Dump Mike Ferguson (NJ7)

More from Washington's culture of corruption and Mike Ferguson, via The Hotline (subscription):

Rep. Mike Ferguson (R-NJ) "has accepted" $14,808 inprivately financed travel. "He has visited Israel at the expenseof the American Israel Public Affairs Committee and has takentwo trips to Florida with his wife Maureen. NASDAQ paid for theFergusons' visit to Key Biscayne, Fla., in" 3/03 and the RiponSociety financed their travel to Miami" in 1/05."

Miami and Key Biscayne, Florida. Nice.

Posted by admin at 09:59 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

We're likely to hear something in the next 10 months before Election Day that a reason to vote for Mike Ferguson is that he is a Republican, and the Republicans control DC. Who else but another Republican could possibly have the power to represent the district?

According to the Gloucester Times, that line of reasoning is a bunch of hooey.

What's the point in being a Republican from New Jersey in Washington? It's a cheeky question, but it's worth asking.

New Jersey voters routinely re-elect the six GOP lawmakers. However, the six have little clout. House Republicans systematically quash all attempts by New Jersey officials to rise to power. ...

Saxton, Smith, Frelinghuysen still serve in the House, whereas Roukema has retired. U.S. Reps. Frank LoBiondo, R-2nd Dist., Scott Garrett, R-5th Dist., and Mike Ferguson, R-7th Dist., round out the current list of six GOP lawmakers from the Garden State. They may be popular in their districts, and they may be re-elected.

It is clear, however, that their worst enemies are their party masters. Republicans from the South and West have yet to see New Jersey as anything but a collection of ZIP codes from which to raise money.

Ferguson can't bring home the bacon to the 7th District or represent our values because the radical right running the House won't let him.

Posted by admin at 03:53 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

In a scathing rebuke, Garden State Equality slammed Congressman Mike Ferguson while endorsing Assemblywoman Linda Stender to take his seat in the House.

For the U.S. House of Representatives in New Jersey's 7th Congressional District, encompassing parts of Union, Middlesex, Hunterdon and Somerset Counties, Garden State Equality proudly endorses Assemblywoman Linda Stender (D-Union County) . "Assemblywoman Stender is among the greatest champions of civil rights in the state legislature today," Goldstein said. "She's an impeccably honest and devoted public servant whose constituency outreach, progressive values and commitment to open government leaves us no doubt she'll go on to become one of the greatest members of Congress ever to serve the State of New Jersey."

In November, Assemblywoman Stender will face incumbent Mike Ferguson. On the broad array of issues that New Jersey cares about deeply -- from a woman's right to choose to the civil rights of every discriminated-against constitutency -- Mike Ferguson has one of the most shockingly extreme right-wing voting records of any member of Congress on either coast of the United States. "Mike Ferguson is so far to the right of New Jersey," Goldstein said, "that if you placed a cut-out figure of him on a map, it would be in Portugal. How embarrassing that this man represents any part of our progressive state.

"Tom Kean Jr. (Junior) and Mike Ferguson are the Extremist Twins, perfect together."

Posted by admin at 02:16 PM | Permalink | Comments (2)

In a sign that is sure to be bad for Mike Ferguson's reelection chances, even Somerset County Republican Chairman Dale Florio knows that Democrats are making inroads in 7th Congressional District towns.

Somerset County Republican Chairman Dale Florio looks on his territory like a battleground: though ground is being lost on the northern front, that loss is being more than compensated for by victorious rearguard skirmishes.

"It was a good year for us," he said in summing up 2005, adding that the GOP gained strength at the local level despite Democratic advances.

The goal of his side, which historically has been the most powerful and well-funded, is to hold the line on its gains, reverse the Democrats' inroads and prevail in the long term, he said.

Florio met last week with Courier News editors to discuss the future of the Republican Party in Somerset County and the ways in which the political turf has changed since 1992, when he became his party's county leader.

The most discouraging news comes from the north, where Sally Rubin became the first Democrat to be elected to the Bedminster Township Committee in recent memory and where a bipartisan citizens' group is seeking to recall Republican Township Committeeman Kurt Joerger from office.

The Democrats also are asserting themselves in the Somerset Hills communities of Bernards [ed: not in 7th] , where two Democrats ran for the Township Committee in November, and Bernardsville, where a municipal Democratic committee has formed. Though the Democrats lost in Bernards, they vow they will be back.

And though Melonie Marano became the first Democrat to be elected to the Township Committee (by two votes) in Green Brook in a decade in 2003, the Republicans have held onto their seats against Democratic challengers in the last two elections.

Florio called the challenge from the Democrats a wake-up call.

The tide is turning.

Posted by admin at 08:02 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)

Phyllis Salowe-Kaye, executive director of New Jersey Citizen Action, wrote an excellent opinion piece in the Asbury Park Press this weekend. I highly recommend reading it. Here are some highlights.

