Sussex County GOP facing NJELEC fines of up to $39,200.
By Contributor Jersey Conservative
The New Jersey Election Law Enforcement Commission (NJELEC) announced today that it is filing “a Complaint against the Sussex County Republican Committee” and its Treasurer. The four-count complaint alleges, in part, the following:
That the Sussex County GOP filed a D-3 Report due on July 10, 2023, 116 days late.
That the Sussex County GOP filed R-3 Reports (due April 17, 2023; July 17, 2023; and October 16, 2023) 90 days late, 100 days late, and 92 days late, respectively.
That the Sussex County GOP entirely failed to file a Notice of a 72-Hour Contribution made on October 25, 2023.
That the Sussex County GOP entirely failed to file a Notice of 72-Hour Contribution for FOUR separate contributions made on November 1, 2023.
The NJELEC complaint comes the day after Sussex County GOP Chairman Joe Labarbera was re-elected to a second term. Labarbera was first elected in June 2023.
Labarbera has faced criticism over his handling of the Sussex County Republican Committee’s finances, with news stories appearing that detailed the Committee’s noncompliance in 2024 and the possible laundering of money to the re-election campaign of County Commissioner Director Chris Carney. Those concerns were essentially “placed to one side” by the intervention of State Senator Parker Space, who formally nominated Labarbera for re-election.
Labarbera played a dodgy role in the gubernatorial primary battle between Jack Ciattarelli and Bill Spadea – spending over $2,000 in party funds on an event with Bill Spadea, while holding off on endorsing Ciattarelli until after Donald Trump’s endorsement. The New Jersey Globe reported that Labarbera was not among those "key Sussex GOP leaders" who joined forces to endorse Ciattarelli in April.
NJELEC notified the Committee of the pending Complaint on June 18, 2025. Notice of the pending Complaint was not passed on to the members of the Committee in advance of last night’s vote.