Gottheimer calls Rep. Garrett a 'tax' on 5th District

Gottheimer said Garrett had "hung the 5th District out to dry." Watch video

PARAMUS -- Josh Gottheimer on Thursday accused Rep. Scott Garrett of failing to bring federal money back to New Jersey's 5^th Congressional District.

Gottheimer, a former White House speechwriter running for Garrett's seat, denounced the congressman alongside local elected officials.

The officials included Paramus Mayor Rich LaBarbiera, a Democrat, and Allen Rapaport, a Republican councilman from Norwood.

"When they call Scott Garrett, as they tell me time and time again, he says no," Gottheimer said.  

LaBarbiera said Rep. Bill Pascrell, a Democrat who represents the neighboring 9^th District, not Garrett, helped bring Paramus a federal grant to help hire five police police officers.

"We need somebody that's going to go there and fight for us to bring that money back," LaBarbiera said.

Rapaport criticized Garrett for voting against a spending bill that included funding for the Zadroga Act, a fund that provides treatment to first responders sickened or hurt while responding to the 9/11 attacks.

"That doesn't represent anything that a Bergen County Republican or a Republican from Norwood would support," he said.

Rapaport said he would back Gottheimer, a Democrat, in November.

Gottheimer called the gap between the federal taxes people the 5^th District pay and the funding that returns to the community the "Garrett Tax." He touted a website his campaign launched, repealgarretttax.com, that drives the point home.

Garrett's campaign criticized the website.

""This website is an insight into the mind of a tax-and-spend Democrat like Gottheimer," the campaign said. "He thinks that Washington needs to take money from hardworking Americans and disperse it as it sees fit while Congressman Garrett is fighting to keep money where it belongs--in the pockets of New Jersey families."

Gottheimer launches campaign

In a statement directed at Garrett, Gottheimer said the congressman had "failed miserably" in returning money to the district.

"It's shameful how you've hung the 5^th District out to dry for your own personal and national Tea Party values," he said.