Politics & Government
Democratic Hopefuls Call for McGuckin's Resignation
Brush: Councilman running for Assembly should resign now to put his seat in voters' hands this November.
The Democratic for council and mayor on Tuesday called for current town councilman and Republican for state Assembly Gregory McGuckin to resign.
McGuckin’s resignation before Sept. 19 would mean his 4th Ward council seat would be decided by voters, whereas if he resigns after possibly winning the Assembly race, the vacant council seat would be filled by his political party.
Candidates Paul Brush, Robert Bianchini, Mary Malagiere and Matthew Sage said Tuesday the issue is one of democracy. If McGuckin wins the 10th district Assembly seat, he must resign his council seat as state statute does not permit dual office holdings.
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“We are not conceding who will win the Assembly election,” Brush said. “What we are saying is this is a way to put his council seat in the hands of voters.”
Malagiere said the issue is also one of having a councilperson split in several different directions, trying to manage multiple responsibilities.
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“I am not taking anyone else’s inventory,” she said. “But the residents of ward four deserve the full attention of their elected representative.”
Bianchini said McGuckin not only has the council duties and campaign activities, but also his own business and his role as township attorney for Waretown, for example.
“How many masters can you serve?” he said.
Bianchini added that Tuesday's news conference was not mainly to target McGuckin, but really to make an issue of political parties in control, instead of voters.
McGuckin however said the process in place for situations such as this has been used before and he believes in the process. If elected, McGuckin will vacate his council seat and it will be in the hands of voters for a November 2012 election.
“There are plenty of examples: Sen. Obama, Sen. Biden, Sen. Corzine, state Sen. McGreevey,” McGuckin said. “Paul Brush’s comments are just politics as usual.”
McGuckin said he does not plan to resign his council seat. “I feel like I’m doing a good job, getting the job done,” he said.
In spring, from the council president seat to better manage his push for the Assembly seat. But Tuesday McGuckin said that wasn’t the only reason he left the president role, one he’s had for seven years. By stepping down as council president, the council can have new leadership now instead of later.
“I’ve been the council president for a long time … Part of the reason was I didn’t think it was fair to have a new face and a new president,” McGuckin said. “Let another individual give the council its direction.”
McGuckin said he believes he has 92 percent attendance at the Toms River Township Council meetings, which he said might be the highest attendance among the council currently.
“I used to coach my girl’s soccer teams,” McGuckin said. “I gave that up. I feel like I have more time than ever these days.”
The small press conference held briefly before the council meeting on the courtyard in front of town hall was attended by the township Democratic slate except for Sage, who was not in attendance. Several local media and four residents also attended.
Three of those residents later went on to attend the council meeting, to say they did not believe McGuckin should step down.
“I beseech Councilman McGuckin to continue to serve for as long as we elect him to do so,” said Alyssa Hollingsworth, 18. “He is an exemplary representative for ward four.”
“What if he loses? Then we lose McGuckin on the council? We can’t have that; he has served Toms River well,” resident Carole Benson said.
“By his own admission, Councilman McGuckin stated he was too busy this year with his run for state Assembly and had to step down as our Council president,” said Brush in a prepared statement. “Clearly, his priorities are misplaced, and he needs to step down immediately and allow the people of Ward Four to choose their Council representative – not the political bosses in the backroom. How can Councilman McGuckin honestly say with a straight face that he will fully represent the taxpayers when he is travelling all across Ocean County working his politically connected jobs and running for State Assembly?”
McGuckin fired back in a statement of his own, calling the accusations “hypocrisy.”
“Where was Mr. Brush’s indignation when his fellow elected Deomcrats ran for a higher office,” McGuckin said.
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