PolitickerNJ: Considering 2017 Guv Run, Murphy Engages Influential NJ Dems

There is a nice little introduction piece on Middletown's Phil Murphy over on PolitickerNJ. Murphy is a Middletown resident and is considering a run for governor next year.

"While 2017 Democratic gubernatorial contender Phil Murphy might not have as much name recognition as some vying for the spot due to the fact he has never held office in New Jersey, the former ambassador from Germany seems to be making inroads with influential state Democrats.

The former Goldman Sachs executive spent Wednesday courting Democrats at various events throughout the state, notably some influential county chairs....

...While Murphy still has a ways to go before he can lock up a nomination—especially because notable adversaries like Jersey City Mayor Steven Fulop, state Senator Ray Lesniak and Senate President Steve Sweeney are also in the mix—a solidification of support from a county chair could provide a launchpad for his campaign.

As of now, with the gubernatorial race still over a year away, Murphy and other Democratic candidates have yet to declare whether or not they will be officially running for governor during the November 2017 election...."

Read the full article HERE

Mr. Murphy is also the founder and Chair of New Way For New Jersey. If you want to learn more about him starting there is a good start.

Congressman Chris Smith has not Lived in NJ for Over 30 Years!

By District 4 Coalition for Change:


Congress gave themselves the month off to campaign.

http://www.app.com/story/opinion/readers/2014/09/27/letter-congress-campaigning-solving-problems/16287029/


Congressman Smith has not lived in NJ for over 30 years. He raised his family and educated his children in Virginia.

Law requires Congressional Representatives to maintain a domicile in the state they represent. For most of his career, Congressman Smith rented a townhome in Mercer County from a relative and owned a
 home in Virginia. It is rumored that due to pressure from previous campaign rivals, Smith recently purchased the townhome. His neighbors have never seen him.

Where does Chris Smith Live?

http://www.politickernj.com/matt-friedman/19093/chris-smith-represents-new-jersey-where-does-he-live

Smith has not lived in NJ through 9/11, Irene or Sandy with the rest of us. He does not share our experience as a community.

Why do we put up with this?

STOP Chris Smith in November! VOTE.

Monmouth Republican Leader and Manalapan Mayor Andrew Lucas Arrested Today

For Immediate Release:
February 7, 2014


The following is a statement from Monmouth County Democratic Chairman Vin Gopal regarding news today of the 11 count indictment of former Manalapan Mayor and Republican Party Leader Andrew Lucas.

Mayor Andrew Lucas

"Today, we see yet another example of corruption from the Monmouth County Republican Party. Former Manalapan mayor Andrew Lucas is in federal custody today on an 11 count indictment for fraud, identity theft and obstruction of justice, among other charges.

The scandal involves the use of taxpayer funded programs for a land deal that funneled $1.2 Million dollars directly into the pockets of Lucas - with the help of the local and County Republican politicians. In order to receive the money, the deal was approved by the Republican controlled Monmouth County Freeholder Board.

We demand answers from Freeholder Board and especially career politician Lillian Burry, who endorsed and voted to approve the deal. Burry raised thousands of dollars at a fundraiser sponsored by Lucas on the very property that was up for consideration by the Freeholder Board.

We need change on the Freeholder Board in order to stop the pattern of corruption and taxpayer abuse.

###


Please see coverage in past few hours

http://www.app.com/article/20140207/NJNEWS14/302070102/Andrew-Lucas-Manalapan-mayor?odyssey=mod|breaking|text|Frontpage

http://www.politickernj.com/71344/monmouth-dems-react-arrest-gop-former-mayor-manalapan

http://www.tribtown.com/view/story/af91a3fd37f04c8a95dddc5c2ab209bd/NJ--Former-Mayor-Indicted

http://holmdel-hazlet.patch.com/groups/police-and-fire/p/former-manalapan-mayor-andrew-lucas-arrested

http://www.oceancountysignal.com/2014/02/07/former-republican-mayor-of-manalapan-arrested-for-falsifying-tax-returns/

http://www.politickernj.com/71341/fbi-take-former-manalapan-mayor-custody-11-count-indictment

http://longbranch.patch.com/groups/police-and-fire/p/former-manalapan-mayor-andrew-lucas-arrested

New Jersey Women's Leaders Call on Governor Christie to Denounce

Below you will find a letter from women leaders across New Jersey demanding that Governor Christie condemn Hudson County Republican Chair Jose Arango’s offensive comments and call for his resignation.

July 31, 2013
From: Women Leaders of New Jersey
To: Governor Christie

Dear Governor Christie:

Today, your Hudson County Republican Chair, Jose Arango, made deeply offensive comments about the Democratic Lieutenant Governor nominee, Milly Silva.

According to PolitickerNJ, Mr. Arango belittled and demeaned Ms. Silva’s qualifications in what can only be described as blatantly sexist remarks.

Ms. Silva has worked since the age of 14, getting a good education and rising to become an influential leader in the State of New Jersey. As Executive Vice President of 1199SEIU, Ms. Silva oversees more than 8,000 members and helps negotiate multi-million dollar contracts that are good for business and workers.

We ask you to join us in condemning Jose Arango’s misogynistic comments and call for his resignation. Statements like this cannot be a part of this campaign and demean all women in the state of New Jersey.

We deserve better than his disrespect and contempt.

