By John Burton
RED BANK – The flap over a video released last week showing a borough councilman using obscenities seems in danger of stirring up a feud between political leaders that was thought settled.
Monmouth County Democratic Chairman Vin Gopal contended, “They’re growing negative in Red Bank,” more than he’s seen in other municipalities. “There’s a lot more gotcha politics,” occurring in the borough on the part of Republicans, Gopal maintained.
Sean Di Somma, who chairs the Red Bank Republican Committee, responded quickly, insisting that was certainly not the case. “Vin Gopal can make all the assertions he wants,” Di Somma countered. “We’re not about personal character attacks,” he stressed.
Gopal and Di Somma had locked horns before over the 2013 Red Bank Borough Council election when Di Somma became the target of Democratic slings and arrows. What has caused the finger-pointing and assertive denials now was the posting of a video on YouTube last week showing Red Bank Borough Council President Arthur V. Murphy III, a Democrat, at what seems to be a party in a private residence using obscenities while criticizing a now closed Red Bank business and its patrons. Murphy has decided to resign from the council this week. He said he’s been thinking about it for quite a while and this recent dust up was not the sole cause but the latest in a series of things that have left him disillusioned.
Related Story: Veteran Red Bank Councilman Murphy Steps Down Amid Controversy
Murphy this week alleged there have been people, presumably those with political motivations, who have been following, video recording and photographing his wife and him as they drive and park in downtown Red Bank and at their home. “They attack you,” Murphy said, making the councilman feeling “It’s not worth it.”
“This is ridiculous,” that someone would stoop to follow Murphy, Gopal responded.
Gopal in an interview with The Two River Times on Monday conducted in Gopal’s Hazlet office, laid the blame for disseminating the video via email on Republican Borough Councilwoman Cindy Burnham.
“I think it’s a sad state of affairs when the Republican Party is videotaping people in private homes,” Gopal charged.
Burnham dating back to her days prior to being on the council has maintained a contentious and confrontational relationship with the Democratically controlled governing body.
Burnham this week insisted she had received the video and simply forwarded it to Di Somma for his take on it. “I didn’t send it to anybody else,” she insisted.
“A few residents sent it to me and I was shocked,” Burnham maintained about the brief Murphy video. “I, as an elected official didn’t feel I should send this out but it was upsetting,” given Murphy’s position as an elected official. She sent it to Di Somma telling him “Do with it what you will.”
