Common Sense For New Hampshire

A couple of days ago I reported the April arrest of Democratic freeholder candidate Joe Grillo.  Turns out that is was for two unpaid parking tickets, one he got in February and another from March.  Additionally, according to the report in More Monmouth Musings, he also almost let another one he got in July slip into arrest warrant status.  In his defense, according to the same report, he actually paid a ticket he got in April (the same month he was arrested) on time.

From the story:

There were two warrants for the arrest of Giuesspe “Joe” Grillo, a Monmouth County Democratic candidate for freeholder, at the time he was picked up by the Neptune Township Police Department on April 28, according to information obtained today from the Asbury Park Municipal Court by MoreMonmouthMusings.
Both warrants were issued on April 16, 2014. One for failure to appear on a parking ticket issued on February 22,2014 and the other for failure to appear on a parking ticket issued on March 8, 2014. Grillo posted bail of $122 per violation to secure his release in Neptune, according to the documents. He finally resolved the matters in Asbury Park Municipal Court on May 8, 2014 by paying total fines and fees of $71.00 per summons.

Grillo is fortunate he got stopped before his drivers’ license was suspended, or he would have faced more serious charges. The Asbury Park Municipal Court recommended his suspension on April 19 for the February violation and again on April 26 for the March violation.

Grillo had another parking violation on April 11, which he paid promptly on April 24, four days before his arrest. Grillo did not answer when we called his to ask why he didn’t pay the February and March tickets at the same time he paid the April ticket.

Grillo got yet another parking ticket in Asbury Park on July 17, almost three months after his arrest. He also let that summons lapse into “failure to appear” status on August 1, but he paid up on August 14, prior to another warrant being issued for his arrest……..

 You know when Grillo’s company, Ideal Tile, redid our bathroom they did a nice job on the tiling.  But it took a month for the sink faucet to come in, which was a big inconvenience.  He told us it was back-ordered from Italy.  Now I think he probably just forgot to order it.

And In A Related Story:

Lutrell Lunges!

Grillo’s Democratic running mate for Freeholder, Larry Lutrell, is also having some problems.  With the Grillo story on More Monmouth Musings is this report:

Larry Lutrell Lunges At Lillian Burry

In a move reminiscent of Congressman Rick Lazio’s aggression towards First Lady Hillary Clinton in the 2000 U.S. Senate debate in New York, Lawrence Luttrell, a Democratic candidate for Monmouth County Freeholder jumped from his seat and lunged towards Freeholder Director Lillian Burry Wednesday night at a candidates debate at the Four Seasons Club House in Manalapan.

Deputy Freeholder Director Gary Rich and Giuseppe “Joe” Grillo, Luttrell’s running mate, braced themselves to protect Burry as it appeared that Luttrell would leaped over them to get to Burry. Rich and Grillo were seated between Burry and Luttrell. Luttrell pulled back before going airborne and turned to the debate moderator and shouted, “This is not what I came here for. If this is going to be a kangaroo court where we don’t follow the rules, I’m leaving right now.”…………………….

…………………….As Luttrell threatened to leave the debate, the event chairman stepped in and reinstated the rules that the moderator had waived for Burry when she was cut off by Luttrell. Luttrell sat down and the debate continued. The moderator promised Burry she would have a chance to answer later in the evening. That never happened.

In his closing remarks, Luttrell noted that he had been to the Four Season debate last year as a losing candidate for freeholder. He apologized to the audience for his outburst and explained that he was under a lot of pressure. He did not apologize to Burry.

I’ve said before that these debates aren’t so much an opportunity to learn about the candidates as they are a spectator sport.  (In last night’s case I guess it was like a football game.)  Really the best thing to do is make your choice based on whose name is on a garbage truck.