Politics & Government

Marks Continues His Attack on Stender

The former mayor posted a message to the assemblywoman on his blog on Thursday.

Former Scotch Plains Mayor and current District 22 Assembly candidate Martin Marks continued his attack on Linda Stender on Thursday, writing on his blog that her explanation for why she can't return campaign donations from three of the men arrested in the NJ corruption scandal "is such an outrageous and pitiful copout that it defies the imagination."

On Wednesday, Marks released a statement urging Stender to donate the nearly $4000 she received from Hoboken Mayor Peter Cammarano, former Assemblyman Lou Manzo and his brother Ronald Manzo during her 2008 congressional campaign to charity. All three men were charged with corruption last week for accepting illegal cash payments.

Stender's camp called the request "illegal," arguing that she can't return funds from last year's campaign because the account is closed. Stender's campaign manager, Ed Oatman, told Patch that taking money now from her assembly campaign would be a violation of state and federal election law.

Find out what's happening in Scotch Plains-Fanwoodwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

But that explanation hasn't held up for Marks, who posted a lengthy note on his campaign blog blasting Stender for hiding behind a technicality.

"Any NJ politician understands that there is an inherent statistical risk when campaign contributions are solicited and then accepted from the Hudson County Democrat machine," Marks writes. "Yet, this dirty money was spent here on behalf of Linda Stender and all our Assemblywoman can say is technicalities preclude her from doing the right thing."

Find out what's happening in Scotch Plains-Fanwoodwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Marks goes on to say that "had it been my campaign account that received the dirty money I would have immediately and yes, perhaps symbolically, made an immediate donation to charity (absolutely legal) from my state campaign account in the amount of $3,930 and been done with it. I would have been so incensed that I was the indirect beneficiary of a political bribe, that I would have even considered immediately liquidating my savings account, retirement funds, or my children’s college savings just to return the filthy money and disassociate myself from the Hudson County corruption."

Read his full post here.


Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.

We’ve removed the ability to reply as we work to make improvements. Learn more here