With less than one week until the general election, New Jersey Republicans filed a lawsuit to stop a dark money political group with alleged ties to Democrats from promoting "phantom candidates."
“What’s happening in South Jersey with regard to this entity that calls itself Jersey Freedom is a complete embarrassment to the state and is illegal," Jason Sena, an attorney for the Republican State Committee, told reporters in a conference call Tuesday, according to Politico. "We want a full investigation by all law enforcement and regulatory agencies having jurisdiction over this entity.”
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Republicans believe a mysterious group called Jersey Freedom is trying to split the Republican vote in the 4th Congressional District, which covers Monroe, Pitman, and Washington Township. The general election is on Nov. 7.
Jersey Freedom began sending out mailers and running TV ads urging Republicans to support an unknown conservative, Giuseppe Costanzo, for state Senate against GOP candidate Christopher Del Borrello. The group has also pushed for Assembly candidate Maureen Dukes-Penrose, who is running as a conservative Republican. Neither of the candidates has actively campaigned and did not reply when the Washington Examiner reached out.
Dukes-Penrose told the New Jersey Globe that Democratic state Sen. Fred Madden, who is retiring after a 20-year Senate career, encouraged her to run. Madden told the outlet in October that he’s “never heard of this woman” and has “no idea what she’s talking about.”
“When you place them all together, they’re very disturbing, and in fact, we believe are illegal,” Republican state Senate Minority Leader Anthony Bucco told the New Jersey Globe. “The petitions were circulated by folks who had ties to South Jersey Democrats. One of the candidates has admitted to being encouraged to run. There’s use by similar vendors with other attacks, and it just stinks.”
Atlantic County Democrats have denied any involvement in the dark money group, while Bucco says the petitions to get the unknown candidates on the ballot are connected to South Jersey Democrats and need to be investigated.
Jersey Freedom is running ads in support of Libertarian Senate candidate Shawn Peck in the 2nd District, despite Peck dropping out and endorsing incumbent Republican state Sen. Vince Polistina. Peck told the Press of Atlantic City that he dropped out after realizing the group was not trying to help him but instead “doing this to tighten margins in the race.”
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Jersey Freedom was formed in mid-September and filed with the New Jersey Election Law Enforcement Commission on Friday, and reports show the group has spent $35,226 in the two South Jersey races but did not disclose any contributions or donors. Shane Walsh is listed in the ELEC filing as a contact for Jersey Freedom, with no number provided.
The Washington Examiner reached out to the New Jersey Republican State Committee, Bucco, Atlantic County Democrats, and Peck for comment.