May 31, 2005 Common Cause Chair Confirms Schundler Took Lead on Pay-to-Play Reform
Forrester's ugly smear campaign confirmed to be just so much garbage
(MOUNTAINSIDE, NJ) -- Schundler for Governor communications director Bill Pascoe -- responding to Common Cause New Jersey Chairman Harry Pozycki's comments in this morning's Star-Ledger -- today issued the following statement:
"Thank you, Brian Donohue! FINALLY, a reporter decided to go straight to the horse's mouth to find out if Doug Forrester's ugly smear campaign was true or false. Common Cause New Jersey Chairman Harry Pozycki, according to the Star-Ledger's account, spoke of the October 2001 study cited as the "source" for Doug Forrester's false charge that Bret Schundler was "cited for being one of the worst abusers of pay to play in the entire state," and Mr. Pozycki "stressed they were "not finger-pointing"" at Bret, and credited Bret for taking the lead on pay-to-play reform. "Pozycki said following the report, that Schundler was the first to endorse the groups" reforms to get rid of pay-to-play. "The bottom line is he did, to his credit, see the wisdom of it," Pozycki said."
"Doug Forrester has spent millions of dollars falsely claiming that NJ PIRG and Common Cause labeled Bret Schundler "one of the worst abusers of pay to play in the entire state." We"ve all seen the ads -- heck, at this point, I think he's even buying time on re-runs of "Gilligan's Island." The NJ PIRG study cited as the "source" for Forrester's false charge NEVER EVEN USES THE WORDS "ABUSER" OR "WORST ABUSER," and in fact says EXACTLY THE OPPOSITE: "The intent of this study is not to document, or even to suggest, the presence of corruption in Jersey City." And now the Chairman of Common Cause New Jersey has confirmed that Bret Schundler was the first to endorse the groups" proposed reforms, including a comprehensive ban on pay to play contracting.
"The Philadelphia Inquirer said of Doug Forrester's false charges "they do not stand up to scrutiny." The question we have is, does that make a difference to Doug Forrester? Or does he, in fact, think that just because he's got money burning a hole in his pocket, he isn"t bound by the same rules that everyone else lives by?"
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