Monmouth County Republican Chairman Adam Puharic
ON ONE YEAR ANNIVERSARY, DEM BOOKKEEPER DEFENDS WHEELING-
1 Year Ago Dems Took Buckets of Outside Campaign Cash, Set to Do it Again -
Freehold Borough, NJ: Monmouth County Republican Chairman Adam Puharic today said that Monmouth Democrats are defending wheeling by attempting to redefine their practice of accepting excessive amounts of campaign cash raised from outside of the county in the final days of the campaign.
"The precedent has been set and I expect them to do it again this year," said Monmouth County Republican Chairman Adam Puharic. "Why else would their own bookkeeper look to defend this practice with only days to go in the campaign?"
In a letter to the editor yesterday, the Democrat treasurer charged with overseeing their party's finances defended wheeling and attempted to belittle the serious negative impact it has on elections. Last year, Monmouth Democrats wheeled in over $200,000 between October 26 and Election Day.
"They are attempting to mislead voters into thinking what they are about to do is acceptable," Puharic said. "The simple fact is they cannot escape from what they have done in the past. We are talking about taking hundreds of thousands of dollars from labor unions, special interest and Camden County party bosses, not grassroots contributions from family members."
In addition to taking over $80,000 from indicted former State Senator John Lynch, Democrats in Monmouth County received over $87,000 from labor unions outside of the county. The New York Council of Carpenters gave $25,000 to local Democrats last year and Camden County Democrat boss Joe Roberts rolled in $37,000.
"The proof is in the finance reports," said Puharic. "I find it hard to believe that New York labor bosses and political bosses from Camden County have a grassroots interest in Monmouth County. Instead of defending this they should join our calls to ban it and pledge not to do it again."
The practice of outside county party organizations and interest groups sending large sums of diverted contributions to impact a local race, known as "wheeling," is one of the most controversial issues in New Jersey politics today. Monmouth Democrats continue to reject GOP calls for campaign finance reforms.
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3 comments:
When they needed a clue, they were looking for tips.
Well since we are talking about ELEC reports and wheeling Howell has a few interesting developments.
It seems that the Howell GOP has had a few, no make that a lot, of ethical lapses in their reporting which have now generate an ELEC investigation.
The Malave Tobasco DiBella campaign, in its final closing report dated April 12, 2004 listed transfers on Schedule 3(D) Disbursements which were made on April 8, 2004 to other entities which are required to report by law, the receipt of contributions.
They included:
$6686.43 to DiBella Schomaker campaign
$6686.45 to Howell Township Republican County Committee and
$6686.45 to Howell Citizens for Good Government.
These reports were signed by candidates Juan Malave, Peter Tobasco and Joe DiBella, as well as campaign treasurer James Stanberry. To this date, 10/30/06 the above contributions have never reported been as received by the respective committees.
The Howell Citizens for Good Government did not register with ELEC until April 1, 2005, almost a full year later AFTER it received the $6686.45. Peter Tobasco is the elected treasurer of the Howell Republican County Committee. Tobasco signed his campaign reports and as treasurer would have received the campaign contribution. Where did the money go?
The Howell Republican County Committee has not filed an ELEC report since May 20, 2004.
DiBella signed the reports from the Malave Tobasco DiBella campaign that included the disbursements to the other groups, but never reported the contribution on his DiBella Schomaker reports.
The Howell Citizens for Good Government never reported the contribution from Tobasco's campaign. The "Citizens" PAC did make a donation to the Southern Monmouth Citizens for Good Government, which ELEC has NO RECORD of ever registering! Now guess what address the Southern Monmouth Citizens for Good Government is allegedly located at?
You are absolutely clairvoyant! It is the same as the old Town COMMITTEE for Good Government PACS set up under the prior chairman. But still no reports! And BTW, the Howell COMMITTEE for Good Government with Norine Kelly as the chairperson is STILL in operation according to ELEC reports. It seems that the good commissioner of elections has also made a loan to the current Tobasco campaign because his ELEC reports for the current election show a repayment to Kelly for a loan. Problem is that the report does not list the receipt of the loan. Fuzzy math, I guess.
So to paraphase the county Republican candidate:
If Peter Tobasco can't handle his own campaign funds, how can he handle Howell Township's taxpayers' dollars?
Stay tune --- there is more to come.
"The practice of outside county party organizations and interest groups sending large sums of diverted contributions to impact a local race, known as "wheeling," is one of the most controversial issues in New Jersey politics today. Monmouth Democrats continue to reject GOP calls for campaign finance reforms."
I and many other Howell residents agree -- so perhaps it is time for the County GOp to gently remind the Howell GOP of the above stance.
Howell Citizen for Good Government, a local GOP PAC, received over $49,000 in contributions from professionals, many employed by Howell Township and other organizations, and in turn used that money in support of Howell candidates. Sure it's legal, but it is till wheeling to avoid campaign contribution limits to candidates. If wheeling is wrong for Dems, it is wrong for Republicans too!
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