Sunlight Policy Center of New Jersey, run by Michael Lilley, has little use for New Jersey Education Association, the state’s primary teacher union, often calling out the way it “has thoroughly dominated New Jersey politics, rigged the system for its own benefit and brought our state to the brink of insolvency.” Lately, Sunlight has been focused on NJEA President Sean Spiller, who is also mayor of Montclair and has designs on higher office. In a new set of ads that are running statewide, Sunlight uses a recent Star-Ledger editorial to lambaste Spiller for alleged conflicts of interest; refusing to answer questions about why he (and other Montclair Town Council representatives) availed themselves of health benefits without working the mandated 35 hours per week; signing off on “an illegal no-bid contract”; and using NJEA dues to fund his political ambitions.

The ads have gotten under the skin of NJEA’s front office. Today on Facebook, Spiller’s lawyer, Frank Arleo, defended his client taking the Fifth during a deposition about a whistleblower lawsuit filed by the town’s former Chief Financial Officer Padmaja Rao who not only revealed the health benefits issue but also claimed Montclair Town Council created a “hostile working environment” for women.

NJ Education Report contacted Lilley to ask about the ads. “Spiller looks like he got himself into real trouble,” said Lilley. “Voters and teachers deserve some transparency. He’s been a walking conflict of interest…Teachers have been forced to fund his personal political career, now with millions going to  his dark money Super PAC.”

Lilley asked, “Is President Spiller exerting undue influence on NJEA leadership? Why are teachers being forced to fund his personal PAC?”

Here are the Sunlight Policy ads currently running.

Gov. Sean Spiller? Not Until He Explains All These Ethical Breaches