Volunteers for Anna Little an dFrank Pallone in Altercation

A physical altercation took place between a volunteer for Representative Frank J. Pallone (D-NJ-6) and the campaign treasurer of his challenger, Anna C. Little, in Atlantic Highlands last night. The incident took place in front of witnesses and involved police.

According to Russell Cote, Little's field operations director, the altercation took place at approximately 11:30 p.m. on First Avenue in Atlantic Highlands, not far from Little's campaign headquarters. The altercation began when a team of supporters of the Pallone campaign began placing signs on the street, and Anna Little's volunteers, led by Cote, began placing signs of their own, within sight of the Pallone team.

Joseph "Joe" Hawley, the apparent leader of the Pallone team, took exception to the appearance of the Little team and attempted to interfere with them.

Hawley escalated the conflict by making disparaging remarks about Frotton's husband Bernie Frotton (79), calling him "senile" at one point. Frotton took exception to that and upbraided Hawley for his rudeness. That was when Hawley placed his hand on Frotton's left shoulder and shoved, according to Cote, who was present and directly witnessed the incident. Frotten struck Hawley back in return.

Kelly Ann Hart, Little's campaign manager, heard about the incident early this morning and was outraged. "I have never before worked in any campaign, anywhere at all, where differences of opinion between campaigns have gone to the level of personal physical violence," she said. (...snip...) Particularly objectionable, according to Hart, was the attack on Frotton. "There is no place, in any campaign, or anywhere in public life, for a man laying a hand on an elderly woman and shoving her."

Another version of the story from More Monmouth Musings

Pallone Operative Slugs Little Senior Citizen Volunteer

Competing sign teams came to blows last evening in Atlantic Highlands when long time Pallone supporter Joe Hawley assaulted Atlantic Highlands GOP chairwoman Jane Frotten, 68.

According to Frotten, Hawley was interfering with a Little sign team in the borough when she showed up and tried to reason with the him. Hawley screamed disparaging remarks about Jane’s husband Bernie, 79, and pushed her. Jane, who serves as Anna Little’s campaign treasurer, hit him back.

The Atlantic Highlands police were called to the scene. No charges have yet to be filed.

“He probably skipped his meds,” said Frotten about her assaulter.

Hawley could not be reached for comment.

Catch the video on YouTube: Frank Pallone Canvasser Attacks Senior Woman

Resume padding, harrasment, boorish behavior, patronage jobs. Now add beating up an old lady to this guy's skillset.

Apparently Joe Hawley is good little soldier in the patronage/corruption NJ Democratic machine. Every town in NJ has their angry leftwing douchebags scrounging for their share of the patronage scraps.

BODY POLITIC
by Jack Archibald,
Atlantic Highlands

APPOINTEES SHOULD BE REQUIRED TO PROVIDE CREDENTIALS

The new Mayor and Council in Atlantic Highlands have been in office less than a month, and already they are pulling a fast one on the residents. After promising an honest government with qualified volunteers, the majority trampled on that pledge with their support of Democrat Municipal Chairman Joseph Hawley for the regional sewer commission. In so doing, they have saddled our town with a representative that has a troubled past as well as a history for stretching the truth.

Throughout our country, it is standard practice for nominees for public office to have their qualifications reviewed once they consider accepting a position in the spotlight. It comes with the territory, and there are times when qualified people decline a position for personal reasons. For instance, Colin Powell dropped out of the Presidential race because of the potential intrusions into his private life, concerning his wife.

That is why the latest twist in the career of Joe Hawley is interesting. By misrepresenting his credentials as a PhD to the Governor and the New Jersey Alcohol and Beverage Control board in a letter last June, Hawley was trying to pump up his charges without regard for the truth. (Hawley may have a doctoral degree but it is not from Kean College as he led Mayor Peter Donoghue to believe in December) Fabricating any degree is a serious matter, and if Hawley is willing to lie to a state board, what's he willing to do to us.

Hawley has put the Democrat majority in a box with his nomination. It is not as if the Mayor and his team didn't know of his past history in our town, which includes an embarrassing tenure on the AHES board and his removal from the Zoning Board for missing meetings. Hawley's behavior was termed as "boorish" by a judge in a 2000 harassment suit and this latest episode of fabricating academic credentials should give each of us a reason to pause.

Had Mr. Hawley been asked to provide a resume, the Mayor might have been spared this latest embarrassment. In past administrations, appointees were asked to produce a resume and that policy should become a standard practice for this and every administration.

Atlantic Highlands was promised qualified appointees and Hawley should withdraw from the Sewerage Authority if he cannot produce his PhD degree by next Wednesday. If this is the sort of person you want representing your interests, by all means, sit home on January 28. If not, come out to the meeting and when the Mayor opens the floor to public comment, tell him how you really feel about his choice of representation for Atlantic Highlands on the sewer authority.

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