ON ONE YEAR ANNIVERSARY, DEM BOOKKEEPER DEFENDS WHEELING
- 1 Year Ago Dems Took Buckets of Outside Campaign Cash, Set to Do it Again -

Freehold Borough, NJ – Monmouth County Republican Chairman Adam Puharic today said that Monmouth Democrats are defending wheeling by attempting to redefine their practice of accepting excessive amounts of campaign cash raised from outside of the county in the final days of the campaign.

“The precedent has been set and I expect them to do it again this year,� said Monmouth County Republican Chairman Adam Puharic. “Why else would their own bookkeeper look to defend this practice with only days to go in the campaign?�

In a letter to the editor yesterday, the Democrat treasurer charged with overseeing their party’s finances defended wheeling and attempted to belittle the serious negative impact it has on elections. Last year, Monmouth Democrats wheeled in over $200,000 between October 26 and Election Day.

“They are attempting to mislead voters into thinking what they are about to do is acceptable,� Puharic said. “The simple fact is they cannot escape from what they have done in the past. We are talking about taking hundreds of thousands of dollars from labor unions, special interest and Camden County party bosses, not grassroots contributions from family members.�

In addition to taking over $80,000 from indicted former State Senator John Lynch, Democrats in Monmouth County received over $87,000 from labor unions outside of the county. The New York Council of Carpenters gave $25,000 to local Democrats last year and Camden County Democrat boss Joe Roberts rolled in $37,000.

“The proof is in the finance reports,� said Puharic. “I find it hard to believe that New York labor bosses and political bosses from Camden County have a grassroots interest in Monmouth County. Instead of defending this they should join our calls to ban it and pledge not to do it again.�

The practice of outside county party organizations and interest groups sending large sums of diverted contributions to impact a local race, known as “wheeling,� is one of the most controversial issues in New Jersey politics today. Monmouth Democrats continue to reject GOP calls for campaign finance reforms.

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