FREEHOLDER CANDIDATE REINHART: REPEAT ELEC OFFENDER

 Burlington County Freeholder Director Aubrey Fenton and his running mate, Freeholder Stacey Jordan today accused one of their Democrat opponents of repeated violations of the state’s campaign finance laws “by failing to file or late filing of contribution and expenditure reports.”   

      They said the Election Law Enforcement Commission levied fines against Shamong Town ship Committee member Mary Anne Reinhart for her failure to submit the statutorily-mandated reports from her 2003 primary election campaign as well as her 2002 general election campaign. 

      “Then Commission levied fines totaling nearly $1,000 against Reinhart for her failure to file and for filing the required documents late --- a year late in one case and more than six months late in another,” Fenton and Jordan said. 

      The Commission, in its decision issued in December 2003, labeled Reinhart “a previous violator of the Act” and took her prior infractions into consideration in assessing its penalties. 

      In addition, when Reinhart served as campaign treasurer for the local Democrat candidates in 1993, she was found in violation of the law for failure to file the required documents, including those identifying the sources of substantial campaign contributions. 

      “As a candidate or as a campaign treasurer, Reinhart appears  either incapable or unwilling to comply with even the most fundamental requirements of election financing law ---- the filing of documents stating she is a candidate and revealing the source of contributions and the recipients of campaign expenditures,” Fenton and Jordan said. 

      “In light of her record of non-compliance, how can voters and taxpayers trust her to comply with the stricter ethical conduct laws and regulations, either in a timely fashion or at all?” they asked.    

      “It is vital to public confidence that the sources of funds raised and spent by political candidates be as transparent as possible,” Fenton and Jordan said.  “The kinds of violations attributed to Reinhart serve only to obscure her campaign financing activity and deny voters the full knowledge they are entitled to under law.” 

      “Her history of disregard for the law cannot be justified or explained away as clerical errors,” they said.  “Rather, as the Election Law Enforcement Commission made clear, Reinhart violated and continued to violate the law.” 

       “The only conclusion to be reached is that her actions were deliberate and knowing,” Fenton and Jordan said.     

      The Republicans noted the major ethics proposals put forth last week by the Governor have focused public attention on how campaigns are financed and what steps are necessary to assure that all aspects of it are open and above board. 

      However, they said, Burlington County has already set the bar high when it comes to ethics reform.  Burlington County Freeholders implemented a fair and open “pay to play” contracting policy in January 2005, one year before it was required by the State. 

      In addition, Republican freeholders went on to require ethics training of all employees; enacted a ban on dual office holding; placed a prohibition on private use of county property, equipment and personnel; placed an outright prohibition on the solicitation and acceptance of gifts and honoraria; enacted an anti-nepotism policy; and, most recently, adopted a ban on all taxpayer-funded trips. 

      “Reinhart’s actions suggest strongly that she would prefer her activity to be closed and hidden from public view,” they said.