MERKT: "WHAT DID SENATE PRESIDENT CODEY KNOW,
AND WHEN DID HE KNOW IT?"

SOMEBODY HAD TO KNOW ABOUT SLUSH FUND GRANTS

Reacting to Senate President Dick Codey's highly publicized call for reforming last-minute special appropriations added to the state budget, Assemblyman Richard A. Merkt (R. - Morris) today commented that Codey's proposals would have more credibility, were it not for the current doubts swirling around how state grants got made to recipients who employ senators or their spouses or who are clients of senators.

"I find it difficult to believe that no one in the Senate knew anything about these slush fund grants," declared Merkt, adding, "The whole story is just plain 'Alice in Wonderland.'"

Merkt noted that Senators Bryant, Turner, Scutari, Kenny, and Conigilio all have links to grant recipients, yet most claim to have played no role in the grants.

"Here we have a group of senators who work for or have other connections with grant recipients, but most supposedly made no request for the grants," said Merkt, asking, "If they did not steer state grant money to such employers or clients, then who did?"

Merkt stated that Senate President Codey owes the public an explanation about how the slush fund grant process works, particularly where senators have financial connections to recipients.

"It certainly seems curious to me that tens of millions of taxpayer dollars somehow get handed out in state grants to politically connected beneficiaries," observed Merkt, "and no one in the Senate -- from the senators themselves to Senate President Codey himself -- has any idea how it happened. It's just unreal!"

To get to the bottom of the story, Merkt suggested that all state documents relating to how grants get awarded be made public immediately, so the people can see exactly how their tax dollars get doled out from budget slush funds.

"The days of secret deals that, directly or indirectly, benefit legislators should be over in New Jersey," asserted Merkt. "It's time to shine a very public light on exactly how these grants get made, especially when legislators have a financial interest in what happens."

#####For Immediate Release
Assemblyman Richard Merkt
908-850-1595 Ext. 520

MERKT: "WHAT DID SENATE PRESIDENT CODEY KNOW,
AND WHEN DID HE KNOW IT?"

SOMEBODY HAD TO KNOW ABOUT SLUSH FUND GRANTS

Reacting to Senate President Dick Codey's highly publicized call for reforming last-minute special appropriations added to the state budget, Assemblyman Richard A. Merkt (R. - Morris) today commented that Codey's proposals would have more credibility, were it not for the current doubts swirling around how state grants got made to recipients who employ senators or their spouses or who are clients of senators.

"I find it difficult to believe that no one in the Senate knew anything about these slush fund grants," declared Merkt, adding, "The whole story is just plain 'Alice in Wonderland.'"

Merkt noted that Senators Bryant, Turner, Scutari, Kenny, and Conigilio all have links to grant recipients, yet most claim to have played no role in the grants.

"Here we have a group of senators who work for or have other connections with grant recipients, but most supposedly made no request for the grants," said Merkt, asking, "If they did not steer state grant money to such employers or clients, then who did?"

Merkt stated that Senate President Codey owes the public an explanation about how the slush fund grant process works, particularly where senators have financial connections to recipients.

"It certainly seems curious to me that tens of millions of taxpayer dollars somehow get handed out in state grants to politically connected beneficiaries," observed Merkt, "and no one in the Senate -- from the senators themselves to Senate President Codey himself -- has any idea how it happened. It's just unreal!"

To get to the bottom of the story, Merkt suggested that all state documents relating to how grants get awarded be made public immediately, so the people can see exactly how their tax dollars get doled out from budget slush funds.

"The days of secret deals that, directly or indirectly, benefit legislators should be over in New Jersey," asserted Merkt. "It's time to shine a very public light on exactly how these grants get made, especially when legislators have a financial interest in what happens."

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