I could not have said it better myself

GOP contract: Breach it now

Posted by the Asbury Park Press on 02/11/07

The only thing more disturbing than the contract Monmouth County Republicans are asking candidates seeking the party's endorsement to sign is the apparent willingness of most of the candidates to do so.

The 14-page questionnaire/contract not only asks candidates to pay $1,000 or more to have a private snoop do a background check on them, but requires them to sign an agreement not to wage a primary fight in the event they are deemed unworthy by the party. What an outrage. No one with any self-respect should sign the contract. And no voter in Monmouth County should cast a ballot for anyone weak-kneed enough to go along with it.

Further troubling is the way the ground rules of the contract seem to be changing. In a commentary in Thursday's Press, GOP Chairman Adam Puharic said the background check was "confidential, between the researcher and the candidate." Here's what the loyalty oath the county Grand Old Politburo candidates are sworn to take has to say on the subject, in a clause called "Disclosure and Use of Information:"

"We will disseminate the information provided by you only on an "as needed' basis to our officers, members, employees, third party vendors or contractors as determined by the Monmouth County Republican chairman necessary for a complete and thorough candidate selection process. We will take reasonable precautions to protect the information we obtain from you."

In capital letters, to underscore the point, it concludes, "You hereby irrecovably (sic) waive any and all claims and causes of action you may have against us arising from such disclosure or use of the information provided to us by you."

Did anyone who signed the contract actually read it first?

There's nothing wrong with political parties doing due diligence on candidates. It's common. What isn't common — and what isn't acceptable — is asking candidates to pay to have investigators sniff their dirty laundry, failing to spell out the parameters for the investigations and extracting a written promise from candidates not to compete in a primary if they are spurned by the party elite. Being out of favor by the party — particularly the Republican Party in Monmouth County — may well be a major selling point with voters.

The Republican organization should tear up the contracts, remove the $1,000 entry fee and make it clear to candidates they are free to compete in the primary if they don't receive the party's endorsement, and the leadership will not use any information obtained during background checks against them in a primary fight. If the party refuses to do that, candidates should refuse to seek its blessing.