Monmouth Democrats rely on wheeling to operate

Find a wheel, and it goes round and round as it tools along with a Camden sound ... OK, reworking Perry Como's hit really doesn't work. The song wasn't really about wheeling anyway.

This letter is.

Wheeling is the practice of moving political money around the state, and during most of the past decade it has become a mainstay of the Monmouth County Democratic Party.

Why is wheeling done? At one time counties were the building blocks of both parties. Fundraising was done to raise money for the county campaigns; if anything was raised above and beyond that amount, it might be used to help some local or legislative races, but always within that county.

Sometime in the 1990s, that began to change. At that time, Democratic organizations in Camden, Union and a few other counties began raising huge amounts of money far in excess of what their freeholder campaigns warranted. This money was then spent in other counties, like here in Monmouth. Why was this done?

One reason is to hide a contributor who may be considered risky in a certain county. A group of these individuals or corporations might then contribute to say, the Union County Democrats, who then write a check to the Monmouth County Demo-crats. So Union County Democrats, rather than the original donors, appear on the Monmouth County Democrats' (election) reports.

Another reason is to build influence and power. The Camden County Democrats, led by George Norcross, have expanded their influence well beyond the boundaries of their county and are considered a regional power. They continue to attempt to expand their reach.

A third reason is to circumvent donor limits set by state campaign finance laws. A few weeks ago, Monmouth County Republican Chairman Adam Puharic called for campaign spending limits on both parties in the upcoming county election. This was summarily rejected by his Democrat counterpart, Victor Scudiery.

Mr. Scudiery offered no alternate plan, no "Democrat alternative." He won't either. The Democrat county candidates have been deafeningly silent on the issue.

The Democrats want no limits because they subsist on wheeling - the limits would interfere with their operation.

Edward G. Fitzgerald

Aberdeen Township