PETERS CHARGES NO REPORTS FILED FOR BOVA-SCARANO ‘02 CAMPAIGN ACCOUNT
- GOP Surrogate Candidate Says Dem Opponent Violated Campaign Finance Law, Failed to File ELEC Reports for Losing ’02 Campaign –Middletown, NJ – Monmouth County GOP candidate for Surrogate Rosemarie Peters today pointed out that her Democratic opponent, Beverly Bova-Scarano, failed to file any financial reports for one of her campaign accounts during her third unsuccessful bid for Middletown Township Committee in 2002.

“Paying attention to detail and keeping accurate records is extremely important in being a County Surrogate,� Peters said. She explained that the Surrogate is the keeper of important public records regarding wills, estates, adoptions, minors’ trust funds, and guardianships.

“How can she run for a position that is charged with overseeing such important family legal and financial matters where accurate recordkeeping is essential and yet not follow simple campaign finance laws herself?,� Peters said.

The “Campaign to Elect Bova-Scarano and Beaver, Chuck Fallon, Treasurer,� does not appear to be a candidate committee filed with the New Jersey Election Law Enforcement Commission (ELEC). A number of campaign materials from Bova-Scarano’s 2002 losing campaign have this disclaimer. A complaint pointing out the failure to report on funds received and disbursed through the account was filed by the Middletown Republican Party several years ago and is still pending with ELEC.

“This kind of irresponsible or lackadaisical behavior draws serious questions as to Bova-Scarano’s ability to serve as County Surrogate,� said Peters. “Ms. Bova-Scarano has an obligation to come clean on this or, at the very least, find out how much campaign cash was raised and spent and who contributed to this secret account.�

Even more suspicious is that another candidate committee, “Friends of Bova-Scarano and Beaver, Kevin Kern, Treasurer,� appears during the same 2002 campaign and seems properly reported with ELEC. During an Editorial Board meeting with the Asbury Park Press, Bova-Scarano said she was unclear how her own candidate committee with Chuck Fallon as treasurer operated.

“It’s no wonder that Monmouth County Democratic candidates have rejected our calls for campaign finance reforms this year,� Peters said. “They have a record of failing to report their own campaign finances and in the same breath call for reforming the system. Our opponents continually show their inadequacies for public service in the final days of the campaign.�

Monmouth County Democrats consistently show a pattern in violating campaign finance laws. Last August, Monmouth Democrats withdrew their endorsements of Leonard Inzerillo’s bid for Freeholder for failing to file finance reports on his failed campaign for Assembly. Earlier this year, Monmouth Democrats failed to file the organizations fourth quarter report that would show contributions and expenditures from last year’s campaign.

###