Phil Haines

All but counted out in his district 8 state Senate race, Assemblyman Fran Bodine threw aside a dysfunctional microphone and declared in a booming voice his willingness to fight Wednesday night in front of an audience of mostly senior citizens in the gated community of Leisuretown in Southampton.

His opposition was subdued, even silent.

Sitting on a lead according to internal GOP polling, confident in the knowledge that the district tilts in his direction, and fearful of being captured by what Republicans said might be the presence of a hidden video camera wielded by the Democrats, GOP state Senate candidate Phil Haines kept his mouth shut.

Burlington County Clerk Phil Haines, state senate candidate in District 8, admitted today that he made a mistake when he said he received no income from the private law firm, Wells, Singer and Musulin, P.A., in 2006.

"I was going from memory," said Haines, who today corrected the record and said he received $1,233.90 from the law firm in 2006, not in 2005, as he stated yesterday in a telephone interview.

County Clerk’s current financial disclosure form says he received legal fees last year
"It’s not the first time Haines has misled the taxpayers of Burlington County"

Wounded last week by unfavorable news coverage highlighting his employment record, Assemblyman Francis Bodine went on the attack today in what his opponent in the District 8 State Senate race characterized as the actions of a desperate man.

"We feel good about it. This indicates they’re in trouble," Burlington County Clerk Phil Haines said in response to an ethics complaint Bodine filed against him in two separate public forums.

At a press conference today, Bodine, a Democrat, presented letters he had written: one to Freeholder Director James Wujick and the other to the District Court Ethics Committee of the state Supreme Court, in which he charged Haines with moonlighting as a real estate attorney while collecting a six-figure salary as county clerk.

Shouldn't $100,000 Taxpayer Salary Be Enough For Clerk Haines?

The Vice Chairman of the one of Burlington County's strongest Republican municipal organizations has endorsed Democrat Francis Bodine for State Senate.  “I am doing this because I want to stand up for an injustice that has occurred and support the person I believe is the best candidate to represent all the residents of the 8th district," said Robert O'Connor. "That person is clearly Fran Bodine."  Bodine, an Assemblyman since 1994, switched parties earlier this year after Republicans declined to support him for re-election.  He faces Phil Haines, the County Clerk, in a race for an open Senat seat in the 8th district.

District 8 Senate candidate Phil Haines, a Republican, continues to assail his opponent over his professional record, while the Democratic Party undercard is fighting back by making Haines’ running mate, Dawn Marie Addiego, the issue.

Haines wants to know what Democratic Assemblyman Francis Bodine did as an employee with the South Jersey Port Corporation between 1989 and 1992, and why he collected $250,000 from the public entity and had a personal car.

"Fran needs to tell voters what he did there, since in response to our repeated requests the South Jersey Port claims they can produce very little proof that he did anything," said Haines.