Dennis Shulman for U.S. Congress: Sensible Leadership for New Jersey’s 5th District

September 15th, 2008

Financial crisis is the direct result of irresponsible subprime lending practices developed by Countrywide Financial, the company that literally controls Garrett’s office and held his mortgage.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Sept 15th, 2008

Contact: Jeff Hauser, (201) 767-8162, jeff@shulmanforcongress.com

Haworth, NJ - The Shulman for Congress campaign today called on Scott Garrett to give an accounting of his record on the House Financial Services Committee and to answer questions about his personal finances.

“Investment banks are failing as a direct result of the subprime mortgage debacle that Scott Garrett helped bring about,” said Jeff Hauser, the campaign manager of Shulman for Congress.

“Countrywide Financial is widely recognized as having been the company at the forefront of these shady practices, practices that are bringing down generations-old investment banks and threatening to further derail the economy. Why did Scott Garrett vote consistently in favor of Countrywide Financial’s desired positions, why did he put their former lobbyist on the taxpayers’ payroll as his chief of staff, and will Garrett take responsibility for the disaster that occurred under his watch?”

Shulman for Congress calls upon Scott Garrett to answer three questions:

• What were the terms of the mortgage you refinanced with Countrywide Financial in May 2003, during the time in which your current Chief of Staff lobbied for Countrywide and when Countrywide was giving congressmen with oversight responsibilities sweetheart deals?
• Why did you vote against anti-predatory lending bills and defend those pro-Countrywide Financial votes this spring by observing, “Just a year ago we were talking about how great it was (that) the highest percentage of Americans ever were in their homes.”?
• Will you acknowledge that Dennis Shulman is right to vow to not take any money from industries his committees regulate, given how your votes in favor of Countrywide Financial have led to a national disaster?

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Dennis Shulman was recently profiled by The New Yorker and Time as momentum for his campaign continues to grow, and recent polling in the district validates the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee’s recent decision to upgrade NJ-5 as an “Emerging Race” and to buy advertising time in the district.  Only 31% of likely voters in NJ-5 plan to re-elect Garrett and, by a 68-17% margin, the district seeks change from George Bush’s policies.

Dr. Dennis Shulman has gained international recognition for his 30 years of work as a psychologist, educator, and author.  An ordained rabbi for five years and blind since childhood, he has lived in New Jersey’s Fifth District for more than 25 years with his wife, Dr. Pamela Tropper, an obstetrician. They have two adult daughters.

Additional background on Dr. Dennis Shulman and his challenge to Scott Garrett:

• “Garrett faces unique competitor for seat,” Chris Newmarker, Associated Press, http://www.dailyrecord.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080803/NEWS02/808030345/1123
• “A Rabbi in Congress?,” http://www.time.com/time/nation/article/0,8599,1824434,00.html
• “On the Trail: First Timer,” Jeffrey Toobin, The New Yorker, http://www.newyorker.com/talk/2008/07/28/080728ta_talk_toobin
• “Garrett tells donors he’s concerned about Shulman,” PoliticsNJ, http://www.politickernj.com/matt-friedman/21172/
  garrett-tells-donors-hes-concerned-about-shulman

• Press Releases