11/18/11 7:49 AMNew Jersey Law Journal: Surrogate Denies Running Fundraiser Flouted Ethics RulePage 1 of 2http://www.law.com/jsp/nj/PubArticleFriendlyNJ.jsp?id=1202532841708

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Surrogate Denies Running Fundraiser Flouted Ethics Rule

A surrogate judge who honchoed a $100-a-plate fundraising event for a New Jersey Assembly hopeful denies that he violated judicial ethics canons in the process.Michael Booth11-17-2011A surrogate judge who honchoed a $100-a-plate fundraising event for a New Jersey Assembly hopeful denies that he violated judicial ethics canons in the process.Answering a formal complaint by the Advisory Committee on Judicial Conduct, Atlantic County Surrogate James Curcio admitshaving sent out an invitation letter in behalf of Chris Brown, who was raising funds to campaign for a Second District seat.The Atlantic County Republican Party eventually nominated Brown and incumbent Assemblyman John Amodeo to run againstDemocrats Alysa Cooper and Damon Tyner. Brown and Amodeo both won in the Nov. 8 election.But at the time of the fundraiser, Brown had not yet been nominated or even endorsed by the GOP, Curcio says in his answer,which the judiciary made public on Thursday.The event was held last March 19 at Chickie's and Pete's Crab House and Sports Bar in Egg Harbor Township.As "Host Committee Chairman," Curcio, a former GOP Atlantic County freeholder, signed and sent a letter inviting Brownsupporters and claimed to speak for "the entire committee," whose names were listed under his. At the letter's bottom appeared thewords "Paid for by Friends of Chris Brown."The letter prompted an ethics grievance by Hammonton resident Richard Jacobus, filed last August. The ACJC followed with afor mal complaint last month. Surrogates are elected officials but they are bound by judiciary ethics rules because they act as judgesinmatters involving probate, wills, estates, adoptions and incapacitated persons.The ACJC charged that Curcio violated:Rule 1:17-1(f), which prohibits surrogates from engaging in partisan political activity other than what is permitted under the Code of Conduct for Judiciary Employees.Canon 6.A.3 of the Code of Conduct for Judiciary Employees, which prohibits surrogates from holding "an office or position of leadership in" or serving as a "spokesman for a political party, organization or club" that supports "partisan political activity."Canon 1 of the Code of Judicial Conduct, which requires judges to observe high standards of conduct so that the integrity andindependence of the judiciary may be preserved. And,