Shulman Campaign: Let’s Foreclose Garrett’s Career as a Politician

September 26th, 2008

While foreclosures are up across district and economy melts down, another predatory lender in bed with Garrett fails

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Sept 26, 2008

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

Haworth, NJ - The Shulman for Congress campaign today called on Scott Garrett to take responsibility for the train wreck he has overseen on the House Financial Services Committee and to allow his career to be foreclosed, like so many homes in his district.

“Foreclosures were up 49% across the district in August, and Sussex County is one of the three counties in the state hit hardest,” said Dennis Shulman, the Democratic nominee in New Jersey’s Fifth Congressional District.  “It is time for a member of Congress who gives his constituents a helping hand, rather than giving special interests an open hand asking for more and more campaign contributions.”

“On the day Washington Mutual fails, it is appropriate to consider how corrupt Washington insiders like Scott Garrett have failed us all,” said Jeff Hauser, campaign manager for Dennis Shulman. “Garrett’s office is run by a former lobbyist for Washington Mutual and the even more disgraced Countrywide Financial, companies at the forefront of the financial crisis that Garrett helped oversee.  With Garrett’s office run by disgraced corrupt special interests - and his campaign financed similarly - it is no surprise that Garrett continues to call for giving the special interests free rein.  Dennis Shulman offers an alternative with integrity and a commitment to serving the public, not holding on to a career as a politician built on a mutually beneficial relationship with disgraced special interests.”

The Newark Star-Ledger on Garrett’s ties to disgraced special interests: http://shulmanforcongress.com/2008/09/25/star-ledger-in-the-5th-hopefuls-arguing-on-crisis/

Shulman’s ad attacking Garrett as yet another corrupt politician can be found at www.GarrettShrubs.com.

KEY FACTS:

  • Garrett put his office in the hands of a former Countrywide Financial and Washington Mutual lobbyist in March 2008, and she has been on the taxpayer’s payroll ever since.
  • Garrett consistently voted in favor of predatory lenders like Countrywide Financial and Washington Mutual: he voted against additional regulations on Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae which could have impacted the up to 30% of loans they purchase yearly from Countrywide (May 2007), voted against an update to the FHA loan program drawing borrowers away from risky subprime loans such as those offered by Countrywide (Sept. 2007), and voted against cracking down on lenders such as Countrywide that directed lenders to risky loans that they would be unable to pay (Nov. 2007).

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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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