Financing the Governor: Christie Raises over $80,000 in Westfield

Gov.-Elect Chris Christie didn't just win Westfield in the vote count, state campaign finance records show that the Republican easily beat his two opponents in campaign contributions from the town.

Records from the state Election Law Finance Commission show that Christie pulled in $82,675 from residents and companies based in town. This is compared to $10,065 for Democratic Gov. Jon Corzine and $9,380 for independent gubernatorial candidate Chris Daggett.

Westfield was considered a key town for Christie's campaign. His chief political adviser lives in town and among his key backers were Senate Minority Leader Tom Kean Jr. (R-Westfield) and Assemblyman Jon Bramnick (R-Westfield). He and his running mate, Lt. Gov.-Elect Kim Guadagno, made numerous visits to the town during the general election campaign. Guadagno made three public stops in town in the two weeks preceeding the election, including one with Republican National Chairman Michael Steele.

Christie's largest donations in town come from attorney William Palatucci and his wife, Laura. Palatucci, a member of the town recreation commission, is Christie's former law partner and his chief political adviser. Palatucci has long been active in state Republican politics and is a former finance chairman of the state GOP.

Both Palatuccis donated $3,400 twice to Christie, the maximum amount allowed by law. One donation was for the primary election and one for the general election. The couple donated a grand total of $13,600 to the governor-elect's campaign. PolitickerNJ has recently named Palatucci as one of the most powerful people in the state based on his relationship with Christie. Mrs. Palatucci listed her occupation as homemaker on state reports.

The governor-elect's second largest donors in town were former State Sen. Richard Bagger and his wife, Barbara Laird Bagger. Senator Bagger, a former Westfield mayor, donated a total of $6,800 to Christie while Mrs. Laird Bagger, who listed her profession as retired, donated $3,400. Senator Bagger was recently appointed to co-chair a state budget task force by Christie, and he heads up government affairs for Pfizer Phramaceuticals.

Bramnick and his associates brought in a total of $13,600 for Christie. Bramnick donated $3,400 out of pocket and another $3,400 through his campaign committee, which is registered in Westfield. Bramnick's law partner, Casey Woodruff of Westfield, donated $6,800 to the governor-elect.

Christie raised a total of $2,000 from businesses based in Westfield, according to state reports. This included two $500 donations from Amalgamated General Agencies, a south side insurance agency associated with former Mayor Ronald Frigerio, and $1,000 from True and Associates, a north side insurance agency.

According to the ELEC report, the governor-elect raised at least $2,650 from town elected officials. Councilwoman Joann Neylan, a regional head of Women for Christie, led the pack with $1,500, Councilman Sal Caruana donated $1,000, Councilman Mark Ciarrocca donated $100 and Councilman Frank Arena clocked in with $50.

The reports also show that Christie brought in at least one bipartisan donation from former Democratic Councilman Kevin Walsh. Walsh, who served on the Town Council in 2002, served as a prosecutor in the U.S. Attorney's office when Christie was the state's top federal prosecutor.

Westfield Donations to Gov.-Elect Chris Christie

PETER MCNAMARA    100
DENISE J. BALDWIN    100
JOSEPH DOUGHERTY    500
JAY MACDONALD    250
RICHARD HUMPHREYS    50
JOHN M. SISTO    300
JOHN M. SISTO    300
GARY M. RUDOW    1000
KENNETH RAMOS    1000
SALVATORE P. CARUANA    1000 (First Ward Councilman)
DONALD READLINGER    2400
DONALD READLINGER    1000
JAYANT BARAI    1000
CARL P. GIORDANO    500
JOSEPH T. BARMAKIAN    3400
RITA A. MARINO    3400
JO ANN NEYLAN    1000 (Second Ward Councilwoman)
LISA A. KOBIN    3400
LAURA M. PALATUCCI    3400
DEBORAH C. BURSLEM    150
LEAH J. KING    250
JOANN NEYLAN    500 (Second Ward Councilwoman)
CARLA D. MOLOWA    200
LAURA M. PALATUCCI    3400
ALLISON RUDOW    250
WILLIAM J. LUDLUM    250
FRANK T. CANNONE    300
FRANK T. CANNONE    250
MATTHEW D. JESSUP    250
KEVIN H. MARINO    3400
KEVIN G. WALSH    250 (Former Third Ward Councilman)
CASEY WOODRUFF    3400
DANIEL SLOAN    50
WILLIAM J. PALATUCCI    3400 (Former Christie Law Partner)
ANDREW D. STILLUFSEN    100
LAWRENCE WEISS    300
BRIAN RAFTERY    100
LISA S. BONSALL    300
THOMAS R. KOBIN    3400
ANDREW STILLUFSEN    100
MARK CIARROCCA    100 (Third Ward Councilman)
CASEY J. WOODRUFF    3400
WILLIAM J. PALATUCCI    3400 (Former Christie Law Partner)
DANIEL M. ELIADES    500
THOMAS J. SNYDER    1000
JON BRAMNICK    3400 (Assemblyman and Westfield Republican Chairman)
KATHY G. MONTEIRO    150
ALLISON HOFMANN    50
TIMOTHY J. MAHONEY    500
EDWARD T. MCMAHON    1000
MERYL I. BARER    1000
FADI BADIN    3400
RICHARD H. BAGGER    3400 (Former State Senator and Mayor of Westfield)
MICHAEL WIATER    250
RICHARD H. BAGGER    3400 (Former State Senator and Mayor of Westfield)
ROBERT JEFFREY SCHUNDLER    300 (Former Republican nominee for county freeholder)
JOSEPH GAWRONSKI    500
SEAN MCDONALD    100
DOUG J. MACNEIL    400
FRANK D. ISOLDI    500
DIANE BARABAS    100 (Former Republican nominee for county freeholder)
FRANK ARENA    50 (First Ward Councilman)
PETER MADSEN    100
WILLIAM N. GARBARINI    150
BARBARA J. LAIRD BAGGER    3400 (Former First Lady of Westfield)
ROBERT J. TARTE    250
SUSAN E. WOLF    1000
ELAINE S. PEREIRA    25
TERRENCE O'CONNOR    500
JAMES BOYLE    250

BRAMNICK FOR ASSEMBLY $3,400

AMALGAMATED GENERAL AGENCIES $1,000

TRUE AND ASSOCIATES $1,000

Editor's Note: This is the first of a three part series looking at local donations in the governor's race. The second and third parts will look at donations to the Corzine and Daggett campaigns.