Mayor Brush gives go-ahead for TV coverage in Dover    by Joseph A. Lypowy

    It was recently announced that Dover Township Mayor Paul Brush gave the go ahead for local political commentator and website publisher Richard Schiff to videotape the council meetings and broadcast them on local cable stations. Broadcasting township meetings is a good thing because it enhances public awareness and civic participation. True statesmen and men of honor do not squirm under the scrutiny of public media exposure but look at it as an opportunity to express their ideas and worthwhile deeds. The scheduling of township meetings also makes it difficult for many residents to attend because the early start time does not allow for coming home from work and having dinner. Mr. Schiff is correct when he says his First Amendment “Freedom of the Press” rights are being violated when he is not allowed to place a microphone near the dais at the Council Meetings as well as the DMUA. It is violating my right and the right of any Dover Twp. Resident who wishes to clearly hear what is said at a public meeting.
   In the past I have seen many of Mr. Schiff’s videos which are exhibited on his website, and I have found many of them an eye opener. It was not to long ago that I watched a video of the Council President and Mayor Brush yelling at Schiff, trashing him and his website. It also showed Brush pointing his finger at Schiff angrily yelling that he should be run out of town. I find it both astonishing and amusing that after Mayor Brush publicly denounced Schiff as a public pariah, he is now praising him as a public benefactor. Also the video of Brush trashing Schiff is not available on Schiff’s website anymore.
Even though the televising of the township meetings is a good thing, I have some concerns about the motives of both Brush and Schiff and their sudden alliance. The public must ask itself the following questions. Is Brushes sudden interest in Schiff’s videos an opportunity to try to embarrass the Council? We know that Schiff has been trying to get a contract to televise the meetings for several years, did Brush cut a deal with him, promising a future contract if the “tax and spend” Democrats take power? Schiff is also a founder and promoter of the “New Democrats of Ocean County”, will his filming be objective coverage or will it be used for partisan propaganda?