11/15 LoBi's Got Trouble

 



By L.A. PARKER
Staff Writer
TRENTON — The sudden departure of city acting business administrator Andrew J. McCrosson appears tied to a potential investigation of more than several hundred thousand dollars gone missing from the account of U.S. Rep. Frank LoBiondo.

A source close to the story put at $430,000 missing from LoBiondo’s campaign fund, adding that state and federal officials have launched investigations.

No charges have been filed but they loom, the source said.

McCrosson served as treasurer for LoBiondo’s election campaign in 2007 and 2010 but eventually was replaced by CPA Doug Heun last summer.

Heun reportedly filed the most recent reports for LoBiondo’s campaign.

A Washington, D.C., attorney representing LoBiondo’s campaign, William McGinley of law firm Patton Boggs, said  “The LoBiondo campaign recently became aware of an issue involving a former campaign worker.”

“The campaign has contacted the appropriate federal authorities and is actively cooperating with their investigation. For this reason, we will not comment further on this matter at this time.”

LoBiondo, a Republican congressman from New Jersey’s 2nd District, recently won a re-election bid against Gary Stein.....

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Subject: breaking news
From: <what_if@steinforcongress2010.com>
Date: Mon, November 15, 2010 11:44 am
To: letters@pressofac.com, jfletcher@pressofac.com

From the letter you didn't print, this line....
"Seniority and chairmanships notwithstanding, Mr. LoBiondo will retire after this term."    So now there's close to a half a million bucks missing from his campaign.  Guessing he'll retire in 2012 for sure now!!  Chairmanships?  Maybe, maybe not.  You guys are slightly complicit in this!  He's arrogant....

                         Raising money all the time,
                   while his opponent never raised a dime
        broke his term limit pledge, yet always you endorse
           another unnecessary edge, he's quite the force
                           why cry now, the deeds done
                          Lobi sixty four, Stein thirty one
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                                        The letter writer arriving at polls last Tuesday.


letter last week to the AC Press, never published

Subject: a letter of course
From: <what_if@steinforcongress2010.com>
Date: Tue, November 09, 2010 7:32 am
To: letters@pressofac.com

It is with some amusement, one week after an election I just lost by 34 points, that I watch President George W. Bush make the rounds promoting his new book and being asked repeatedly about, probably,  the toughest decision of his Presidency, the 2006-2007, "Troop Surge" strategy.  Conceived during the lowest point of the war in Iraq, it was not supported by my opponent at the time, Congressman Frank LoBiondo, a Republican.  To Frank's  legions of fans, please don't tell me otherwise, he went on record against it, I have the 2007 video, and there's no parsing of words by Mr. LoBiondo in 2010 that can change that fact.
 
By denying over the last two months that he ever went on record against the Surge, Mr. LoBiondo has made this, plus his character, an issue in 2012 for his next opponent, hopefully someone with a little more clout than me.  If the Congressman's string of good luck continues, and that opponent doesn't get a chance to debate Mr. LoBiondo, as I didn't, and if his opponent can only afford to spend $600 on a campaign, as I did, big shots- Democrat Jeff Van Drew and Company- have only themselves to blame for missing a chance at challenging a softened up opponent.  My prediction?  Seniority and chairmanships notwithstanding, Mr. LoBiondo will retire after this term.


                                                      

                                                  

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a look back

A weekly feature that touches on the revealing, quirky and colorful side of the news.

LoBiondo for President?

U.S. Representative Frank LoBiondo recently met in Washington with a group of Spanish exchange students and their southern New Jersey host families.

The students were pretty impressed that he would take the time to chat with them. LoBiondo was relaxed in the summer heat outside the Capitol, answering questions, showing the students his ID card and talking about meeting President Clinton.

But then came the question: Would he like to be president?

LoBiondo , R-2nd, paused, smiled, and chose his words carefully.

"I want to make it clear," he said, "that I have nowhere near the financial or political backing it would take to run for president, and I have no plans to do so.

"But," he added, "if the party were to approach me and say that I was the one they wanted, I wouldn't turn them down."

Let the wagering begin.