Smear campaign links Assembly candidate to terrorists

October 30, 2007

By RICK MURRAY

Democratic Assembly candidate from Mount Laurel yesterday expressed outrage over a GOP smear campaign that accuses her of having a terrorist’s values because her lawyer husband must represent one of the so-called Fort Dix Six.“I find this extremely offensive,” said Tracy Riley, vying for an 8th District Assembly seat on a Democratic slate including fellow Assembly candidate Chris Fifis and Senate candidate Fran Bodine.Riley was reacting to a flier, featuring a vivid photo of armed, masked terrorists, which in a bold-faced caption asks: “Whose values will she represent in Trenton? Ours? Or theirs?”The flier also offers upbeat campaign material touting the virtues of the GOP rival slate of Senate candidate Phil Haines, and Assembly contenders Dawn Addiego and Scott Rudder.

Officials at Burlington County Republican headquarters did not return phone calls yesterday to explain why they would sponsor such tactics. But the point of the smear, said Riley, is to imply there is something wrong with her husband, Michael Riley, representing Shain Duka, one of six Islamic immigrants charged with planning a terrorist attack on Fort Dix last spring.She explained that Riley took Duka's case not because he wanted to but because he was assigned it by federal court officials."Contrary to what the Republicans stated, he was on the public defender's list and when you’re called upon, you are expected to come forward," she said of her husband, a former prosecutor. Candidate Riley, a recently graduated law student, said likening either her or her husband to terrorists is "ludicrous" on its face.

The GOP smear is not only wrong and in bad taste, she said, but will likely backfire on the Republicans because it plays voters for fools."One of my main priorities as a lawmaker will be to make laws, and the foundation of those laws is the Constitution of the United States," she said. "It is clear that my opponents have no understanding, no appreciation of the Constitution." Charles "Shai” Goldstein, executive director of the New Jersey Immigration Policy Network, said yesterday he was offended by the flier, which has been circulating through Burlington County, because it offers negative stereotypes of Middle Eastern immigrants.

"There’s not one thing in it that promotes legitimate discourse," he said.