September 26, 2007 - 3:17pm
News

Beck wants ethics investigation of Karcher mailer

For the second time this week, a candidate in the hotly contested 12th district State Senate is calling for a state ethics investigation.  Jennifer Beck, a Republican Assemblywoman, says that State Sen. Ellen Karcher's campaign paid for a mailer that directed responses to a taxpayer-paid legislative office.  

“It appears that Senator Karcher was attempting to get around the August 8 mail deadline by sending out a campaign-funded mail piece and then directing recipients to her district office,” Beck said. “The public needs to know how the information gathered from these responses is being used and whether district office staff is collecting this information for campaign purposes.”  Beck wants the Legislative Committee on Ethical Standards to investigate.

Because the Karcher mail piece was sent out in the middle of a campaign, Beck says she will ask the Legislative Committee on Ethical Standards to explore whether it crosses a legal or ethical line in utilizing district office staff to handle responses to what is clearly a campaign season, political mailer.

"Beck is trying to divert attention from her own ethical lapse," said Karcher spokesman Robert Corrales, referring to the GOP assemblywoman's use of state Legislature-letterhead in the promotion of a political website.

Editor can be reached via email at editor@politicsnj.com.

Related topics: Ellen Karcher, Jennifer Beck

Comments

But, that's not against the law ...


Beck used taxpayer funded resources and authority -- her letterhead -- to direct people to a campaign website. That's a no no.

But campaign pieces are allowed to send people to a legislative office, a la "Call Senator XX and tell him you want to get out of Iraq."

If Karcher's legislative staff is compiling data for the campaign, then that's wrong. But Beck has to have evidence of that and not just innuendo before the ethics commission should get involved.

On the other hand, Karcher has the letter that Beck used to drive legislative constituents to her campaign website. That's a smoking gun.

This is no more than Beck trying to confuse the issue, and PNJ not doing the background work to determine which "she" is right in a "she said/she said" situation.

09/26/07 3:25 pm

More Lame Beck


She is dispicable...and just so transparent. Does she really think that by putting this out to the world that she would get points? Gimme a break! She's as lame as they get and she wants to represent us in Trenton. What a disgrace she has become. I said it before and I'll say it again...she talks the game, but always comes up LAME. She needs to just go away now.

09/26/07 4:01 pm

Check your facts, PoliticsNJ


Even Beck's release says the mailer was paid for by the Democratic State Committee, not Karcher's campaign. While Beck's claims are pathetic either way, they're even more ridiculous when she's complaining about a party mailer.

09/26/07 4:10 pm

back to work staffers


Maybe instead of posting on politicsnj everytime Beck puts out a press release, you guys should get to work doing a better job on Karchers mail and TV commercials..they are awful. As bad as I hear her poll numbers are, she needs all the help she can get. Back to work!

09/26/07 4:28 pm

Well FF...


you may want to look at the polls more closely. Karcher is leading and will continue to lead since Beck is so lame. No ideas, nothing passed, nothing new. Also, I should be so lucky to work in politics. I have a regular day job and I'm just trying to get the right person elected that works for us and doesn't just work for herself to see how much power she can grab. Beck is wrong for all of us, not just the dems.

09/26/07 4:49 pm

get back to work


Amazing...you have a day job, yet you respond to every press release Beck puts out. I'm sure your boss is thrilled.

And if you dont work in politics, how do you know what the polls say? I do work in politics and I've had people from both sides of the aisle tell me that Beck and Karcher are basically tied...which is why Joe (soon to be) Cryan and Dick Codey are panic stricken. After four years of portraying herself as the Queen of Ethics and no one saying a bad word about her she should have a double digit lead. In a district like 12 that leans Republican, once Beck starts going after her, she is going to be in deep doo doo.

09/26/07 5:12 pm

Typical spin


Karcher is clearly the one in the right here. It's just icing on the cake for the Democrats that Beck got caught red handed misusing taxpayer money because Karcher was going to win anyway. Karcher is doing more than ok. Karcher is winning today, she'll be winning tommorrow, and she'll be the Senator for as long as she wants.

09/26/07 5:23 pm

"she'll be the Senator for


"she'll be the Senator for as long as she wants."

and she'll be in the bosses pockets for as long as they want.

