Pennacchio Decries a “Shameful Event’ as Contest with Mastrangelo Intensifies
Commissioner Tom Mastrangelo often has fundraisers with former New York Giant football
players. It certainly adds some spice to the sometimes insular world of Morris County politics.
But now that Mastrangelo is challenging state Sen. Joseph Pennacchio in the LD-26 Republican primary, his choice of football players is drawing criticism from his opponent.
“A shameful insensitive event,” is how Pennacchio describes on his Facebook page a recent Mastrangelo fundraiser headlined, according to the invitation, by Luke Petitgout, a former offensive tackle, and Christian Peter, a former defensive tackle.
Both men have past arrests for abusing women.
In a phone conversation Monday, Pennacchio said that at the very least, Mastrangelo’s event was “bad optics.”
Mastrangelo quickly fired back, saying Pennacchio was trying to change the subject away from his legislative “record of failure.”
Monday at 4 p.m. was the official filing deadline for those running in the June 6 primary. But as one can see, the contest here is already well underway.
For the record, Pennacchio has been endorsed by GOP leaders in both Morris and Passaic counties. The mostly Morris district includes a small part of Passaic.
Just last week, another Pennacchio post featured the typical unflattering photo of his opponent and accused Mastrangelo of being a bully who tries to intimidate those who get in his way.
Voters, it says, should “be on the lookout” for him.
Of the two former Giant players involved here, Peters’ transgressions seem the most egregious. He was accused of four sex-related offenses during the years he played football at the University of Nebraska in the mid 1990’s.
In a 2018 profile of Peter in the New York Post, the former player blamed most of his problems on alcohol abuse. At the time, Peter, a New Jersey native, said he had been sober for 11 years.
These days, Peter runs an insurance business and is active with the Tigger Stavola Foundation, of Monmouth County, which fights substance abuse. Peter is yet to respond to a phone message left for him at his insurance office.
Mastrangelo said in a statement that the appearance of the two former Giants was arranged by Bart Oates, a former Giant center himself, and the president of the NFL Alumni Association. It said it is understood that speakers at such events are screened by the Alumni Association. Oates, who lives in Morris County, is an attorney and a pastor in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints.
The statement also said:
“It is not surprising that Joe Pennacchio would want to launch personal attacks against me. My record shows that I have been a relentless fighter for the people I represent. I am a conservative tax fighter who stands up for Republican values.”
It went on to criticize Pennacchio for not standing up to the “illegal immigration lobby” and concluded:
“The bottom line is Joe Pennacchio does not want to talk about issues, because he loses on the issues. He can’t defend his record of accomplishments because he has so few of them. His only hope in this campaign is to lie and to throw out insults and deflect public scrutiny of his record. I won’t let his record go unchallenged. He’s in for the fight of his political career.”
The last part of the statement is undoubtedly true – for both candidates.
They both suck
I agree with Mastrangelo. Pennacchio is another “do nothing” Republican moderate in New Jersey who votes more with Democrats than Republicans. He refuses to address putting up legislation to curtail massive education taxes causing property taxes to skyrocket, while our education system in NJ is a total failure in the Democrat-controlled inner cities and Democrat controlled towns and counties.
I once met Pennacchio in his office to propose a bill to stop false domestic violence charges, because most of them occurred in family court only after the parties filed for divorce and were being used as a tactic to obtain unfair advantage in divorces. I had a copy of a previous law I asked to be used, since the prior law was pushed through the NJ Senate, but was undermined by feminazi groups in the Assembly late at night (after 8PM) when every witness had gone home and no one was there to testify. I asked that he propose the bill, which would find anyone making false allegations of domestic violence guilty of a 3rd Degree crime, would be sentenced to 3-5 yrs. in jail, fined $25,000, and would suffer loss of child custody, financial damages, and loss of assets in the divorce.
Pennacchio said he would look into it. At which point, I knew it wasn’t going anywhere. The proposal never saw the light of day. Pennacchio did nothing for our district in all of the years he’s been in office. He just uses his position to obtain more client’s for his dental practice. Time for new blood.
