Friday, January 22, 2010

HALFACRE TO SIPPRELLE: ANSWER THE QUESTION

Halfacre for Congress spokesman Tom Fitzsimmons today took issue with Wall Street insider Scott Sipprelle’s confusing non-answer to questions on why he donated $2,500 to five House Democrats only seven months ago, when House Republicans were battling the Pelosi/Reid/Holt agenda of government-run healthcare and cap and trade.

“If Scott Sipprelle wants to carry the Republican banner in the 12th District this fall, voters deserve answers to legitimate questions, not political doublespeak and whining,” said Fitzsimmons.

“No one cares that he may have given x thousands of dollars to Club for Growth years ago. The fact remains that just seven months ago, while House Republicans were battling to oppose the very big government policies that Rush Holt fully supports and Americans are rejecting in droves, Mr. Sipprelle gave money to five Democrats who support that agenda. Why? ‘I gave a lot of money here or there and stop asking me hard questions’ is not an answer. Voters in the 12th District are going to want a better explanation than that.”

Fitzsimmons noted that Sipprelle’s non-answer stated he wanted to ‘repair the financial fabric of America.’ “How can you claim to want to repair the financial fabric of America, and then donate money to the very people who are tearing that fabric in the first place?”

Fitzsimmons concluded, “Mike Halfacre has spent the last eight months talking to people in the 12th District about his record of cutting spending and property taxes as Mayor of Fair Haven, and about his small government, pro-business governing philosophy. They know he will oppose the Peolsi/Reid/Holt agenda in Washington, and that’s why he has gathered so much support from both grassroots activists and Republican leaders. Scott Sipprelle was supporting that agenda seven months ago. The choice for 12th District voters, in June and in November, is now clear.”

13 comments:

Anonymous said...

Sipprelle just got my vote. We warned Halfacre to stop this whiny nonsense. By the way I thought it was $5,000 now its down to $2,500 and most of these dems voted against Obamacare and our own Chris Smith voted for cap and trade. Everyone is sick of this BS from politicians.
Gooooooo Sipprelle and stick to the issues!

Anonymous said...

Uhmmm....now we need an answer, AND an explanation for the lie to Mr. Mennella

Anonymous said...

Let me get this straight ...a hearsay comment from someone obviously in Halfacre's camp is supposed to derail Sipprelle? How ridiculous.

Anonymous said...

Halfacre is desperate because all of Monmouth is headed for Sipprelle. He's about to be embarassed in his own backyard.

Anonymous said...

Note to Sipprelle camp - ignore this and make them keep stamping there feet. Makes them look stupid and you look like the better candidate. Note to Halfacre camp - see above, this BS does not appeal to anyone but party flunkies trading inside deals. To rank and file Republicans you look like clowns right now

Anonymous said...

Amen to 5:55

Anonymous said...

As an elected official in Monmouth County, I will tell you that I will ultimately endorse Sipprelle. My name may be on Mike Halfacre's website as an endorser but I can assure you that 99% of those on that site never gave an endorsement for Halfacre. Being invited to a press conference to announce your candidacy is no where near an endorsement. How about that for stretching the truth???

Art Gallagher said...

New rule: If you claim to be an elected official you must identify yourself or your comment will not be posted.

Halfacre told me that he spoke on the phone with everyone on his list, and several who declined to be on the list, prior to releasing the list.

If you're willing to go on the record and you have Halfacre in a lie, I'll make that a story just as I did about Sipprelle and the timing of his Schumer donation.

Anonymous said...

keep up the carping at each other: you'll tune everyone right back to the familiar name in Nov., and we gain ZERO.. babies!

Anonymous said...

I know many elected officials who are attorneys and engineers whose firms contributed to both parties under their names in order to skirt campaign finance regulations. They are or have been well-respected, effective and honorable GOP elected representatives in this state...some of them right from their hometowns.

This brouhaha is a smokescreen to the real issues of this primary as determined by posted concerns on this blog and others.

But it shows the true character of certain individuals who would sooner throw their party under the bus than give it it's best chance of winning a Congressional seat through a civilized primary.

Art Gallagher said...

This brouhaha is a smokescreen to the real issues of this primary as determined by posted concerns on this blog and others.

What issues are you talking about? Go to Sipprelle's web site. So far there is no talk on issues that impact the district. There is a big DONATE button.

Halfacre has been talking about issues for months. There is likely to be very little difference Halfacre and Sipprelle on the issues when push comes to shove. The ultimate issue of the primary is who is the better candidate to beat Holt.

Sipprelle has a financial advantage, there is no question about that. But who is he? Can he handle the rigors of a campaign against Holt? His supporters whining here and his handling of the Schumer donation issue...which is a valid issue..so far raise legitimate questions about his viablity.

But it shows the true character of certain individuals who would sooner throw their party under the bus than give it it's best chance of winning a Congressional seat through a civilized primary.

Bull Dinky.

What does Sipprelle going for him that makes him a good candidate besides money? I'm not saying he is not a good candidate. I'm saying we don't know and he needs to show us.

When Scott entered the race, I thought it was over for Halfacre. I told him so. Since, I've been impressed by his ability to hold on to his support. That tells me something about what kind of candidate he will be.

Mike still needs to show that he can raise the money. Sipprelle's money makes that a harder task, as donors might think their contributions are either wasted or better spent on other races. How Mike performs in the face of that challenge will tell us about the viablity of his candidacy.

Sipprelle needs to show us how he can handle questions about his record beyond whining about his opponent for raising the questions. That won't work in the general election. How Scott handles the heat, delivers his message and builds an organization will tell us about the viablity of his candidacy.

Both candidates need to further define who they are. Are they moderate of conservative? Lance or Garrett? Baroni or Dorhety? How would they vote on cap and trade or health care? etc, etc.

Anonymous said...

Halfacre's next door neighbors don't want to throw him under the bus that quick to be curteious, but will if he keeps it up. Just because nobody -- aside from Baroni -- has publicly switched during Siprelle's first week in the race doesn't show, in any way, that Halfacre has any holding power. Time will quickly tell this is not the case. Halfacre's knows the ground around him is about to crumble, which is why he is launching desperate attacks at Siprelle rather than focusing on Holt.

Anonymous said...

Art -

Big mistake to assume people who don't like this Halfacre nonsense are Sipprelle people. A lot of the real Republicans out here are simply sick and tired of the petty nonsense and bashing that comes from the Monmouth GOP insiders. Maybe this is an issue for party operative but not the regular Republicans who care about things other then trading political favors.