A lesser known fact is these tax cuts have been slowly phased in to make it easy for politicians to avoid answering the tough questions about who is going to pay for them. So far, about 80 percent of the tax cuts have been realized, and the full effect of tax cuts will be felt in 2010.

We got a glimpse of who is paying when Congress voted to cut $40 billion from vital health care and education programs in the wee hours of Dec. 19. Instead of citing the recent tax cuts as the reason for these devastating program cuts, or admitting they did not have time to read the 774-page bill before they cast their vote, the Republican majority told us sacrifices need to be made for the victims of Hurricane Katrina. This is a puzzling rationale when you consider that a day later, the Senate approved $27 billion in tax cuts for the richest people in the country.

Congress' "Robin Hood in Reverse" approach is nothing but mean-spiritedness. Instead of giving relief to the 1.2 million people in New Jersey or the 45 million people nationally without health insurance, Congress approved cuts that will push people off Medicaid and cause the number of uninsured to rise even higher.

In New Jersey, 485,000 of the people who are at risk of losing their coverage are children. It is unconscionable to ask children and other New Jersey residents to go without health care so the wealthy can get another tax cut. ...

During the early morning hours of Dec. 19, New Jersey Republican Reps. Frank LoBiondo, H. James Saxton, Scott Garrett, Michael Ferguson and Rodney Frelinghuysen made a bad choice and voted "yes" for this terrible budget. But because the Senate made some minor adjustments to the budget after it passed the House, another vote on the legislation is scheduled for Wednesday. This will give our representatives another chance to review and understand the negative impacts of the budget, and do the right thing by casting a "no" vote.

Call Congressman Ferguson's office today and urge him to vote NO on the budget to protect New Jersey's most vulnerable citizens. In New Jersey, call (908) 757-7835. In Washington D.C., call (202) 225-5361.

Posted by admin at 07:54 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

I received this statement from the Tricarico for Congress Campaign:

Last summer, I began my campaign for the 7th Congressional District seat held by Congressman Mike Ferguson. His radical opposition to a woman’s right to choose and ready support for the Bush administration’s failed Iraq policy were simply too much to take. Put simply, Rep. Ferguson has demonstrated he is too far out of the mainstream to represent the 7th district and I am determined to see him defeated in 2006.

To accomplish this task will require a unified effort by the Democratic Party. As such, I have decided to end my campaign and heartily endorse Assemblywoman Linda Stender for Congress. Over a two decade career as a Councilwoman, Mayor, Freeholder, and Assemblywoman she has proven she shares the values and ideals of the citizens of the 7th Congressional District. I will work hard over the next 11 months to insure a Democratic victory in the 7th.

Joe Tricarico has run a good, honest and energetic campaign. His choice to put winning for the Democratic Party and defeating Mike Ferguson over his own ambition should be recognized and valued. I am confident he will be a large part of a victory in the 7th District this fall.

Posted by admin at 08:24 PM | Permalink | Comments (2)

When Mike Ferguson was elected in 2000, the salary of a member of Congress was $141,300. Out of that they have to maintain two households, travel to and from Washington, D.C., etc. It's a good salary, but not an outragous salary.

However, in the five intervening years Congress has voted itself a raise of $23,900 to a total of $165,200.

The average salary for the nation in 2001 was just $30,413, and the New Jersey average salary was $38,625. That makes Ferguson's increase a whopping 79 percent of the national average total, and 62 percent of the New Jersey average total salary.

In the comments, tell us how much of a raise you got in the past six years.

Posted by admin at 12:32 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

At the last MeetUp we agreed to host the three candidates for Congress -- Matt Linfante, Linda Stender, and Joe Tricarico -- at their own Blue 7th MeetUp so our membership could have a casual conversation with them. Paul Younghouse flipped a coin and the order is Tricarico in February, Stender in March and Linfante in April. Tricarico has accepted the February Meetup and invitations have been sent to Stender and Linfante.

Because the February meeting was scheduled for Valentines Day and there is a Garden State Equality rally for equal marriage rights that night, we have moved the Meetup to 7:30 p.m., February 9th at the Panera Bread on Rt. 22 East in Watchung. Joe Tricarico is confirmed to come and give a short talk on his campaign and to take questions from the group. Everyone is welcome!

We hope to see you there. This is our first official candidate event. We are also co-sponsoring an event with New Jersey for Democracy later in February that will involve all three candidates at Raritan Valley Community College. Hope to see you at that one, too!

Posted by admin at 02:07 PM | Permalink | Comments (2)

From the Friday, January 20, 2006 Courier News:

At least you are consistent, Rep. Mike Ferguson. That is, a consistent disappointment.

It's not bad enough that you are a known shill for the pharmaceuticals or that you are a mindless, march-in-step Republican who consistently votes the party line without an ideology of your own. It's not bad enough that you would shamelessly accept campaign contributions from the likes of Tom DeLay and his political action committee, and now that DeLay is an indicted persona non grata in Congress, you still refuse to return these funds or donate them to charity.

