Democrats stormed Burlington County Republican headquarters in Mount Holly earlier today, demanding to know how Freeholder Director Aubrey Fenton and Freeholder Stacey Jordan are funding their campaign with one week to go before Election Day.
Evesham Deputy Mayor Chris Brown and Shamong Committeewoman Mary Anne Reinhart wonder how Fenton and Jordan can pay for a barrage of Philadelphia network television advertising when the GOP candidates reported just $44,000 in the bank in their latest ELEC report.
“In the past several years, the Burlington County Republicans have been the only political party in the State of New Jersey to use an intricate loan scheme secured from 20 individuals to fund their campaigns and often a last minute network TV buy,” said Burlington Democratic Chairman Rick Perr. “These same individuals have made $30 million in government contracts, salaries and pension credits since 2006,” the chairman added. “The group, since dubbed the ‘Paulsen’s 20,’ (after former Burlington GOP Chairman Glen Paulsen) has likely been summoned once again.”A Brown/Reinhart press conference ended after the Democrats tried to gain access to Republican headquarters and the GOP locked their doors and stayed inside.“It’s desperation on their part for them to come and act obnoxious like that,” said Burlington County Republican Chairman Bill Layton. “ We’ve been here raising money so we can beat them. We have a superior record and a record of reducing taxes.”
It’s a tough year with the presidential race in New Jersey heavily favoring Democratic nominee Sen. Barack Obama (D-Il.), Layton conceded.
“But we’ll come out on top because voters know how to differentiate between what’s going on with McCain and Obama and the freeholder board,” said the Republican chairman, who called the Paulsen 20 story “old news.”
“We raised money from people,” Layton said. “We ask people to support us. It’s not my fault people believe we’re going to do a better job of cutting taxes and spending. People can go and look at the money on ELEC. You can see everything. We’re not hiding.”
But not only is timing an issue, the Democrats argue. The core of their concern is the conflict of interest involving Republican candidates for freeholder and their campaign contributors.
“These are tough economic times,” said Brown. “Small business owners are being forced to shut down due to a massive credit crunch. While Fenton and Jordan are raising our property taxes, and have failed miserably at economic development it is reprehensible, they are accepting hundreds of thousands of dollars in loans from county vendors who make their living on the backs of Burlington County taxpayers.”
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Layton is Obnoxious
To fund the campaigns of Fenton and Jordan with money from political hacks like Chris Baxter and people who hold government contracts is obnoxious. Its offensive to the taxpayers and Fenton/Jordan know it and are too embarassed to admit it, so they don't even bother to address these concerns.
And the Paulsen 20 is not an old story when they are back it again.
223 High Street is a joke!
Lots of Interesting donations
Fenton/Jordan have gotten $40K from Burlington County Republican Committee yesterday. I wonder where they are getting their money from??
same place they always get the money
Paulsen calls Phil Haines, Donnelly, Jordan, Farias, Bark, Fenton , Jordan, Addiego, Baxter and Rudder along with everyone that has a contract with the county and tells them SIGN FOR THE LOAN OR ELSE. Same old slime campaign they always run. They blame high taxes on everyone else while "Holy Fenton" raised them more than anyone else. Layton has ruined the republican party in Burl Co. When he fails Paulsen will use him as the fall guy.
All Huff and Puff
Seriously, all the dems can do is huff and puff and try to posture?
Chris Brown lied about raising taxes in Evesham and he is as dirty as they come. Reinhart and Tyler are too dumb to realize what people need, and of course, Tylers hatred of the troops and the yellow ribbons in his town only make him laughable.
Get a CLUE
Chris Brown never lied about anything, he voted NO on the Evesham budget I was there and I am a Republican. Simple fact is Republicans and Dems will be voting for Chris Brown in Evesham.
Obama buck$, maybe.
Perhaps they are funding their campaign with the same untraceable online contributions Obama is using.
More Lies from Perr
RIck should check with his boss, George Norcross, on this "scheme." The CamCo Dems invented this and still carry thousands of dollars of old debt.
Brown
is a crybaby, and if he can only whine and complain why would anyone want a crybaby representing them??
I sure dont
What now strong arm Brown?
Chris Brown still hasn't answered the residents of Evesham about his violation of the Pay to Play ordinance. Now what... strong arm tactics in the last week of the Election. Sounds like the Camden County Democratic Political Machine at work in Burlington County. This man has no ethics.. no character .. and hasn't even completed one term as a councilperson... He wants to be elected to "SERVE HIMSELF" NOT the taxpayers of Burlington County.
Don't let his poison get out of Evesham. I wasn't involved until this political parasite came on the seen..."Man of the year????
OH PLEASE!!!!