Editor at New Brunswick Today | 732-993-9697 | editor@newbrunswicktoday.com | Website

Charlie is the founder and editor of New Brunswick Today, and the winner of the Awbrey Award for Community-Oriented Local Journalism. He is a proud Rutgers University journalism graduate, a community organizer, and a former independent candidate for mayor of New Brunswick.

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Funny Money, Part 2: 1st Gift to “Women For Good Government” Came From Indicted Ex-Sheriff Accused of Harassing 5 Women

NEW BRUNSWICK, NJ—In New Jersey, a political action committee (PAC) only needs two people to put their name on paper, a chairperson and a treasurer, in order to legally exist.

Barbara G. Benson served as Women For Good Government's first Chairwoman.  She listed an address in Middlesex Boro and her occupation as an administrator at a law firm in the same municipality.

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Funny Money, Part 1: Secretive Political Groups in NB Raised Over $442K Since 2008 with Hardly Any Expenses

NEW BRUNSWICK, NJ—In August 2007, two women filed paperwork to create a political action committee (PAC) for the stated purpose to "help elect and support candidates to public office."  One was an official associated with the city government and the local Democratic party.

Over the next three years, "Women For Good Government" quietly raked in over $238,000, and just as quietly donated most of it to political candidates before it mysteriously ceased operations in 2010, with just over $31,000 remaining in its coffers.

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New Rutgers President Will Make $100K More Than McCormick Did

NEW BRUNSWICK, NJ—Robert Barchi was named the 20th President of Rutgers University on April 11.  He is a medical doctor and currently the President of Thomas Jefferson University, a medical school in Philadelphia.

The Rutgers Board of Governors unanimously selected Barchi based on the recommendation of the Presidential Search Committee, which was chaired by Motorola CEO Greg Brown.

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Principal of Metuchen Private School & Hamilton Teacher Running For New Brunswick City Council

NEW BRUNSWICK, NJ—Just ten days after two city councilmen announced their retirement, the city's Democratic Committee voted to endorse a ticket of three candidates for New Brunswick City Council in a closed meeting Thursday night.

The candidates include one incumbent, Elizabeth "Betsy" Garlatti, who has served on the Council since 2004.

The organization's "executive" committee met privately this week to interview four candidates for the remaining two spots.

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Lawsuit Filed By Police Lt. Says Former Director Used Racial Slur & Passed Him Over For Promotions

NEW BRUNSWICK, NJ – A New Brunswick police lieutenant recently filed a lawsuit that claims Peter Mangarella, the city's police director from March 2010 to June 2011, used a racial slur that was derogatory of African-Americans.

The suit also said that Mayor James Cahill failed to take "appropriate remedial action," when it was brought to his attention by the police union.

Last January, in his sixteenth year on the police force, Steven Middleton, an African-American officer who lives in the city, was promoted to the rank of lieutenant.