Without judging the merit of the American Civil Liberty Union’s complaint against former U.S. Attorney Chris Christie for tracking suspects’ cell phones by court order instead of getting a warrant, rival gubernatorial candidate Steve Lonegan said that the issue “clouds the election.”

“It’s another distraction.  It’s an issue of what could be viewed of overzealous prosecution or perhaps overstepping bounds.  It’s another issue that can be used in the campaign. In a highly competitive race, Republicans cannot afford to have that,” said Lonegan, who is competing with Christie for the GOP nomination for governor.

While Lonegan said he usually disagrees with the ACLU, he conceded that the group is "occasionally correct on issues." 

Lonegan, who last year held a press conference to announce that he was facing a probe by the State Attorney General’s Office, said he is wary of the abuse of prosecutorial power.  

“I very well know the overzealous prosecutor charges.  I had them hovering around my friends, neighbors and looking around the rocks in my backyard,’  he said.”  I’m afraid of government when it oversteps its bounds. That’s why we have a constitution.”