CNBNews

press release

Calls Andrews "Out of Touch" with South Voters

Barrington, NJ - This morning, First District Congressional Candidate Dale Glading (R- Barrington) blasted Rep. Rob Andrews (D-Haddon Heights) for using campaign contributions to support his luxurious lifestyle. Specifically, Glading cited the fact that Andrews spent $83,000 for meals at Four and Five Diamond restaurants across the country; another $82,000 on parties and room stays at top of the line hotels; and $23,000 on limousine services in cities such as New York, San Francisco, Miami and Huntingdon Beach, California.

Among the independent expenditures culled from Andrews' Federal Election Commission report were $7,186 for fine dining at Philadelphia's posh Palm Restaurant; $4,077 for meals at the palatial Hotel duPont in Wilmington; and $3,756 in food and bar tabs at the prestigious Capitol Grille in Washington D.C. Andrews was likewise generous with his top campaign donors, lavishing them with more than $75,000 worth of gifts including $20,000 in Christmas baskets; $13,264 in chocolates; $13,282 in flowers; and $2,837 in toys.

Andrews even flew to the West Coast, bringing back $75.00 worth of cupcakes from an exclusive bakery in Beverly Hills. And when Andrews traveled, he often paid exorbitant first class fares such as $4,562.00 for two roundtrip tickets to Arizona.

"At a time when unemployment in the First District stands at almost 10%, Congressman Andrews' luxurious lifestyle is a smack in the face to his constituents," Glading charged. "Rob's free spending ways are the same, whether it's with campaign contributions or taxpayers' dollars."

"The median family income in the First District is $47,000 and Rob Andrews spent half that amount on rides in fancy limousines," continued Glading. "Career politicians like Rob Andrews have no concept of how the rest of us live."

"No wonder our country is in the financial shape it's in," Glading concluded.