NJ Rep.'s Campaign: Feds Investigating Ex-Worker

HADDONFIELD, N.J. (AP) -- Federal investigators are looking into "an issue with a former campaign worker," a New Jersey congressman's campaign said.

Amended finance reports filed last month by the Republican U.S. Rep. Frank LoBiondo show his campaign raised and spent less over the last two years than it had originally reported. Both amounts had been inflated by about $277,000, according to the amended reports, which do not detail exactly when the inflated numbers came about.

William McGinley, a lawyer for the LoBiondo campaign, says it notified authorities of a problem. He said he could not comment further because there is an ongoing investigation.

The campaign finance problems were first reported Monday by the website PolitickerNJ.

LoBiondo, who was first elected to Congress in 1994 representing the southernmost parts of New Jersey, easily won re-election this month.

Andrew McCrosson, who had worked as LoBiondo's campaign treasurer since at least 1996, was replaced in September after being named acting business administrator for the city of Trenton. He did not return a message left by The Associated Press on Tuesday.

McCrosson, who has also worked at the United Way of Atlantic County, left the Trenton job last week. George Muschal, president of the city council in the financially struggling city, told the Times of Trenton that he was told the administrator left because of family problems.

(Copyright 2010 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)