BURLCO DEMS CALL ON US ATTORNEY TO INVESTIGATE LATEST GOP CORRUPTION SCANDAL

(Mount Laurel):           While Freeholder Director Fenton and the Burlington County Republicans spent another day dodging yet another corruption scandal, their Democratic rivals Chris Brown and Mary Anne Reinhart unveiled their plan to end the culture of corruption in Burlington County.

"It almost has become a monthly ritual in Burlington County," said Brown.  "A new news story breaks about a high profile Republican donor feeding off the taxpayers.  While residents are being forced to pay higher taxes and our seniors forced to forego critical transportation, Fenton merely continues to provide a safe haven for political patronage professionals bilking the Burlington County taxpayers."

Brown and Reinhart are calling on US Attorney Christopher Christie to name a Federal Monitor to investigate the political apparatus that has infested government in Burlington County much like the one that uncovered fraud and waste at UMDNJ earlier last year

"Freeholder Director Fenton must stand up and be counted," said Reinhart.  "If he is part of the solution he should open the books to a federal investigator, regardless of what political friend might be exposed.  If he does not have the wherewithal to do so, he needs to resign and not stymie the efforts of reform."

The Democrats unveiled a detailed plan to end the embarrassing run of corruption in County Government.  The Democrats' plan would include:

-         Mandate detailed invoices from all vendors through all levels of Burlington County government.

-         Call for a thorough investigation to be run by forensic accountants to identify all areas of potential fraud and abuse.

-         Install a system of checks and balances implemented by trained professionals to prevent this from occurring in the future.

-         Immediately eliminate the part time lawyers on the Board of Social Services.

-         Empower the Freeholder Board with Veto power over County agencies that are taxpayer funded.

-     Eliminate Health and Pension Benefits for Part-time Employees

"Fenton has to answer for the corruption that has occurred under his nose," said Brown.  "What did he know and when did he know it?  When Chris Baxter was collecting hundreds of thousands of taxpayer funded dollars from the Board of Social Services for a questionable work product, Fenton was serving as the Freeholder Director or Freeholder Liaison to the Board.  This scandal is directly at the feet of Fenton and he must address his role immediately."

Fenton owes the residents of Burlington County answers to the following questions:

-         How long have you known that Chris Baxter was collecting a check without providing a substantive work product?

-     Were you aware that two commissioners of the Board of Social Services had raised questions about Baxter?  What did you do?

-     Are you aware that Chris Baxter has personally guaranteed loans to your campaign for tens of thousands of dollars?

-         Why have you not demanded that Bob Stears return the $2.7 million he stole from the County?

-          Why did you give a vote of confidence to the chairman of the Bridge Commission who plead guilty to DUI, even though he is in charge of keeping our bridges safe?

-         Why have you not refuted the claims made by your party's former Vice Chair when she said the Republicans in Burlington County are corrupt?

-         Why have you not disavowed the Statements made under oath by Bob Stears that his theft was part of the corrupt culture of Burlington County government?

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