Sincerely,

Loretta Weinberg, Senate Majority Leader

Nia Gill, Senate President Pro Tempore

Nellie Pou, Senator

Teresa Ruiz, Senator

Bonnie Watson Coleman, Assemblywoman & Buono for Governor Campaign Chair

Marlene Caride, Assemblywoman

Valerie Vanieri Huttle, Assemblywoman

Mila Jasey, Assemblywoman

Angelica Jiminez, Assemblywoman

Pamela Lampitt, Assemblywoman & Chairwoman of the Assembly Women & Children Committee

Annette Quijano, Assemblywoman

Celeste Riley, Assemblywoman

Grace Spencer, Assemblywoman

Linda Stender, Assemblywoman

Shavonda Sumter, Assemblywoman

Connie Wagner, Assemblywoman

Nancee May, President of the New Jersey Federation of Democratic Women

Amy Papi, 2nd Vice President of the New Jersey Federation Democratic Women

Peg Schaffer, Somerset County Democratic Chairwoman

Liz Muoio, Mercer County Democratic Chairwoman

Lauren Murphy, President of the Women Empowered Democratic Organization of Passaic County, and Clifton Democratic Chairwoman

Kathy Makowski, President of the Middlesex County Federation of Democratic Women

Red Bank Councilwoman Kathy Horgan & Retha Onitiri, Co-Chairs of the Monmouth County Democratic Women’s Caucus

Leslie Huhn, Chair of the Sussex County Women’s Caucus

Jamie Lombardi, Executive Director of the Sussex County Women’s Caucus

Governor Humblebrag

Josh Levitt
Buono for Governor

With 400,000 New Jerseyans out of work and property taxes continuing to skyrocket, you would think that Governor Christie's full attention and energy would be on strengthening New Jersey’s economy. Yet it’s clear that Governor Christie has prioritized his national political ambitions above the needs of New Jersey. His affinity for appearing on television shows and bragging about being courted by the Koch brothers trumps his interest in addressing the tough problems facing New Jersey. With so much at stake, New Jersey cannot afford another four years of Governor Christie’s self-interest.


New Book Quotes Not-So-Humble Christie on Presidential Thoughts
By Jonathan Martin//New York Times
...After Mr. Christie said he did not want any favors or campaign titles in return, Mr. Romney turned to his wife and said, “Wow, Christmas in October.” Turning back to Mr. Christie, Mr. Romney said, “Governor, you don’t know how important and big this is.” To which Mr. Christie said, “I do.”

Book: Chris Christie Is Awesome, According to Chris Christie
Philly Mag
The NYT reports today on a new book by Dan Balz, a veteran reporter, about the 2012 election. It apparently focuses a bit on Chris Christie’s ultimate decision not to run, but in so doing reveals the New Jersey governor’s, uh, self-regard. “It is hardly unusual for a politician to have an outsized ego,” the Times says in its overview of the book, “but Mr. Christie lacks the masking subtlety possessed by many in his business.”

Christie Defends TV Appearances as ‘Good Thing’ for New Jersey
By Terrence Dopp//Bloomberg
Give Chris Christie a television appearance or two and he’ll change the way you look at New Jersey. At least, that’s the way he tells it. New Jersey’s cachet has risen recently, and the governor’s turns on “Saturday Night Live” and David Letterman’s show are proof of that, Christie said today in Brick, where he announced a round of $100 million in federal funding to raise flood-prone houses. “When I became governor, the stuff people saw on TV about New Jersey was usually me carting off politicians to jail, ‘The Sopranos,’ ‘Real Housewives of New Jersey’ and — God forbid — the kids from ‘The Jersey Shore,’” Christie told reporters today. “To the extent that I can go out there and show a different side to our state, especially now as we’re trying to rebuild it, is a good thing for our state.”

Chris Christie: My TV Gigs Are Good For New Jersey
AP
New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie says his regular television appearances generate positive publicity for the state. Christie says when he became governor in 2010 the state's image was being shaped by the mob drama "The Sopranos" and reality shows "Jersey Shore" and "The Real Housewives of New Jersey." Christie, who has become a national figure in his three years as governor, says people now have a more positive image of the state.

Gov. Christie: 'Happy' to be on Michael J. Fox show
By Catalina Camia//USA Today
New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie says there's no chance of him giving up his day job so he can give acting a try. The Republican filmed a guest appearance — as himself — on Michael J. Fox's new NBC show, which will air this fall. The Huffington Post reported Monday that this is Christie's "first foray into scripted comedy" after making several appearances on late-night TV talk shows. "You're not gonna have to worry about me leaving New Jersey to go begin my acting career," Christie said Tuesday. "I think I'm much better at this than that."

Chris Christie Says He's Doing Jersey a Favor Just By Being Chris Christie
By John Nichols//The Nation
...Chris Christie isn’t grabbing the national spotlight in order to enhance his re-election prospects and position himself for 2016. Chris Christie is doing New Jersey a favor. And if you don’t agree, there’s a pretty good chance the governor will go on national television and call you “stupid.”

Will he or won't he? Christie, Buono trade barbs as governor's race heats up over debates question
By Jenna Portnoy//The Star-Ledger
...Asked about the barb during a news conference in Brick today, Christie came back swinging. “That's what a lot of people think about me in New Jersey. I'm sure that the word 'coward' is something that immediately pops up,” the Republican governor said, sarcastically, and continued: “Listen, I read about that. The fact of the matter is that Barbara Buono's worst days of the campaign will be the days that I debate her. I can assure you that."

Christie Stars in NJ Tourism Ads, Dems Cry Foul
By Shushannah Walshe//ABC News
…“They are in a uniquely qualified position to tell a very wide audience beyond New Jersey that our state and our Shore is open for business,” Reed said in a statement.

