TOMS RIVER, NJ – In the escalating mayoral race of Toms River, Councilman Daniel Rodrick and Ben Giovine, a staffer for Congressman Andy Kim, engage in heated exchanges.
Last week, a mailer from Rodrick claimed Giovine and his team were unfit for office, pointing to past indiscretions in their personal lives. The mailer cited Giovine’s 2014 DUI arrest in Neptune Township as evidence of his lack of judgment. At that time, Giovine was serving on the Toms River Regional School Board and vying for re-election. Court records also indicate he was unemployed and facing foreclosure.
Rodrick said Giovine’s 2014 driving under the influence arrest in Neptune Township is a prime example of Giovine’s poor judgment. At the time, Giovine was a member of the Toms River Regional School Board and running a campaign re-election that he won later that year. He was also unemployed and in foreclosure at the time, according to court documents.
The Neptune Township Police Department’s report states that Giovine was charged with Driving Under the Influence of Drugs and Alcohol. Additional charges included reckless driving and a light failure on his vehicle.
Officer D. Harris, who made the arrest, reported a .108 blood alcohol level for Giovine, surpassing New Jersey’s .08 limit. During a roadside sobriety test, Giovine struggled with basic tasks such as reciting the alphabet. Harris noted a pronounced alcoholic scent from Giovine’s vehicle. When questioned, Giovine mentioned having consumed drinks at two local bars earlier that evening.
Rodrick’s mailer also mentioned a series of arrests involving Giovine’s running mate, Rhetta Jackson-Fair. Records from the New Jersey Courts reveal charges against Fair ranging from identity crimes to theft, spanning back to 1998.
People make mistakes,” Giovine said. “I made one and it’s regrettable.”
Giovine has since accused Rodrick of disseminating misleading mailers about him and his colleagues. Rodrick defends his statements, emphasizing their basis in public records.
“It’s all there to see on the public record,” Rodrick said. “Everything in the mailer was true, including Giovine’s DUI arrest and his running mate’s criminal record.”