Perhaps you are comfortable keeping company with this element of society, considering your own illegal campaign practices resulting in the record $210,000 fine in 2003. Now, you are using my tax dollars to print and mail glossy flyers to selected constituents, excluding registered Democrats, or at least, the registered Democrats in my household.

May I remind you that, pitiful as you are, you are my representative in Washington. My tax dollars allow you to function in Washington and to communicate with your constituents, all your constituents, be they Republican, Democrat or Independent. Recently, at a gathering in Hunterdon County, someone circulated the flyer in question that you had sent to some selected constituents in District 7. The person who brought it to the group's attention happened to be a registered Republican. It "celebrated" the dollars you had been able to squeeze out of the federal government for various communities.

Don't you think that all residents of District 7 are interested in knowing and, moreover, deserve to know how much, or maybe how little, you have accomplished? After all, we are all paying for your services. Personally, I would like an apology for your misuse of my tax dollars, and more generally, I think we all deserve more from you as our representative.

JOAN SCHELL
Tewksbury

Posted by admin at 03:51 AM | Permalink | Comments (2)

Charlie Cook runs one of the most reliable and believed in political newsletters, and is particularly famous for handicapping races. His data is usually highly proprietary and campaigns pay a lot of money to get their hands on it. When a candidate moves within Cook's categories, it is a sign that something is changing and usually considered a big deal.

Mike Ferguson has been moved from being safe to being in play. Since the February 18, 2005 House Summary Ferguson has been off Cook's radar, but the Friday the 13th, 2006 House Summary he was put back into play. It's still in the Likely Republican column, but still not a slam dunk.

With some work from Blue 7th and our candidates, we can move him into to Lean Republican column, then into the Toss Up column, and finally into Retirement in January 2007.

Why? Because New Jersey's 7th Congressional District is not necessarily as Republican as folks make it out. NJ7 has a Cook Report Partisan Voting Index of just R+1 which means it voted for Bush one percent more than that country did as a whole. Since Bush only got 51 percent, that means he got 52 percent in the NJ7. Roll Call, the newspaper of Capitol Hill, reported in May 2002 that even in the newly redistricted NJ7 Al Gore won 51 percent of the vote.

Voters here have demonstrated that they will vote for a Democrat when given an opportunity, and when given a choice. Here at Dump Mike and the Blue 7th PAC it is our job to present the voters with enough information that they decide it is time to make a choice.

Posted by admin at 07:27 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Mike Ferguson has received close to $200,000 from Tom DeLay and DeLay, Inc. over the seven years of his Congressional campaigning. We've previously noted that almost $55,000 came directly from DeLay; another $132,000 from a fundraiser run by Congressman Tom DeLay, Acting House Majority Leader Roy Blunt and DeLay's PAC executive Director Jim Ellis; $8,500 from partners of Alexander Strategies; and another $5,000 from ex –employees of DeLay.

We also noted that after receiving all this money from the Texas congressman, Ferguson turned around and gave $27,000 for the 2004 election alone to Republicans running for Congress in Texas.

And today we found another $3,000 from Andrew "Drew" Maloney, a lobbyist for the Federalist Group and former chief of Staff to Tom DeLay. But what makes this particular contribution really interesting is that there are allegations the contributions may have been made using taxpayers' dollars.

[Texas legislator] Jim Dunnam said lobbyist Drew Maloney had made $250 in political donations before [Texas] Gov. Rick Perry hired Maloney's Federalist Group [in 2003] for $180,000 a year to lobby Congress for the state.

Dunnam said that since that time, Maloney has given $75,000 to Republican congressional committees — including $750 meant to help defeat an incumbent Texas congressman. …

The state added to the lobby team last year by hiring Cassidy & Associates with a team headed by Todd Boulanger, who worked closely with convicted influence peddler Jack Abramoff at three different Washington, D.C., firms. Boulanger has not been directly implicated in any of the wrongdoing by Abramoff, who was close to DeLay.

Maloney made $1,000 contributions to Mike Ferguson's campaign fund on June 23, 2003; June 28, 2004; and February 22, 2005. Interestingly, for the first two contributions Maloney lists his employer as the Federalist Group, but for the 2005 contribution he lists his employer as PJM Interactive, a client of the Federalist Group where Maloney is still employed.

Ferguson received another $3,000 from Federalist Group partner John Green, a former deputy chief of staff for Trent Lott, in two contributions between June 2003 and June 2004.

