(WEST ORANGE, AUGUST 29) - Schundler for Governor campaign manager Bill Pascoe, scoffing at the latest attempt by the McGreevey campaign to use Jersey City Mayor Glenn Cunningham to attack Bret Schundler’s record, today issued the following statement:

“Jim McGreevey’s team is dropping the ball again. Another attack misfired because the Democrats attacked before taking aim.

“Yesterday, Jersey City Mayor Glenn Cunningham, a key McGreevey supporter, charged the Jersey City Redevelopment Agency (JCRA) and the City Council with improper behavior regarding the construction of a new municipal court building in Jersey City. Let’s check the scorecard and see exactly who is getting the blame for this alleged and fictional impropriety.

“Harvey Smith is a Democrat who served as Vice-Chairman of JCRA and he now serves as Mayor Cunningham’s Council President. Oh, yeah. He’s a McGreevey supporter. Bill Gaughan is a Democrat who served as Chairman of JCRA and he now serves on the City Council. Oh, yeah. He’s a McGreevey supporter.

“These prominent McGreevey Democrats authorized payments for the municipal court project as City Councilmen and JCRA Commissioners. As officers of the JCRA, Messrs. Smith and Gaughan signed the actual checks that pay for the expenses related to the project. And the person who served as the Redevelopment Agency’s counsel just happened to be a prominent Democratic attorney named Francis Schiller. Mr. Schiller supervised the real estate transactions concerning the municipal court project. Oh, yeah. Mr. Schiller is also a key fundraiser and political supporter of Glenn Cunningham.

“Bret Schundler knows Harvey Smith and Bill Gaughan. He is proud to say he served with both of them during his tenure as Mayor of Jersey City. Bret has full confidence in Bill and Harvey’s judgment and he has faith that they would not approve of payments or sign checks to pay for services unless they were satisfied with the quality of work performed and satisfied that legal counsel ruled the payments to be proper.

“Perhaps the next time the McGreevey campaign uses Mayor Cunningham to hurl unsubstantiated political attacks at Bret Schundler, it should give Cunningham three simple rules to follow. Rule #1: Don’t attack yourself. Rule #2: Don’t attack your friends. Rule #3: Pay attention to Rule #1 and Rule #2.”