Coda Wall hoping GOP voters will forget about the past Greg Bean Well, here we are at Wall Watch, Week 71. Time sure flies when you're having fun. I hope that constant - and even occasional - readers of this column will remember back to January 2006, when Holmdel Committeeman Terence Wall jumped the shark by turning on his running mate, Holmdel Mayor Serena DiMaso. In was in that month that Wall - who was apparently in a fit of pique because DiMaso got the mayor's post he wanted for himself - charged his former running mate with making anti-Semitic remarks about an unnamed member of the Planning Board. He claimed to have DiMaso on tape making repeated references to Jewish people as "5-3-9s," which spells out JEW on a telephone keyboard. At the time, Wall said he was making the matter public out of altruism, and to distance himself from his running mate. He declined to release the tape he allegedly had made, however, citing potential legal issues. Naturally, DiMaso fired back with both barrels. Not only did she deny Wall's charge of anti-Semitism, she pointed to what she believed was a "pattern of deceit and manipulation" by Wall that spanned years. Among other things, she accused Wall of manipulating the voice of former state Sen. John O. Bennett III on one of his campaign recordings; manipulating a tape by state Sen. Joe Kyrillos, and double-dipping as a Holmdel committeeman and Keansburg's town manager. She also cited an accusation by former Holmdel Mayor Art Davey (with whom he had a long and contentious history) that Wall had turned up drunk at a public meeting. She called on him to resign from office. Wall ignored that demand and suggested that everyone just move on and let bygones be bygones. But knowing what I knew about Terence Wall after following his political career for years, I tried to hold his feet to the fire. In one of my columns, shortly after he made the nuclear allegations against DiMaso, I challenged Wall to either produce the tapes or resign. He didn't, unfortunately. Politicians don't have to resign just because newspaper columnists say they ought to. But I didn't let the matter die a quiet death, and for almost three months, I conducted what I called the Wall Watch as part of this column. In Week Seven, I was beginning to get a little discouraged and I finally gave it up around Week 10, even though I've received lots of e-mail messages from Holmdel readers asking me to bring it back. At that time, I wrote that Wall could continue to ignore the challenge and refuse to produce the tape, as long as Holmdel voters let him get away with it "Until enough disgruntled residents start showing up at meetings to demand his resignation in a public forum, Terence Wall can keep thumbing his nose at everyone, and he can continue to make disgusting charges about anyone who ticks him off," I wrote. "At some point, folks in Holmdel will have to take this matter into their own hands and demand he resign. Either that, or sit on their cabooses and put up with Wall's shenanigans until the next election." And here we are. Primary election season 2007. This spring, our old friend Terence forced a primary battle against DiMaso (teaming up with political newcomer Jerry Allocco, who hasn't learned yet how quickly Wall can turn on his friends), making what should have been a two-way race in the GOP a three-way distraction. And the buzz suggests he's got a good chance at winning when voters go the polls June 5. Unbelievable! To his credit, Wall has been pretty quiet lately, focusing on issues like the future development of the 472-acre tract that used to be the home of Bell Labs. He's kept the strain of weirdness that bubbles just beneath the surface of his personality in check, hoping, I guess, that people will forget it's there. But that's the way he operates. As I wrote in 2006, Wall often comes across as pleasant, knowledgeable and rational, "But there's always a little bit of something else, something not so pleasant lurking just below the surface, that usually shows itself about three seconds after you disagree with him, or he doesn't get his own way." In an interview recently with Greater Media Newspapers publication the Independent, DiMaso declined to revisit Wall's 2006 charge of anti-Semitism against her. She also took the high road by not making personal attacks against Wall, or repeating any of the critical comments she's made about him in the past. Instead, she talked about issues like redevelopment of the Lucent tract and the need for more public safety volunteers on the fire department and first aid squad. Apparently, she'd like to forget the whole thing, win the primary election and move on. But I believe in the old adage that if you don't learn from the past, you're doomed to repeat it. And if there's anything I can do to remind folks in Holmdel about the past to keep them from having to relive it, I figure it's a public service. Seventy-one weeks later, Terence Wall has still not produced a shred of evidence to prove the disgusting charges he made against Serena DiMaso in 2006. DiMaso may be willing to overlook that, but I'm not. I don't think voters in Holmdel should overlook it either. Here it is: Terence Wall does not deserve to win this primary race. It's time for him to go. And if voters in that community need one more reason to show him the door, consider this: Terence Wall served as former Keyport Mayor John Merla's campaign manager in the admitted felon's unsuccessful run for a seat on the Monmouth County Board of Freeholders. Merla is currently awaiting sentencing on corruption charges. Wall, meanwhile, wants re-election to his seat on the Holmdel Township Committee and another shot at being mayor. Considering all the nice things he said about Merla before the former Keyport mayor pleaded guilty, it seems like Wall's history of poor character judgment should be enough in itself to disqualify him from winning further office. That's my opinion. Next Tuesday, we'll see if GOP voters in Holmdel agree. Gregory Bean is executive editor of Greater Media Newspapers. You can reach him at gbean@gmnews.com .