12/5/2015

GmailOPRA&CommonLawRequestNicholasMonacoOCPO12/7

HarryB.Scheeler,Jr.<harryrescue911@gmail.com>

OPRA&CommonLawRequestNicholasMonacoOCPO12/7
HarryB.Scheeler,Jr.<harryrescue911@gmail.com>
Sat,Dec5,2015at5:46AM
To:nmonaco@co.ocean.nj.us,jCoronato@co.ocean.nj.us,DutyDetective@co.ocean.nj.us
Cc:GavinRozzi<gavin@laceyreporter.com>,apeskoe@njadvancemedia.com,elarsen@app.com,
news@shorenewsnetwork.com,"wkeough@pressofac.com"<Wkeough@pressofac.com>,"Weaver,Donna"
<dweaver@pressofac.com>,htowns@njpressmedia.com,"Cornfield,Josh"<JCornfield@ap.org>,"Nark,Jason"
<narkj@phillynews.com>,IsaacAvilucea<iavilucea@trentonian.com>,mspoto@njadvancemedia.com,
KWorrell@pressofac.com,EdwardBarocas<ebarocas@aclunj.org>,CJGriffin<cgriffin@pashmanstein.com>,
JohnPaff<paff@pobox.com>
Bcc:Info@oceancountyjournal.com,GallowayTwpNews<gallowaytwpnews@gmail.com>
Mr.Monaco,
AsyouareawareIservedyouinformallywithalawsuiton11/30inconnectionwithrecordspertainingtothe
unlawfularrestofjournalistAndrewFlinchbaugh.Asyoumayhavebeenaware,Icopiedseveralotherjournalist
onthatemail.OnthesamedateLaceyReporter,EditorGavinRozzi,mentionedyoupostedsomeveryanti
OPRAopinionatedpostspubliclyonline.Laterthatday,IlocatedyourpublicFacebookpage,
https://www.facebook.com/nicholas.monaco1?fref=tsIhavereviewedyourverypoliticalpostsallthewayback
tothedaywhichyoumakeapublicpostofyouremploymentattheOCPOin2014.Yourpostsshowaclear
andintentionalbiasofthepublic'srighttoinspectpublicrecordsaswellasanumberof
othercontroversialsubjectswhichinsomecaseswereinmyopinionraciallyinsensitive.Youalsomadesome
verypoliticalstatementsaboutthePresidentoftheUnitedStatesandshared,likedandorendorsedpoststhat
includecalling"democratsevil".IthinkthemostoutrageousisthepostinsupportoftheBaltimorePolice
Officer'schargedandindictedwiththehomicideofFreddieGray.Howisitthatthepublicshouldcastdoubton
theBaltimoreprosecutorscasebutweshouldconsideryoursjust?
Asyoushouldbeaware,NJhasoneofthetoughestcodeofethicsforprosecutors.TheCodeofEthicshas
beenjointlyformulatedbytheAttorneyGeneralandthecountyprosecutors.Thepurposeofthecodeofconduct
isstatedas"Integrityandimpartialityofcountyprosecutorsandtheemployeesoftheirofficesarecriticalto
publicconfidenceinourcriminaljusticesystem.Publicconfidenceinthecriminaljusticesystemiseroded
wheneverthepublicperceivesthatcountyprosecutorsortheiremployeesarenotperformingtheirdutiesinan
impartial,professionalandunbiasedmannerorthattheprivateinterestsofcountyprosecutorsandtheir
employeesinfluencetheperformanceofthoseduties.ThepurposeofthisCodeistofosterpublicconfidencein
thecriminaljusticesystem,byestablishingstatewidestandardsofconductforcountyprosecutorsandthe
employeesofcountyprosecutors'offices.ThisCodeprohibitsconflictsthataresubstantialandmaterialorthat
maybringgovernmentintodisrepute."
Outsideofmyconcernwithyourpostsbeingunethical,Ialsofindthetimingofthemconcerning.Severalofthe
postshaveatimeanddatestampwhichisduringgovernmentbusinesshours.Ifyoupostedthesecomments
