Embattled US Representative John F. Tierney released his second quarter fund-raising numbers, which show he was again outpaced by his rival Richard R. Tisei, the former GOP leader of the state Senate.

Tierney, a Salem Democrat, raised more than $400,000 from April through June, according to a statement from his campaign released Friday. Tisei raised $568,000 over the same period.

Tierney, who represents the North Shore, has been under scrutiny because of a gambling operation allegedly run by his two brothers-in-law, which sent his wife to jail for tax fraud last year.

Tierney has about $700,000 in the bank, compared to Tisei’s $802,000.

Continue reading below

Matt Robison, Tierney’s campaign manager, dismissed the difference in funds and said Tisei was benefitting from special interest money.

“I think it’s no surprise that Richard Tisei, since he’s the handpicked candidate of the right-wing Republican Congress, that they are doing everything they can to pour special interest money into his campaign, but we are very confident that John Tierney’s strong grassroots support means that we’re going to have the resources to get out our message about John Tierney’s outstanding record of fighting for the middle class.”

More than 92 percent of individual contributors to Tierney’s campaign this quarter were from Massachusetts, and 68 percent of all individual donors gave $100 or less, Tierney’s campaign emphasized in the statement.

Paul Moore, Tisei’s campaign manager, shot back that Tierney receives far more special interest money than does the Tisei campaign.

“I think the fact that three quarters in a row Richard has significantly outraised John Tierney speaks to the fact that voters in the 6th district are ready for change.”

“Richard is not anyone’s tool,” Moore continued, “and all of this rote nonsense that the Tierney campaign spits out everyday is contemptible. Richard is a fiscal conservative and social moderate, and he has a long record to prove it, and the Tierney campaign’s daily statements are nauseating.”

The campaign opponents have bickered publicly about Tierney’s family troubles.

One of Tierney’s brothers-in-law, Daniel Eremian, surrendered to federal authorities last month to begin serving a three-year sentence stemming from his illegal gambling conviction.

Robert Eremian, who allegedly engineered the scheme, faces similar charges but remains a fugitive from justice, reportedly in Antigua.

Both brothers have said Tierney knew about the illegal business, which Tierney denies.