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

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Oct 2, 2008

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

Questions That Deserve an Answer, Part 4: The Shulman Campaign will press Scott Garrett for an answer to a critical question each day between now and the election

Haworth, NJ - The Shulman for Congress campaign today called upon Scott Garrett to answer the many lingering questions concerning his “tree and shrub” farm and his many other ethical concerns.

Today’s question:

“Garrett owns a `tree and shrub farm,’ or so he tells the state of New Jersey each year when applying for a massive tax break,” said Jeff Hauser, campaign manager for Dennis Shulman, the Democratic nominee in New Jersey’s Fifth Congressional District.  “He has sworn to the state of New Jersey it earns more than $520 a year.  Yet when required to identify all sources of income greater than $200, Garrett discloses no farm income.  He tells some people the income is all earned by his brother, Mike Garrett.  As a matter of tax law one cannot “assign” away your tax obligations…

“We have a simple question.  Is any Garrett paying taxes on the purported farm income?”

“Our simple request - release whichever Garrett’s federal tax records include more than $520 in income from Scott’s land.”

BACKGROUND:

• Shulman for Congress recently launched an ad across the district assailing Garrett’s property tax shenanigans surrounding land he has hidden from his federally-mandated asset disclosure.
• The ad and backup material can be found at www.GarrettShrubs.com .
• The Bergen Record has noted that “a similar attack of being a fake farmer cost Ellen Karcher, a Democratic state senator from Monmouth County, her seat in 2007.” http://www.northjersey.com/politics/Fake_farmer_TV_ad_could_hurt_Garrett_.html
• Garrett has not yet answered previous questions, including (1) whether he indeed maintains “five contiguous acres” as a “tree and shrub farm”; (2) whether his farm produces more than $520 in income a year; or (3) why he is breaking federal law and hiding his farm from the federal government.
• New Jersey Law can be found at: www.state.nj.us/agriculture/FarmlandAssessmentGuide.pdf

###

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:

• “Rabbi With the Compelling Back Story Is Not to Be Ruled Out,” Peter Applebome, The New York Times, http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/14/nyregion/14towns.html?_r=1&ref=nyregion&oref=slogin

• “A Rabbi in Congress?,” Adam Goodman, Time, 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