onFacebookwhileworkingattheOCPOyouhaveinmyopinioncommittedatheftofthetaxpayerstime.Ifyou
haveusedtheOCPOcomputersorinternettopostthesecomments,Ibelieveyouhavecommittedamisuseof
thetaxpayersproperty.Infactyourcodeofethicsdealswiththisveryconcern"Everycountyprosecutorand
employeeofacountyprosecutor'sofficemustexerciseallreasonablecaretopreventimproperuseofpublic
propertyandresourcesentrustedtohimorherandnocountyprosecutororemployeeofacountyprosecutor
mayusepublicpersonnel,propertyorinformationtofurtherpersonalorprivateinterestsortosatisfypersonalor
privateobligations."
ThereforeunderbothOPRAandmyCommonLawRightofAccess,Irequestacopyofyourworkschedulefor
themonthofNovemberandDecemberof2015.Ialsorequestacopyofyourpayrollregisterforthesametime
periodshowinganyvacationandsickleavesothatImaydefinitivelydetermineyourworkdays.Additionally,I
requestyourresume,salary,dateofhireandjobtitle.Ialsorequestanyandallcertificatesshowingthatyou
havecompletedethicstrainingandorOPRAcustodiantraining.Iamalsorequestingacopyofyourwork
computerbrowserandcachehistoryoranyothercomputeryouusethatisownedbytheOCPOinthemonthsof
NovemberandDecemberof2015.IhaveattachedanidenticalrequestwiththeGRCforthesametyperecord
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(browserhistory)toshowthisisavalidrequest.
DuetoyourobviousbiasofOPRA,IhaveconcernthatyouhavenotbeenrespondingtoOPRArequestsin
goodfaith.ThereforeIintendtoaudityourcompliance.IamrequestingacopyofallOPRArequestsmadeto
theOCPOwithinthepast6months.Includingallresponseswhichwouldbethecommunicationeither
grantingaccess,denyingaccessorseekinganextension.Iamnotrequestingtherecordsactuallyreleased.I
amcopyingthecountyprosecutoronthisrequestduetoyourconflictofinterest.Thestatutorydeadlineforthis
requestis12/15/15.IfyoufailtoreleasetherecordsbythatdateIwillfileanadditionallawsuitagainstyou.
OnceIhavethisinformation,Ifullyintendtofileanethicscomplaintagainstyou.Afterreadingthesepostsby
youIdonotfeelyouarefittobeemployedinapositionwhichdemandsyouavoideven
theappearanceofimproprietyorbias.Ihavetakenscreenshotsofyourfacebook.Ihavealsouploadedvideoof
ittoYouTubetopubliclypreserveitshouldyoudecidetodestroytheevidence.
Inclosing,IwouldliketorespondtoyourFacebookcommentsaboutOPRA.Ihaveneverhadtofilealawsuit
overbenignrecords.Theselawsuitsarealwaysfiledagainstgovernmentagencieswhichhavedone
somethingwrongandarewillfullyandintentionallyblockingalawfulrequesttosparethemselvesembarrassment
inthecourtofpublicopinionjustasyouarenow.Everyagencyhasgoneintocourtattemptingtoclaimtheyare
actingingoodfaithbydenyingtherecords.I'vereadonyourFBpage,howyouare"allfortransparency"the
truthofthematterisyouarejustlikeeveryotherpoliticianinNJwhoisfortransparencyuntilthey'vedone
somethingwrong.Yourclaimsagainstmyselfandotheractivistsareoutrageous.Yourproblemisthatyoufailto
exceptthatyouworkandareaccountabletous,thepeople,andthatwewhetheryoulikeitornot,wehave
oversightoveryourconduct.
Harry
www.opracrusades.com
(FullFacebookpostbyNicholasManaco)
"NEWJERSEY'SOPENPUBLICRECORDSACT(OPRA)MUSTBEAMENDEDTOREMOVEA

