The Courier - August 31, 2006

Carton caught in caustic campaign controversy

By JIM PURCELL

    Middletown Republican Chairman Peter Carton issued a press release last week, which was briefly posted on the political Web site www.politicsnj.com., falsely stating that a Middletown resident was convicted of bribing a public official in Hudson County.
    As well as being posted on the Internet, the release was apparently sent to some area newspapers. In it, Carton identified Middletown resident Charles "Chuck" Fallon as someone who had bribed a North Jersey official and was convicted of the crime.
    Fallon is a partner in a Hazlet accounting firm who has never been accused of any criminal wrongdoing though.
    However, Fallon is a member of the Middletown Democratic Party, which is fielding a candidate for the November General Election.
    Middletown Democratic Chairman Joseph Caliendo said that, regardless what party someone is registered with, it does not give any politician a right to slander someone who is not guilty of a crime. "Carton's release was completely irresponsible," Caliendo said. "All politics aside, not only did Mr. Carton's remarks reflect on Mr. Fallon, but also Mr. Fallon's family in town and there is absolutely no way to excuse that kind of behavior."
    Carton has refused to comment to this newspaper regarding either the Republican release, the false comments made about Fallon or the political fall out following its mailing.
    According to an August 29 statement, Fallon said: "In recent weeks, I was personally slandered by Peter Carton, the chairman of the Middletown Republicans, whose [law firm] is employed by [Middletown] as a vendor, its bond counsel."
    Fallon went onto state the complicity of attorney Brian Nelson, who is also a lawyer at Carton's Newark firm, Gibbons, Del Deo, Dolan, Griffinger & Vecchione. According to the release posted on politicsnj.com, Nelson posted the erroneous release about Fallon to the site.
    Notably, Nelson regularly posts political messages from the Middletown Republicans onto the politicsnj site, sometimes during traditional work hours (between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m.). Like Carton, Nelson has not returned calls about this matter.
    "Peter Carton has admitted this indiscretion of his in the Asbury Park Press, in its August 29 edition, on the front page of the Local Section," Fallon said. "What more proof does [the Middletown Township Committee] need to terminate the existing relationship between Mr. Carton's law firm, this township's bond counsel?"
    As well as being employed by the law firm that serves as bond counsel to the township, Carton is also an appointed Middletown Sewer Authority commissioner, who receives pay, benefits and a health insurance option. Indeed, the position also counts toward the state's pension system. Nelson is also an appointed member of this same body with the same benefits.
    Yet, to Fallon, he said the matter is more than just about his professional reputation. "My children attend school in Middletown, at St. Mary's and Christian Brothers Academy," he said.
    In the community, Fallon said he has served as the assistant coach for the St. Mary's Track Team for five years. He added, "I coached St. Mary's soccer team for two years. I coached BYAA baseball for eight years." And, Fallon said this accusation might well harm his standing in the community.
    According to Caliendo, he intends on investigating the possibility that Carton and Nelson's law firm is making an in-kind contribution to the party in the form of press services. But, more importantly, he intends on seeing if a complaint can be made to the NJ Bar Association about Carton's conduct in this matter.
    Meanwhile, Fallon is appealing to the Middletown Committee to remove the firm from its appointment. "If this is the service this vendor is giving this township, I think it is time for a change." Subsequently, Fallon went on to reiterate his call for the firm's removal.
Fallon said he expects to speak to the committee directly at its next session about this matter.

Courier Senior Staff Writer Matthew McGrath contributed to this report.