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Lonegan Files Lawsuit Against Booker Over Expense Reports

NEWARK (CBSNewYork) -- Republican Steve Lonegan is suing to force Cory Booker, his opponent in New Jersey's U.S. Senate race, to release his expense reports.

Lonegan announced his lawsuit Friday on the steps of Newark City Hall, WCBS 880's Levon Putney reported. Lonegan said he's been waiting a month for the Newark mayor's records.

"He said he was going to make this government open and transparent," the former Bogota mayor said.

"Cory Booker is all about excuses."

Lonegan Filing Lawsuit Against Booker Over Expense Reports

Booker spokesman James Allen said the city clerk's office is gathering thousands of pages of requested budgets, audits and other records that will be handed over soon. The general election will be held Oct. 16.

Lonegan's news conference turned into a shouting match being the Senate hopeful and local labor leader Rahaman Muhammad, who is, ironically, an outspoken critic of Booker's.

"I'm going to do you like I've done Cory in the past," Muhammad said. "I'm going to interrupt your press conference. ... I'm really interrupting his press conferences because I don't like no parts about what this individual's saying."

Muhammad said Lonegan doesn't care about the concerns of Newark residents.

"Anything that we would need to assist us, to get rid of the problems that we have in our community, Mr. Lonegan would be against and oppose it," Muhammad said. "So why should we even lend our ear?"

"You know what -- let me tell you something, sir -- I do give a blank about Newark," Lonegan said.

Lonegan has been all over Booker throughout the campaign for not spending enough time in Newark, or doing enough to curb crime. The city recently went through a 10-day stretch featuring 10 murders.

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