Dems object as Christie clan stars in publicly funded tourism ads
By Jenna Portnoy//The Star-Ledger
…Christie spokesman Michael Drewniak said it was MWW’s idea to feature the governor, his wife and their four children in the commercials."It’s pretty hard to argue that (the Christies) are in a uniquely qualified position to tell a very wide audience beyond New Jersey that our state and our Shore are open for business," Drewniak said. "And remember that the use of funds for the ad campaign was approved by the Obama administration from the first round of (block grant) money."

Christie hopes Latino vote helps bring 'very big' victory in November
By Matthew Arco//Politicker NJ
The state’s Republican incumbent governor is hoping a campaign surge within New Jersey’s Latino community will help give way to a “very, very, very big win in November.”

Christie wants to be re-elected by record amount
By Matthew Arco//Politicker NJ
Gov. Chris Christie says he’s setting his sights on garnering more than 50 percent of voter support in his bid for re-election. The governor told NJTV’s Michael Aron on this week’s On the Record he hopes to, first and foremost, win in the upcoming general election, but says a “big win” would be ideal. Christie said an election in which a Republican candidate can capture more than half the vote in a state where Democrats outnumber Republicans almost five-to-one would be nothing short of record-breaking. “Let’s put in context what big means for a Republican governor in the state of New Jersey,” Christie said during the 25-minute interview. “We’re talking 25 years ago was the last time a Republican got about 50 percent in New Jersey,” he said, referring to the 1985 election when former Gov. Tom Kean trounced Peter Shapiro by about 70 percent to 30 percent. “So I’m shooting for that,” he said, referring to receiving more than 50 percent of the vote. “I’m shooting to break that record.”

Christie vetoes pending bills

From PolitickerNJ:


TRENTON – Gov. Chris Christie announced vetoing eight pieces of pending legislation Friday afertnoon.

The following bills were written off by the governor:

SCS for S-968, 1494/A998 (Weinberg, Turner/Vainieri Huttle, Watson Coleman) – ABSOLUTE - Establishes procedures and standards regarding public service privatization contracts

S2188/A3775 (Gordon,Weinberg/Wagner,Eustace,DeAngelo,Benson) – ABSOLUTE – Requires employer notification when relocating call center services outside the United States

S2644/A4233 (Vitale, Gill, Weinberg/Oliver, Prieto, Quijano) – ABSOLUTE - Expands Medicaid eligibility pursuant to federal “Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act”

S2825/A4172 (Weinberg, Greenstein, Sarlo/Mosquera, Lampitt, Stender, Jasey, Watson Colman, Wisniewski, Caride) - ABSOLUTE – Makes FY 2013 supplemental appropriation to DOH for $7,453,000 for family planning services

A3668/SCS for S2467, 2471 (Jasey, McKeon, Cryan, Johnson, Quijano/Gill, Weinberg, Codey) -ABSOLUTE – Prohibits investment by State of pension and annuity funds in companies manufacturing, importing, and selling assault firearms for civilians use

A3807/S2595 (Caputo, Tucker, Wagner, Eustace/Rice, Gill) – ABSOLUTE – ‟Corporate Disinvestment Property Tax Relief Act”; appropriates $13.5 million

A3878/S2673 (Conaway, Riley, Lampitt, Eustace/Gill) – ABSOLUTE- Requires Commissioner of Banking and Insurance to establish public awareness campaign about new federally required health insurance exchange

A4171/S2824 (Wagner, Vainieri Huttle, Stender, Quijano, Eustace/Weinberg, Gill) – ABSOLUTE - Provides Medicaid coverage for family planning services to individuals with incomes up to 200 percent of the federal poverty level

Christie said regarding all of the bills vetoed that they “would deplete the state’s fiscal resources, restructure government in a significant manner, and significantly alter the policy and spending priorities set forth in the Appropriations Act.’’

He said they would have added hundreds of millions of dollars to state and local budgets. He said that although individual bills may have had merits they should have been negotiated as part of the overall budget negotiation process.

Christie Out-of-Touch With Women

Joshua Henne wrote this Op-ed piece that appeared on PolitickerNJ last week. It talks about Governor Christie's real record when it comes to women.

By Joshua Henne
June 3rd, 2013


Today, Chris Christie is keynoting the Governor’s Conference For Women in Trenton. Perhaps he should do more listening and less talking. Because while folks might say that Christie is a fighter, he’s made it painfully clear he’s not fighting for New Jersey’s women. In fact, he’s the one holding them back when it comes to both their health and fiscal well-being.

There’s nothing moderate about the extreme, right-wing, anti-woman agenda our state has borne witness to these past few years. Christie’s knuckle-dragging decisions and out-of-step ideology are hurting women and their families.

It’s been this way right from the jump. In 2010, Christie eliminated $7.4 million in his very first budget for basic reproductive healthcare services. This money included life-saving cancer screenings, pap tests and breast health services. In 2009, these funds helped over 136,000 patients. Last year, New Jersey’s family planning providers saw at least 33,000 fewer people – a 24% drop. On Christie’s watch, six such centers have closed due to state cuts. Some patients immediately lost services and didn’t have access to other providers. Others experienced longer wait times or were forced to pay more out-of-pocket. The number of clinical breast exams alone performed at these providers fell from 70,506 in 2009 to 48,441 in 2012 – a 31% plunge.

Christie has since vetoed attempts to restore women’s health funding…four times. He claimed the state was broke. But just don't look too close into the palm of Christie’s hand - as he protects a tax break for multi-millionaires, doles out over $2 billion in corporate subsidies and proposed $540 million in business tax cuts. It’s clear where his priorities lie, and it’s not with the women and families of New Jersey.

