Toms River, NJ – Toms River Mayor Dan Rodrick issued a scathing statement Thursday accusing Asbury Park Press reporter Jean Mikle and the newspaper of “biased, misleading, and inaccurate” coverage of his administration, saying their reporting has misled the public and undermined confidence in local government.
In a press release circulated by the mayor’s office, Rodrick said he felt “compelled to address the ongoing campaign of distortion and bias” from the publication, alleging that the newspaper accepted advertising dollars from a political action committee opposed to his administration. He said that relationship represented “a blatant conflict of interest” and called into question the outlet’s journalistic integrity.
“As Mayor, it is my responsibility to stand up for both the truth and the interests of Toms River residents,” Rodrick said. “This newspaper has accepted advertising dollars from a political action committee whose sole purpose is to undermine my Administration. This presents a blatant conflict of interest and calls into question the credibility and motivations behind their reporting.”
Rodrick accused the Asbury Park Press of repeatedly publishing “sensational, misleading headlines,” presenting opinions as fact, and omitting key context in stories about his administration’s policies and decisions. The mayor said he is often not contacted for comment, or when he is, his responses are “relegated to the bottom of stories, if included at all.”
“This is not objective journalism—this is advocacy, designed to serve the interests of their financial supporters, not the people of Toms River,” Rodrick said.
Dispute over housing development
The mayor cited what he called a recent “false” report from Mikle claiming his administration approved a new 150-unit housing development in North Dover. According to Rodrick, that project had actually been approved “over ten years ago” under a previous administration as part of Toms River’s affordable housing plan.
“The only recent action by the Planning Board was to consider converting the non-affordable units from apartments to condominiums,” Rodrick said. “That would be better for the township and had to be approved as a matter of law.”
Rodrick said the project’s history was clearly explained by officials during the Planning Board meeting, including the township attorney and planner, but that none of that context appeared in Mikle’s reporting. “The story left residents with the false impression that a brand-new development had just been approved—an omission that can only be seen as intentional,” he said.
Mayor touts fiscal reforms, housing deal
Rodrick used the statement to defend his record since taking office, pointing to what he described as significant achievements in cutting costs, fighting overdevelopment, and negotiating a reduced affordable housing obligation for Toms River.
“Because we have broken the mold in New Jersey politics—we have rooted out political corruption, cut wasteful spending by $11 million per year, reduced the township budget by 9%, and kept municipal taxes flat every year I have been in office,” he said.
He also highlighted what he called a “landmark affordable housing settlement” that drastically reduced the number of units the township is required to build.
“The state’s original mandate would have required the construction of 1,740 affordable units—which, under state guidelines, would have meant building a total of about 8,700 new apartments in Toms River,” Rodrick said. “We successfully negotiated that number down to just 183 new units to cover Toms River for the next 10 years.”
Rodrick credited his administration with stopping former mayor Mo Hill’s downtown redevelopment proposal, which included high-rise apartment towers. “We also put a stop to Mo Hill’s 10-story towers and repealed the prior administration’s plan for a city of high-rise apartments downtown,” he said.
Rodrick accuses media of protecting “political establishment”
Rodrick suggested that the Asbury Park Press and its reporter have targeted his administration because of its efforts to upend what he called the “political establishment” in Ocean County.
“I am proud of our achievements: eliminating corruption, fighting overdevelopment, reducing wasteful spending, and bringing true transparency to local government,” he said. “The political establishment and their media puppets like Jean Mikle at the Asbury Park Press want to undermine us because we have ended their era of cronyism and waste.”
Rodrick said he believes the newspaper is using “propaganda paid for by special interests” to mislead Toms River residents and create unnecessary outrage.
“The people of Toms River know the truth, and I urge every resident to question whether the outrage they see in the Asbury Park Press headlines matches the reality in our community,” he said.
The mayor concluded his statement by reaffirming his administration’s commitment to “transparency, fiscal responsibility, and always putting Toms River first.”
“Toms River residents deserve honest, fact-based reporting—not propaganda paid for by special interests,” Rodrick said. “My Administration remains committed to transparency, fiscal responsibility, and always putting Toms River first.”
Neither the Asbury Park Press nor Jean Mikle immediately responded to requests for comment on the mayor’s statement.
Key Points: Toms River Mayor Dan Rodrick accuses Asbury Park Press reporter of bias, defends administration’s record – Toms River
- Mayor Dan Rodrick accused Asbury Park Press reporter Jean Mikle of publishing “biased, misleading” stories that omit key facts and misrepresent his administration’s actions.
- Rodrick said the newspaper’s relationship with a political action committee opposing his administration represents a “conflict of interest.”
- The mayor disputed a recent report on a North Dover housing project, saying the development was approved a decade ago by a prior administration.
- Rodrick highlighted his administration’s record on reducing spending, holding taxes flat, and negotiating Toms River’s affordable housing obligation down from 1,740 to 183 units.
- He accused the newspaper of working on behalf of “special interests” and vowed to continue “putting Toms River first.”
