TOMS RIVER, NJ – Reports filed by Anthony Ricotta show that his campaign is nearly fully funded by downtown developers, downtown property investors, homeless shelter advocates and a lawyer tied to the ten-story twin tower project have been made available this week on the state website.
The best way to see who a political candidate is in New Jersey is to check their New Jersey Election Law Enforcement Commission’s (NJ ELEC) campaign expenditure reports. Those reports are available unedited and complete on the state’s NJ ELEC website.
This year, one candidate for office in Toms River’s primary election stands out with multiple red flags, Anthony Ricotta.
Ricotta, who is running for office as the sponsored and funded candidate of Ocean County GOP Chairman George Gilmore, a convicted federal felon pardoned by President Trump, shows that downtown developers and special interests lobbyists are funding his entire political campaign.
His recently filed R-1 form, from May 12th, shows that his account had $28,282.38 in it, a majority coming from downtown developers and two dark-money PACS, one of which was operated by Ricotta himself and the other operated by Chairman Gilmore.
First, Ricotta emptied his “Conservative Leaders for NJ” PAC into his own campaign account, totalling $8,500. Then he received $2,000 from the Southern Ocean Conservative Republican PAC (SOCAR), which is operated by Gilmore, who is the chief lobbyist seeking to build a massive homeless shelter on Route 9.
Conservative Leaders for Nj – Pac by Shore News Network on Scribd
Gilmore’s SOCAR PAC is also funded by high-powered political lobbyists, including home builders, downtown land developers, architects, and civil engineers.
The Conservative Leaders for NJ PAC was funded in 2024 by several civil engineers, downtown land owners, builders, and a prominent Lakewood developer, according to ELEC filings. That PAC was primarily funded by downtown developers, Lakewood real estate developers, and the law firm that represents Capodaglia Properties, which is suing to force Toms River to build the high-rise twin tower apartment project downtown.
Law firm suing Toms River to build twin-tower apartment project donated to Ricotta’s dark-money PAC
That law firm, R.C. Shea, has also donated money to council candidate David Ciccozi, who is also a sitting councilmember in Toms River.
Ricotta also received $7,000 from the Manchester Republican Club. According to ELEC filings, that club is funded by the same donors as the SOCAR and Conservative Leaders PAC. Ricotta appears to be filtering money raised in Manchester, which is the next prime spot for massive residential complexes, and sending that money through these ‘dark money’ PACs operating out of view of Toms River residents, in order to transfer those funds into his personal campaign account.
All of the reports referenced are available via the New Jersey Election Law Enforcement Commission website.