Rather than reflect Jersey values, Christie is firmly in line with the most severe fringe on women’s rights. He’s the state’s first governor to oppose abortion rights since Roe v. Wade, and was the first to ever speak at Trenton’s annual pro-life rally. It’s no surprise Christie defunded Planned Parenthood and hopscotched the country supporting extremist Republican candidates who would outlaw abortion in the cases of rape and incest. In fact, he endorsed a North Dakota Senate candidate who voted to make it a felony to perform an abortion.

It isn’t only health where Christie fails to have women’s best interests at heart. He’s also trying to buttress the glass ceiling with cement. Christie vetoed legislation making it illegal for companies to pay women less for the same work as their male counterparts. He even supported allowing this discrimination at companies hired by the state with New Jerseyans’ hard-earned tax dollars. Apparently, Christie simply doesn’t believe in equal pay for equal work.

Moreover, when Christie vetoed increasing the minimum wage, he prevented hundreds of thousands of women working low-wage jobs from getting a modest raise. And when Christie cut the Earned Income Tax Credit – a program aimed at low-income workers – women disproportionately felt the pinch. It’s no surprise there are more women who have fallen into poverty since Christie took office.

While his policies have been harsh, that’s not the sole way Christie has hammered women - as he’s said some pretty rude things, as well. Let’s not forget when he beseeched reporters to “take the bat out on” State Senator Loretta Weinberg. Or when Christie called Assemblywoman Valerie Huttle “a jerk” for condemning his inappropriate use of the state police helicopter to watch his son’s baseball game and meet with Iowa fundraisers. Christie called Assembly Speaker Sheila Oliver a liar despite evidence backing up her side of the story about trying to set up a meeting on property taxes.

Sadly, Christie’s hasn’t only lashed out at elected officials. At one of his taxpayer-funded town hall meetings - when a teacher pointed out that Christie demonizes teachers and only talks about how horrible schools are, while New Jersey is actually home to some of America’s best schools - Christie lambasted that she only wanted to “put on a show and giggle every time I talk.” He then condescendingly said “I have no interest in answering your question.” Then, during a live-call in show, when asked if its fair to defund public education while sending his own kids to private schools, Christie angrily snapped, ”Hey Gail, you know what? It’s none of your business.” And when a protester interrupted his speech at a Mitt Romney rally, Christie contemptuously sneered, “Something may go down tonight, but its not going to be jobs, sweetheart.”

One would think Christie would stop his bull in a china shop routine when it came to caring for the women of New Jersey. But alas, he’s consistently unleashed a double-barreled assault upon them. Through word, deed, partisanship and policy proposals, Christie’s treated the women of New Jersey with both mocking and malice.

What Christie says to women is pretty bad. What he’s doing to women is even worse, as he puts both their physical and economic health squarely in the crosshairs.

Barbara Buono Suffers Small Injuries In Car Accident Last Night, Doing Well Today

I happy to hear that Senator Buono is fine after sustaining a minor cuts to hear forehead as a result of a car accident last night. The lesson of this story boys and girls is to alway wear your seat belts, which has been something my wife and I have always emphasised to our kids as they hop into the car.

From PolitickerNJ -

State Sen. Barbara Buono, the probable Democratic gubernatorial nominee, was injured in an accident last night, suffering minor cuts to her face, according to a law enforcement source.

Buono was leaving a Democratic meeting at the Imperial in Franklin Township and riding in the back of a car when the accident occurred about 8 p.m. Nobody else in the car was injured.

She was taken to Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital in New Brunswick, where she was treated and released, according to the source. The investigation is ongoing.
Buono Campaign Spokesman David Turner issued a statement this morning.

"Around 8 p.m. last night, Senator Buono was being driven home from an event by a staff assistant. As her driver attempted to turn, he collided with an oncoming car," Turner said.
“Neither driver suffered any injuries. Senator Buono, who was riding in the back seat and wasn’t wearing a seat belt, suffered a small cut to her forehead. Senator Buono was taken to the hospital as a precautionary measure. There she was treated and released shortly thereafter. She is back at work this morning.

“Senator Buono is extremely grateful that no one was seriously injured in the accident, and thanks everyone who has called, emailed, or messaged their thoughts and good wishes.”

You can read more about it .... Here

Winners Gamble and Gopal is Betting on Buono

Last week, Monmouth County Democratic Chairman Vin Gopal was named as one of PolitickerNJ's Winners Of  The Week, for coming out early and endorsing the campaign of Sen. Barbara Buono for governor before South Jersey Democratic leader George Norcross III and Essex County Executive Joe DiVincenzo issued statements of support for Buono.

Monmouth Dems Chairman Vin Gopal

Now in an article posted yesterday on NJ.Com, Gopal is being called a gambler after he "rolled the dice" backing Buono for governor before many other Democratic County Chairmen or party leaders in the state -  who have preferred to wait for some other, higher profiled candidate such as former governor Dick Cody or Congressman Bill Pascrell  step forward.

In explaining why he came out and supported Senator Buono for governor early, instead of waiting for some other candidate to eventually emerge Gopal stated:

“I have a lot of respect for Dick Codey and the other people thinking about running, but our county committee and municipal leaders support Barbara Buono 100 percent, she is still the best candidate, and the greatest contrast, to Governor Christie.

With Barbara Buono, you have a strong, progressive woman who has been Budget chair in Trenton, who has been Majority Leader, who has raised a significant amount of money in a short period of time, and who is overly qualified for this position. Some of the men in the party are a little nervous, but she’s going to attract women voters all over the state. She’s going to connect with working-class families, who are dealing with a 9.6 percent state unemployment rate, the second-highest foreclosure rate in the country, and property taxes that continue to go up. She is on the right side of all of these issues, including marriage equality, which the governor vetoed....”

