Passaic County Republican Freeholder candidate Frank Pietropaolo says incumbent county Democratic freeholders are using poor judgment in their association with ethically challenged U.S. Sen. Robert Menendez.

Pietropaolo, a Wayne, resident, said Freeholder Assad Akhter has close ties to D.C political insiders — including Sen Robert Menendez – who, it was recently reported, is allowing a Middle East lobbyist to run his re-election campaign.

“Freeholder Akhter is showing questionable judgment in his association with Sen. Menendez and his ties to Washington DC insiders,” said Pietropaolo. “So are his running mates who have made no effort to distance themselves from Sen. Menendez or other Washington insiders.”

Freeholder Akhter cozied up to disgraced US Senator Bob Menendez, who headlined a fundraiser for the local Democrat in Hawthorne in the spring. Menendez helped Akhter raise about $30,000 for his 2018 campaign.

Recently it was disclosed that Menendez’s campaign is headed by Michael Soliman who is a lobbyist for the oil rich nation of Qatar – arranging meetings between Qatar officials and members of Congress.

The revelation was reported in the Philadelphia Inquirer, which quoted a government watchdog who expressed concerns about the arrangement. “There is a blurring of lines between responsibility to the candidate and responsibility to their client,” said Meredith McGehee of the Campaign Legal Center, a nonprofit watchdog in Washington. “Very little of that is a responsibility to the public.”

“It’s obvious that Freeholder Akhter and his running mates see no reason for concern about Sen. Menendez, but plenty of other people do,” said Pietropaolo.

Menendez was indicted in 2015 on federal corruption charges stemming from his association with a Florida eye doctor Salomon Melgen. The indictment accused Menendez of using the influence of his office to advance the business interests of Melgen in exchange for luxury gifts, lavish vacations and more than $750,000 in campaign donations. Melgen was sentenced to 17 years in prison for Medicare fraud.

In April Menendez was severely admonished by the U.S. Senate’s Ethic Committee and ordered to repay thousands of dollars to cover the costs of the gifts he received from Melgen.

Pietropaolo notes that Akhter’s has done little work outside the sphere of politics and is out of touch with regular working people. Akhter was a staffer on Capitol Hill in 2003 and previously worked for Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee (D-TX) before working for a New Jersey Congressman. He used his D.C. connections to with Washington lobbyists and other Deep State figures to hold a fundraiser in late February in what the Record newspaper called “the posh Phoenix Park Hotel. Top ticket prices were up to $1,000 apiece.

“It is disturbing to see that Freeholder Akhter is so deeply rooted in the insider politics of Washington that he proudly has Sen. Menendez headline a fundraising event for him and that he sees nothing wrong with holding a fundraising event in Washington with people who probably have no idea where Passaic County is. Obviously, Mr. Akhter is out of touch with the values of the people of Passaic County,” said Pietropaolo of Wayne

Pietropaolo is making is making his first bid for public office. He is running he says because, he says: “I’m tired of being a victim of politics and tired of seeing my friends and family being victims of politicians who spend our money recklessly and without regard for people who have to pay the bills.” Pietropaolo is a construction manager for the largest construction firm in the state.

“For 17 of the past 18 years the Passaic County Democrats have raised county taxes. I think the freeholders should be concentrating on finding ways to cut spending, not cementing ties to Washington politicians,” said Pietropaolo.

“I’m not a politician, that’s why I can make a commitment to cut spending. Freeholder Akhter and his running mates can’t say that,” said Pietropaolo.

Pietropaolo is running with freeholder candidates Gary Passenti of Clifton and Lori Mambelli of Totowa. Ron Fava of Clifton is running for county clerk.

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