For Immediate Release                                                                       Contact: Jason Springer
September 9, 2010                                                                                             609-392-3367

Wisniewski: Any Reforms Must Include Reform Jersey Now
Republicans should call on their own Governor to lead by example

(Trenton) Yesterday, Governor Christie continued his effort to divert attention away from the loss of $400 million in education funding and his subsequent covering up of how the process broke down by holding an impromptu town hall to talk about the need for reform. Democratic State Party Chairman Wisniewski noted that the Governor neglected to mention an essential piece of any reform package, disclosures from Reform Jersey Now.

"Governor Christie must lead by example and call for transparency of his own slush fund, Reform Jersey Now,” said Wisniewski. “While calling for additional financial disclosures from groups and organizations that already publicly file their donors, expenditures and abide by state campaign limits, Christie has remained silent as Reform Jersey Now publicly flaunts the fact that they can get around state pay to play laws. It’s even more hypocritical that Christie himself is the guest who separates secret donors from their $25,000 checks.”

Predictably, Legislative Republicans lined up to jump on latest Christie bandwagon, while overlooking this glaring absence from the Governor’s latest proposal.

“Any Republicans that claim interest in reform, while voicing concerns about conflicts of interest and undue influence in government, should immediately demand that Reform Jersey Now release its donors and expenditures,” said Wisniewski. “If transparency is anything more than a talking point for Christie and Legislative Republicans, they will ensure that groups like Reform Jersey Now must reveal their secret contributors and expenditures to the public.”

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