It seems that every time a new name crops up in a scandal, indictment or guilty plea related to DeLay Inc there is a money trail that leads to Mike Ferguson. This is merely another in a long line including:

• Rep. Tom DeLay [indicted for money laundering and campaign finance violations] ;
• Jim Ellis [indicted for money laundering and campaign finance violations];
• Jack Abramoff [pleaded guilty to wire fraud and conspiring to bribe members of Congress] ;
• Adam Kidan [pleaded guilty to wire fraud and conspiring to bribe members of Congress] ;
• Rep. Roy Blunt [under investigation for taking official action in return for Abramoff contributions];
• Ed Buckham [under investigation in connection to the Abramoff bribery scandal;]
• Tony Rudy [under investigation in connection to the Abramoff bribery scandal;]
• Rep. Randy "Duke" Cunningham [pleaded guilty to taking bribes and inserting language in bills to benefit his contributors];

Posted by admin at 07:38 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Now that Mike Ferguson's benefactor Tom DeLay has been forced from his leadership position as a result of invetsigations into his corrupt dealings in Texas and with Jack Abramoff, the Republican House delegation is forced to select new leadership. They have an opportunity to turn away from the culture of corruption that has pervaded Washington DC for the past five years, or an opportunity to select the same kind of leadership and continue business as usual.

One of the House Republicans looking to permanently replace Tom DeLay as Majority Leader is Roy Blunt (R-MO), who is so tied in to the DeLay/Abramoff way of doing business that uber-conservative columnist George Will opposes his ascention:

Roy Blunt of Missouri, the man who was selected, not elected, to replace DeLay, is a champion of earmarks as a form of constituent service. If, as one member says, "the problem is not just DeLay but 'DeLay Inc.' " Blunt is not the solution. So far -- the field may expand -- the choice for majority leader is between Blunt and John Boehner of Ohio. A salient fact: In 15 years in the House, Boehner has never put an earmark in an appropriations or transportation bill.

Of course, Congressman Mike Ferguson is so tied in to Delay Inc. that Ferguson recently announced his support for Blunt. It's about all we could expect. When he was getting more money than any other member of Congress from Tom DeLay, Ferguson voted to ease ethics and Republican caucus rules to help DeLay stay in power. Now that DeLay is out -- he has contributed nothing to Ferguson since 2004 -- Ferguson needs someone to fill the void.

Roy Blunt has already given Ferguson $5,000 for the 2006 election, as well as $10,000 for the 2004 election, $9,999 for the 2002 election, and $3,000 for the 2000 election.

That's a $27,999 windfall for Ferguson, and a vote for Roy Blunt for Majority Leader.

Update: Blunt has Abramoff connections, as well.

Rep. Roy Blunt and the man he wants to succeed as House majority leader, Tom DeLay, shared similar connections to convicted lobbyist Jack Abramoff and to corporate lobbyists.

Blunt, R-Mo., wrote at least three letters helpful to Abramoff clients while collecting money from them. He swapped donations between his and DeLay's political groups, ultimately enriching the Missouri political campaign of his son Matt.

And Blunt's wife and another son, Andrew, lobby for many of the same companies that donate to the lawmaker's political efforts.

And of course, there are the Delay Inc. memberships for Blunt and his family:

Texas prosecutors recently subpoenaed records of a series of financial transactions in 2000 between DeLay and Blunt that were highlighted in a recent AP story.

DeLay raised more money than he needed to throw parties at the 2000 Republican National Convention and sent some of the excess to Blunt through a series of donations that benefited the causes of both men.

After transfers between political organizations, some of the money went to the campaign of Blunt's son, Matt, in his successful 2000 campaign for secretary of state. Now the Republican governor of Missouri, Matt Blunt eventually received more than $160,000 in 2000.

UPDATE II: A timeline of Blunt's work with Abramoff on Indian issues, and the money that they exchanged.

Update III: We totally forgot that Roy Blunt was also repsonsible for working with Tom DeLay and Jim Ellis to funnel $132,000 to Mike Ferguson from the ROMP fundraiser in 2001.

Swing State Project has more.

Posted by admin at 05:45 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

Over the past month we have noted that much of Congressman Mike Ferguson's campaign funds have come from corrupt and convicted felons who have been instrumental in creating the culture of corruption in Washington D.C. As a result of pressure, Ferguson has given up contributions from conviced felons Jack Abramoff, Adam Kidan, and Rep. Randy "Duke" Cunningham, and casino boat company SunCruz Casinos. To date he has refused to give up more than $54,000 from indicted former Republican House Majority Leader Tom DeLay and $132,000 from a fundraiser organized by DeLay and his indicted employee Jim Ellis.

But that is by no means all. Today it's been reported that the Washington lobbying firm Alexander Strategy Group is closing its doors as a result of the recent guilty please of Abramoff and Kidan. Two former top aides to DeLay -- Ed Buckham and Tony Rudy -- are the Senior Partners for Alexander Strategy, and have contributed money to Ferguson in each of the past three years and as recently as this fall.

