Dems Admit Rep. John Adler Planted Fake Tea Party Candidate

by Mike Roman

Democratic operatives in New Jersey are turning on Congressman John Adler (D-NJ3). Due to “ethical qualms” they have revealed the Adler campaign is behind the bogus “NJ Tea Party” candidacy of Peter DeStefano.

In May, Geoff Mackler, Adler’s Campaign Manager, along with Democratic consultant Steve Ayscue gave a presentation outlining the “DeStefano Plan” at the Camden County Democratic Committee headquarters:

“The goal was to take 5 percent of (Republican Jon) Runyan’s vote,” said a Democrat with direct knowledge of the Adler campaign and CCDC operations.
“Steve Ayscue designed the plan with Geoff Mackler following his lead.”

DeStefano first emerged in an internal poll circulated by the Adler campaign in July that showed him getting 12 percent of the vote. Until then he  hadn’t announced he was a candidate.
He was immediately dismissed by Tea Party groups:

“Peter DeStefano is not, and I emphasize, not a Tea Party candidate, by any stretch. He is a shill for someone else, but certainly not what the Tea Party stands for.”

Adler denied that his campaign was behind the deception:

“I know we weren’t part of it.”

Seems that wasn’t true.