For Immediate Release
Contact: Rich Levesque 609-267-3432
November 1, 2006

Burlington GOP Files Disclosure Complaint Against Kotch
(Mount Holly, NJ) - The Burlington County Republican Organization filed a complaint today with the the Election Law Enforcement Commission regarding Democrat Surrogate Candidate George Kotch’s failure to disclose who paid for newspaper ads which ran in yesterday’s Burlington County Times.

“It is hard for me to believe that a person who is running for elected office on the sheer fact that they are an attorney would violate the election laws of this State in such a manner,� said Rich Levesque, Executive Director of the Burlington County Republican Committee. “As an attorney he is sworn to uphold the law, not cast it aside. If he can not follow this basic principle of election law, how could he ever serve the public?�

“The disclosure law was put in place so that the public can see who paid for the ad and know that the money did not come from illegal contributions. The failure on his part to indicate who paid for the ad shows a high disregard for the public’s right to know,� said Levesque.

“This is also another example of how Democratic Chairman Richard Perr has failed his party. No leader would ever have allowed such an action to take place and it is on his head that final responsibility rests for the selection of such a bad candidate,� said Levesque.

(Letter Attached)

Mr. Frederick Herrmann
Executive Director
Election Law Enforcement Commission
28 West State Street
13th Floor
PO Box 185
Trenton, NJ 08625-0185

Dear Director Herrmann:

I want to bring to your attention at least two violations of election law by the Burlington County Democratic Surrogate candidate George Kotch.

In the October 31st edition of the Burlington County Times, said candidate had published two newspaper ads which did not contain a disclosure statement (see attached).

As you are aware, the disclosure statement is one of the fundamental requirements of a candidate. It provides a way for the public to track campaign money to determine if they are from a legitimate source. By failing to provide for such a disclosure, it casts doubt over a candidate’s trust of not only the public, but the law as well.

I am asking that you investigate the actions of Surrogate candidate Kotch and determine the source of his funding of the said ads and take enforcement action against his campaign.

Sincerely,

Richard Levesque