Sean Kean

As New Jersey's premier GOP fundraiser, former Republican National Committee Finance Chairman Lewis Eisenberg has some clout at the White House -- especially as a Republican from a state where his party is in the clear minority. But for reasons that different people explain in different ways, Eisenberg has not been at all engaged in Tom Kean, Jr.'s race for the United States Senate. Now that the race is close -- national Republicans are increasingly talking up New Jersey (which hasn't elected a GOP U.S. Senator in 34 years -- there may be some pressure on Eisenberg to help Kean narrow incumbent Robert Menendez's huge fundraising advantage. If Kean wins, the former Governor's son will become the state's top Republican -- at least in the eyes of the White House. And if Kean's victory comes without Eisenberg's help, Eisenberg will see his influence in national politics greatly diminished.

MALONE AND KEAN: NOT EVERY STATE WORKER
CAN AFFORD TO TAKE A PAY CUT
SAY FOCUS NEEDS TO BE ON INDIVIDUALS WHO MAKE EXTRAVAGANT SALARIES

The election of 35-year-old Adam Puharic as the new Monmouth County Republican Chairman is the latest move by the GOP to rebuild a once-powerful county party organization that has been hammered by allegations of widespread corruption on the backs of a new generation of leaders. By the end of this year, the all-Republican five-member Freeholder Board will have had a complete makeover, with aging veterans like Harry Larrison -- a Freeholder for 36 years -- Thomas Powers and Edward Stominski replaced by a much younger group. For the seat of the 87-year-old Theodore Narozanick, an elected official for most of the last sixty years, Republicans have nominated Andrew Lucas, a 28-year-old Manalapan Township Committeeman. The Freeholder Board now includes 37-year-old Robert Clifton and 38-year-old Anna Little.

The same thing has happened with the Monmouth legislative delegation over the last four years. Sean Kean, now 43, won an Assembly seat in 2002 when 84-year-old Thomas Smith died in office. Amy Handlin, 50, beat 79-year-old Joseph Azzolina in the 2005 GOP primary. Jennifer Beck, 38, won a State Assembly seat in 2005, unseating a Democrat who defeated 73-year-old Michael Arnone two years earlier.

State Senator Joseph Palaia has already announced that he will not seek re-election in 2007, when he turns 80.

State Senator Joseph Kyrillos, elected to the State Assembly in 1987 at age 27, has emerged as a sort of elder statesmen among Monmouth Republicans at the relatively young age of 46. Brian Nelson, a 28-year-old lawyer from Middletown who served as Executive Director of the New Jersey Republican State Committee in 2004, has emerged as a key player in Monmouth County politics.

The conventional wisdom among Monmouth County Republicans seems to be that Assemblyman Sean Kean has an edge over Assemblyman Steven Corodemus if both decide to seek the State Senate seat that becomes open in 2007 when Joseph Palaia retires. That feeling, Republican insiders say, is based on a recent trend of Republican County Committee from the 11th district supporting candidates backed by Kean -- and not Corodemus -- for Freeholder and County Chairman. Corodemus, who is more conservative than his running mate (and somewhat bitter rival), could skip the convention route and challenge Kean in the Republican primary. Democrats made a huge play for the 11th district Assembly seats in 2005, but fell a little short. They are expected to take another shot at picking up legislative seats in Monmouth County, and there chances could be buoyed by a divisive contest for the Senate.

