Red Light Camera Fight Turns Ugly [AUDIO]

The New Jersey lawmaker leading the charge to do away with the Red Light Camera Pilot Program wants the head of the Assembly Transportation Committee to post a bill he's sponsoring to increase yellow light times and to do away with right-on-red tickets.

"Anybody who argues against these reforms at this point is either being paid somehow by the camera companies, or is a fool," Assemblyman Declan O'Scanlon said.

He says the red light camera pilot program is a failure.

"We should kill this program. We have overwhelming evidence there is no safety benefit to red light cameras, we have some evidence there is a negative impact on safety."

O'Scanlon says the only ones who don't like the suggestion to increase yellow light times are the entities profiting from red light cameras - the companies that set them up.

"And some of the governments that are their partners in crime - I will actually say - cause they're stealing from people right now."

He adds the Assembly Transportation Committee Chair John Wisniewski was going to reach out to him to discuss the legislation, but hasn't.

"I've heard nothing but crickets - there has been no attempt to reach out to me. My message to him is - you need to get real - and we need to be honest with the public."

Lawmaker Explains Why Bill was Held

Assemblyman Wisniewski says the bill was held for a number of reasons.

"One of which was Assemblyman O'Scanlon came to the Committee and criticized the legislation that he himself was sponsoring," Wisniewski explained.

He says, at the same time, "Police officer after police officer testified that the changes being considered were in not in the interest of public safety."

Wisniewski wonders out loud about what he considers to be O'Scanlon's rabid insistence.

"Is that it is acceptable behavior for drivers to go through red lights? If you are unhappy with getting a ticket at a red light camera - there is a very simple solution - don't go through the red light," Wisniewski says.