Senator Joseph Kyrillos (R-13) responded today to reports that a massive media blitz planned by the Governor to support his toll hike scheme will be funded through a non-profit lobbying organization run by a former Administration staffer.
“Governor Corzine is failing the public relations battle and has been unable to convince New Jersey residents that his massive toll hike plan is necessary, said Kyrillos. “From his town hall meetings, it is clear that the Governor has not been able to sell his plan when speaking directly to the public.”
The Governor has enlisted a former staffer of his Administration, Jennifer Godoski, to create and manage a non-profit entity, ‘Save Our State-New Jersey,’ to manage a media campaign to promote his monetization plan. One Corzine advisor has confirmed that the Governor will personally write a check to the organization to help pay for operating costs and advertising expenses.
“Since the Governor can’t sell the plan on his own, even with the substantial resources of the Office of the Governor at his disposal, he will again reach into his vast fortune to fund a multi-million dollar media blitz to ‘inform’ the public of the benefits of his plan,” said Kyrillos. “He realized that talking to the public directly hasn’t worked, so he now wants to avoid public debate and instead flood television viewers with slick ads and cherry-picked statistics.”
Kyrillos noted that under New Jersey law, grass roots lobbying organizations are required to report donations and expenditures to the New Jersey Election Law Enforcement Commission (ELEC) annually. Godoski, however, has claimed that the organization would file monthly reports.
“Governor Corzine has called on the Legislature to approve his toll hike plan by mid-March, which would require committee hearings on the plan by early-March at the latest,” added Kyrillos. “Prior to any legislative hearings, it is imperative that the public know exactly who is funding this entity and to what extent. Governor Corzine and Ms. Godoski must clarify whether they intend to release all donation information directly to the public prior to votes on the toll hike plan.”
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October 26, 2007