PROVISIONTHATGUARANTEESLEGALFEESBEPAIDBYGOVERNMENTAGENCIESALLATTHE
EXPENSEOFTHETAXPAYERS.
NewJerseysOpenPublicRecordsAct(OPRA),codifiedunderN.J.S.A.47:1A1etseq.isthe
proverbialwolfinsheepsclothing.OPRApermitsarequestingpartywhoisdeniedaccesstoa
governmentdocumenttobringacivillawsuitagainstastate,countyorlocalgovernment,i.e.,any
municipalityinNewJersey.OPRAalsoprovides,amongotherthingsthat:Arequestorwhoprevailsin
anyproceedingshallbeentitledtoareasonableattorney'sfee.N.J.S.A.47:1A6.TaxpayersinNew
Jerseyshouldknowthatthereisabsolutelynolimittotheamountoflegalfeesthatacourtcanaward
toapersonwhosuesagovernmentagency,municipalityorcounty.
ThetaxpayingresidentsofNewJerseyalsooughttoknowthatthereareanumberofsocalledopen
governmentadvocates,whosesolepurposeitisinlifetobringOPRAlawsuits.Lawsuits,thatif
successful,ultimatelyarepaidforbyourtaxdollars.
Thislawneedstobeamendedtoprovidethattheissueofcounselfeesbeleftinthediscretionofthe
SuperiorCourtandthatanyonewhosuesagovernmententityberequiredtoestablishbadfaithbefore
beingeligibletomakeapplicationforcounselfees.
Currently,underthestatute,whenarequestorsuesacustodianofrecordsofamunicipalorother
governmententity,heorsheisnotrequiredtoshowthatthecustodianofrecordsactedinbadfaithin
ordertobeawardedlegalfeesafterfilingadenialofaccesscomplaintwiththeSuperiorCourt.Rather,
underN.J.S.A.47:1A6,aprevailingrequestorisautomaticallyentitledtoreasonableattorneysfeesif
acourtfindsthatadenialofaccesswasnotjustified.
But,ifthegovernmentagencyormunicipalitywinsthelawsuit,itisnoteligibletomakeapplicationfor
legalfeesagainstalosingplaintiffunderOPRA.Attheveryleast,infairness,governmententities
shouldbeawardedcounselfeesagainstarequestorofrecords,ifthegovernmentprevailsasa
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requestor.And,requestorswhoaredeniedadocumentshouldpayfortheirownlegalfeesifthe
lawsuitisthatimportanttothem.
OneOPRAlawsuitthatcomestomindoccurredinoraround2009,whenacourtupheldanOPRA
counselfeeawardofmorethan$590,000.00againstRaritanBoroughinSomersetCounty.Ihaveread
commentsonmediawebsitesfromsupportersofOPRA,mostlyLibertarians,whotaketheposition
thatthoseofuswholiveinmunicipalitieswhohavebeensuedunderOPRAshouldnothavevotedfor
themembersofthatgoverningbodywhoallowedtheOPRAlawsuittogoonforsolong.Thishasto
bethemostridiculousandillogicalreasoningIhaveeverheard.Howonearthwouldalocalresident
anticipateastohowhisorhergoverningbodywouldhavereactedtoalawsuitbroughtunderthe
OPRAduringthetimethatheorshevotedforthecandidateofhisorherchoosing?
Itisabundantlyclearthatmost,ifnotallOPRArelateddenialofaccesslawsuitsarebroughtbygreedy,
selfanointedadvocatesoftransparencyingovernment,whobelieveitistheirresponsibilitytoactas
NewJerseysopengovernmentwatchdogs.Nothingcanbefurtherfromthetruth.Iforonecertainlydo
notneedthesedisingenuousindividualstospeakonmybehalf.Iftheseopengovernmentadvocates
caredsomuchaboutourgovernmentbeingmoretransparent,thenwhynotwaivetheirrighttolegal
feesandusetheirownmoneytofundtheirfrivolouslawsuits?Usually,noonehasananswerforthat
question.
Moreover,asalifelongresidentofNewJersey,Idonotneedthelikesofanyselfproclaimedopen
governmentadvocatetospeakonbehalfofmyinterests.Furthermore,Idonotwishtolearnoneday
thatmyhometownwillbesubjecttopayinga$600,000judgmenttosomeonewhohasnothingbetter
todowithhistimethanfleecethepocketsofthousandsofhardworkingNewJerseyresidentsand
taxpayers.Atbest,thistypeofdubiouscivicactivityisdeplorable.
TheremustbeanamendmenttorepealthecounselfeeawardprovisionofOPRAunderN.J.S.A.
47:1A6totaketheteethoutofthispoorlywrittenlegislation.Again,attheveryleast,andinthe
alternative,thelawneedstobeamendedtoprovidethattheissueofcounselfeesislefttothe
discretionoftheSuperiorCourtandthatarequestermakeasufficientshowingofbadfaithonthepart
ofthecustodianofrecordsinordertoprevailagainstapublicentity.Ourgovernmententities,i.e.,
municipalities,countygovernments,andcountyprosecutorsofficesarevirtuallydefenselesstothis
flawedlegislation.Inasense,anygovernmentthatbringsadefensetothesefrivolouslawsuitsis
literallypenalizedfordefendingitspositionincourt.
Attheveryleast,abillpendingintheAssembly,A4435,aimstorequiremandatorynonbinding
mediationforalldisputesbroughtbyOPRArequesterswhowanttobringacomplaintforadenialof
access.Thisbillneedstobecomelawasitwillrequireallrequestersofgovernmentrecordstobring
theircomplaintsbeforetheNewJerseyGovernmentRecordsCouncilinTrentonbeforebeing
permittedtofilelawsuitswiththeSuperiorCourt."

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