February 2, 2007: Kearney on McGuckin's Conflicts of Interest In STR

Ocean County Politics, Barnaget Light

Ocean County Politics .com

Pay-To-Play Lawyer McGuckin, Fresh From OTB SCAM In Toms River With GOP Chairman Gilmore, Lawyer For The Gambling Interests, Is In More Hot Water In So. Toms River Ethics Conflicts And Bid-Rig

Mrs. Kearney's Editorial Cites OTB Cover-Up

The following editorial by Councilwoman Carla Kearney of South Toms River was also published in the Toms River Times:

Gregory McGuckin has a serious conflict of interest because he is an elected councilman in Toms River, where his interests are different from those of South Toms River. He has been Republican borough attorney here for the past several years.

McGuckin Put Adolescent Students At Risk By Concealing Gilmore's OTB Betting & Boozing Parlor From The Public And From His Clients In South Toms River

This became a lot worse when we look at what happened last year when Mr. McGuckin got the notice from the gambling interests for the Toms River Off-Track Betting parlor, and never made the letter public, not public to the residents of his own town, not public to the residents of South Toms River, and not public to his own clients on the STR governing body.

STR Governing Body Had A Right To Know, But McGuckin Hid The OTB For 45 Days

The governing body and the taxpayers had a right to know about the OTB, but McGuckin and his political associate, Republican Party Chairman Gilmore, never told anybody about it, and the whole 45 day review period went by and they kept it a secret.

They never even told the school board, even though South Toms River’s young people go to Toms River South, which is only a short drive from Mr. Gilmore's OTB parlor, where 18 year olds can gamble, and where liquor is available to those who are 21.

Gambling & Alcohol A Bad Combination For 18 Yr Olds

This could be a very bad combination with gambling and alcohol which should have been discussed by the South Toms River governing body, but it was not discussed because Mr. McGuckin, our own attorney, never told us about it. And the school board never discussed it either, because Mr. Gilmore, attorney for the school board, never told them about the Off-Track Betting Parlor either.

The whole situation is very bad for South Toms River, where taxes have just gone up 58% in three years at the hands of the 7-0 Republican monopoly where McGuckin and Mr. Gilmore have complete control. Mr. Gilmore is also the attorney for the South Toms River Sewerage Authority.

Greedy Attorneys Make It Worse

The taxpayers of our community have had enough to deal with without the added cost and problems from the conflicting interests of our own attorneys.

Did McGuckin Rig Bids On His Own Re-Appointment?

And what is worse, Mr. McGuckin tried to guarantee his own reappointment when he advised the council to put the costs in on the advertisements for the professional bids that were supposed to be competitive.

We need all the help we can get in South Toms River. There may be other towns which have overflowing coffers, however South Toms River simply does not have money to throw away. Mr. McGuckin should not be wasting our money because he concentrates on representing everybody else except the South Toms River taxpayers who are paying his salary.

Carla Kearney – South Toms River

This article prepared for publication on February 2, 2007.