Progressive Democrat Issue 89: NEW JERSEY FOCUS

Menendez is moving back up in the polls, bringing the NJ Senate race to a dead heat. This is still the Democratic seat we have the most to worry about. Here is an article from Blue Jersey about fighting the swiftboating of Menendez:

Fighting a Swift Boat with Truth
by: Xpatriated Texan

I have a question for you. What were you doing in February of 1996?

...Kirsten Danis was writing an article for the Jersey Journal revealing that then-Congressman Bob Menendez had approval from a House Ethics lawyer to rent his former business office to the North Hudson Community Action Corporation.

This is only significant because Tom Kean, Jr.'s desperation has led him to base his entire campaign on one single false issue - the supposed corruption he's been trying to pin on Bob Menendez from the day he decided he'd actually try to get a new position by winning an election (that would be a first for Junior, because he was appointed to the State Assembly AND the State Senate). The problem is that he's shooting with a gun filled with blanks.

Here's a quote from the above mentioned article:

"Since the lease is with the nonprofit agency and not directly with the government, it does not violate conflict-of-interest laws, Menendez said he was told by Democratic counsel Ellen Weintraub."

And, lest we forget what the Junior Kean Kretins have been smearing around:

"Kean spokeswoman Jill Hazelbaker said the questions [about Tom Kean,Jr's ethics] amount to minutiae next to Menendez's role as a federally funded landlord. "There's absolutely no comparison," Hazelbaker said. "This is a clear example of Menendez using his office for personal gain. ""

Ah - that would be wrong. False. Incorrect. But we have the word of Jill Hazelbaker versus the word of Ellen Weintraub. Who in the world is Ellen Weintraub?

"Before joining Perkins Coie, Ms. Weintraub was Counsel to the Committee on Standards of Official Conduct for the U.S. House of Representatives (the House Ethics Committee). Like the Commission, the Committee on Standards is a bipartisan body, evenly divided between Democratic and Republican members. There, Ms. Weintraub focused on implementing the Ethics Reform Act of 1989 and subsequent changes to the House Code of Official Conduct. She also served as editor in chief of the House Ethics Manual and as a principal contributor to the Senate Ethics Manual. While at the Committee, Ms. Weintraub counseled Members on investigations and often had lead responsibility for the Committee’s public education and compliance initiatives."

And apparently she's someone who has respect from both Democrats and Republicans.

"Back in July, the White House cut a deal with McCain: The president would appoint ethics lawyer and reform advocate Ellen Weintraub to one of the three Democratic positions on the six-member Federal Election Commission; in exchange, McCain would stop holding up a slew of Bush judicial and administrative nominations he had been blocking for leverage. Reformers saw the Weintraub appointment as crucial since the FEC was in the process of deciding the specifics of how McCain-Feingold – reluctantly signed into law by the president last spring – would be implemented."

Yes, that's right. The lawyer that gave approval to Bob Menendez is the one and same lawyer that John McCain insisted be appointed to the FEC because she is tough on election campaign laws. She is the lawyer that George W. Bush drug his heels on appointing until campaign finance laws had already been marked up - because she was too tough on them. She's a Democrat, by the way. That's called "bipartisan respect and approval".

And Jill Hazelbaker? Well, she works for a guy who is trying to secretly fund a Swift Boat style movie. Hazelbaker defended that decision by saying:

"'The corruption is so deep and so extensive it requires a film to capture all of it.'"

Interesting. Hazelbaker's "clear example" of corruption turns out to not be an example of corruption at all, but rather an example of how a Congressman actually followed the rules of behavior he was supposed to follow. No wonder it is "so extensive" that it "requires a film to capture all of it".

There is more. But the point is that we are seeing a smear campaign going on and we have to fight it. Please write the media to discuss the Republican lies and help fight this Swift Boat attack.

Also, please remember I have a New Jersey Act Blue page to help win in November. It only has $75 donated so far...less than Virginia, New York or even Iowa where I have a much smaller readership than in New Jersey. So please donate!