MOORSETOWN – The Adler campaign launched a cable television ad today against Republican challenger Jon Runyan that attempts to depict the former Philadelphia Eagles star as self-serving 3rd Congressional District landed gentry.
The ad pans Runyan’s considerable Mount Laurel estate, which features alll the trimmings of prestige and power: gated entranceway, pool, lavish interiors and throwback staircases.
“Nice, isn’t it,” says the voice over. “Only Runyan doesn’t call it a house, he calls it a farm.”
Then the sound track screeches to a stop as a donkey appears amid the sumptuous surroundings.
“Runyan bought one donkey to get a $20,000 tax break,” says the voice over in the ad. “Luckily, he was caught. …While New Jersey’s families are struggling to make ends meet, Jon Runyan is trying to rip the system off.”
Runyan responded to the ad in an afternoon email.
“This latest personal attack is a desperate attempt by career politician John Adler to smear me and distract attention away from our failing economy, extreme unemployment and his record of voting with Nancy Pelosi more than 90% of the time in Congress,” said Runyan. “It’s equal parts pathetic and predictable. …It’s been widely-reported that a portion of our family property was assessed as farmland when we bought it. We are in full compliance with the law and pay nearly $60,000 per year in property taxes.”
Having mentioned the bottomed-out Speaker Pelosi, Runyan also made certain to note Adler’s long-time service in Trenton before he became congressman in 2008.
“If John Adler is so outraged over the how the state’s farmland assessment program is implemented, then why didn’t he do anything to change it during his 16 years as a State Senator in Trenton?” asked Runyan. “This is just another example of a hypocritical, career politician talking out of both sides of his mouth.”
