Burlington County Bridge Commission

Fourteen months after pleading guilty to overbilling the Burlington County Bridge Commission for lobbying and public relations fees, former GOP strategist Robert Stears will be sentenced by a federal judge today.  Stears is a former partner of Republican State Chairman Tom Wilson.

BURLINGTON COUNTY DEMOCRATIC COMMITTEE
7000 Atrium Way, Suite 7
Mt. Laurel, New Jersey 08054
www.burlcodems.com

For Immediate Release
Contact: Chris Fifis (609) 206-1678
January 17, 2007

GROUNDHOG DAY COMES EARLY

Diane Allen Sees Ethics Committee Shadow and Remains Silent for Six More Weeks

(Mt. Laurel, NJ) - Legislative ethics violators breathed a sigh of relief on Thursday when Senate Minority Leader Leonard Lance appointed Burlington County State Senator Diane Allen (R-7) to the Legislature’s Joint Committee on Ethical Standards. The reason for such joy from potential scofflaws is that Diane Allen has remained silent while her own Burlington County Republican Party has been embroiled in ethical scandal, corruption and illegal conduct.

For the past two years, the Burlington County Republican Party has been a standard bearer for corruption in the State of New Jersey. Yet, Diane Allen has not issued a single word of condemnation to the members of her own party. There is little evidence to suggest that she would now do so on the Ethics Committee.

Diane Allen’s abysmal record on ethics in Burlington County:

• State Senator Martha Bark (R-8) is under criminal investigation by the New Jersey Attorney General for two no-show, no-work-product, pension-padding jobs at the Burlington County Bridge Commission and the Burlington County Institute of Technology. Bark earned more than $330,000 for these jobs and doubled her pension. Representatives from these entities admit there is no tangible work-product to show Bark did anything for her salaries.

 Diane Allen has been silent.

• Burlington County Bridge Commission lobbyist, public relations consultant and spokesman Bob Stears pled guilty to bilking $2.7 million from the taxpayers and tollpayers of Burlington County. Stears, through The Strategy Group, whose partners included current State GOP Chair Tom Wilson, fraudulently billed the Bridge Commission approximately $40,000 per month for work that was not done.

 Despite the Bridge Commission being located in her District, Diane Allen has said nothing.

• The Strategy Group and its partners, including State GOP Chair Tom Wilson, benefited from Stears’ fraud by splitting the profits earned from Stears’ unlawful conduct. Assemblymen Jack Conners (D-7) and Michael Panter (D-12) have called on The Strategy Group to disgorge these illegal profits and return them to their rightful owners - the tollpayers and taxpayers of Burlington County.

 Diane Allen has not spoken.

• According to published reports, the state probe of Martha Bark has expanded to the Delaware River Port Authority, then-Burlington County Republican Chairman Glenn Paulsen and Carol Beske of ACT Engineers. Paulsen is Diane Allen’s chief benefactor, supporting her U.S Senate campaign and privately backing her campaign loans with the name and credit of the Burlington County Republican Party. Beske, a close advisor to former GOP candidate Doug Forrester, and her firm have donated more than $150,000 to Burlington County Republicans since 1998.

 Diane Allen has failed to speak out.

• GOP U.S. Senate and Gubernatorial candidate Doug Forrester and his company, Benecard, donated thousands of dollars to the Burlington County Republican Party and its candidates. During this time period, Benecard obtained pay-to-play contracts at the Burlington County Special Services School District even though it was not the lowest bidder. The deal also involved the son of Diane Allen’s Republican colleague, State Senator Bill Gormley of Atlantic County.

 Diane Allen has not said a word on the impropriety of this contract.

• Parsons Infrastructure and Technology Group was awarded a $488 million state contract by Republicans to design, build, and operate the Division of Motor Vehicles inspection stations and its "high-tech" emissions systems. Parsons had to be removed from the project due to its gross failure. Diane Allen and the Burlington County Republican Party received tens of thousands of dollars in campaign contributions from Parsons.

 Diane Allen has been mum.

