Today in Burlington County

Burlington County Democratic Chairman Rick Perr said that the eighth district Republican legislative candidates' ELEC reports demonstrate that they’re not serious about reform in Trenton.

Perr said that 19 names popped up in the latest report associated with the old GOP order in the county, including state Sen. Martha Bark, former county Republican Chairman Glenn Paulsen, Paulsen business partner Brian Kuwalski and Assemblyman Larry Chatzidakis. The group, which also included candidates Dawn Addiego, Phil Haines and Scott Rudder, is underwriting a $300,000 loan to the Republicans.

“This is clear evidence that the corrupt Burlington County GOP is financing the 8th District campaign and, as always, Bark and Paulsen are right in the middle of it," said Burlington County Democratic Chairman Richard Perr.

Burlington County Republican Executive Director Chris Russell didn’t see the loan as newsworthy.

"Republicans supporting Republicans is hardly news. In the wake of Fran Bodine's near daily ethical scandals and Tracy Riley's attempt to buy Bodine's land with taxpayer money in a backroom deal, the Democrats are desperately trying to change the subject. This, however, is a pretty lame attempt,” said Russell.

Democrats also continued to assail Republicans over their commercial criticizing Assemblyman/state Senate candidate Fran Bodine for voting in favor of state budgets between 1994 and 2002 – while he was a Republican, and during the Whitman and DiFrancesco administrations. A press release issued by the Democrats said the criticism should also apply to dozens of prominent Republicans, including Senate Minority Leader Leonard Lance and Assembly Minority Leader Alex DeCroce.

Meanwhile, the Republicans attacked Democrats on a county level for failing to file ELEC reports on time. The ELEC reports of freeholder candidate Tom Bader and sheriff candidate Ben Braxton were not immediately available online because they were filed a day late. Republicans are calling on the commission to investigate.

“This is the latest in a long line of attempts by Bader and Braxton to hide their direct ties to the corrupt Camden County political machine bankrolling their campaign,” said Russell.

Rick Perr said that the reports were filed late because of a $10,000 donation from a law firm that had to be broken up by individual donors. A copy of the report was sent to the Burlington County Times when it was requested.