Rep. Scott Garrett attended a breakfast organized by a GOP official with ties to an anti-government group.
WASHINGTON -- A leader of a group that the state Office of Homeland Security and Preparedness says has "members who justify the use of violence to counter perceived threats or violations to the U.S. Constitution" helped organize a meet-and-greet breakfast for Rep. Scott Garrett earlier this month.
Garrett campaign manager Sarah Neibart said the lawmaker had no idea that one organizer, Bergen County Republican Committeeman Edward Durfee, was active in Oath Keepers, which was singled out by the state office in a June report on militia extremists.
"Congressman Garrett was completely unaware of his affiliation with the Oath Keepers," Neibart said.
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The state homeland security report said Oath Keepers have been recruiting in New Jersey since 2012.
"Militia extremists pose a moderate threat to New Jersey because of fundraising and recruitment efforts in the state, involvement in protests and standoffs across the United States, and their ability to coordinate and organize on a national scale," the report said.
The Anti-Defamation League said Oath Keepers "believe that the United States is collaborating with a one-world tyrannical conspiracy called the New World Order to strip Americans of their rights -- starting with their right to keep and bear arms."
Durfee was listed as the contact person for the Oct. 1 Garrett breakfast in River Edge, according to an invitation posted on Facebook. On his Linked-in page, Durfee identified himself as both a member of the Bergen County Republican Organization and the Oath Keepers. He did not respond to a request for comment sent to the email address on the invitation.
Neibart said Garrett dealt with another person to set up the event, not Durfee, and never was given a list of attendees.
While Garrett did publicly recognize Durfee during his talk at the breakfast, that was because the lawmaker knew him as Republican Party official, Neibart said.
"Any attendees with affiliations to outside organizations have nothing to do with Congressman Garrett," Neibart said. "Congressman Garrett had no knowledge of any affiliation with the Oath Keepers, and we were not informed of any partnership, cosponsorship, alliance, or any other aspect of their involvement in the event."
The ADL's New Jersey regional director, Joshua Cohen, welcomed Neibart's remarks.
"We were glad to see Representative Garrett's campaign distance itself from any association with Oath Keepers," Cohen said. "No one seeking public office should want to be associated with an organization that peddles anti-government conspiracy theories and paranoia and urges recruits to refuse to cooperate with what they refer to as our 'tyrannical government.'"
The event officially was sponsored by the Bergen County New Jersey for Liberty, which lists Durfee as an organizer and coordinator, and the American Bedrock Foundation. Both groups seek limits on federal government activity in accordance with their interpretation of the U.S. Constitution.
Garrett (R-5th Dist.) is a founding member of the House Freedom Caucus, which likewise says it supports "limited government, the Constitution and the rule of law, and policies that promote the liberty, safety and prosperity of all Americans."
The bedrock foundation's website said the group works with the Oath Keepers, most recently providing a way to fund a billboard near Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst that features members of the U.S. Armed Forces against a backdrop of the Constitution and an American flag. "Honor your oath," the billboard said.
Garrett is in New Jersey's only competitive U.S. House race this fall, running against former White House speechwriter Josh Gottheimer, according to two Washington-based publications that track congressional races.
The Cook Political Report said Garrett's race against former White House speechwriter Josh Gottheimer is a toss-up, and the Rothenberg & Gonzales Political Report called the race "toss-up/tilt Republican."
Gottheimer has more than doubled Garrett's fundraising, bringing in $2.9 million through June 30 to his $1.4 million. If the trend continues, it would be the first time Garrett was outraised by his Democratic opponent since his first congressional election in 2002.
Only former Rep. Brad Schneider (D-Ill.), who brought in $2.95 million through June 30 trying to reclaim a seat he lost in 2014, has raised more than Gottheimer among challengers running against House incumbents.
Jonathan D. Salant may be reached at jsalant@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @JDSalant. Find NJ.com Politics on Facebook