Washington Township Councilman Richard Bennett is facing harassment charges after police caught him mailing nasty, anonymous letters to two members of his local Board of Education – the latest in a series of contentious political battles in Gloucester County’s largest municipality.
Bennett allegedly mailed the letters from the Blackwood Post Office after purchasing metered stamps at the counter at about 2:47 PM on May 12. Detective Anthony R. Aquilino of the Washington Township Police Department was able to trace the transaction record on the stamp and pulled up video surveillance footage that showed Bennett mailing the letters.
Bennett paid cash for the postage, Aquilino said, but was able to identify the individual as Bennett.
Letters addressed to the two school board members, Connie Baker and Patricia Blome, used the name and return address of another board member, Julie Kozempel. The letter stated: “Evil, drunk at BOE meetings (boozing), stupid, personal agenda for Dems, forgetting about kids, shameful, dishonest, playing games with the superintendent’s job, time to step down, and you are a disgrace, did not even review line items on the budget or talk to Jonine (Wechter, the school business administrator), you are a disgrace, and God is watching your language.”
“Sending it two moms and a grandmother – he’s a bully,” Kozempel said.
In a short telephone interview, Bennett, a Republican, denied writing the letters.
“I have no knowledge of it,” he said. “I have no idea. I have things to do today. I have to do flags at the cemetery.”
Council President Peter Del Borrello told the New Jersey Globe that Bennett will be replaced as the council liaison to the Board of Education.
“I contacted the Gloucester County Prosecutor’s Office for guidance on filing criminal complaints,” Aquilino said in his report. “I was advised that the victims should file harassment complaints.”
Baker, Blome and Kozempel filed a combined twelve complaints today.
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