09/26/07 6:06 pm

Truth is...


The Dems are scared, going up this early on TV and hitting the boxes. If the polls were so great they'd be saving their resources for a later hit. I'm guessing the polls are within the margin of error and the Karcher camp is shaking in their boots that Cody bought them...and if their not, they should be!

09/26/07 6:58 pm

Big spenders


It is highly probable that the Democrats always planned to spend big in Monmouth. Karcher has an important message to deliver. When crooked politicians were being bought and sold in Monmouth county she fought back and brought them down. People need to know that she risked her life and worked with Chris Christie to put bad guys in jail. This takes money. Not everyone is obsessed by New Jersey politics as we are. She, Karcher, is going to win. Beck is probably cursing the gremlins who told her she could do this.

09/26/07 7:14 pm

FF


FF - you criticize folks for posting here, suggesting they are not working. And yet you post here?

What does that say about you?

09/26/07 7:15 pm

Not so Beowulf


This just means that the dems have much more money to spend and why save it. What would that gain. Truth is, the lame republicans can't raise enough funds. Even the hack O'Scanlon admits that they have to get $400K from the state because they don't have the support here they used to since they have no message, no ideas and bring absolutely nothing to the table. As to my boss, yes, I'm lucky to have such an understanding gboss. Also, since you admit that you work in politics, and you know the ins and outs...it must mean that you are Jen Beck. There's no other explanation of your creepy loyalty to a person that is just hideous.

09/26/07 7:30 pm

arrest them both


for wasting tax payer dollars...

i'm so glad we can't find ways to cut our budget, but i pay for this junk...

bring on the gas tax!!

The only difference between death and taxes is that death doesn't get worse every time Congress meets. - Will Rogers

09/26/07 7:37 pm

what the heck is ambrosiajr talking about?


I never said I worked in politics...you know why? Cause I don't!!! And loyalty has nothing to with my statement, just an observation of fact. Clearly ambro has drank so much of the demo-cool-aid that he can't see the forrest from the trees. I suppose that's what a Cody-pay check will do to you. Maybe I should jump on THAT wagon, seems like most of this website has anyway...

09/26/07 7:53 pm

@ambrosiajr


you too... what's with the useless flame posts...

and it's nice to know you have a "understanding gboss"

i want to praise my tax dollars for enforcing the no riding a bike with a cell phone law... thank fricken *&%^ we got that one...

does ANYONE stop to think what the government "should" be doing???

CUT THE BUDGET!!!! PERIOD!!!

The only difference between death and taxes is that death doesn't get worse every time Congress meets. - Will Rogers

09/26/07 8:04 pm

bla bla bla bla bla bla bla


Karcher = old news. Imagine who she could put in jail if she wore a wire around her colleagues like Bryant, James, and Coniglio. Nah... those were her younger days before she started turning legislative tricks for pimp daddy democrat bosses. Hey Karcher... did you vote against taxes? Did you get current dual office holders kicked out? Have you gotten James and Bryant even removed from committee that oversee constituencies they corrupted? Of course not... Codey wouldn't let you and he is your pimp daddy shoving money into your district and positions into your mouth.

09/26/07 8:14 pm

Sorry Beowulf


The second half of my statement was supposed to be directed to the so-called Freedom Fighter...and yes JeffH..I do think faster than I type so sometimes a typo comes out. Must be a big burden on you being so perfect. And its not "I'm with stupid", its just that you are stupid. There's just too many idiotic posts to keep up with. (don't go for the obvious joke here, its too easy)

09/26/07 9:17 pm

One crook two crook, red crook blue crook


This is exactly what the Pols want, people fighting over minutia. This allows them to hide from the facts. The bottom line here is that every Pol who has been in office is guilty. Each and every one of them has stood by and watched our State get raped. They all new about every scam that has gone on. They have all known about the christmas trees items, the custom crafted legislation, the dual office holding, and the pension tacking. Not all of them profited personally, but they all knew what was going on. Regardless of their party, they should all hang their heads and skulk out of Trenton never to return.

Personally I LOL when I hear two Trenton POLs pointing the finger regarding ethics. Where the hell are they when the money is flying out of the Treasury? The dam ship is on fire and sinking fast and they are worrying about what dress to wear. We really have to get rid of the political party system, and institute a non partisan system of government, first in New Jersey and then Nationally. My town recently moved to a non partisan town concil and mayor so it can happen in New Jersey.

