By Brenda Flanagan
Correspondent
“She got caught with her hands in the cookie jar,” said one man.
Folks in her hometown of Scotch Plains seem dismayed to hear it: reports that long-time Assemblywoman Linda Stender’s family allegedly tried to game Habitat for Humanity — the charity that’s been rebuilding homes for Sandy victims — into constructing a posh second home for the Stenders down the shore.
“Politicians. They all do the same thing,” said the same man.
“I like her so I’m not the correct person to ask,” said a woman. “But wrong is wrong. And if those are the facts, then I would say, you know, not run for reelection.”
Stender lives in Scotch Plains with her mother. Documents show the half-million-dollar Manasquan bungalow badly damaged by Sandy is in her husband, Richard’s name. Based solely on his income, he initially asked Habitat for Humanity to help them rebuild the 640-square-foot, two-bedroom cottage. But when the Stenders unveiled plans for a five-bedroom, 3.5 bath showplace, complete with elevator, Habitat balked, stating “…because the proposed home far exceeded the organization’s standards to build simple, decent, affordable housing, it would not move forward with the project. Coastal Habitat for Humanity refused to allow itself to be taken advantage of.”
“Five bedrooms, elevator. These are the things that are driving this whole issue to where it’s gotten out of control,” said Assemblyman Jerry Green.
For 14 years, veteran Assemblyman Green has worked beside Stender in the Legislature. He’s heard horror stories from real Sandy victims left homeless. He says Stender’s a friend but he won’t support her reelection to serve constituents in the 22nd.
“When they see a politician make the decisions she’s been accused of making, that’s why every day it’s news and I can’t wait to get it off the front page so I can get back to doing the people’s business,” said Green.
Stender just started a new $90,000-a-year job at Union County’s Improvement Authority.
Late Thursday, Stender released a statement indicating she won’t run for reelection. “Over the last several days, it has become apparent that personal issues involving my family and a non-profit group have become an insurmountable distraction to me, to my running mates and, most importantly, to the constituents I have been proud to represent for more than a decade. As a result, I have decided not to seek reelection,” the statement read.
Already, party leaders are lining up possible replacements — among them, former Rahway Mayor Jim Kennedy. He’s Senator Ray Lesniak’s choice.
“Certainly I’m not calling for her to resign. We haven’t seen anything that’d require that. However enough’s come out to fronts to move on with another candidate,” said Sen. Ray Lesniak.
When asked if he would accept her resignation if she gave it, Green said, “Yes, I would. And I’d tell her, ‘You’ve done a helluva job for the people of Union County and I wish you the best of luck.'”