STEARS AND PAULSEN AND WILSON, OH MY!!

Stears and Paulsen and Wilson, Oh My.

What does Donnelly Think? When will he Provide Answers? 

Today, the Burlington County Democrats took a trip down memory lane to uncover some startling observations made by political bosses and leaders within the GOP.  In addition to the statements, there are some questions that voters deserve to have answered by candidate Joe Donnelly.

·                     “Bob Stears, a spokesman for the bridge commission, suggested that contracts…are better based on trust and working relationships than bids.” Courier Post; Wednesday, June 30, 2004. 

o   Do you agree Joe?  Yes or No? 

·                     “They allege fraud and abuse of the public trust…but all they do is tell us people who work together know each other and are sometimes related.” Bob Stears, Philadelphia Inquirer; Wednesday, June 30, 2004. o   Joe- Giving Mr. Stears, an admitted felon, the benefit of the doubt, do you find the following ironic? 

§  Capehart and Scatchard served as bond counsel for the bridge commission on four separate pooled bond issues since 2002 under no-bid contracts worth a total of $357,000.  At the same time, UBS PaineWebber received $287,499 in no-bid contracts from the commission as a lead underwriter for two of the bond issues. –Burlington County Times 9/21/04

§  “ACT Engineers Inc… was supposed to leave the park undisturbed.  In other words, the agency headed by Carol Beske, a prominent GOP fundraiser, was paid 2 million to do virtually nothing.” –Courier Post Editorial 5/4/04§  Asked about the issue… (Of receiving 330K in positions at the bridge commission and BCIT)…Bark said, “I have to go back and look at my records.” –Burlington County Times 3/4/04

§  “The amount of money the commission has paid Stears just for lobbying…makes the commission the biggest spender on lobbying by far of any public agency in the state and a bigger spender than many major players from the private sector.” –Courier Post 5/8/04 

·                     John Weingart, the associate director at Eagleton said that the whole idea for lobbyists is for “people outside government to try to influence government.  In a Burlington County agency, you’ve got county freeholders, you’ve got your own legislators.  You’ve got access, either directly or through them…” –Courier Post 5/8/04 

o   Would you agree, Joe, that it seems a bit peculiar that Glenn Paulsen, who was perceived to be so powerful, would need a lobbyist to provide access to government for a governmental agency that essentially he oversaw?  Or, more likely, was this a way for Boss Paulsen and the Burlington GOP to illegally funnel taxpayer money back into the party coffers?  Just like they did with numerous other contracts in excess of $9 million while receiving over $600,000 in campaign contributions. 

Joe - You have based your campaign on “reforming government” and “preventing corruption.”  Yet, your campaign is being managed and funded by Boss Paulsen and Boss Tom Wilson.  How can you possibly claim to be a reformer when you are nothing but a wholly owned subsidiary of the very corruption you say you’ll clean up?  

In summary: 

1.                   What is the status of Martha Bark’s investigation?

2.                   How do you plan to stand up to the bosses and end corruption when your campaign is being managed and financed by the very people who created the mess?

3.                   Do you agree that contracts are better based on trust and working relationships than bids?

4.                   Do you feel there is a need for a Burlington County governmental agency to employ a lobbyist?

5.                   Why did you appear before the Freeholder Board to lobby for the Bridge Commission to be able to borrow and spend more money for projects that will be awarded to the same GOP insiders who stole 2.7 million from the taxpayers? 

6.                   If Glenn Paulsen is so powerful, and you must believe he is since you were never allowed to run for higher office while he was the chairman, why did he need Bob Stears to lobby for the Bridge Commission when he already served as counsel to the Commission and Garfield DeMarco served as Chairman?  Realizing the taxpayers were bilked, will you now call on those parties to return the money to the taxpayers?