“Leonard Lance and the Republicans may believe that Diane Allen can sit in judgment of those accused of ethical violations, but her track record demonstrates that when faced with her own party’s lapses she has nothing to say," explained Burlington County Democratic Chairman Richard J. Perr.

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Republican State Chairman Tom Wilson has always been good for a quick quip, especially when he was talking about the ethical challenges of his Democratic rivals. He was also the leading GOP pit bull when it came to attacks on U.S. Senator Bob Menendez's ethics over the last year. That's what makes it odd that Wilson has declined several requests for comment on the upcoming criminal sentencing of former Senate President John Lynch.

Wilson and the Republican State Committee have not issued any formal statements since the Monday after Thanksgiving, and there has been no partisan comment from Wilson on anything political (including the Democratic Civil War over property tax reform) since his former business partner, Robert Stears, admitted to overbilling the Burlington County Bridge Commission on a public relations contract. Some insiders suggest that Wilson, under fire from Democrats who are demanding that he return his share of The Strategy Group's revenues from the BCBC, may have lost his standing to criticize Democrats on ethics issues.

Burlington County Republicans have picked a virtually unkown lawyer with few political ties to succeed Garfield DeMarco as Chairman of the embattled Burlington County Bridge Commission. John Comegno, 34, specializes in Education law and represents several local school boards, including his hometown of Moorestown. His only partisan activity, according to his resume, is serving on Finance Committees for State Senator Diane Allen and Assemblyman Bill Baroni, and membership in the Burlington County Young Republicans.

By naming someone from outside the party organization, Burlington Republicans hope to restore public confidence and credibility to the bridge commission. Viewed by one Democratic strategist as a smart political move, the nomination of Comegno might obviate any longterm probems in next year's election.

Clifford Powell served in the state legislature in the 1920's and 1930's, including stints as Assembly Speaker and Senate President. He was the Senate President on January 3, 1935 when Governor A. Harry Moore resigned to take his seat in the United States Senate. Powell became Acting Governor that day and served for five days; the Senate reorganized on January 8th and Horace Prall became Senate President and completed the remaining week of Moore's term. (Harold Hoffman had already been elected Governor in the 1934 election, and he succeeded Prall on January 15th). But history still regards the 41-year-old Powell as a former Governor.

Powell was a General of the New Jersey National Guard, and went on active duty during World War II. He commanded the U.S. Army's 50th Armored Division, the New Jersey Blues, through many battles in North France and became a highly-decorated war veteran. He also spent many years as the Burlington County Republican Chairman, and served as the Chief of Staff of the New Jersey National Guard during the post-War administration of Governor Alfred Driscoll.

In a move that became the major political scandal of the time, Powell perpetrated one of the greatest swindles in the history of New Jersey. And he did it all in one day, October 22, 1948. Powell and a few of his friends started the morning by purchasing two privately-owned bridges for $6 million. Late that morning he called a meeting of the Burlington County Board of Freeholders (which he seemingly controlled) and had them create the Burlington County Bridge Commission. Immediately after creating the Commission, Powell (through the Freeholders) appointed the members of the Commission. After lunch, the Commission held their meeting and voted to float a $12 million bond issue. By the end of the day, the Commission had sold their bonds and used the money to purchase the two bridges from Powell and his friends. In one day, Powell made a $6 million profit.

Ultimately the deal became the subject of an investigation; Powell was forced to resign from Driscoll's cabinet and return his profit to the Commission. But the state Supreme Court ruled that since the bonds had already been sold, it would be unfair to the bond holders if they were to shut down the Commission. Powell is a mere footnote of New Jersey political history, but the Burlington County Bridge Commission continues to run the two bridges it purchased from Powell: the Tacony-Palmyra and Burlington-Bristol Bridges.

