The 'Building America Committee' is a political action committee (PAC) from Washington, D.C. circulating attack mailers in Hoboken, and the man running the show has strong Hoboken connections and a few mutual friends with mayoral candidate Peter Cammarano.

According to tax records, the PAC was started on May 19 by Keith Carbone, who according to several people around town has many friends and acquaintances in Hoboken. Carbone could not be reached for comment and it is believed he is currently living in Florida.

Carbone's Facebook page reveals many friends from North Jersey and some big name state politicos, including U.S. Sen. Robert Menendez and Newark Councilman Ronald Rice, Jr. It also lists Scott Sheilds from the political consultant firm White Horse Strategies as a friend.

Early in the campaign, Cammarano had White Horse Strategies on the payroll, and he was the guest of honor at a Newark fundraiser last week co-sponsored by Rice.

Cammarano said in a statement earlier this week, "I want to make it very clear that this organization and these mailings have nothing to do with my campaign."

"I do not know who is responsible, but whoever it is must stop immediately," he stated in the press release.

His campaign spokesman Paul Swibinski said today that the campaign will reach out to Rice to see if he can find out more about the PAC, but he said he wouldn't hold out hope that anything will come of it.

"[The PACs are] impossible to control under the law," he said. "It makes it impossible to coordinate with them [legally]."

"Most likely [Carbone is] just a front man here," Swibinski said. "It's not like he's putting up $100,000 of his own money here. This kind of thing happens all the time in politics."

UPDATE: Swibinski reenforced the fact that the Cammarano campaign had nothing to do with the mailers. He said it conflicts with their message and that they don't know who is behind the PAC.

Recent coverage from the Reporter:

Who hired the Building America Committee to release attack ads?

Cammarano firmly against anonymous anti-Zimmer attack ads