Joseph S. Portash was nearly 6’ 5”, a mop of graying hair making him appear stately. He was 56 when I met him late one February afternoon in 1988, and he would be dead in two years, his name synonymous with scandal.
So writes Thomas Peele, who covered Manchester Township for The Ocean County Observer in 1988-89. Appearing Thursday is Peele's lengthy analysis on what helped bring down Manchester's own "teflon Don," the man who escaped an extortion conviction to dominate Manchester Township politics for more than a decade.
Eventually, Portash and his puppet government would lead the retirement-home-mecca to financial ruin before Portash died in 1990.
Peele is now an award-winning investigative reporter for the Bay Area News Group newspapers in Northern California and a lecturer at the U.C. Berkeley Graduate School of Journalism. His first book, Killing the Messenger, A Story of Radical Faith, Racism’s Backlash and The Assassination of A Journalist, was published last year by Crown. Reach him at Thomaspeele@thomaspeele.com.
Wanna run a story we would be interested in....George Gilmore....I bet that would be a story and a half on corruption!.
Remember Burke's quote: "Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it". Looks like we don't want to go too long with the same group in power controlling everything...creates an atmosphere where this type of stuff can go unchecked. Obviously I am not saying it is. We just need to make sure we have checks and balances via a dissenting voice or a critical eye. Either way, keep up the trip down memory lane with the Portash stuff and the old maps and pictures…very cool.
Marshall's mistress is living in FL and her rotten son is still selling cars on 37... I wanna puke when I see his ugly face on my TV several times a day. Yes I bought a car from him and totally regret it.
In Re: [Michael Fressola, Mayor, Township of Manchester, Complaint This matter having come before the Local Finance Board (Board) pursuant to the Local Government Ethics Law, N.J.S.A. et seq., upon complaint that Mayor Michael Fressola used the address and telephone number of the Township of Manchester City Hall in a political mail piece, using the resources of the Township for his personal gain and securing unwarranted privileges or advantages for himself and his campaign in violation of N.J.S.A. and, WHEREAS, the Board determined that the allegations were within its jurisdiction, were not frivolous and were based upon a reasonable factual basis, authorized an investigation of this complaint; and
N.J.S.A. 40A: No local government officers or employee shall use or attempt to use his official position to secure unwarranted privileges or advantages for himself or others; and, WHEREAS, the Board, having considered the matter and the relevant statements and presented and all documentation with the written response to the allegations submitted by Mayor Fressola, concluded that the use of the Municipal Building address and telephone number in the letterhead of a political mailer distributed in connection with the May 11, 2010 election constitutes the use or attempted use of Mayor Fressola's official position to secure an unwarranted privilege or advantage for himself or others in violation of N.J.S.A. It is therefore, DETERMINED that Mayor Michael Fressola shall be assessed a fine in the amount of $100.00 for the violation as related to his engaging in activities prohibited by the statute. Said fine shall be payable to: Treasurer, State of New Jersey, and be submitted to: Thomas H. Neff, Chair, Local Finance Board, P.O. Box 803, Trenton, New Jersey, 08625 immediately. If payment of said fine is not received within 10 days receipt of this NOTICE, Mayor Fressola is subject to additional fines as determined by the Board in accordance with its powers in N.J.S.A.40A:9- 22.10, Violations and Penalties.