Ed Buckham, Senior Partner
    $1000 6/23/2003
    $1000 8/5/2004
    $1000 10/31/2000

Tony Rudy, Senior Partner
    $2,000 3/31/2004
    $1,000 9/30/2005

Buckham is under investigation with regard to the Abramoff bribery and influence peddling scandal, according to Newsweek.

A third DeLay staffer, former chief of staff Ed Buckham, is also under investigation. The Washington Post has reported that in 2000, Abramoff and Buckham used their credit cards to pay for a trip to the United Kingdom for DeLay and his wife. Investigators are looking into Buckham's connection to DeLay's wife, Christine. She was paid $115,000 over three years by Alexander Strategy Group, a lobbying firm run by Buckham and Rudy, to identify the favorite charities of members of Congress.

Newsweek further reports that Rudy has been identified by both Abramoff and federal investigators as integral to helping DeLay do Abramoff's bidding in the House of Representatives.

One of Abramoff's partners in crime was DeLay's former spokesman, Scanlon, who has already pleaded guilty to defrauding clients. Abramoff would urge Indian tribes to hire Scanlon's PR firm for huge sums; Scanlon, in turn, would kick back half the money to Abramoff. In Abramoff's plea agreement, a congressional aide identified as "Staffer A" is actually DeLay's former deputy chief of staff Tony Rudy. According to the Feds, Staffer A, while working for DeLay, helped Abramoff stop legislation that would have prohibited Internet gambling. Two of Abramoff's clients, eLottery, a Connecticut firm that provides Internet services to state lotteries, and the Choctaw Indians, who own casinos in Mississippi, benefited from DeLay's action. In return, the government charges, Staffer A's wife was paid $50,000 through a nonprofit group. (Rudy went to work for Abramoff as a lobbyist in 2001; he did not return phone calls.)

The Washington Post gives us a little more, bluntly saying Rudy traded money for federal action:

Rudy, a former DeLay aide, worked for Abramoff before joining ASG. According to the plea document, a political consulting firm run by Rudy's wife allegedly received $50,000 in exchange for official actions Rudy took while working for DeLay.

A senior ASG employee, who spoke on the condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of ongoing discussions at the firm, said Rudy will be leaving the company. Rudy did not return phone calls yesterday.

In addition to their direct financial support, Buckham and Rudy also ran at least one fundraiser for Ferguson's campaign where their friends and clients contributed tens of thousands of dollars, the most recent of which in September 2005.

The only other person referenced in the Abramoff plea deal was Rep. Robert W. Ney of Ohio, who is accused of trading favors on the House record in return for campaign contributions.

In court papers, prosecutors refer to only one congressman: Rep. Robert W. Ney (R-Ohio). But Abramoff, who built a political alliance with House Republicans, including former majority leader Tom DeLay of Texas, has agreed to provide information and testimony about half a dozen House and Senate members, officials familiar with the inquiry said. He also is to provide evidence about congressional staffers, Interior Department workers and other executive branch officials, and other lobbyists.

"The corruption scheme with Mr. Abramoff is very extensive," Alice S. Fisher, head of the Justice Department's criminal division, said at a news conference with other high-ranking officials of the Internal Revenue Service and the FBI. "We're going to follow this wherever it goes."

Ferguson received $7500 from Bob Ney's PAC, American Liberty, for the 2004 election. The first contribution of $2500 was received on 6/24/2003 and the second of $5000 was received on 3/31/2004.

The FEC says Ferguson twice funded his elections with illegal money, and the campaign coffers are full of money from conviced felons who bribe public officials to do their bidding. Ferguson must come clean and give up the money donated by the likes of Buckham, Rudy and Ney, and the money raised by the likes of Buckham, Rudy and Ney.

Please call Rep. Ferguson's office at 908-757-7835 and ask him to scrub his campaign account of all the dirty money from the Washington D.C. culture of corruption. You can also write to Rep. Ferguson on his website e-mail form.

Another avenue is to send letters to the editor talking about Ferguson's connections to the culture of corruption. Local and regional newspapers are as follows: the Courier News at letters@c-n.com, the Home News Tribune at letters@thnt.com, the Star Ledger at eletters@starledger.com, or the New York Times at letters@nytimes.com.

UPDATE: Additional contributions from Alexander Strategies Partners:

Terry Allen, $1000 on 6/23/2003
Karl Gallant, $500 on 9/30/2005
Daniel Gans, $1000 on 9/30/2005

Posted by admin at 07:02 AM | Permalink | Comments (4)

Blue 7th PAC is calling on Congressman Mike Ferguson to immediately condemn recent hateful statements by leading conservative and former Republican Presidential candidate Rev. Pat Robertson.

Speaking on the "700 Club" on Thursday, January 5, Robertson suggested that the massive, life-threatening stroke and cerebral hemorrhage Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon suffered last week was punishment by God for dividing Israel, according to the Jewish Telegraphic Agency. Robertson went on to say the assassination of former Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin was also God's will for the same action.

