Garrett’s Claims Are Like His “Farm” - All Hat, No Cattle

September 25th, 2008

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Sept 25th, 2008

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

Garrett defends his tax-game “Shrub Farm” by calling Shulman ad untrue, but The Express-Times notes that Garrett cannot find a single fact with which to quibble

Haworth, NJ - The Shulman for Congress campaign today noted that its ad about Scott Garrett’s “Shrub Farm” was resonating throughout the district, and causing the Garrett campaign to panic.

The Bergen Record observed today that the ad criticizing Garrett’s tax scheme echoed “a similar attack of being a fake farmer [that] cost Ellen Karcher, a Democratic state senator from Monmouth County, her seat in 2007.”

Garrett’s desperation can be seen in this revealing exchange with The Express-Times.  Garrett’s campaign manager claimed that the Shulman ad was both “baseless” and “untrue.”  Intrigued, The Express-Times inquired about what untruths were in the ad  - but… “Gasperino did not respond to follow-up questions to identify which statements she deems untrue.”

“I have a simple request for the Garrett campaign - put up or shut up,” said Jeff Hauser, campaign manager for Dennis Shulman, the Democratic nominee in New Jersey’s Fifth Congressional District. “Dennis Shulman is a community leader and committed truth-teller seeking to enter public office as a public service, rather than as an ambitious person whose greatest achievement in life is converting special interest campaign contributions into a career as a corrupt politician.  If Garrett has a quibble with our advertisement, he ought to let us know, rather than make wild and unfounded accusations.  Our evidence can be found at the website www.GarrettShrubs.com.”

Bergen Record coverage:

http://www.northjersey.com/politics/Fake_farmer_TV_ad_could_hurt_Garrett.html

Express-Times:

http://www.lehighvalleylive.com/jessica-coomes/index.ssf/2008/09/shulman_airing_first_tv_ad_of.html

KEY FACTS:

  • Garrett owns a ten acre “tree and shrub” farm supposedly farmed by his brother; he claims that it generates roughly $700 a year in income.
  • Garrett takes a massive tax break for farmers worth up to $41,000 a year.
  • Scott Garrett and his wife are required by federal law to disclose publicly every asset worth more than $1,000, but even though they own a “shrub farm” with a worth in the millions, they hide their shrub farm from the public.

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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 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:

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