Monmouth University pollster Patrick Murrary also sees Gopal's gamble on Buono as a positive rather than a negative and helps him stake a claim as a  future statewide power broker:

"Even if Dick Codey ran and got the nomination, it’s still not going to come back and bite Vin Gopal that he went out early for Barbara Buono. If Codey runs, wins the nomination, but loses to Chris Christie, it’s probably going to be his last hurrah. The party leaders are going to look beyond that, and nobody is going to hold a grudge against Gopal for not supporting Codey in a primary.

“Gopal has been working almost council seat by council seat to build up the Democratic base in Monmouth County. Now, he’s also making a statement with his support of Barbara Buono – Monmouth County should no longer be ignored by the Democratic power brokers as an afterthought.”

 So, is Gopal's decision to back Senator Buono really such a gamble? I think not. His decision was both  a  bold and smart political move on many levels. It has allowed the Monmouth Dems to have a significant say in defining the values that progressives in the state feel are important for their gubernatorial candidate to have and it focused attention of Party stalwarts Monmouth's way, showing them that Monmouth County, under Gopal's leadership, can't be taken lightly.

Buono Accepts Monmouth County Dems Endorsement for Governor

Last night at the I.B.E.W. Local 400 union hall in Wall Township, the Monmouth County Democrats held, what was billed as a "New Years Party with a special guest speaker" to mingle with fellow Democrats and ring in 2013. What it turned out to be was a huge reception to endorse State Senator Barbara Buono as the Monmouth Democrats choice for Governor in 2013.

When I walked in, the hall was packed with nearly 300 party faithful all eager to hear one of the worse kept secrets that I can remember in recent years, which was that the Monmouth Dems were endorsing Senator Buono for Governor and that she would be in attendance to accept that endorsement.

When Chairman Gopal stated before introducing Buono, “We’re going to work hard for you, senator, not just in June, to make sure you’re the next governor of New Jersey,” the crowed in attendance roared with approval.

Gubernatorial candidate Barbara Buono

When Senator Buono took to the podium, she accepted the Monmouth Dems endorsement she talked tough about Governor Christie's failed policies and empty promises, about how nearly 1 in 10 residents in the state are unemployed with no job plan to put them back to work and how his  2016 presidential aspirations have hurt and will continue to hurt New Jerseyians.

By the time she was finished, there was no doubt in the room that she would be a very strong and formidable challenger. I was once again impressed.

If you want to read a more indepth accounting of what went on last night, san my bias, Max Pizzaro of PolitckerNJ and Mark Bonamo of NJ.com have very good write-ups today.  

Here are a few more pictures from last night of Senator Buono that I took:

Barbara Buono To Receive Monmouth Dems Endorsement

Thursday night the Monmouth County Democrats will be hosting a 2013 New Years Party which will be  Co-Hosted by the Monmouth-Ocean AFL-CIO Central Labor Council at the IBEW 400 Labor Hall in Wall Township.

According to several reports this evening appearing in the Huffington Post, NJ.com and PolitickerNJ, Monmouth County Democratic Chairman, Vin Gopal will be using this venue to give his and the Monmouth County Democratic Party's official endorsement to state Senator Barbara Buono and her candidacy to become the next governor of New Jersey.

Buono has thus far garnered the support of the Middlesex and Somerset County Democratic Parties and is currently the only declared candidate for governor among Democratic elected officials. This early support behind Buono of the three Democratic County parties, will go a long way in solidify her position as the eventual party standard bearer, who will take on Governor Christie in November.

If other potential candidates, such as former acting governor Dick Cody or NJ Senate President Steve Sweeney, continue to drag their feet declaring whether or not they plan on making a run at Christie this fall, it may be too late and too hard for them to get the support they will need to win June primary.

Speaking of Senator Buono, Monmouth's Chairman Gopal is quoted by NJ.com's Mark Bonamo as stating,“She is a smart, progressive, independent woman who can really take on [Christie], issue by issue, in this election. She is not a second-tier candidate. She is a first-tier candidate, and the strongest candidate to challenge Governor Christie,” and adds in the Huffington Post piece, "She is a genuine progressive, she connects with middle class voters... She is not a second-tier candidate, she is a first-tier candidate. The fact that she is very independent makes her a great candidate."

As I've stated here before, don't underestimate Barbara Buono. She will be a formidable and as the  only woman seeking a governorship in the nation this year thus far, she would have a large backing from various women's organizations from around the country, which could theoretically at least,  pump a considerable amount of money her way.

I think she's terrific and she will have my backing (for whatever it's worth)!

Monmouth Democratic Chairman Makes List Of Top Power Brokers In NJ

PolitickerNJ came out today with their annual list of the Top 100 Political Power Brokers in the state.

Among those making this years list of the most influential poltical players in NJ are a numbr of people who's name  are familiar to me but that I have never met such as, South Jersey Democratic Party Leader, George Norcross (#1), Governor Christies brother, Todd Christie (#11), the self important mega mainiac, TV personality and  billionaire, Donald Trump (#18) and Monouth Universtity pollster, Patrick Murrary.

Those that I have met, spoken to or exchanged an idea or two with in the past include Impact NJ's Mike Murphy (#62), Maggie Moran, former deputy chief of staff for Governor Corzine (#68) and Janice Fuller, District Director for Congressman Pallone (#84).

Vin Gopal

But the person on the list that I am most impressed by, happy about and proud to call a true friend, is none other than Monmouth County Democratic Chairman Vin Gopal, listed at #96.