BURLINGTON COUNTY DEMOCRATIC COMMITTEE

7000 Atrium Way, Suite 2A

Mt. Laurel, New Jersey 08054

(856) 638-0620

www.burlcodems.com

For Immediate Release

Contact: Chris Fifis , (609) 206-1678

December 5, 2006

FIFIS RENEWS CALL FOR REFORM AT BURLCO BRIDGE COMMISSION
CALLS ON COMMISSION MEMBERS TO SUE STATE GOP CHAIRMAN TOM WILSON'S FIRM TO RECOUP LOST DAMAGES

(Mt. Laurel , NJ) – Former Freeholder Candidate Chris Fifis released the following statement today regarding corruption, fraud and abuse of taxpayer money at the Burlington County Bridge Commission.

"The Burlington County Bridge Commission has been a cesspool for corruption, political patronage and cronyism for decades. In light of the guilty plea from Bob Stears for bilking the Bridge Commission of millions of dollars, I am calling on the Bridge Commissioners and Freeholders to sue The Strategy Group to recoup the illegal profits reaped by them at the direction of Stears. I am also renewing my call for comprehensive reform at the bridge commission.

1. Provide direct oversight from the elected Freeholders by mandating that a Freeholder serve as an unpaid member with authority to reject minutes and be responsible for all Bridge Commission activities.

2. Increase the number of commissioners from three to five – two Democrats, two Republicans and a member of the Freeholder Board, all unpaid.

3. Regain the public's trust by getting to the bottom of the Martha Bark "no-show" job and ensuring the necessary oversight to prevent similar scandals in the future. The allegations raised against Bark are almost identical to those raised against The Strategy Group and Bob Stears. The Commission needs to be pro-active, and must stop taking the "see no evil, hear no evil, speak no evil" approach.

4. Initiate a lawsuit to recoup the stolen money collected by The Strategy Group.

5. Remove Garfield DeMarco from the Bridge Commission.

6. Request the resignations of the executive leadership of the Bridge Commission under whose watch these scandals have gone undetected.

"I am calling on the all-Republican Freeholder Board to hold itself accountable, provide oversight, recoup the $2.5 million in lost revenues, and adopt my recommendations to clean up the Bridge Commission and regain our public's trust."

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For Immediate Release

October 19, 2006

Contact: Chris Fifis (609) 206-1678

Cook and Atkinson to Burlington GOP: DON’T REAPPOINT DeMARCO
Burlco Dem Freeholder candidates call on Farias, Wujcik, and Haines to replace DeMarco when term expires later this month

(Mount Laurel, NJ) – Democratic Freeholder candidates Gail Cook and Sharon Atkinson issued the following statement today calling on Republican Freeholders James Wujcik, Vince Farias, and Bill Haines to replace Garfield DeMarco on the Burlington County Bridge Commission when DeMarco’s term expires later this year.

“We are calling on Freeholders Haines, Wujcik, and Farias not to reappoint Garfield DeMarco to the Burlington County Bridge Commission because it has become a cesspool for corruption and cronyism under his tenure.

“By giving a no-show job to Republican Senator Martha Bark, DeMarco’s cronyism speaks for itself. He has had way too many personal conflicts of interest, and acted as the triggerman for the GOP for far too long. It’s time to replace him when his term expires later this month.

“We need to inject fresh blood into the Bridge Commission and replace DeMarco with someone who has the highest level of integrity and ethics standards. Freeholders Wujcik, Haines, and Farias have refused to accept any responsibility for Garfield DeMarco’s unethical and questionable conduct on the Bridge Commission over the last few years. Now it’s time for them to stand up, accept responsibility and say enough is enough.

Atkinson and Cook pointed to DeMarco’s record of cronyism, unethical behavior, and excessive abstentions as a result of his conflicts of interest as reasons for replacing him.
• In November 2005, DeMarco abstained from voting to appoint Capehart Scatchard solicitor, Commerce National Insurance the commission’s broker and Government Strategies the public relations consultant.
o DeMarco abstained on those votes because of personal or business connections. (Courier-Post, 11/10/05)
• During the Whitman Administration, DeMarco, gave land to the state to avoid paying $600,000 in fines for expanding his cranberry company's operations into protected wetlands. The state inspector general said the agreement had the appearance of "a sweet deal."
o DeMarco is a major GOP donor. (Associated Press, 12/22/00)