"Leadership means standing up for what is right, even when it is difficult to do so," said Nathan Rudy, chair of Blue 7th PAC. "By not standing up to Reverend Robertson's misguided and ignorant statements about Prime Minister Sharon's health and Israeli politics, Ferguson shows himself once again he lacks the leadership we need in Congress."

Robertson's expressed opinions are abhorrent to decent people throughout the world, who hold a variety of opinions about these highly respected world leaders and their policies, but value individual human lives enough to hope and pray for the best for anyone who is fighting for or has lost their life, and have a far different view of the manner in which God judges his children than Rev. Robertson.

Since these horrific statements were made, Ferguson has had five days to rebuke them. To date neither Ferguson nor his office has made any note of Robertson's statement in published reports.

"Ferguson's failure to stand up against Robertson and the other members of his party who share the Reverend's warped view of Israeli politics and the role that God plays in the life or death of the Jewish state's elected officials is ignorant at best and disturbingly calculated at worst," said Blue 7th PAC member Bertin Lefkovic. "His silence on this issue speaks volumes about the sincerity or lack thereof of his self-professed support for the State of Israel and its democratically-elected officials."

Blue 7th PAC is calling upon residents of the 7th Congressional District of all parties and faiths to contact Congressman Ferguson's office and voice their displeasure about these recent events.

###

Posted by admin at 05:04 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

On December 19, 2005 Congressman Mike Ferguson voted for a budget bill that included a provision opening of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge to drilling for petroleum. It was the fourth time he has voted for bills including this provision in five years, despite Ferguson's repeatedly claiming that he opposes oil drilling in ANWR and pointing to it as a sign of his independence from the Bush administration.

But more troubling than Ferguson's hypocricy in calling keeping ANWR oil rig free a "national priority" yet voting to approve drilling is that he repeatedly omits his true voting record when writing to his constituents. Twice before -- here and here -- we've published letters from Ferguson touting his three votes for failed amendments against drilling but conveniently leaving out his votes for approving drilling in successful bills.

And now he has done it again. In an e-mail dated January 4, 2006 Ferguson brags:

I have voted three times – in 2001, 2003 and 2005 – to prohibit drilling in ANRW.

This e-mail -- published in full after the jump -- was sent just 16 days after he voted to approve drilling in the budget bill. While it lays out excellent arguments against drilling in ANWR in order to portray Ferguson as an environmentalist, it fails to note he voted twice for drilling in 2005 and once each in 2001 and 2003.

The only way to stop Ferguson from continuing to mislead his constituents is to make his intentional mendacity public. Please write letters to the editor about this issue, and Ferguson's consistent inability to tell the truth about his voting record.

The Courier News is at letters@c-n.com, the Home News Tribune at letters@thnt.com, the Star Ledger at eletters@starledger.com, or the New York Times at letters@nytimes.com.

Here is the complete e-mail sent by Congressman Michael Ferguson to a constituent, whose name is being withheld:

January 4, 2006

Thank you for contacting me regarding proposals for oil and gas drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR) in Alaska. I appreciate hearing from you and having the benefit of your views.

In your letter, you supported drilling in ANWR. [The constituent says he only asked Ferguson's position, not supported drilling.]

I have voted three times – in 2001, 2003 and 2005 – to prohibit drilling in ANRW. I have voted to prohibit drilling off the California and Florida coasts, in the Great Lakes and on national monuments, and I also have supported legislation to prohibit drilling off the New Jersey coast.

Some advocates of ANWR drilling argue that oil in Alaska could reduce U.S. gasoline prices and also reduce our dependence on foreign oil. Unfortunately, drilling in ANWR would not appreciably reduce current U.S. gasoline prices.

For example, the U.S. Geological Survey estimates that ANWR holds only a six-month supply of economically recoverable oil. Moreover, the U.S. Department of Energy’s Energy Information Administration estimates that 20 years after drilling begins in ANWR, when it would be at or near peak production, domestic gasoline prices would be affected by about one penny per gallon.

News reports also indicate that the oil and gas industry itself estimates that oil from ANWR would not be available for at least seven to 10 years because of the complicated nature of leasing, exploration and infrastructure construction.

As you know, gasoline prices have steadily increased nationwide since 2004. Although gasoline prices have recently moderated, the overall increase has been fueled mostly by the growing U.S. economy, inadequate refinery capacity in America necessary to supply gasoline to the expanding economy, and strong and sustained worldwide demand, particularly in China.

Hurricanes Katrina and Rita also disrupted the U.S. oil and gasoline supply as well as the nation’s refining capacity, 40 percent of which is located in the area affected by the hurricanes.

In part because of these facts, gasoline prices have risen since 2004 and spiked dramatically before and after Hurricane Katrina struck the Gulf Coast. Particularly following the hurricane, many expressed concern about price gouging by gasoline and diesel fuel sellers. I share those concerns.

