After Further Review: Fenton Lies Again

(Mt. Laurel)  Burlington County Democratic Chairman Rick Perr blasted Freeholder Director Aubrey Fenton for directing the GOP Spin Machine to issue another  press release  filled with lies and inaccuracies.  Perr introduced a video tape that clearly shows Fenton’s latest statements to again be false.  According to Perr, the GOP release personifies Fenton’s woeful lack of knowledge and overreliance on a corrupt political machine, making him unfit to lead Burlington County.

 “This not the first time the GOP Spin Machine has used inaccuracies and misinformation to deceive the public,” said Perr, “I am not surprised that Aubrey Fenton would resort to a blatant lie.  I am deeply concerned though that Freeholder Director Fenton not only refused to discuss a $48 million project that will affect 95,000 residents on a daily basis but that he seems to be woefully unaware of the project details.”

 According to a video recorded outside of the Evesham Municipal Building, Councilman Chris Brown offered Fenton the opportunity to discuss the Marlton Circle Elimination Project.  Fenton refused to meet with Brown on the issue, instead directing him to one of his bureaucratic department heads.

“For someone who is supposed to be the CEO of the County and titular head of the Republican Party, Fenton’s aloofness on this is issue is tantamount to leadership malpractice,” said Perr.

 Yesterday, more than 24 hours after the conversation between Brown and Fenton transpired, the GOP Spin Machine issued a press release that tried to hide Fenton’s lack of knowledge by lying about the contents of the conversation.

The attached video clip clearly shows Brown telling Fenton the steps he has taken on the project including meeting  with the County Engineer.  Browns statements were quickly dismissed by the Freeholder Director who stated that the Engineer is not the person he should be speaking to.  When Fenton was unable to explain why he has not returned Brown’s phone calls, Fenton walks away.

 “Instead of showing leadership Fenton passed Brown’s concerns and the concerns of 95,000 Burlington County residents onto another bureaucrat,” said Perr.  “ It is reprehensible that the Freeholder Director would be so uninformed on such an important issue.  To cover up this lack of knowledge with a lie is just too consistent with the practices of a political machine that has been called corrupt by their former  Chair woman.

From day one all Chris Brown has asked for is the opportunity to discuss this project with Fenton, and the Freeholder Director does not even have the courtesy to return his phone calls.  It is now clear why County spending keeps increasing, why services to seniors need to be cut and why County vendors are going to jail - the Freeholder Director has no idea what is going on!”

Perr further stated that the only thing worse than Fenton’s lie is that he is so out of touch that he does not even realize that Main Street, which will be impacted by any decision made, is in fact a County road.

 “This is possibly the biggest transportation project in the State over the past 20 years,” said Perr.  “The Freeholder Director does not even realize that one of the roads involved in the project is one of his County roads.  He obviously has no clue about the status of the project on his roads.”

 Perr stated that this attack is consistent with Fenton’s behavior since the beginning of the campaign.  He called on the Freeholder Director to debate the issues and not rely on the GOP Spin Machine that has been propagating lies since Fenton survived a challenge from his own party for the nomination. This is the same GOP Spin Machine that has been rebuked by editorial boards across the State, been the subject of lawsuits and was even criticized by the former Chairman of the Republican Chairs.  They have been called corrupt by their former Vice Chairwoman and publically scolded by a Federal judge.

"We are reminded once again why it is time for a change in Burlington County government," says Perr. "If it takes Fenton more than 24 hours to answer a question- albeit incorrectly and deceitfully- what else is he failing to do to make Burlington County more affordable, accountable and accessible?  If a Councilman from the largest town in Burlington County cannot get in touch with his Freeholder, what are residents experiencing when they try to contact their government."