By Alexis Tarrazi / Senior Reporter
NORTH ARLINGTON (Feb. 4, 2010, 11:20 a.m.) — The New Jersey Election Law Enforcement Commission filed a complaint yesterday, Feb. 3, against North Arlington Republicans Peter Norcia, James Bocchino and Joseph Bianchi for filing their campaign papers for the 2006 mayor and council election late.
“Everything was filed correctly and all the money was reported, but our accountant filed late,” said Councilman Bianchi in a phone interview with The Leader. “We will probably have to pay a penalty. But there is no skullduggery. All of our checks and money were filed, but they were filed late.”
Their campaign treasurer, Patricia Norcia, was also named in the complaint.
Bocchino called The Leader, after the story was posted online, to make it clear that the blame for missing the deadline should fall on the shoulders of the candidates.
“The four of us (Bianchi, Bocchino, Peter Norcia and Norcia) are taking the hit and taking the blame, because we were late in filing,” Bocchino said. “It was an oversight.”
Joseph Donohue, deputy director of the state ELEC, confirmed that the complaint was sent out to the Republican candidates last week. It was publicly posted on the Commission’s Web site yesterday, Feb. 3.
“We really are not a genius or a Rhodescholar with these things,” Bocchino said. “I thought everything was followed up with, the right way, which it was, but it was late. We depended on the accountant that he filed it. … This is crazy, ridiculous.”
Donohue said the three public officials could be fined up to $6,000 per reporting transaction (donation) that was filed late.
The GOP candidates can either pay the fine or opt to have a hearing in front of an administrative law judge to plea their case and possibly have the fines reduced or removed.
“We sent a letter to the ELEC and told them why it was late,” Bocchino said.
Bocchino also corrected himself and said that the letter he mentioned above was not sent to the ELEC yet, but is in the process of being sent.
Donohue added that although the judge can render a decision, it will ultimately be the Commission’s final say to levy a fine or not.
“Either way, it will still end up in the Commission's hands,” Donohue said. “The main mission here is the disclosure. Mainly we want to make sure we know who the donors are in a timely fashion.”
The Republican candidates ran in the 2006 North Arlington election and lost to Democrats Peter Massa, Salvatore DiBlasi and Albert Granell. The three GOP officials raised more than $60,000 during the campaign, according to papers filed with the state.
Norcia was seeking the top spot as mayor, while Bocchino and Bianchi were running for council. Bianchi would later go on to win a council seat. Bocchino is currently a commissioner with the New Jersey Meadowlands Commission.
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Note: Updated 02/04/10, 3:37 p.m. (Bocchino's comments)
