Hornik intent on making Scannapieco an issue for Kleinberg

In Marlboro, Democratic Mayoral candidate Jon Hornik is demanding that Republican Mayor Robert Kleinberg give back money he took from former Mayor Matthew Scannapieco, who admitted to taking $245,000 from developers.

"Mayor Kleinberg has taken money from felons and given Marlboro the highest property taxes in New Jersey and overdevelopment," Hornik said.

The Democrat pointed out that Kleinberg’s Republican Club took $2,610.08 from Scannapieco according to Republican Club minutes of January 26, 2004. In addition, one of Kleinberg’s ball committees took $1,100 from Triangle Ridge at Marlboro, LLC, whose principles are under indictment, according to township disclosure statements.

"Kleinberg just took $5,200 on June 3, 2007 from John and Virginia Croddick, three months after his administration gave approval for three residential subdivisions on their 6.8 acres Buckly Road property," said Hornik. "The money from the Croddicks is shown on his 20-day post primary election report filed with the state Election Law Enforcement Commission."

Kleinberg has repeatedly denied any close connection to Scannapieco, aside from the fact that he and the disgraced former mayor are members of the same party. The mayor says he has cooperated with the U.S. Attorney's Office in cleaning up Marlboro, a boast the Democrats say was simply his obligation under the law.

"Mayor Kleinberg wants to talk about the corrupting ‘influences of the past,’ when he’s the leader of the corrupting influences of the present," Hornik said. "Kleinberg says he’s against taking money from developers while he has the cash from them in his hands."