I've known Chairman Gopal for several years now and I have never met anyone more energenic and committeed to the Democratic cause in my life than he. Gopal has spent the past few years building aliances and friendships thought out Monmouth County and the state, in the effort to get Democrats elected to office and build the Party.

PolitickerNJ  says:

 "... Gopal stands out as a rising statewide star within the party and, as an Indian American representative of the state's fastest growing could someday make a formidable congressional candidate."

If that is something that my friend Vin Gopal wishes for his future than I would be all in, helping him in anyway I could. He has a bright future, the sky is the limit for him.

For a the full list of those that made the power brokers list you can find it .... Here 

Two Local Losers Of The Week

According to PolitickerNJ (and I happen to agree) two local losers for this past week are non other that U.S. Senate candidate Joe (first I was against the Millionaire's Tax now I'm for it)  Kryrillos and former Monmouth County Freeholder and of Highlands NJ Mayor, Anna Little.

Little and her perennial candidacies for office, has become a joke. She has no money and not a chance in hellof unseating Frank Pallone for his 6th District Congressional seat.

Joe Kyrillos shows what an empty shirt he is by coming out in support of a millionaire's tax after he voted against one numerous times in the state senate.  He's down in the polls and is trying to distance himself from the Paul Ryan effect by attempting to show statewide residents that he really is a moderate when it comes to tax policy and not your typical conservative anti-tax, anti-middle-class lapdog.  

Anna LittleThe 6^th District challenger is down to Christine O’Donnell and Michelle Bachmann for support as she seeks traction for a second run against incumbent U.S. Rep. Frank Pallone (D-6). Who’s next? San Francisco Mayoral candidate Kevin James?

Joe KyrillosThe U.S. Senate candidate became vulnerable this week to attacks from his opponent, as Menendez surrogate state Sen. Linda Greenstein (D-14) demanded to know why Kyrillos didn’t vote for the millionaire’s tax if he favors possibly raising taxes on the rich.

Democracy For America Chairman Jim Dean To Support Gopal For Monmouth County Chairman

The race to become the next Chairman of the Monmouth County Democratic organization is starting to get interesting.

According to a post on PolitickerNJ this morning, Jim Dean, the founder and Chairman of  Democracy for America, will be coming to Asbury Park NJ on April 29th to support Vin Gopal in his effort to become the next Chairman of the Monmouth Democrats.

From PolitickerNJ:

Jim Dean, National Chairman of Democracy for America, the nation's largest grassroots political action committee, is getting involved in a New Jersey county chairman's race.

Dean will be in Asbury Park on April 29 to speak to county committee members about supporting Vin Gopal's candidacy. Dean's brother, Howard Dean, is the founder of DFA and is a former Democratic National Committee chairman and 2004 Presidential candidate.

Gopal, a Long Branch businessman, is running against Marlboro Democratic Party Municipal Chairman Frank LaRocca in the June convention. The winner will succeed 23-year incumbent Victor Scudiery, who is retiring. 

OP-ED: Governor Rex Christie

In light of the big game tonight, Josh Henne sent me a link to this op-ed he wrote on the striking similarities between Rex Ryan & Chris Christie. It appears over at PolitickerNJ:

In a sea of vanilla coaches and milquetoast politicians, Jets Coach Rex Ryan and New Jersey Governor Chris Christie have burnished reputations for bluster, bullying and bombast. They’re tailor-made for the attention-deficit, me-first, sizzle-over-substance society we live in. A splashy quote, a bold claim with a curse-word thrown in for good measure…and bickety-bam you’ve got a nice hit on the nightly news or a clip to go viral online. Sure, these two men can be considered refreshing. But so is a colonic. And you certainly don’t want to deal with either on a daily basis.

It stands to reason these two larger-than-life characters stand out – because Christie and Ryan both furnish the media with quality copy and soundbites. However, there’s a fine line between being charming and becoming a caricature of yourself. And leaders are afforded a short rope before folks start realizing the rhetoric doesn’t match the results. In recent months, Christie and Ryan have planted their feet firmly on the wrong side of both accounts.

The beauty of both politics and the playing field is that these arenas are results-oriented. The metrics of wins and accomplishments are the only ones that matter. It’s not just about who can talk the biggest game. And the shtick employed by both Christie and Ryan runs thin once you scratch the surface of their swagger.

No one remembers football teams who never make it to the big game – no matter how many times their coach promises a trip to the Super Bowl. Rex believes if he yells loud enough folks will forget choking in the conference championship or failing to even make the playoffs. If Ryan makes himself the story, perhaps fans won’t notice his team regressing or his quarterback failing to grow.

In politics, its hard to take someone seriously who hogs the spotlight, bashes his own state to pander to Iowa crowds and tosses the word “hell” into public statements like a twelve-year old who just discovered cursing. It’s difficult to believe someone is authentic when they pack taxpayer-funded townhall meetings with partisan backers and care more about generating youtube moments than results. It’s hard to take Governor Christie at his word as he pledges poverty when cutting essential programs, yet miraculously finds funds to give handouts and bailouts to casino execs, mall developers and those at the tippy top of the economic strata.

The words “doing the big thing” are often shouted to the rafters by Chris Christie. Yet if you look at actual results, he comes up small every time. New Jersey lags the nation when it comes to employment. And no matter how many times Christie claims he hasn’t raised taxes, all anyone has to do is hold up a train ticket, scan a tuition bill from a state university or look at their property taxes to see swelling costs.

