Garrett Denies Taking Bribes, Demands Advertisement Containing 'Fictitious' Letter Stop Airing

Congressman Scott Garrett demanded that his opponent, Josh Gottheimer, apologize and that local television stations stop airing an advertisement containing an allegedly fictitious letter stating that Garrett is under investigation by the Office of Congressional Ethics (OCE) for taking bribes.

The allegation is the latest in a campaign that has turned ever more vicious in the weeks leading up the general election.

Garrett, a seven-term congressman, held a press conference at his election headquarters in Hackensack Wednesday in which he denied that he has ever been investigated by the OCE in violation of the Honest Services Fraud Statute and said that the letter does not exist.

“That document does not exist,” Garrett said. “There is no such document. Josh falsified it. I have never received a letter from the [OCE].”

According to the letter dated Oct. 5, 2015 Gottheimer’s campaign posted online, Omar Ashmawy, staff director of the OCE, the Campaign for Accountability requested the OCE investigate whether Garrett and 10 other members of congress violated House rules and the law by allegedly accepting campaign contributions from payday lending companies shortly before, or after taking official actions in support of the industry.

“According to the charges, Garrett then went a step further, signing a letter urging the roll-back of consumer protections against predatory payday lenders – and was then given even more campaign cash by the payday lending industry,” Gottheimer said in a statement released Wednesday afternoon immediately after he and Garrett held press conferences.

The OCE could not be reached for comment, but according to media assembled at the press conference, the office could neither confirm, nor deny that Garrett was ever investigated.

“In a world of Clinton politics, where Josh got all of his training, not only do you learn how to destroy documents, you learn how to forge them as well, “ Garrett said.

Gottheimer, a married father from Wyckoff, is a former speechwriter for President Bill Clinton.

Garrett unequivocally denied that he has ever taken a bribe.

Garrett said his campaign saw the ad, which allegedly had a “breaking news” theme to it, Wednesday. A copy of the ad could not be found online.

Garrett said his office is sending a cease and desist letter to several area television stations demanding they stop showing the ad.

Garrett also invited Gottheimer to come to his campaign headquarters and stuff envelopes with hand-written apologies to every New Jersey resident who has seen the “slanderous” ad.

Gottheimer also held a press conference at the same time Garrett did at which he outlined the charges filed against Garrett and the letter.

“I believe the people in our district have a right to know if their Congressman has swapped campaign cash for votes for predatory payday lenders, or any special interests he’s in the pocket of, for that matter,” Gottheimer said.

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Rep. Scott Garrett — Wikimedia Commons

A picture of the real letter to the Office of Congressional Ethics and the alleged "fake" letter. — Courtesy of Garrett for Congress