09/26/07 10:12 pm

One crook two crook, red crook blue crook


This is exactly what the Pols want, people fighting over minutia. This allows them to hide from the facts. The bottom line here is that every Pol who has been in office is guilty. Each and every one of them has stood by and watched our State get raped. They all new about every scam that has gone on. They have all known about the christmas trees items, the custom crafted legislation, the dual office holding, and the pension tacking. Not all of them profited personally, but they all knew what was going on. Regardless of their party, they should all hang their heads and skulk out of Trenton never to return.

Personally I LOL when I hear two Trenton POLs pointing the finger regarding ethics. Where the hell are they when the money is flying out of the Treasury? The dam ship is on fire and sinking fast and they are worrying about what dress to wear. We really have to get rid of the political party system, and institute a non partisan system of government, first in New Jersey and then Nationally. My town recently moved to a non partisan town council and mayor so it can happen in New Jersey.

09/26/07 10:12 pm

One crook two crook, red crook blue crook


This is exactly what the Pols want, people fighting over minutia. This allows them to hide from the facts. The bottom line here is that every Pol who has been in office is guilty. Each and every one of them has stood by and watched our State get raped. They all new about every scam that has gone on. They have all known about the christmas trees items, the custom crafted legislation, the dual office holding, and the pension tacking. Not all of them profited personally, but they all knew what was going on. Regardless of their party, they should all hang their heads and skulk out of Trenton never to return.

Personally I LOL when I hear two Trenton POLs pointing the finger regarding ethics. Where the hell are they when the money is flying out of the Treasury? The dam ship is on fire and sinking fast and they are worrying about what dress to wear. We really have to get rid of the political party system, and institute a non partisan system of government, first in New Jersey and then Nationally. My town recently moved to a non partisan town council and mayor so it can happen in New Jersey.

09/26/07 10:13 pm

One crook two crook, red crook blue crook


This is exactly what the Pols want, people fighting over minutia. This allows them to hide from the facts. The bottom line here is that every Pol who has been in office is guilty. Each and every one of them has stood by and watched our State get raped. They all new about every scam that has gone on. They have all known about the christmas trees items, the custom crafted legislation, the dual office holding, and the pension tacking. Not all of them profited personally, but they all knew what was going on. Regardless of their party, they should all hang their heads and skulk out of Trenton never to return.

Personally I LOL when I hear two Trenton POLs pointing the finger regarding ethics. Where the hell are they when the money is flying out of the Treasury? The dam ship is on fire and sinking fast and they are worrying about what dress to wear. We really have to get rid of the political party system, and institute a non partisan system of government, first in New Jersey and then Nationally. My town recently moved to a non partisan town council and mayor so it can happen in New Jersey.

09/26/07 10:13 pm

"FF - you criticize folks


"FF - you criticize folks for posting here, suggesting they are not working. And yet you post here? What does that say about you?"

 We should be able to agree on at least one thing- none of us have real jobs.

09/27/07 2:46 am

GROW UP


The name calling is pretty pathetic. If that's what Senator Karcher campaign has been reduced to, then Beck has won, and I think that will be good for our district. Its disingenuous of Senator Karcher to attack Beck as some kind of friend of special interests when she herself has to be getting tons of money from special interests. How else can she run all those tv ads, which are pretty negative.

09/27/07 8:47 am

wrong ethics complaint


a true public servant (who am I kidding?) would have filed an ethics complaint against the ethics committee itself (should read "corruption clearing house") a long time ago, for their covering up all evidence that may damage any of their cronies unethical and corrupt activities.

09/27/07 11:09 am

Atticus the math wiz


"All those ads" are actually just 2 ads: a Karcher positive that shows she worked with Chris Christie and the FBI to take down corrupt public officials, and a comparison ad showing that Beck is a lobbyist who lobbies against our best interets by denying patient medical care. Insert boos and hisses here. Karcher looks great in her ad and tells a phenomonal story of courage against a corrupt system. The Beck ad shows that she is part of that corrupt system and she is gaming the system. When Beck games the system system, we ALL LOSE!

09/27/07 10:40 pm