Fleischner & Gurenlian for Assembly

NORCROSS: VISIONARY & OLD FAMILY FRIEND

So Say Sixth District Democrats Lou Greenwald & Pam Lampitt
(Yes, They Really Said These Things)

CHERRY HILL, N.J., October 28, 2003 – Sixth District Republican Assembly candidates Marc Fleischner and JoAnn Gurenlian today expressed surprise that their Democrat opponents, Lou Greenwald and Pam Lampitt, would describe South Jersey Boss George Norcross as "an old family friend" and "a Visionary." Their remarks were included in a newspaper questionnaire and in a candidates debate held this Wednesday in Collingswood.

"We’d like to know who else they would describe as a Visionary. Jim McGreevey? Attorney General Peter Harvey? Secretary of State Regina Thomas? Maybe Bob Torricelli?" asked Fleischner.

Also described as "A man before his time" by candidate Pam Lampitt, "One has to wonder, what does the future hold, if Norcross is before his time," added Gurenlian. "Perhaps Ms. Lampitt should study some history – she’ll find out that bossism, big money, and political machines arose in the last century and have been attacked, eroded, or eliminated by reform-minded people across the country. Are these things making a comeback – and does she want them to?"

Fleischner and Gurenlian also wonder which of the following examples Lou Greenwald and Pam Lampitt would regard as Norcross being a "Visionary:"

- Perfecting the art of “Pay-to-Play� politics and the shakedown of vendors and contractors in Camden County and Trenton?

- Perfecting the practice of collecting and wheeling millions of dollars to other county political organizations and candidates across the state?

- Pressuring the Governor and Commissioner of Environmental Protection to abandon plans for a nature preserve on Petty’s Island in favor of developing condos, stores, and golf courses?

- Getting minions to use public money, condemn property, and kick merchants out of their businesses for a failed arena project that would have financially benefited himself and his friends?

- Intervening with a public official’s employer and threatening his position over a disagreement involving public contracts?

- Bragging on secretly recorded tapes about a "joke" marketing job arranged for "family friend" Lou Greenwald to get an engineering firm more local government contracts?

- Marching into Trenton leaders’ offices, getting into shouting matches, and promising revenge if he didn’t get his way?

- Getting rich from selling insurance contracts to Democrat towns?

- Blocking the renomination of elected officials in party Primary Elections because they didn’t follow orders?

"Are these really things a Visionary would do?" concluded Gurenlian. "We’d like to know."

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