The Dots Are Further Connected

Organizer defends PAC that pushed for Lenape school budget
Posted by the Asbury Park Press on 05/28/06
BY LARRY HANOVER
GANNETT NEW JERSEY


Before the April school elections, an organizer of the political action committee that unsuccessfully worked for passage of the Lenape Regional School District budget described his group as broad-based and without apartisan tilt.

While bearing out organizer Stephen Madosky's description of the Coalition for Children's Education to an extent, the group's campaign contribution reports still have a flavor harkening back to the GOP-backed PAC that pushed for the 1997 Seneca High School referendum.

One large April contribution revealed the existence of a second Lenape PAC, dormant until recently but linked to its 1997 predecessor through acurrent school board member.

Its treasurer is the wife of board member John Jeffers, who has ties to J. Garfield DeMarco, the GOP power broker behind the successful PAC pushfor a $68.7 million referendum to build Seneca High in Tabernacle and expand Cherokee High in Evesham.

Also among the coalition's contributors are two key Burlington County GOP backers: the Haddonfield-based firm of Archer and Greiner, which has reaped massive fees as Lenape's attorneys, and Richard Alaimo Associates, a Mount Holly engineering firm.

Madosky, organizer of the Coalition for Children's Education, maintained last week that his PAC was exactly what he described, a broad-based group mainly from his hometown of Medford with the students' best interests in mind.

"They happen to be my friends," Madosky said of his contributors. "If I ask, they'd give it to me. You can try to make something out of it, but I assure you they're just friends.

"Through a spokesman, DeMarco said he has had no involvement with any Lenape PACs since the 1997 referendum. Madosky's PAC had 11 contributors as of its initial reports. They gave a total of $9,200 through April 15 and include some business owners livingin Medford, such as the owners of Cherry Hill's Coastline Restaurant and a Berlin construction company.

But then there's the $1,600 contribution from the here to fore unknown Committee for Lenape's Future, headed by Jill Jeffers, wife of the Lenape board member.

Although it's legal for a board member, let alone his wife, to push for passage of a bond referendum, the Republican couple from Mount Laurel did not publicly let on about their agenda.

John Jeffers is deputy executive director of the Burlington CountyBridge Commission, of which DeMarco is chairman.

John and Jill Jeffers did not return calls seeking comment.

The Burlington County GOP has denied any interest in the Lenape election.

Like DeMarco's 1997 PAC, the Jeffers' PAC was backed between 2000 and 2002 by firms that reaped contracts from the Seneca project, including Archer and Greiner.

The Committee for Lenape's Future, which contributed during that span to John Jeffers' board campaign and others, had been dormant for several years until recently giving money toward graduation parties for Lenape's four high schools.

Archer and Greiner anted up $1,000 for the Madosky PAC two months ago.

Archer and Greiner is Lenape's law firm and was paid at least $817,000 in fees related to the Seneca project from 1998 to 2001. It gave $8,875 to the Burlington County GOP in 2004.

Richard Alaimo Associates gave $500 to the Madosky PAC and is also a key Burlington GOP contributor, giving $25,000 in 2004.

John Maroccia, incoming Medford Democratic chairman, saw the firms'donations as confirmation of a GOP connection and efforts to bulk up their own bank accounts.

Officials from the two firms did not return calls seeking comment.