Time for Adler to End Silence on Fraud Tea Party Candidate Scandal

The following was issued today to members of the press…

Time for Adler to End Silence on Fraud Tea Party Candidate Scandal

As evidence mounts and Campaign Manager splits hairs, Congressman must to come clean on what he knows

Star Ledger Editorial: Did Adler camp plant a fake candidate? – 7/25/10

“DeStefano says ‘it’s ridiculous’ to suggest he is working with the Adler campaign. He calls himself a former Reagan Republican. But as the evidence piles up, he sounds more like an Adler Republican. Although the Adler campaign insists it is not behind DeStefano’s candidacy, longtime Adler supporters and donors signed DeStefano’s petition to get on the ballot.”

“Stacking a race is an old political ploy — often legal, but always sleazy. Whether it’s a race for a Senate seat in South Carolina or a congressional seat in New Jersey, voters shouldn’t be insulted by campaign strategies used to get elected fifth-grade class president.”

Mount Laurel, July 26, 2010 – In the wake of investigative reports from the Courier Post, a curious statement by Congressman John Adler’s Campaign Manager (below), and an editorial by the Star-Ledger, the campaign of Republican congressional candidate Jon Runyan (NJ-3) made the following statement today addressing the growing scandal involving apparent fraud Tea Party candidate Peter DeStefano and the Adler’s camps’ involvement in planting him on the ballot:

“The carefully worded statement issued by the Adler campaign just poured gasoline on an already growing fire,” said Runyan Consultant Chris Russell. “They deny that any staff was involved in planting Mr. DeStefano, but are silent as to whether Adler himself or an operative acting on his behalf was involved. Voters deserve better. We are officially calling on Congressman Adler to stop hiding and take questions from reporters on this growing scandal.”

The quote Runyan’s camp referred to was issued by Adler Campaign Manager Geoff Mackler, who told the Courier Post’s Jane Roh that: “No staff member on John Adler’s campaign has contacted Peter DeStefano or his campaign.  (Source: “Runyan qualifies for more GOP aid,” Courier Post, 7/22/10)

“The fact that a former Adler staffer and big-time contributors signed Mr. DeStefano’s petition, that the politically active Democrat attorney who notarized and signed the petition said he did so with no intention to vote for Mr. DeStefano, and that nearly one-third of all the legal signers on the petition were registered Democrats clearly shows this has dirty political trick written all over it,” said Russell. “No wonder the American people are so distrusting and skeptical about the people who represent them in Washington.”

A History of the Articles/Editorials on the Adler-DeStefano Tea Party Scandal

• http://blog.nj.com/njv_editorial_page/2010/07/did_adler_camp_plant_a_fake_ca.html
• http://www.courierpostonline.com/article/20100719/NEWS01/7190324/Tea-partyer-steeped-in-mystery
• http://www.courierpostonline.com/article/20100720/NEWS01/7200344/Tea-Party-tees-off-on-DeStefano
• http://www.courierpostonline.com/article/20100722/NEWS01/7220336/Runyan-qualifies-for-more-GOP-aid
• http://www.phillyburbs.com/news/local/burlington_county_times/bct_news_details/article/2465/2010/july/21/independent-congressional-candidate-under-fire-from-tea-party-groups.html
• http://www.politickernj.com/destefano-denies-hes-working-adler-finds-no-love-among-tea-partiers
• Wall Street Journal link: http://networkedblogs.com/64OT7