(Mount Laurel)  Tim Tyler, Chris Brown and Mary Anne Reinhart today sent a copy of the "Paulsen's 20 Investment Team" (http://www.burlcodems.com/) video to Christopher Christie, requesting his office investigate the apparent gross misuse of tax dollars.

"Political corruption charges involving the Republicans have become the norm in Burlington County," said Brown.  "Freeholder Director Fenton has shown that he is either unable or unwilling to try and solve the problem.  The residents of Burlington County deserve honest answers."

The Democrats point to the admission by former Chairman Glen Paulsen yesterday that the use of County employees and contractors to personally guarantee loans for the Burlington County Republicans is a long standing practice.

"The former Executive Director of the Burlington County Bridge Commission, George Nyikita, guaranteed loans every year while he was making a six figure government salary," said Reinhart.  "The fact that he stopped guaranteeing loans the minute he was off the government payroll raises numerous and substantial questions about the others in the group.  Our limited expertise and resources in researching this information has uncovered substantial evidence but it is going to take a cooperative effort on the part of our U.S. Attorney to determine the full breadth and scope of this taxpayer funded financing scheme."

According to the Democrats, it is not just the fact that Capehart & Scatchard and EJA Associates have made a combined $25 million in just the last two years from the Burlington County government as well as agencies and municipalities controlled by the Republican Party.

Among the list of questionable areas the Democrats said the U.S. Attorney should investigate:

-         Grainne Drollas: She is the wife of Anthony Drollas - an attorney with Capehart & Scatchard and member of the "Paulsen's 20 Investment Group."

Grainne serves as a fundraising consultant with the Burlington County Republican Party.  In 2006, she made over $17,000 in consulting fees.  The Burlington County Republican Party's 2007 financial disclosures show she was not paid a consulting fee - but was reimbursed for expenses made for the party's fundraisers.  In 2007 she coincidently was put on the payroll of the 8th District Republican Legislators.

-         William Naulty: a former Legislative Aide in the 8th District claims he is retired on his financial disclosure statements.  Yet, public pension records show he was paid $10,000 in salary from the 8th District Legislators in 2007.

-         Charles Lambiase: In 2005 and 2006 Charles Lambiase was paid over $35,000 a year in Legislative Salary from the 8th District Legislative Office.  In 2007, his Legislative salary was decreased.  However, during that time he is annually warded a contract by the Burlington County Freeholders.  Lambiase is also the treasurer for the Burlington County Republican Party and most of their candidate committees, from which he derives a stipend for services.

-         Jim Bristow: He claims to be self employed on his financial disclosure statement.  However, he makes over $20,000 a year from the Burlington County Board of Elections, tacking on to his pension credits.

"These are just a few red flags," said Tim Tyler.  "There are too many coincidences. There are far too many questions unanswered.  Has Lambiase or any of these other folks ever been employed by other Burlington County government agencies like the Bridge Commission or BCIT?  If our rudimentary investigation has yielded this much disturbing information, imagine what the highly qualified experts at the U.S. Attorney's office will find.  Burlington County taxpayers deserve to know where their hard earned money has gone."

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