• Courier-Post: The Burlington County Republican Committee received donations from 13 of the 15 people or firms that received the most money through no-bid contracts from the Bridge Commission.
o In 2004, the Courier-Post analyzed two years of no-bid contracts and donations. The recipients of the remaining two contracts in the "top 15� did not contribute to the GOP. They are companies headed by prominent Democrats.
o "We pick the very best people we can find to do the jobs,� said DeMarco, the commission chairman since 1986. (Courier-Post, 9/20/04)

• Opponents of building Seneca High School long have suggested that DeMarco, who funded a multimillion dollar campaign to build the fund, stood to gain financially because having a new school nearby his vast property holdings would increase the value of that property, most of which stretches across Woodland.
o DeMarco owns or helps control about 75 acres in the last buildable areas of Chatsworth, a village that serves as Woodland's center, and in other small pockets of the township, a Courier-Post analysis of property records found. DeMarco helped engineer Woodland's entry into the Lenape district in 1996. A year later, he created a political action committee to lobby voters in the Lenape district's eight towns to approve a $68.7 million bond referendum to build Seneca and expand Cherokee High School in Evesham. (Courier-Post, 6/11/02)

Atkinson and Cook also said they believe the Freeholder Board should have the power to veto Bridge Commission minutes and agenda for the best interest of taxpayers and toll-payers.

“The Bridge Commission has the authority to recklessly spend taxpayer dollars without any accountability. It is time for the Freeholders to accept direct accountability and oversight of the Bridge Commission,� they concluded.

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Clifford Powell served in the state legislature in the 1920's and 1930's, including stints as Assembly Speaker and Senate President. He was the Senate President on January 3, 1935 when Governor A. Harry Moore resigned to take his seat in the United States Senate. Powell became Acting Governor that day and served for five days; the Senate reorganized on January 8th and Horace Prall became Senate President and completed the remaining week of Moore's term. (Harold Hoffman had already been elected Governor in the 1934 election, and he succeeded Prall on January 15th). But history still regards the 41-year-old Powell as a former Governor.

Powell was a General of the New Jersey National Guard, and went on active duty during World War II. He commanded the U.S. Army's 50th Armored Division, the New Jersey Blues, through many battles in North France and became a highly-decorated war veteran. He also spent many years as the Burlington County Republican Chairman, and served as the Chief of Staff of the New Jersey National Guard during the post-War administration of Governor Alfred Driscoll.

In a move that became the major political scandal of the time, Powell perpetrated one of the greatest swindles in the history of New Jersey. And he did it all in one day, October 22, 1948. Powell and a few of his friends started the morning by purchasing two privately-owned bridges for $6 million. Late that morning he called a meeting of the Burlington County Board of Freeholders (which he seemingly controlled) and had them create the Burlington County Bridge Commission. Immediately after creating the Commission, Powell (through the Freeholders) appointed the members of the Commission. After lunch, the Commission held their meeting and voted to float a $12 million bond issue. By the end of the day, the Commission had sold their bonds and used the money to purchase the two bridges from Powell and his friends. In one day, Powell made a $6 million profit.

Ultimately the deal became the subject of an investigation; Powell was forced to resign from Driscoll's cabinet and return his profit to the Commission. But the state Supreme Court ruled that since the bonds had already been sold, it would be unfair to the bond holders if they were to shut down the Commission. Powell is a mere footnote of New Jersey political history, but the Burlington County Bridge Commission continues to run the two bridges it purchased from Powell: the Tacony-Palmyra and Burlington-Bristol Bridges.

A Burlington County Republican leader says that State Senator Martha Bark will be cleared early this year on ethics complaints dealing with several pension-boosting part-time jobs that brought in over $300,000. Bark worked as a consultant to the Burlington County Bridge Commission and as a student counselor for the Burlington County Institute of Technology. The Republican says that Bark will serve the remainder of her term, although many insiders believe the 76-year-old legislator will not seek re-election in 2007.