[Red Bank, New Jersey – May 5, 2020] On April 20^th, the Sunlight Policy Center of New Jersey (SPCNJ), a non-profit think tank committed to shining a light on New Jersey’s special-interest-dominated political system, issued a report entitled, “Councilman Spiller, Mayor Spiller, Governor Spiller?” 

The report detailed multiple conflicts of interests Mr. Spiller faces as a candidate for mayor while also serving as the second-highest ranking officer of the New Jersey Education Association’s (NJEA), the most powerful special interest in the state.  

The facts presented in the report, which are all footnoted and sourced, outlined Spiller’s past trouble with his conflicts of interest and showcased the NJEA’s commitment to training, running, and supporting its members for political office, including Spiller.  Since the release of this report, Spiller has publicly attacked SPCNJ and most recently sent a political mailer to the residents of Montclair making false accusations about SPCNJ.

The following is a statement from the Sunlight Policy Center of New Jersey:

“SPCNJ’s FACTS have apparently gotten under NJEA Vice President and Montclair mayoral candidate Sean Spiller’s skin.

“SPCNJ was surprised to see a Spiller campaign mailer (largely funded by the NJEA) designed as if Spiller were running against SPCNJ for mayor.  But Vice President Spiller, SPCNJ is a non-profit research organization not a candidate for mayor!

“Rather than address the FACTS that SPCNJ presented about his manifest conflicts of interest, Spiller’s NJEA-funded mailer attacked SPCNJ with falsehoods:

• SPCNJ is not “neo-conservative:” SPCNJ takes no position on America’s military interventions overseas.  Does Spiller even know what “neo-conservative” means?
• SPCNJ came into existence after both Chris Christie and Dick Cheney were out of office. It is simply false to say that SPCNJ “supports” them.
• SPCNJ does not push a “pro-Common Core, pro-charter school, corporate education agenda.” SPCNJ has never taken a position on any of these issues, and it is false to say otherwise.
• SPCNJ is not “affiliated” with the American Enterprise Institute.  AEI has absolutely nothing to do with SPCNJ.

“That’s four-for-four on falsehoods.  It seems it is easier to throw mud than address your serious conflicts of interest, Vice President Spiller?

“The Sunlight Policy Center of New Jersey is committed to shining a light on New Jersey’s special-interest-dominated political system regardless of party or political preference.  Unlike Spiller’s political mailers, everything SPCNJ reported is factual and every claim is footnoted and sourced.

“Spiller’s falsehoods degrade the political discourse of our state and serves as an attempt to dodge fair and legitimate questions about how he would execute his mayoral duties free from conflicts of interest.”

Please read SPCNJ’s “Councilman Spiller, Mayor Spiller, Governor Spiller?” for a full discussion of Spiller’s conflicts of interest.