Camden Republican chair denounces Andrews decision

U.S. Rep. Rob Andrews (D-Haddon Heights): Politicker file photo 

MINNEAPOLIS - Hearing the news that U.S. Rep. Rob Andrews (D-Haddon Heights) intends to pursue re-election to the U.S. Congress after repeatedly denying that he would run again, Camden County Republican Chairman Richard DeMichele bewailed Andrews’s actions as "distasteful and misleading."

"If you can’t believe him when he tells you about one of his most intimate decisions, how can you trust him making decisions in Washington?" DeMichele said of the man who forsook his congressional seat to unsuccessfully challenge U.S. Sen. Frank Lautenberg (D-Cliffside Park), swearing all along that he was done with Congress.

Of course, the Andrews family never gave up the seat, as the congressman’s wife sat on it until just before this month’s filing deadline, leading to repeated criticism amid rumors that Donald Norcross, brother of party boss George Norcross, would succeed Andrews.

DeMichele dismissed as bogus the entire episode.

"He planned all along to have his wife as a placeholder to keep the door open for his return, but he misrepresented himself to the voters," said the disgusted GOP chairman.

"He knew he was coming back," added DeMichele, who also questioned Andrews’s calendar choice of this week to make his intentions known.

"His timing is extraordinarily suspicious," he said. "His hope is all the reporters will be focused on Sarah Palin and John McCain so they won’t report on this. I assure you that the Glading campaign will not be silent. We will find a way to get the message out there. That’s our challenge right now. The public has to know he’s not trustworthy. We have to speak a lot louder than the eloquent words that come from his mouth."

Dale Glading is the longshot Republican preacher running against Andrews in the First Congressional District.