MacArthurandLoneganparticipateinlivelyradio

debate
ByDavidLevinskyStaffwriter|Posted:Wednesday,May21,20147:11pm
NewJerseyshighlychargedprimarybattlebetweenTomMacArthurandSteveLoneganturned
evenmorecontentiousWednesdayasthetwoRepublicanstradedaccusationsandchallengeson
liveradioduringthefirstoftwoscheduleddebatesthisweek.
Appearingonthe"DomGiordanoShow"on1210AM,MacArthurandLoneganwastedlittletime
beforegoingaftereachotherspositions,recordsandpaststatementsonissuesoftaxpolicy,
governmentspending,"Obamacare,"SuperstormSandyreliefandimmigrationreform.
BothmenareseekingtheRepublicannominationtorunforthe3rdCongressionalDistrictseatof
retiringRep.JonRunyan.
Lonegan,pastdirectoroftheNewJerseychapterofAmericansforProsperity,saidtheracewas
theepitomeofanationalfightbetweentheRepublicanPartyestablishmentandgrassroots
conservatives.
Thebattlelinesaredrawninthiscampaigninthe3rdDistrict.ThisistheliberalRepublican
establishmentagainsttheconservativebase,andtheresnobetterexampleofitinthewhole
country,Lonegansaid.
Iamaconservative,aproudconservativewhowillstandupforconservativeprinciples.That
meansthefullrepealofObamacareandreplacingitwithfreeenterprise.Thatmeanstofightfora
flattaxbyendingtheIRSasweknowit,hesaid.
MacArthur,formerlymayorinRandolph,MorrisCounty,saidhewantedtobeaproblemsolverin
Washington.
ImrunningforCongressbecauseIbelieveweneedfewerpeopleinWashingtonjust
complainingaboutproblemsinWashington.Weneedpeopletoactuallysolvethem,hesaid.
Hesaidhisexperienceinbuildingandgrowingalocalbusinessandservinginmunicipal
governmenttaughthimhowtogetresults.
MacArthursaidhewasalsocommittedtosupportinggovernmentactionstoboostthenations
economyandreduceunemployment.
Themostimportantissueinmyopinion,barnone,isgettingoureconomymovingagain.
Governmentpoliciescaneitherhelporhurtthat,hesaid.
ThehourlongdebatefeaturedlittlemoderationfromGiordano,whomostlykepttimeandallowed
thecandidatestolaunchrapidattacksandretorts.
MuchoftheearlydiscussioncenteredonPresidentBarackObamassignaturehealthcarelaw,
withLoneganclaiminghewouldrepealitandrelyonhospitalcharitycaretotreatpatientsunable
toaffordinsurance.
Ibelieveincharitycare,notgovernmentprograms,hesaid,whileaccusingMacArthurof
wantingtorepealObamacareandreplaceitwithanotherObamacare.
MacArthurcounteredthatLoneganwastryingtomisleadvoters.Hesaidhesupportstherepealof
thelaw,butwantsthegovernmenttotakeactionsontortreformandpermittingconsumersand
insurerstobuyandsellinsuranceacrossstatelines.
Ivesaidfromtheverybeginning,IdrepealandreplaceObamacare.Itsaterriblelawthathas
increasedthecostofhealthcareandreducedchoices,hesaid.ButIdontstopthere,andSteve
does.
ThetwocandidatesalsobickeredaboutLonegans12yearrecordasmayorofBogotainBergen
County,withMacArthurhighlightinghisopponent'staxincreasesandapplicationsfor
extraordinaryaidfromthestate,whichhecalled"bailouts."
LoneganrespondedthatheslashedBogota'sspendingduringhisfirstthreeyearsandthatthe
townneverhadanincreasegreaterthantherateofinflationduringhistenure.
AnotherheatedtopicwasMacArthursformerfirm,YorkRiskServices,whichhasbeensuedand
finedbyvictimsofhurricanesandfiresformishandlingorshortchangingthemontheirclaims.
Loneganhasfrequentlyreferredtothoselawsuitsandfinesonthecampaigntrail.
MacArthursaidLonegansattackswerecoverforhiscallouscommentsthatSandyvictims
shouldsuckitup.Hiscommentsontelevision,thatifyourhouseburnsdown,thatsjusttoo
badforyou,butweshouldntwriteyouacheckthosewerehiscomments.Thenhecomes
aftermycompanyandme,MacArthursaid,addingthatthelawsuitsandsettlementscitedby
Loneganoccurredafterheleftthecompanyin2010.
MacArthurisalsosuingLoneganandhiscampaignfordefamationbecauseofficialcampaign
communicationssaidMacArthurwasaccusedofinsurancefraud,whichwasnotallegedinany
ofthelawsuits.
IsuedSteveforonethingandonethingonly,MacArthursaid.HesentoutmailerssayingI
hadbeenaccusedofinsurancefraudsomethingIveneverbeenanywherecloseto.
Whetheritscalledfraudorslowwalkingorfailingtopayclaims,Tomhasarecordofhurting
people,Lonegansaid.
HesaidheopposedtheSandyaidpackagebecauseitwasfullofwasteandpork.
Afterthedebate,LoneganheldanewsconferenceinMoorestown,whereheagainblasted
MacArthursformerfirmforallegedlystonewallingorunderpayingdisastervictimsmaking
insuranceclaims.
Attheevent,hesharedthepodiumwithJodeneandDougFinch,whosemobilehomewas
destroyedduringa2008wildfireinSylmar,California.Thecouple,whoalsoappearinanew
Lonegantelevisionad,claimYorktriedtounfairlylowballtheirinsuranceclaim.
WerehereveryhappilytosupportSteveLonegan,becausehestryingtogetthevoiceofwhat
happenedtotheSylmarpeopleoutthere.Anditsveryimportantthatthathappens,JodeneFinch
saidduringthenewsconference.
MacArthurretiredfromYorkin2010andwasnolongeraffiliatedwiththecompanyin2012,
whenitandanotherinsurancefirmpaidCaliforniaa$285,000settlementforallegedviolationsof
stateinsuranceregulationsrelatedtoclaimsfromthewildfire.
ChrisRussell,spokesmanforMacArthurscampaign,saidLoneganwasshowinghisdesperation
inthecampaign'sremainingtwoweeks.
SteveLoneganisinfamousforhishistoryofcruel,callousandtoxicremarkstowardscancer
patients,hurricanevictimsandothers,whichhavecausedhimtolosefivedifferentcampaignsfor
higheroffice,Russellsaidafterthenewsconference.Hisattemptstosmearasuccessful
businessmananddedicatedphilanthropistlikeTomMacArthursignalhowdesperateLonegans
campaignhasbecomeintheclosingweeksofthiscampaign.
ThetwocandidatesarescheduledtoappearagainFridayduringatapeddebatetobeairedby
NJTV.
ThewinneroftheraceisexpectedtofaceBurlingtonCountyFreeholderAimeeBelgard,an
EdgewaterParkresidentwhoisheavilyfavoredintheDemocraticprimaryagainstHoward
KleinhendlerandBruceTodd.