Garrett won't suspend campaign, but stays in Washington

U.S. Rep.Scott Garrett isn’t following John McCain’s example and formally suspending his campaign, but his staff insist that he’s spending most of his time in Washington right now.

”Congressman Garrett is in Washington working diligently to help find a solution to the current economic crisis. He has always put the needs of the district before political campaigning, and this is no exception,” said Garrett Campaign Manager Amanda Gasperino. “Taking leadership on the need for sensible legislation, Garrett has introduced a bipartisan bill to form a Select Committee to investigate the financial bailouts of Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, AIG, and Bear Stearns. Additionally, the Congressman has demanded that President Bush provide transparency in the 700 billion dollar bailout plan to protect the interests of taxpayers."

Garrett’s Democratic opponent, Dennis Shulman, thinks that the Congressman’s time would be better spent in New Jersey. 

"Scott Garrett should not cease campaigning, because the more time he spends actually talking to new jersey taxpayers rather than undermining them in Washington, the better,” said Shulman Campaign Manager Jeff Hauser.  “Garrett, who sits on the House Financial Services Committee, is a big part of the reason we are in this mess. He has consistently voted against regulating the corrupt predatory lenders, like Countrywide Financial, that run his office, fund his campaign, and bear enormous culpability for this crisis.
We would all be safer if he actually spent his time as a farmer, not a corrupt politician."

Gasperino, however, said that Garrett was at least doing something. 

“Sadly, even as Congressman Garrett has put principal before politics, the same cannot be said of our opponent who continues to campaign without any real solution to this emergency or other pressing issues facing the nation,” she said.