Fozman Accuses Kim Of Electioneering In Brick Greenbriar Visit

BRICK, NJ — Brick Township Councilman James Fozman is accusing U.S. Rep. Andy Kim of electioneering over Kim's appearance at a Brick Township community on Tuesday.

Kim spoke to a group of residents at the Greenbriar Clubhouse in Greenbriar 1 early Tuesday afternoon in a room adjacent to where voting was taking place. Anthony DeAngelis, Kim's spokesman, said the congressman spoke to the group about health care and prescription drug costs, and said Kim was invited to speak by Greenbriar.

Fozman, in a post on Facebook, called Kim's appearance an "illegal act."

"By Congressman Andy Kim and his Director Ben Giovine conducting a meeting with residents, in an adjoining room to a polling place, direct violations of Title 19:34-15 and 19:34-6 transpired," Fozman's post said.

Fozman's post alleges Kim was initially denied permission to conduct the meeting "and that he then fought hard to overturn that denial." The councilman also alleged state Attorney General Gurbir S. Grewal "sanctioned" the meeting. Grewal's office had no comment on Fozman's post.

Eight complaints have been filed with the Ocean County Board of Elections over the incident, including one by Fozman's wife, Vera. On Tuesday, Vera Fozman said the room where Kim was speaking was divided from the polling area by a folding door similar to what schools use to divide an all-purpose room.

"You could hear everything being said in both rooms," she said.

Nanette L'Hernault, the property manager for Greenbriar, said she had invited Kim to speak to residents, and said she had received approval for Kim's appearance from the Ocean County Board of Elections. She said she confirmed the board's approval on Monday, the day before the election.

L'Hernault said the Fozmans, who stopped at Greenbriar in the early afternoon, were causing a disturbance and bothering poll workers while they were doing their job. "I called the board of elections several times," she said.

On Wednesday, Vera Fozman said she was still awaiting a response from the Board of Elections on her complaint and the others that were filed. She also said L'Hernault's description of events was a lie.

Multiple phone messages left by Patch for Board of Elections officials have not been returned.

L'Hernault said Kim arrived and went into the building through a side door, and did not pass the room where voting was taking place. Afterward, he left through the side door where he had come in, she said. The only residents he interacted with were the 15 or so who attended Kim's speech, she said.

Fozman, who finished last in the balloting on Tuesday, thanked his backers and campaign volunteers for their support, but insisted Kim's meeting with residents in the room next to the polling places was illegal.

"This illegal act needs to be addressed immediately so that future local elections will not be tainted, and so that the rights of each and every voter be protected," Fozman said.

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