The day after Councilwoman Beth Mason called for Councilman Ravi Bhalla to resign for pay-to-play violations, Bhalla struck back with a claim that Mason committed more severe violations of state election commission laws.

A review of records filed by Mason with the Election Law Enforcement Commission (ELEC) show that Mason paid out $15,000 in "street money" - cash used for such things as get-out-the-vote efforts - apparently in violation of ELEC rules.

More bad news for the New Jersey politicians arrested in the July 23, 2009 Federal investigation.  The New Jersey Supreme Court rejected a request from a former state legislator to use campaign funds to pay for his criminal defense.

Newspapers reported that former Senator Wayne Bryant (D-Camden), who was convicted in 2008 of federal bribery and wire fraud wanted to use some of his $640,000 campaign contributions to pay his legal fees.  The New Jersey Election Law Enforcement Commission refused Bryant's request.  The New Jersey Court of Appeals upheld the Election Law Enforcement Commission.