Both Christie and Ryan have an amazing ability to change the topic following failures. Rex shoots off his mouth after a loss, giving excuses while still calling his team the one to beat - no matter how badly he was outcoached by those who might not be as flashy, but have more substance. When Christie skipped town with an historic blizzard bearing down on his state, the governor refused to take responsibility and even blamed local mayors when he finally came home from his Disney vacation. When New Jersey’s children lost $400 million in Race to the Top funding because his administration bungled a simple application, Christie first blamed Barack Obama and then threw his own Education Commissioner under the bus.

Chris Christie might not share Rex Ryan's predilection for sucking on toes. But the governor does spend an inordinate amount of time and energy sucking up to the Koch Brothers, Karl Rove and corporate lobbyists. And that’s a far more nefarious fetish. Because these one-percenters are seeking to scale back regulations in order to better their bottom line - even if it means poisoning New Jersey's land, air and water. In Christie’s New Jersey, middle-class families find themselves in harms way time and again.

Like Rex Ryan, Christie’s image as a take-charge guy rings hollow when you see the rudderless execution of plans. Womens’ health, infrastructure improvements and education efforts have all been defunded. Cops and firefighters receive pink slips, while crime escalates. And Christie has no vision for the future – as evidenced by cancelling the ARC Tunnel linking to Manhattan which would have taken cars off the road, reduced greenhouse gas emissions, raised home values and created 6,000 immediate jobs and 45,000 future jobs.

On the playground, the cardinal rule is that when you’ve got a big mouth you’ve got to be able to back it up. The quickest way to shut up a bully is to call them out. And for all their blunt statements and bold claims, folks are finally catching onto the Christie-Ryan playbook. The coach and the governor have both elevated the bar with inflated achievement to the point that even slight improvements would seem mundane when the tale of the tape is truly told. More and more, their exhortations are being met with eyerolls and yawns.

With his annual guarantees of a Super Bowl victory, yet failing to even make the playoffs this year, Rex Ryan is clearly no second coming of Joe Namath. And Chris Christie...well, let's just hope he goes the way of Sarah Palin. A one-term governor with a big personality who burst onto the national scene and became addicted to the adulation to the point of diminishing returns and eventual ridicule.

What society needs – in all facets of life - are leaders of substance focused on results, not their own ego or personal gratification. Clearly, Coach Ryan and Governor Christie care more about creating headlines than making a real difference. We should treat them like a parent dropping off a crying kid at nursery school. All they want is attention, so if we just walk away hopefully they'll get the hint and cut the act.

Josh Henne is a Democratic strategist and a Giants fan.

LD-12 candidate Brown to Christie: 'Now that you're staying in NJ, join me in denouncing Sam Thompson's double dipping'

NEWS RELEASE
October 5, 2011

Old Bridge – Now that Governor Chris Christie has decided not to pursue the Republican nomination for President, District 12 State Senate candidate Bob Brown is calling on him to join in calling for Assemblyman Sam Thompson to stop double dipping. Thompson is collecting both a pension from a state government job he retired from and a salary as a state legislator, totaling over $100,000.

“Governor Christie has been very clear on double dipping in the past – he’s totally against it and so am I,” said Brown, a retired police officer who was shot in the line of duty and later became an attorney. “Now that the Governor has decided to stay in New Jersey, I hope he’ll join me in telling Sam Thompson to stop abusing taxpayers by taking both a state pension and salary.”

Christie famously said that reporters should “take the bat out” on State Senator Loretta Weinberg earlier this year after it became clear that she was double dipping, and has also criticized Essex County Executive Joseph DiVincenzo, an ally of his, for the same practice. Brown currently receives a government disability pension but has pledged to stop receiving it if he’s elected to the state senate.

When asked by a reporter from PolitickerNJ about his double dipping, Thompson tried to turn the question around on police officers who take up a second career after retirement. Brown called on Thompson to apologize for these offensive comments about law enforcement but Thompson has refused.



For any additional information, please contact Philip Swibinski, campaign spokesman, at 201-978-8651 or philip.swibinski@vmmi.net.

LD12 Senate candidate Brown calls on opponent Thompson to apologize for anti-police comments

NEWS RELEASE
September 13, 2011

Old Bridge – State Senate candidate Bob Brown, a retired police officer who was shot in the line of duty, is calling on his opponent in the November election to apologize to law enforcement officials for a disparaging comment he made last week about retired police. Assemblyman Sam Thompson, the Republican nominee for Senate in Legislative District 12, was replying to a call from Brown to forgo his public pension while he accrues a salary as a legislator, a practice known as “double dipping.”

In reference to Brown’s criticism of Thompson’s double dipping, the Assemblyman said to PolitickerNJ.com that Brown should “look at all his fellow law enforcement officers who retire and take a second career. Is he bothered by that?” (Source: PolitickerNJ)

“First Sam Thompson refuses to stop abusing New Jersey taxpayers by double dipping, taking both a public pension and public salary. Now, he has insulted police officers everywhere by comparing his selfish actions to their struggle to put food on their families’ tables,” said Brown, who went to law school after becoming permanently disabled because of a gunshot wound. “Police officers put their lives on the line every day to keep us all safe. Thompson owes all of them an apology.”

Thompson continues to receive both his salary and pension, totaling over $100,000 per year, despite calls from Brown to stop collecting one of the other. Brown currently receives a disability pension and has pledged not to collect it if he is elected to the State Senate.

