A Stormy Night In Stafford Township Over 'Stolen Valor'

The March 10 Stafford Township Council meeting was often contentious over the recent police investigation concerning a fictitious Facebook page about Mayor John Spodofora and the lack of a council president drew heated comments.

Township Attorney Christopher Connors advised the mayor and council that any discussion of the investigation should be held in public, since it’s concluded and no charges of identity theft were to be filed against township resident Earl Galloway.

Galloway has disputed the mayor’s military record and publicly accused him of falsifying his duties in the U.S. Navy during the Vietnam War, calling it “stolen valor.” He created a Facebook page and e-mail account allegedly in the mayor’s name.

Council members wanted to know why the mayor had not informed them of the investigation and the necessity of it. Some said the first they learned of it was in a recent article in the Asbury Park Press. Questions about whether Spodofora he acted properly by going to Stafford Police Chief Joseph Giberson were raised in the article.

Spodofora said he went to the police as a private citizen, not the mayor, to file the complaint. Therefore, it was not necessary to inform the council of it The mayor also said the information in the story was slanted and politically motivated because of the upcoming election.

Police traced a fake e-mail address in Spodofora’s name, as well as the Facebook page back to Galloway and on his computer at Naval Weapons Station Earle. The Naval Criminal Investigative Service (NCIS) linked Galloway to files with the mayor’s name, according to the police report.

Giberson addressed the governing body and slammed the Press article. He called in ”full of sensationalism” and degrading to him and his department.

“The headline calling us ‘Secret Police’ undermines the trust we work to build in the community everyday,” the chief said.

Giberson said based on the Facebook and e-mail accounts being created which are “identifiers,” he felt Spodofora’s complaint warranted an investigation.

“Just like any other citizen,” he added.

The investigation led to the Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office getting two subpoenas from a county Grand Jury that allowed them to seize Galloway’s computers.

Councilman Paul Krier asked why Galloway was never interviewed and the necessity of the investigation.

Councilwoman Lori Wyrsch also questioned the need for the investigation, since there are “parody” site of many politicians.

Spodofora said that Galloway had gone beyond parody by creating the site and e-mail in his name.

Giberson told Krier that Galloway was never interviewed because they already had the information they needed on the computers. When it was determined they were not moving forward with charges, the chief said there was no reason to “intimidate him, interfere in his life or make him uncomfortable.”

Most of the council members thanked the chief and said they would have done the same thing as the Spodofora now that they understood the situation.

But the meeting got heated again later on, when Krier re-nominated Wyrsch for council president. Her earlier nomination ended in a 3-3 draw with Spodofora abstaining.
Spodofora abstaining.

The results were the same on Tuesday’s vote. Spodofora abstained again, which led to a flurry of accusations and remarks aimed at the mayor by several council members.

“You say behind closed doors you have no problems with the job I’m doing, then vote,” said Wyrsch. “Yes or no, but just Vote!”

Spodofora then promised a new vote at the next meeting where all council members are present.

The issue carried over into the public comments when resident Joseph Mazzola said “You are making it look like you are split apart.”