Torricelli backs Shulman; slams Garrett ethics, calls him an extremist and tax cheat

In a fundraising letter, former U.S. Sen. Bob Torricelli praises Dennis Shulman's integrity.: Getty Images Photo
Former U.S. Sen. Bob Torricelli has endorsed blind Rabbi Dennis Shulman in his race against three-term U.S. Rep. Scott Garrett (R-Wantage).  

"Dennis' integrity and unique background of identifying and solving problems leave him well-equpped to oppose Garrett -- and to serve in Congress honorably and effectively," Torricelli wrote in a letter seeking to raise money for Shulman's campaign.  "Garrett sat idly by in his seat on the House Financial Services Committee, while the housing bubble burst, all the while pocketing thousands of dollars in contributions from Countrywide Financial and leaving his day-to-day operations to his Chief of Staff, a former Countrywide lobbyist.  

Torricelli also slammed Garrett for claiming an erroneous exemption on his state tax return, "cheating his fellow citizens out of up to $40,000 a year."  He called Garrett an "extremist whose values are not those of his constituents, nor of the nation."

“Bob Torricelli has always been most comfortable wading around the sleaze and slime of the corrupt Bergen County Democrat machine.  Guess you take Torch out of the slime, but you can’t take sleaze out of the Torch.  Torricelli was forced to leave the United States Senate because his ethics and values told him to use his office to get himself a Rolex, a closet full of $5000 suits, a grandfather clock, an expensive oriental rug, a jumbo plasma screen TV, and thousands of dollars in illegal campaign contributions," said Republican State Chairman Tom Wilson.  "Now his ‘ethics and values’ tell him to slander, malign, and lie about Scott Garrett.  Asking Bob Torricelli to be your ethics watchdog is about as smart as asking Michael Vick to watch your dog. “

Torricelli represented the neighboring 9th district in Congress from 1983 until his election to the U.S. Senate in 1996.  He is now a business consultant, and an unpaid PolitickerNJ.com columnist.