COOPER SHOULD SPEAK UP ON HER RUNNING MATE'S VIOLATIONS

Tom Ballistreri and Manny Aponte, Republican candidates for at large seats on the Atlantic County Board of Freeholders, today called on Freeholder Alisa Cooper to "break her silence and speak up concerning her running mate Sheriff Jim McGettigan's violation of the county's ordinance to prohibit so-called pay to play and to regulate wheeling of contributions from outside the county."

"Cooper supported the passage last year of the ordinance to prohibit pay to play and to impose limits on the amount of contributions a party or candidate could receive from out of county political groups," they said. "Now, she shares her party's ticket with an individual who has been exposed as violating the ordinance by his acceptance of contributions in excess of the permissible limits."

Ballistreri and Aponte said the ordinance Cooper supported specifically states it is necessary in order to prevent "a corrupting influence on the political process in Atlantic County."

"Why has she failed to voice her concern over McGettigan's violations?" they asked. "Presumably she agreed with the need to prevent the corrupting influence mentioned in the ordinance she supported. Remaining silent in the face of her running mate's violations can only be interpreted as a tacit wink and a nod approval for what he's done."

A complaint has been filed against McGettigan charging he received contributions for his County Executive campaign last year from out of county political organizations in direct violation of the anti-wheeling provisions of the county ordinance.

"Cooper's continued silence is a stunning hypocrisy," Ballistreri and Aponte said. "She showed no reluctance to fling false accusations at others when it suited her political agenda, but has remained tight-lipped in the face of the actions of her party and her running mate."

"Speak up, Alisa. Share with the voters and taxpayers of Atlantic County your view of McGettigan's acceptance of improperly donated campaign contributions. If you refuse, we can only conclude that you approve of his conduct and that your earlier support for tougher restrictions was nothing more than meaningless political rhetoric," they said.

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