Blue 7th PAC calls on Congressman Mike Ferguson to Give Back Campaign Contributions From Corrupt Supporters

For Immediate Release: January 3, 2005
Contact: Blue 7th PAC Chair Nathan Rudy, 908-347-0496

Blue 7th PAC called today for Congressman Mike Ferguson (NJ7) to immediately return or donate to charity the thousands of dollars he has received from his supporters Jack Abramoff and Adam Kidan. Both Abramoff and Kidan have plead guilty to multiple criminal counts related to a $147 million casino deal gone bad.

"The more we learn about the number of political criminals who financially and politically support Congressman Ferguson's political career, the more shocking it gets," said Nathan Rudy, chair of Blue 7th PAC. "Each time we learn more about the culture of corruption in Washington D.C., we find a connection to Congressman Ferguson."Ferguson is the only member of New Jersey's Hosue delegation to continue to keep contributions from Abramoff. Reps. Frank LoBiondo and Jim Saxton, the other two New Jersey members of Congress who received money from Abramoff, agreed to return the contributions after the indictment.

Adam Kidan plead guilty in December 2005 to conspiracy and wire fraud in relation to a deal to purchase the SunCruz casino company with Abramoff, a deal that led not only to his conviction but also to the gangland style murder of former SunCruz owner Konstantinos "Gus" Boulis.

Today's guilty plea from Abramoff is related to three counts in the same case. He is also, according to the Associated Press, under federal investigation for defrauding Indian casino clients of his lobbying business of millions of dollars and illegally influencing members of Congress such as the indicted former majority leader Tom DeLay and Ohio Representative Bob Ney.

Ney's involvement, according to the Associated Press, included recording comments in the Congressional Record "calculated to pressure the then-owner to sell on terms favorable" to Abramoff and Kidan's efforts to purchase Sun Cruz.

DeLay had a non-profit called The U.S. Family Network that the Washington Post reports was almost wholly funded by Abramoff's lobbying clients, and called Abramoff "one of my closest and dearest friends."

In addition to the money he has received from Abramoff and Kidan, Ferguson has also received more than $54,000 from DeLay and his leadership PAC (Americans for a Republican Majority PAC), and $35,000 from Ney's leadership PAC (Keep Our Majority PAC). [UPDATE: Bob Ney's PAC is the American Liberty PAC, and gave Congressman Ferguson $7500 in the 2003-2004 cycle.] Both PACs have received significant contributions from Abramoff and his lobbying clients.

In late September Abby Bird, Ferguson's spokeswoman, was quoted by Newhouse News saying that Ferguson refused to return the DeLay money. Bird was also quoted in an August Asbury Park Press article that Ferguson would keep the Abramoff contributions, as well.

Under pressure in November 2004, Ferguson agreed to donate to charity a $1000 from disgraced Congressman Randy "Duke" Cunningham after he plead guilty to accepting bribes and improperly using his office to steer contracts to contributors. Though Kidan has also plead guilty, Bird and Ferguson are not on the record regarding his contributions.

"It is time for Congressman Ferguson to clean house and demonstrate his independence from a Washington Republican leadership that doesn't represent the good people of New Jersey's 7th District," said Rudy. "We deserve better than to have our representative repeatedly tied to criminals and corrupt politicians."