There are no federal laws that specifically address price gouging, according to the Congressional Research Service. At least 28 states, including New Jersey, have price gouging laws, which are generally applicable in situations arising from a declared emergency.

The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) monitors gas prices nationally and investigates possible antitrust violations in the petroleum industry, but the FTC does not have authority under federal law to investigate price gouging.

I voted September 28, 2005, for legislation that would require the FTC to crackdown on price gouging by gasoline and diesel fuel sellers. The legislation – H.R. 3839, the Gasoline for America’s Security Act – would require the FTC to define price gouging and then penalize violators up to $11,000 per occurrence.

I believe there should be zero tolerance for price gouging. Gas stations cannot, and should not, be allowed to take advantage of national emergencies at your expense.

For our nation’s economy and national security, I also believe America must move away from our dependence on fossil fuels – particularly because oil supply and price volatility from unstable countries can hold our nation hostage. Reducing our dependence on foreign oil makes sense for our economy and for our environment.

As a father of four young children, I dedicate myself to protecting the environment, and I am committed to ensuring the environment shared by future generations is safe, clean and protected. I will remain a strong advocate in Congress of protecting and strengthening our environment.

Again, thank you for taking the time to share your opinions with me and please visit my website at www.house.gov/ferguson for more information on issues important to New Jersey’s 7th Congressional District.

Sincerely,

Mike Ferguson Member of Congress

Posted by admin at 08:52 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

The country-wide mood is continuing to shift our way. Now we just have to localize it to our district.

In an ominous election-year sign for Republicans, Americans are leaning sharply toward wanting Democrats to take control of Congress, an AP-Ipsos poll finds. Democrats are favored 49 percent to 36 percent.

The poll was taken this week as Republican lobbyist Jack Abramoff pleaded guilty to tax evasion, fraud and corruption charges and agreed to aid a federal investigation of members of Congress and other government officials.

President Bush's job approval remains low - 40 percent in the AP-Ipsos poll. About as many approve of his handling of Iraq, where violence against Iraqis and U.S. troops has been surging. ...

About a third of the public, 34 percent, approves of the job Congress is doing, and nearly twice as many, 63 percent, disapprove, according to the poll of 1,001 adults taken Jan. 3-5. The margin of sampling error was plus or minus 3 percentage points. Public opinion of both Democrats and Republicans in Congress has been mixed, recent polling found.

Posted by admin at 08:44 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Congressman Mike Ferguson's spokeswoman Abby Bird said this in the August 18, 2005 Asbury Park Press:

Two other New Jersey politicians and the New Jersey Republican State Committee also received contributions from Abramoff since 2000.

Republican Rep. Mike Ferguson is not going to give back the $1,000 he received in 2001, according to his spokeswoman Abby Bird.

But in today's Star Ledger, this is reported:

Ferguson said he received a $1,000 contribution from Abramoff and another $1,000 from Abramoff business associate Adam Kidan, and in August donated the $2,000 to Children's Specialized Hospital Foundation in Mountainside. He said another $1,000 donation from a casino connected to Abramoff was donated last month to the Center for Hope Hospice in Scotch Plains.

"Abramoff's actions were outrageous and wrong, and illustrate clearly why Congress needs to enact serious and meaningful reforms now," said Ferguson.

Going through his FEC records, there was a $2000 contribution made to the Children's Specialized Hospital on August 22, 2005. New reports are being filed soon, and we will check then about the last contribution. A quick survey of FEC reports back into 2003 did not find any additional contributions of this sort from Ferguson, indicating it was a one-time donation as Ferguson suggested.

If he did donate the money as a way to get rid of money from Abramoff and Kidan, good for him. It was the right thing to do. It does seem odd that just four days after his spokeswoman said they would not be giving up the money that they would do it without notifying the media, however.

Posted by admin at 04:39 AM | Permalink | Comments (2)

Yesterday Blue 7th PAC called on Mike Ferguson to return the $2,000 he received from admitted felons Jack Abramoff and Adam Kidan. Now we will tell him how he can get his money back: Demand that Pennsylvania Senator Rick Santorum return his MIKE PAC contributions immediately.

MIke has repeatedly defended his acceptance of money from indicted politicians like Tom DeLay by saying that he doesn't buy into contributor's philosophies. Instead, they are buying into his.

If that is the case, then Ferguson needs to tell his constituents whether he agrees with this threat in the Gloucester County Times from Santorum:

A high-ranking Senate lawmaker on Tuesday said he would try to block federal funding for projects in New Jersey if Garden State officials were to continue objecting to a plan to deepen the Delaware River's main shipping channel by five additional feet, and to 45 feet overall.

