Watchdog Group Head Cites PAC Connections, Calls for Township Solicitor to Step Down

The head of a conservative government watchdog group on Monday called for Township Solicitor David Carlamere to step down, citing his wife's and his assistant's connections to a Democratic Party fundraising committee.

South Jersey Citizens (SJC) Executive Director Tom Crone fired a series of questions during the public portion of Monday's Council meeting aimed at getting Carlamere and Council President Glen Bianchini to acknowledge that Carlamere's wife and his assistant are the chairwoman and the treasurer, respectively, of Gloucester Township Citizens for Government Reform, a political action committee.

"I find it ... disturbing that the solicitor of this township, who gives advice to you, Mr. Bianchini, on pay to play, has his secretary, or assistant—whichever word we want to use—and his wife sitting as PAC chairman and treasurer," he said.

SJC has been pushing since May for Council to adopt a pay-to-play ban it says would end a decades-old cycle of political patronage in the township. It has since mobilized a petition drive aiming to put the measure to voters in the form of a referendum next April.

Carlamere, a former Democratic township councilman, said following the meeting that there is no conflict between his role as township solicitor and the political activities of his wife, Cindy, who is also chairwoman of the Gloucester Township Housing Authority, and his assistant, Marianne Coyle, a Gloucester Township Public Schools board member.

"I'm not directing them, 'Yes, you should,' or, 'No, you shouldn't," Carlamere said of his advice to Council on SJC's proposed pay-to-play ordinance. "I'm just directing them as it applies to compliance with laws and regulations."

The solicitor also indicated he was aware of his wife's involvement with the PAC, but he asserted he did not know that she held title as its chairwoman.

Crone clarified his group's position on Carlamere following the meeting. SJC does not merely want Carlamere to recuse himself from providing Council with advice on its proposed pay-to-play ordinance; they want him to resign as solicitor.

"He's compromised. He should not be giving legal advice to Council as a pay-to-player, the husband of a pay-to-player and the employer of a pay-to-player," Crone said.

Mayor David Mayer stated following the meeting that he believes the proposed pay-to-play ordinance would result in vendors contributing to so-called super PACs, which political operatives use to hide the sources of campaign contributions.

"I don't agree with it. For one, I believe in transparency," Mayer said, noting all campaign contributions under the current pay-to-play law can be traced to individuals or businesses. "And, if you look at the ordinance they're proposing, if we pass it, we would be going backwards."

SJC political director Joshua Berry has noted during prior Council meetings that the proposed ordinance aims to also prohibit contributions via super PACs.