Aschenbach: Municipal Prosecutor's Politics

Editor's note: This piece was written by Commissioner Daniel Aschenbach. It has not been edited. If you'd like to submit a letter to the editor, e-mail michelle@patch.com.

Why has the Cranford municipal prosecutor written a political letter to the Cranford Chronicle?  Shouldn't that taxpayer funded position be impartial and non-political?  I think the letter was an ethical lapse and the Republican majority on the Township Committee should ask for his resignation.  Taxpayers spend $50,000 for the prosecutor as part of a fair and impartial legal system. Shouldn't average citizens now wonder about impartiality?

The municipal prosecutor, who is supposed to be impartial on behalf of all citizens,  commended the Republican candidate Smith's $2 million soccer field purchase and $1.8 million sewer tax. Poor republican leadership has resulted in a sewer tax gimmick while the conservative republicans have spent $2 million on a soccer field.

 So I ask who asked the municipal prosecutor to write the letter to the Chronicle?   Was he pressured to write such a letter?

Who suggested he should be loose with facts?  For example, his comment about criticism about  Cranford Crossing. He seems to have a memory lapse that it was the Cranford Republicans who approved the Cranford Crossing agreement.  Former Mayor Jorn and I were able to get rid of the $13 million taxpayer loan guarantee to a private developer;  made the developer pay for their parking spaces; and prevented a $ 4million arbitration settlement which would have resulted in Cranford getting a $4 million bill and a hole in the ground and having to buy back the parking lot.  The municipal prosecutor decided not to recall these facts. 

My point is the municipal prosecutor should decide if candidate Smith won't.  Should a municipal prosecutor be impartial or should he write such letters as a political chairman. There is a conflict that does not serve Cranford well.  I believe this is a serious Cranford question.

Dan Aschenbach

Public Affairs Commissioner