailer included a picture of himself and Governor Phil Murphy. The mailer calls Turnbach a “Radical Democrat” who “voted to support Toms River as a Sanctuary City. It also featured a photo of Turnbach with radical Democrat Congressman Andy Kim, who operated a far-left activist group called “Rise Stronger” prior to running for office. After being called out by his opponent, former Congressman Tom MacArthur, Kim quickly shut down the Rise Stronger website.
That website included a book selection with far-left radical agenda topics, even books written by domestic terrorists and cop killers. The website also maintained a calendar of left-wing protests and promised to topple the administration of former U.S. President Donald J. Trump.
Turnbach however, claimed he’s not a radical.
“My opponent made a promise he intended not to keep,” Turnbach said, claiming his opponent was now under control of Republican political party boss Frank Holman.
“The party boss doesn’t care about you, they just care about money and power,” Turnbach said of Holman and his Toms River underboss, Assemblyman Gregory P. McGuckin who combined, earn nearly $3,000,000 per year in public contracts in Ocean County.
Turnbach said his own party bosses, which he admitted having, have asked him to respond in kind, but said, he will not, instead, Turnbach said he will donate $5,000 to the Toms River Education Foundation. Turnbach then went on a rant to congratulate himself on his community volunteer endeavors.
A search of campaign finance reports found Ciccozzi paid Checkmate Wins, a consulting firm managing the campaign message for New Jersey GOP candidate for Governor Jack Ciattarelli for the postcard. Checkmate charged $2,644.36 for the piece.
Ciccozzi has so far raised $10,000 in political campaign donations including $2,600 from Mo Hill’s attorney Greg McGuckin, $1,250 from Ocean County GOP Boss Frank Holman and thousands of dollars from pay to play political lawfirms and engineering professionals.
Turnbach complained about the cost of the campaign mailers by Ciccozzi, but his own campaign records show he has paid $6,665 for his own mailers. Turnbach has spent $16,000 so far in the campaing, bus so far has not divuldged the sources of his campaign contributions.