"I will do everything in my power to stop anything beneficial to New Jersey, period. I will use everything I have until New Jersey lives up to their commitments," said U.S. Sen. Rick Santorum, a Pennsylvania Republican and third-ranking official in the Senate chamber. "Every single thing that benefits New Jersey in particular I will do everything I can to make sure that it gets slowed down or stopped."

Please call Rep. Ferguson's office at 908-757-7835 and ask his staffers if the Congressman stands by Senator Santorum's threat to block all funding for New Jersey if we don't do what he wants. You can also write to Rep. Ferguson on his website e-mail form.

Another avenue is to send letters to the editor talking about Senator Santorum's threats. Local and regional newspapers are as follows: the Courier News at letters@c-n.com, the Home News Tribune at letters@thnt.com, the Star Ledger at eletters@starledger.com, or the New York Times at letters@nytimes.com. The Glocester County Times editor is available at ggrossman@sjnewsco.com.

Posted by admin at 11:03 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)

UPDATE: The AP is reporting that Ferguson will donate the money from Abramoff to the Children's Specialized Hospital, an excellent non-profit for very sick kids in the 7th district. However, it looks like they are confusing the Cunningham contribution with Abramoff's. No word on whether he will return the money from Kidan or SunCruz.

For Immediate Release: January 3, 2005
Contact: Blue 7th PAC Chair Nathan Rudy, 908-347-0496

Blue 7th PAC called today for Congressman Mike Ferguson (NJ7) to immediately return or donate to charity the thousands of dollars he has received from his supporters Jack Abramoff and Adam Kidan. Both Abramoff and Kidan have plead guilty to multiple criminal counts related to a $147 million casino deal gone bad.

"The more we learn about the number of political criminals who financially and politically support Congressman Ferguson's political career, the more shocking it gets," said Nathan Rudy, chair of Blue 7th PAC. "Each time we learn more about the culture of corruption in Washington D.C., we find a connection to Congressman Ferguson."

Ferguson is the only member of New Jersey's Hosue delegation to continue to keep contributions from Abramoff. Reps. Frank LoBiondo and Jim Saxton, the other two New Jersey members of Congress who received money from Abramoff, agreed to return the contributions after the indictment.

Adam Kidan plead guilty in December 2005 to conspiracy and wire fraud in relation to a deal to purchase the SunCruz casino company with Abramoff, a deal that led not only to his conviction but also to the gangland style murder of former SunCruz owner Konstantinos "Gus" Boulis.

Today's guilty plea from Abramoff is related to three counts in the same case. He is also, according to the Associated Press, under federal investigation for defrauding Indian casino clients of his lobbying business of millions of dollars and illegally influencing members of Congress such as the indicted former majority leader Tom DeLay and Ohio Representative Bob Ney.

Ney's involvement, according to the Associated Press, included recording comments in the Congressional Record "calculated to pressure the then-owner to sell on terms favorable" to Abramoff and Kidan's efforts to purchase Sun Cruz.

DeLay had a non-profit called The U.S. Family Network that the Washington Post reports was almost wholly funded by Abramoff's lobbying clients, and called Abramoff "one of my closest and dearest friends."

In addition to the money he has received from Abramoff and Kidan, Ferguson has also received more than $54,000 from DeLay and his leadership PAC (Americans for a Republican Majority PAC), and $35,000 from Ney's leadership PAC (Keep Our Majority PAC). [UPDATE: Bob Ney's PAC is the American Liberty PAC, and gave Congressman Ferguson $7500 in the 2003-2004 cycle.] Both PACs have received significant contributions from Abramoff and his lobbying clients.

In late September Abby Bird, Ferguson's spokeswoman, was quoted by Newhouse News saying that Ferguson refused to return the DeLay money. Bird was also quoted in an August Asbury Park Press article that Ferguson would keep the Abramoff contributions, as well.

Under pressure in November 2004, Ferguson agreed to donate to charity a $1000 from disgraced Congressman Randy "Duke" Cunningham after he plead guilty to accepting bribes and improperly using his office to steer contracts to contributors. Though Kidan has also plead guilty, Bird and Ferguson are not on the record regarding his contributions.

"It is time for Congressman Ferguson to clean house and demonstrate his independence from a Washington Republican leadership that doesn't represent the good people of New Jersey's 7th District," said Rudy. "We deserve better than to have our representative repeatedly tied to criminals and corrupt politicians."

UPDATE: The Casino deal was to purchase SunCruz Casinos, which donated $1,000 to Mike Ferguson in 2001.

Posted by admin at 07:57 AM | Permalink | Comments (3)

Congressman Mike Ferguson has a very interesting interpretation of how things are going in the Iraq War.

"We saw both challenges and incredible successes in Iraq. We had elections, and continuing terrorist activity there, and deaths and injuries to U.S. personnel. We saw a lot of successes as well and great strides forward," said Ferguson, R-Hunterdon.

This is about as rosy an assessment of the situation in Iraq as you can get.

Posted by admin at 04:59 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)