I dealt with Senator Pennacchio for several years when I was a resident in Parsippany,NJ. During that time Senator was very concerned about the well-being of every NJ resident.
For example, I uncovered loop-hole in the Property Tax ,Reimbursement Program (PTR), with Senator’s help , which he wanted no recognition, the loop-hole was eliminated.
Back in 2017, the federal government limited the federal income tax SALT deduction to $10,000. Ever since then, New Jersey’s Democratic senators and Representatives Sherrill and Gottheimer, have been unsuccessful in getting that limit repealed. While State Senator Joe Pennacchio has no clout at the federal level, in 2018 he was responsible for increasing the NJ state income tax limit on property tax deductions from $10,000 to $15,000 (Google: Senate Passes Pennacchio Measure to Increase Maximum State Deduction for Property Taxes to $15,000 ) . Most homeowners in Morris County, myself and probably Mr. Mastrangelo included, have benefited from this increased deduction ever since.
Joe Pennacchio called the archdiocese on the priest that said a prayer at this event. The same church he attends. What a sleazy move
Back in 2017, the federal government limited the federal income tax SALT deduction to $10,000. Ever since then, our two US senators and Representatives Sherrill and Gottheimer, have been unsuccessful in getting that limit repealed. On the other hand, State Senator Pennacchio was successful at the state level. In 2018, he was responsible for increasing the NJ state income tax limit on property tax deductions from $10,000 to $15,000 (See Google: Senate Passes Pennacchio Measure to Increase Maximum State Deduction for Property Taxes to $15,000). Most homeowners in Morris County, myself and probably Mr. Mastrangelo included, have benefited from this increased deduction ever since.
I know the Senator. As an individual grounded in principle, Senator Pennacchio holds his religion in a very high regard. Patrick Flake, whoever you are, it’s just another one of Mastrangelo’s lies! Using the church to spread a lie is what’s sleazy! Try using a real name if you want to spread lies about the Senator. Also sleazy is raising money with men arrested for abusing women, as well as condoning it.
I have to laugh about the SALT deduction limitations. Big deal that Senator Pennacchio increased the limit from $10,000 to $15,000. He should be working on eliminating the education tax being linked to property taxes, and we wouldn’t have to worry about SALT deductions. Pennacchio should contact Assemblyman Rooney in Passaic County about using state income tax first to reduce property taxes. Rooney already has a proposal in the hopper. Pennacchio needs to muster all the Republican Senators to sign on to Rooney’s bill and get all the Republican Assemblymen as possible to support this type of legislation. Since over 20 New Jersey politicians are leaving office in the next election cycle, and many Democrats are skating on thin ice in this state, the time is right to strike with legislation that would cut property taxes by 50%, 75% or 100% by using state income and/or sales taxes to pay for the education part of property taxes, and de-couple the education tax once and for all from property taxes. Having everyone pay their FAIR SHARE towards education taxes through their income taxes and/or sales taxes would be EQUITABLE.
Pennacchio voted FOR Gov. Phil KNUCKLEHEAD Murphy’s largest N.J. tax increase in history.
Pennacchio endorsed a “Drag Queen Story Hour” candidate that indoctrinates our you children.
Pennacchio voted to give illegal aliens MILLIONS OF DOLLARS in free legal services at NJ Taxpayers’ expense (NJ gives $5 BILLION/YR. to illegals for free education, healthcare, housing, food stamps, free legal, welfare, etc at taxpayers’ expense. Illegals only give NJ back $150 MILLION/YR. in taxes; the rest of the money they make goes back to their homes in other countries).
Pennacchio approved Millions in spending to advance the Democrat WOKE AGENDA in our schools such as CRT and LGBTQ+ while urban school children can’t pass reading and math proficiency at their appropriate grade levels.
Enough with RINO Republicans like Pennacchio. New Jersey taxpayers can’t afford him giving money away through failed education taxes linked to property taxes, and giving money away for ILLEGAL ALIENS!!!!!