New Jersey Republican Chairman Sam Raia has issued a response to New Way for New Jersey’s , released today.

In the ad, former Ambassador Phil Murphy blasts New Jersey Governor Chris Christie for vetoing funding for a program to remove lead paint. The ad evokes the ongoing Flint, Michigan water crisis.

The little-heard-from Raia issued the following statement:

“Phil Murphy should be ashamed of exploiting the victims of the Flint tragedy in his desperate attempts to become politically relevant. Phil Murphy wants to revive the Goldman Sachs and Jon Corzine playbook to attempt to buy the election by drowning out facts with outrageous fear tactics. New Jersey invests tens of millions of dollars each year to address the legacy of lead paint in old structures in our state, including one of the strongest testing programs for children, as well as diligent inspections for multi-family dwellings to ensure their safety for all New Jerseyans. Desperate politicians have wasted millions of their own money to spread lies before and have been soundly rejected by the people of New Jersey. Voters are too smart to buy what Murphy is selling.”