Steve Lonegan's gubernatorial campaign is not paying Samuel Wurzelbacher, a.k.a. "Joe the Plumber," a speaking fee for tomorrow's much hyped fundraising event in Clark. Instead, they agreed to buy copies of his new book.
Lonegan strategist Rick Shaftan said that he did not know the exact number off the top of his head, but that the campaign agreed to purchase "100 or 200" copies of Joe the Plumber: Fighting for the American Dream. They'll be distributed to campaign donors of $125 or more, who will then have the opportunity to get the books signed by Wurzelbacher.
"We're buying a ton of books. That's how we worked it out," said Shaftan.
Wurzelbacher's book retails for $24.95, though the price was slashed to $16.47 on Amazon.com. A Web site that offers to book speaking engagements for Wurzelbacher sets a minimum budget of $8,000 to $10,000, although Wurzelbacher told Shaftan that he is not represented by the booking agency.
Shaftan said the Lonegan campaign ran the event by the Election Law Enforcement Commission, which approved giving donors the books as long as they deduct the purchase price from their matching funds submissions.
Wurzelbacher was a brief media sensation last year, having been embraced by John McCain's presidential campaign after questioning Barack Obama's small business tax policy while he visited his Holland, Ohio neighborhood. He faced ridicule, however, after reports surfaced that he was not a licensed plumber and that he owed taxes, and has run into more controversy during his post-election life. He's become a spokesman for a DTV transition company, said that the media should not be allowed to report in war zones during a stint as a middle-eastern correspondent for Pajamas Media, started the activist Web site secureourdream.org and has become a spokesman for a company that charges 99 cents to vote to "abolish the IRS."
"Joe went through a lot. We're happy to help him out," said Shaftan.
Lonegan met Wurzelbacher at an Americans for Prosperity summit in Wisconsin, Shaftan said.
"He's even more happy to help him out because of [Republican gubernatorial candidate Christopher] Chrstie's opposition to the flat tax… Chrsitie is taking the Obama/Corzine position in support of the progressive income tax," said Shaftan. "[Wurzelbacher] is the guy who stood up to Obama and said that if I'm successful and make $250,000, why should I have to kick a big piece over to the government?"
Lonegan is not the only candidate bringing in celebrities. PolitickerNJ.com's "Inside Edge" reported last month that Christie plans to hold a fundraiser with actor Frank Vincent, who played New York mob boss Phil Leotardo on "The Sopranos."
Campaign spokesman Bill Stepien said that the Christie campaign has not paid anybody to appear at a fundraiser.
"I just know for our endorsements, whether it's in-state or Rudy Giuliani, they'll support Chris without an appearance fee or buying books," said Stepien. "I think it's telling that he's had to pay his biggest endorser in books for his support."
Stepien also reiterated a frequent point that Christie's campaign has made since it decided to engage Lonegan rather than ignore him.
"I'd also say that every plumber in New Jersey is going to need a book deal to cover the higher taxes they're going to pay in the Lonegan tax plan," he said.
"This is a reminder of the Jim Wright./New Gingrich book deals where contributors were expected to 'buy the love' through their books," said Assemblyman Reed Gusciora (D-Princeton). "I think they would be better off buying a copy of ethics for dummies."