KEAN LEGISLATION ADDRESSING EMINENT DOMAIN CONCERNS IS CONSIDERED BY COMMERCE COMMITTEE

BILLS EXPAND PUBLIC NOTICE REQUIREMENTS, REQUIRE VOTER APPROVAL AND INCREASE MONETARY COMPENSATION TO PROPERTY OWNERS

CORODEMUS AND KEAN: MOVE TO FREEZE POLITICALLY MOTIVATED GRANT FUNDS IS A GOOD FIRST STEP

PUBLIC STILL DEMANDS ANSWERS ON HOW THESE FUNDS WERE DISTRIBUTED AND WHO IS ACCOUNTABLE FOR THE DECISIONS

REPUBLICAN ASSEMBLY TRANSPORTATION COMMITTEE MEMBERS SAY TTF PLAN IS A COSTLY FAILURE

CORZINE'S DEBT SCHEME WILL ONLY MAKE MATTERS WORSE

REPUBLICAN ASSEMBLY TRANSPORTATION COMMITTEE MEMBERS OPPOSE GOVERNOR CORZINE'S TTF PLAN

ENCOURAGE LEGISLATURE TO ABANDON CORZINE'S DEBT SCHEME AND CONSIDER IMPLEMENTING FISCALLY RESPONSIBLE PROPOSAL

REPUBLICAN ASSEMBLY LEADERS SAY CORZINE TTF PLAN RAISES NEW QUESTIONS ABOUT STATE DEBT

PROMISE TO TAKE CLOSE LOOK AT PLAN, BUT SAY ADMINISTRATION SHOULD BE LOOKING TO CUT COSTS, NOT ADD NEW DEBT

February 16, 2006 Contact: Michelle Presson
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 202-226-0444/202-812-7823

GAO and Congress Agree: Katrina Recovery Mismanagement Abounds
Select Committee Report Calls Recovery Efforts

a Failure of Initiative

Washington, D.C., February 16, 2006 – Congressman Scott Garrett (R-Sussex) called yesterday’s report by a bipartisan House panel

a revealing and valuable tool for planning future responses to both natural disasters and terrorist attacks.

It appears that Congress’ efforts to send aid to New Orleans and other affected Gulf Coast cities last September while well-intentioned, lacked the accountability and oversight to be effective,� said Garrett, one of 11 House Members who voted against a second aid package last September. “It is a real shame that so many people have had to suffer and so many taxpayer dollars were wasted before we turned serious attention to our responsibilities for oversight.

Following the devastation of Hurricane Katrina, Congressman Garrett joined Congress in sending $10.5 billion in emergency aid to the Gulf Coast to begin recovery and relief efforts there. Shortly thereafter, Congress passed an additional $52 billion aid package. Garrett voted against that package on the grounds that it lacked the necessary accountability and oversight to ensure that the aid would be used effectively and get to the people who needed it most.

Regrettably, it turns out that my worst fears have been realized. Six months after the storm, hundreds of thousands of citizens remain without homes or jobs, without their most prized personal possessions or even hope,

said Garrett.

Reports this week by the General Accounting Office and the House Select Committee demonstrate that hundreds of millions of dollars that could have been used to help them put their lives back together have been squandered because of a lack of government oversight.

A GAO audit of the recovery efforts this week revealed

weak or non-existent controls in the process that FEMA used to approve assistance payments that leaves the federal government vulnerable to fraud and abuse.

Amongst other reports of fraud, the GAO reported that:

• 5,000 of the 11,000 people who got $2,000 debit cards from FEMA incorrectly got additional $2,000 credits by applying over the phone or Internet

• Nearly $8 million was spent to refurbish an old Army base that was then determined to be too costly to operate as emergency housing and in the end only housed 20 people

• More than 10,000 mobile homes are sitting empty in Hope, Arkansas and are now sinking into the soft ground

• Up to 900,000 people who received aid under the emergency cash assistance program based their requests on duplicate or invalid Social Security numbers or false addresses or names

• Instances of abuse of the debit cards intended for food and shelter include $400 massages, a $450 tattoo, and $150 worth of products at

Condoms to Go

Fraud and waste in the process are likely to cost the American taxpayers tens to hundreds of millions of dollars – this is money that could have been used to help real people in dire straits. Had there been appropriate oversight there would likely be far more Gulf state residents further along in putting their lives back together.

Congressman Garrett met today with Greg Kutz, the GAO investigative auditor who drafted the agency report. Garrett will also be traveling to New Orleans next week to survey the area, meet with local officials and citizens, and discuss ways to improve the recovery efforts.

The House report can be found at www.katrina.house.gov. The GAO report can be found at http://www.gao.gov/new.items/d06403t.pdf.
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