Ethics charges against GOP legislators dismissed
By EditorEthics complaints filed against six GOP legislators by Democratic County Chairmen Richard Perr of Burlington and Elia Pelios of Somerset have been dismissed by the Joint Committee on Ethical Standards. One Republican, Assemblyman Richard Merkt, says he may file a defamation lawsuit against Perr and Pelios for falsely accusing them of unethical conduct.
A statement issued by Merkt labeled the complaints a "politically-motivated smear by state Democrats to divert attention from the recent federal criminal indictment of Democrat Senator and kingpin Wayne Bryant, as well as numerous ongoing federal criminal probes into Democrat legislators who steered state grants so they could profit personally."
"The malicious corruption of the ethics process by Democrats for blatantly partisan purposes remains deeply troubling," said Merkt, was was accused of helping the Morris County YMCA get state grants while serving as a Trustee. Merkt noted that he was not a Trustee at the time. "The truth of the matter was always available to the Democrats in public records," said Merkt, "but they had no intention of telling the truth because it got in the way of their goal of trying to smear and silence Republican critics of Democrat corruption in Trenton."
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Sighhhh
The filing of the complaints was stupid on a lot of levels and the guys who filed didn't think things through to this point--at the start of summer, Rick has a lot of positive publicity going for him. I bet the Morris Dems running against him are delighted. Another question arises however. As a member of the governing body of a non-profit one of your responsibilities is to raise money--in any legal fashion, for that organization so long as you, or a member of your family, isn't personally profiting by the action. Merkt did nothing illegal even if he had been a trustee at the time.
Merkt should file a complaint.
This transparent partisan activity has to stop. Does everyone who is in public service have to fear being brought up on charges just because some powerful political figure gets busted and needs some cover?
I hope Richard Merkt serves some papers to Perr and Pelios and gives them a dose of their own medicine.
Rick Perr
Is nothing but a hack. Left unattended by Boss Norcross, and he only embarrasses himself.
When does this lunacy end?
Merkt accuses someone of a politically motivated smear and then cites non-existent federal "probes" against Democrats - in the same sentence?
Typical!
Keep doing what they do without finding facts first. Dumb, dumb dumb!!!
Grow up, Dems and Reps.
This is absolutely ridiculous! Republicans and Democrats should battle each other on the floor of the legislature and not in the newspapers by trying to drum up ludicrous charges against each other. Besides the fact that it's basically the pot calling the kettle black, it is embarrassing for both parties inasmuch as it reduces them essentially to petulant children tattling on one another--nothwithstanding the absence of anything substantiated for which to blow the whistle.
What a Joke from Merkt
He thinks these complaints had anything to do with Bryant? What a joke.
These were in response to Lonegan filing the same kind of stupid complaints last year, and Chris Christie investigating only from 2002 for Christmas Tree violations.
If Merkt doesn't know that he is an idiot. If he does, he is a liar.