PATCH Q&A: Fuller Answers the Tough Questions

Diana Fuller has served on the Bloomfield School board for three years. She is up for re-election Tuesday.  

At the April 3 , Fuller became the subject of controversy when a member of the community asked about her recent $150-a-head fundraiser, allegedly sponsored by a Democratic councilman and, by extension, the Democratic party.  Fuller denied the accusation, saying her cousin had hosted the event.

Fuller’s cousin, Nicole Williams, is a Bloomfield resident who was appointed to the Parking Authority on April 2.  In the week before the election, Patch sat down with Fuller and Williams at their home to discuss Fuller’s campaign and the controversy surrounding it.

PATCH:  You’re the only candidate who’s running alone; the others are running as a three-member team called the “BEST (Building Excellent Schools Together) Team 2012.”  What has that been like for you?

FULLER:  It makes my job harder.  It’s three against one.  

PATCH:  Is it true that Councilman Michael Venezia sponsored your $150-a-head fundraiser?

WILLIAMS:  I was the one who sent out the email invitations to people and told them they could forward the email to their friends.  That’s what Mr. Venezia did.  That’s why his name was on the email.  He did nothing wrong.  But that was the reason people just automatically assumed he was sponsoring it and [County Democratic Chairman] Pete Stromulo was involved.

(Editor's Note:  This quote was erroneously attributed to Fuller in the initial publication of this article.  In fact, both Fuller and Williams maintain that the decision to hold the $150 fundraiser was Willams' and that Fuller was not involved in organizing the fundraiser, nor in setting the amount of the suggested donation.)

PATCH:  Was that, in fact, the case?

FULLER:  I’m glad to have [Strumolo’s] support – I’m glad to have the support of everyone.  But I think on my own.

WILLIAMS:  NJ Progress was a political committee started for the election so I could raise money for my cousin.  The thing that’s so funny is, we haven’t made that much money.

PATCH:  How much did that particular event raise? 

WILLIAMS:  We raised $800.  $450 came from donations and my mother and I gave $365.  $150 was the suggested donation amount but some people gave $20 or $50, some people gave zero.  Some just came and collected cards to give out. 

FULLER:  I also had wine and cheese fundraiser where $35 was the suggested donation.  I invited people from my church and co-workers and friends.  Fifteen or twenty people showed up.  People were generous; we raised $1,500.  I was humbled by it.

PATCH:  How much money is needed to run for the Board of Education?

FULLER:  Palm cards were $500.  We got 2,500 printed and have been bringing them door-to-door.  It was another $500 to get lawn signs printed. 

PATCH:  At the recent candidates forum, the Shaughnessy/Anderson/Weisert team said they raised a more modest amount.

FULLER:  [In this campaign] there is a mentality of, ‘Look at the shiny thing.’  Because if you talk about the issues, and the deeds of the candidate and their qualifications, it makes two of the other candidates look pretty bad.

PATCH:  Have you met with or spoken to Pete Strumolo?

FULLER:  Yes, I met him a couple of Saturdays ago.  I had met with him before as well.

PATCH:  What did he say?

FULLER:  He wanted to know more about me.  What I wanted to do.  I told him I wanted to continue in the Board of Ed and be supported by anyone who wanted to support me.  No money was given.  No promise of money was implied.  No money was given to NJ Progress.

WILLIAMS:  I wouldn’t think that would look like we were supported by the Democrats any more than I would think the other team was supported by Candy Straight and the Republican party.  She was at their fundraiser.  No one ever asks if the Republicans are backing anyone.

I think Candy Straight had some influence over some vendors that received contracts from the team that was elected last time.  But no one ever asked that question.

FULLER:  [Pete Strumolo] has known me for these past three years and he has never asked me for any favors or anything like that.   I like to think he thinks I’m the right person for the job.

WILLIAMS:  I’m upset that they’re trying to use a fundraiser that my family put together for another family member as a way to attack Diana.  To try to attack someone who is running for the right reasons and had such a positive record I think is unfair.

It’s like, “look at the shiny object over here,” or look at the “big bad wolf Strumolo,” instead of looking at the issues.  If people are going to vote, they should have the best interests of the students at heart.