The Answer (Renewed) to that Favorite Enduring Morris County Political Question
For the longest time – like 40-plus years – Doug Romaine has been the answer to a Morris County political trivia question.
That being, who was the only Democratic Morris County freeholder? The answer is Romaine and it happened during the Watergate era.
Romaine, who still lives in Rockaway Township, is now jumping out of the proverbial Morris County history book and getting re-involved in contemporary politics.
The only former Morris County Democratic freeholder on the planet has written a letter to Freeholder Director Doug Cabana criticizing the board for not investigating Ann Grossi, the county clerk.
We regress.
Democrats have seized on a recent court case involving a dispute over signatures on primary nominating petitions in Rockaway Township. They want the freeholders to audit and perhaps even investigate the county clerk, a fellow Republican.
“Faith in our governmental institutions and the electoral process is diminishing and I call upon the Board of Chosen Freeholders to do what is necessary to restore public faith in our system,” Romaine’s letter says. “The taxpayers and voters of Morris County expect no less.”
The rhetoric is pretty strident, but let’s keep in mind we’re talking about signatures on a nominating petition, not an alleged fixing of the Electoral College.
The freeholders’ view on this is simple. The county clerk is an independent, constitutional officer over which the freeholders have no authority. It must be noted that the clerk – like the sheriff and surrogate – is elected by the voters. Just about all other county administrative appointments are filled through freeholder appointment.
Romaine disagrees with that analysis. He contends that the board has the authority to investigate an office that gets county funds.
It’s unlikely Romaine’s letter will change anything.
Romaine ends his letter by saying, “In the words of my favorite Freeholder Director, the late Dean Gallo, ‘get it fixed.’ “
Gallo, who died more than 20 years ago, remains well-respected by many old-time Morris County Republicans.
So it’s pretty clever for Romaine to bring up a local Republican icon in criticizing today’s freeholders.
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