The New Jersey Attorney General’s Office of Public Integrity and Accountability has opened a criminal investigation into Jersey Freedom, the shadowy independent expenditure group funded by South Jersey Democrats to boost the electoral prospects of a phantom candidate last year, the New Jersey Globe has learned.
Investigators have already questioned some individuals related to the probe.
Jersey Freedom launched this summer out of a post office box in Jamaica, Queens, was funded by a Democratic super PAC, Brighter Future Forward. The tenebrous group spent money on attack mailers sent to Republicans in an apparent attempt to shift their votes to independent alternatives: a Libertarian Senate candidate in the 2nd district; and conservative Giuseppe Costanzo in the 4th. Jersey Freedom also aired cable TV ads for Costanzo on Fox News.
Days before the election, Superior Court Judge Michael Blee froze Jersey Freedom’s bank account and allowed the New Jersey Republican State Committee to issue document subpoenas.
Showing an 11-day pre-election report showed no donors and roughly $35,000 in debt, the GOP alleged that Jersey Freedom was hiding its finances from public view. After the election, Jersey Freedom said their attorney was William Tambussi, the longtime counsel to the Camden County Democratic organization.
Jersey Freedom said after the election that they had been working with Tambussi’s firm, Brown & Connery, and another firm, Covington & Burling, “at all stages.”
Last month, both sides agreed to put discovery on hold pending the outcome of a move by Tambussi to dismiss the case.
Blee had initially said to expect a decision by January 10 but said today he would wait until both sides have had an opportunity to comment on an Amicus Brief filed by the New Jersey Election Law Enforcement Commission last night. ELEC is claiming jurisdiction in the matter.
In a court hearing today, Tambussi’s law partner, William Cook, asked Blee to lift the restraints so Jersey Freedom can disband.
“The Jersey freedom entity is seeking to wrap up its affairs, and it cannot do so with that temporary stay in place,” Cook said. “Jersey Freedom literally cannot do anything by way of any transactions of any kind to pay any remaining debts or anything else that may be there. Those accounts are frozen.”
Jason Sena, the NJ GOP counsel, warned that if Jersey Freedom is allowed to spend its remaining funds, it would be immune from a possible fine imposed by ELEC.
“The defendants just told us that they intend to wind down their operation,” said Sena. “If that’s true, and hypothetically, ELEC investigates the matter and determines if fines or warranted at some point in the future, I’m not really sure what that’s going to do because the restraints are lifted, they’re going to go spend the money or whatever, it’s going to be effectively be a paper judgment against somebody in another state.”
Blee ordered the account frozen until the next court hearing on February 1.
After the election, Jersey Freedom said they had “fully complied” with the state’s new Elections Transparency Act and claimed they began running ads “outside the period covered by the 11-day pre-election report.”
“Expenditures made outside of the time period covered by the 11-day pre-election report will be reported on the 20-day post-election report as required by the plain language of the Election Transparency Act,” the statement noted.
Costanzo, a 62-year-old restaurant account manager from Clementon, has been a mythical figure on the campaign trail. He has raised no money, opened no social media accounts, and has practically no digital footprint. He has made no case for his own candidacy and no longer answers his cell phone. Until last year, he wasn’t even a registered voter.
His conservative running mate, Maureen Dukes-Penrose, a Democrat, told the New Jersey Globe that retiring State Sen. Fred Madden (D-Washington), a former Gloucester County Democratic Chairman, encouraged her to run as an independent. Madden said that wasn’t true.
McGeehan is the daughter of former Washington Township Democratic Municipal Chairman Frank Cianci.
There is no indication that Costanzo mounted any effort besides allowing Angela McGeehan, the daughter of a former Washington Township Democratic municipal chairman, to circulate his nominating petitions.
“There is no evidence that Jersey Freedom assisted any candidate in the legal process to become a candidate in the 2023 election,” the November statement said.
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January 04, 2024 at 01:07AM
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