Congressman Leonard Lance is Deceiving New Jersey Families-- A Guest Post By Ed Potosnak

Ed Potosnak, Democratic candidate for Congress in NJ-07

New Jersey’s Representative Leonard Lance was caught red-handed tricking voters into believing he isn’t taking government healthcare because he opted out of the federal plan, but in fact he is taking NJ’s most cushy plan, funded by NJ taxpayers at more than twice the cost.

Sign this petition calling on Congressman Lance to come clean.

Just last week Blue America PAC began running radio spots that hit a nerve with New Jersey’s career politician Congressman Leonard Lance on 1450 WCTC. After less than a dozen plays, Lance had his Chief of Staff on the phone strong arming the station’s general manager, demanding the station stop airing the ads. Lance's staffer claimed the ad was false since Lance doesn’t take the federal health insurance and sent along a copy of the Health Benefits Election Form to prove it.

Something was fishy. How did he know in early 2009 before the bill was passed to turn down the government option? Did he also turn down his congressional pension and other perks? Like I said, he's a career politician-- not a clairvoyant-- and something wasn't adding up. We started asking around among other New Jersey legislators and civil servants and, sure enough, we found out that the taxpayer-funded health care that New Jersey offers-- and that Lance still uses-- is much plusher and costs the taxpayers much more than the congressional option. So not only is Leonard Lance a hypocrite, who voted both to repeal healthcare for his hardpressed, taxpaying constituents and voted against an amendment that would have allowed for transparency about who in Congress gets government-subsidized healthcare and who doesn't-- but he went the extra mile to attempt to bully the station and Blue America and to mislead New Jersey voters by covering up that he uses government-subsidized healthcare for himself. This guy is even sleazier than we thought.

The goal of Congressman Lance sharing this handy bit of information-- to trick voters into thinking he doesn’t take government healthcare. Congressman Lance wanted to prove he is not a hypocrite for casting his vote to repeal healthcare and deny everyday Americans access to the protections his insurance provides.

This has been a talking point for Mr. Lance for months now. He and his staff have been on a disinformational campaign to let people know that he is biting the bullet and forgoing the federal healthcare plan. In addition to telling callers to his office that he has opted out of federal healthcare, Lance is sending out emails to constituents.  Just a few weeks ago, Congressman Lance proudly asserted in an email, “I do not participate in the Federal Employees Health Benefits (FEHB) program. In fact I have never been enrolled in the federal health care program since being elected to Congress in Nov. 2008. Many members of Congress may get their health care coverage through FEHB but I do not. Concerning the health care law I am gravely concerned about the sleights of hand used...”

Magician Lance--

How about this for a slight of hand? Congressman Lance did in fact turn down the federal insurance he gets as a member of Congress. Why? Of course he does not say. Like so many career politicians he lies by omission. The true reason why the would-be martyr turns down the federal insurance is he gets a plan paid for at the expense of New Jerseyians. Unlike the federal insurance that would require him to pay something for the medical care, with the NJ plan he pays nothing!

It actually costs the state more than twice as much to insure Congressman Lance and his family. As a so-called fiscal conservative Lance should be saving taxpayers money, not padding their tax bill. Our families are taxed enough and in these tough economic times can’t go around paying twice the price for things.

Perhaps more shocking than wasting our hard earned money, is the fact that Congressman Lance has been actively deceiving voters for months by giving them only half of the picture, that he had given up his Federal Government healthcare. What he wasn’t saying was he takes government insurance from New Jersey.

We must be vigilant in holding our elected representatives accountable. What our families and businesses deserve is the truth. They want their Congressperson to be upfront and honest with them and Congressman Lance has not been genuine.

I called on Congressman Lance to come clean about the fact that he is costing the taxpayers of New Jersey twice as much by opting out of the federal health insurance.

Congressman Lance is a career politician and will say anything to get reelected and I am hopeful that voters will have an opportunity to finally hear the truth from Mr. Lance personally.

Please join me in demanding Congressman Lance comes clean about the fact that he is costing the taxpayers of New Jersey twice as much by opting out of the federal health insurance. Sign this petition and share it with your friends. I will personally deliver this petition to Congressman Lance.

Our families are taxed enough and deserve some honesty. If we are going to get our edge back in America we need to change the people in Washington. I am committed to creating jobs for unemployed Americans by stimulating innovation, research and development and improving education. America must lead the global economy into the future.

Please fan me on Facebook and connect with me on Twitter.

Ed put himself through Rutgers to become a scientist and a teacher, he was born and raised in New Jersey. Growing up, he worked in his parents’ small business, manufacturing lifesaving communications quipment for police officers and emergency responders. Ed taught chemistry for over a decade at Bridgewater-Raritan Regional High School and as an adjunct professor at Rutgers. He wrote and researched education policy as an Albert Einstein Distinguished Education Fellow. An entrepreneur and businessman at heart, Potosnak owns a small home repair business and lives in North Plainfield.

Learn more at: EdPotosnak.com

UPDATE: Blue America On The Air In New Jersey Again

The new and improved Blue America ad (below) is on the air in New Jersey's 7th congressional district again. We would really appreciate some help keeping it running and spreading it onto more radio stations with greater penetration. You can help us do that with a $5 or $10 contribution at the ActBlue Page-- where you can also help with Ed Potosnak's campaign for Congress. Lance is franticly running up and down the district insisting that the word "hypocrite" is too strong to use. He and his spokesmen are claiming his healthcare plan and the one he passed up taking in Congress are like apples and oranges. True enough, the congressional one is a Cadillac plan; his is a Rolls Royce. And the one his constituents would be left with based on his votes-- a pile of ashes. This guy claims to be a fiscal conservative. A better description would be" short-sighted reactionary and heartless, selfish puppet for his Wall Street donors."