Mr. Kyrillos Wants to Go to Washington; Christopher Cullen to remain in district to fight for working families

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
June 13, 2011

HAZLET – Following today’s Politicker New Jersey report that Republican Joe Kyrillos filed papers with the Federal Election Commission forming an exploratory committee for U.S. Senate, his Democratic challenger Christopher Cullen issued the following statement:

With each passing day it’s clearer and clearer to me that Joe Kyrillos cares more about his next political move than he does the people of the Thirteenth Legislative District. If Joe plans on jumping ship, he should make a public statement to that effect. It’s time we had a voice in Trenton who cares more about the concerns of seniors and working families than he does about his next political move. I will stay right here, fighting to create jobs and protect our environment.

Mayor Cullen served on the Hazlet Township Committee from 2001-2004. During that time, he preserved more open space than any mayor in Hazlet history. He currently works as facilities maintenance manager for the Marine Academy of Science and Technology at Sandy Hook.

The new Thirteenth Legislative District comprises Aberdeen, Atlantic Highlands, Fair Haven, Hazlet, Highlands, Holmdel, Keansburg, Keyport, Little Silver, Marlboro, Middletown, Monmouth Beach, Oceanport, Rumson, Sea Bright, and Union Beach.

Santiago convinced he has a shot in newly configured LD 11

By Max Pizzaro @ PolitickerNJ

Still reeling from Gov. Chris Christie's 2009 cannonball that undid their meticulously constructed designs for county control, Monmouth County Democrats are trying to re-inflate enthusiasm around the candidacies of Freeholder Amy Mallet and an 11th District legislative slate that benefits from redistricting.

At the the top of the ticket for the Democrats as they try to unseat state Sen. Jennifer Beck, (R-12), of Red Bank stands Ray Santiago of Freehold Township, a Puerto Rican born success story who grew up in Brooklyn and hung up the law shingle in lush Monmouth County about ten years.

Coming off back to back losses at the local level and deprived of the two years of fundraising he says he, of course, would have preferred, he took the short runway shot at a Senate candidacy based on redistricting and his belief that the district is winnable. Registration in a district composed in part of old 11th District towns, including Asbury Park and Long Branch, favors Democrats: 36,643 to 26,405 Republicans with an additional 68,899 undecided voters, but again, the overall trend lines in Monmouth have been steadily Republican in the Christie era.

Santiago plans to run against Beck in part on a platform of wanting to improve the schools funding formula in order to exert fairness for Monmouth County towns. Part of his argument for election includes the pitch that he will be more independent than Republicans forced into line by the animated Christie.

"I'm not a fan of Governor Christie's," Santiago told PolitickerNJ.com. "I don't like the mannerism in which he makes his case. It's my way or the highway. Moreover, all of his talk of cuts simply forces the towns to raise taxes at the local level."

As for Beck, "What positive things has she done?" Santiago wanted to know.

Challenged to explain how he thinks another lawyer in Trenton can make the case to regular voters that he would effectively answer their constituent needs, Santiago said, "As an attorney, I have first-hand knowledge of how these laws impact people. Who better to draft and create legislation? I would say this, too, importantly, my sense of the law - my sense of my profession - is that it is the service of human need. The way I approach the law, it is in service of the disadvantaged."

Governor Houdini

The following commentary was sent to me by a fellow reader who found it posted over atPolitickerNJ. The commentary was written by NJ State Senate Majority Leader Barbara Bouno.

In her commentary Senator Buono states that Governor Christie should stop trying to be a magician that uses smoke and mirrors to deflect peoples attention away from the real issues facing tax payers. She says that the governor's magical "toolkit" is not necessarily the whole answer to the property taxes and he should stop pretending that it is because other issues like getting people back to work and creating jobs will do just as much to alleviate the tax burden

than many of the proposals in the "toolkit".

It's an interesting read, take a look at it below:

The key to any good magician’s act is to distract the audience from the ruse being played, usually with a flashy object, so they don’t realize that the whole act is nothing more than smoke and mirrors.

In many ways, Governor Christie’s “toolkit” to help control property tax increases is a similar smoke and mirror act. Sure, there are several worthy bills among the 30 or so ideas the Governor proposed. The civil service and interest arbitration reform measures we recently passed will certainly have an impact in controlling some of the main drivers of local government spending as employee contracts are renegotiated down the road.

But many of the other proposals will have little to no effect on property taxes in the short or long term. In fact, the administration has failed to produce cost-saving estimates for most of the Governor’s proposals.

Yet the Governor continues to flash his shiny toolkit around as the sole means for helping towns stay within the new two-percent property tax cap about to go into effect.

Why?

Because he is hoping his magic act will distract people from the fact that he has failed to address many of the state’s larger woes – stimulating the economy, putting people back to work – while exacerbating the growing divide between the “haves” and “have nots.”

Our jobless rate remains alarmingly high while the Governor has fought to scale back unemployment benefits. He has staunchly defended tax breaks for the state’s wealthiest residents while cutting the Earned Income Tax Credit for our poorest. Increased New Jersey Transit fees, cuts in after school programs and a general lack of job stimulation ideas are all an increasing attack on New Jersey’s middle and lower income families.

Either the Governor is bereft of financial acuity or simply lacks compassion for the working men and women of this state held hostage by the lingering recession.

A clear example of the former is his dumbfounding claim that Moody’s recent municipal bond downgrade is “a great referendum” on his policies because it means we’re “getting our fiscal house in order.” For a governor to boast about municipalities in our state being downgraded which will increase the cost of borrowing is insane especially when his policies have increased the state’s long-term debt obligation.

Everyone will readily admit that property taxes are one of the most pressing issues facing New Jersey. But for our roughly 400,000 residents looking for work so they can afford to stay in their house, or even buy one to begin with, it is crucial that our public policy agenda succeeds in breathing life into our anemic economy.

In order to tackle the broader challenges we face at a state, we need to focus on economic development and job stimulation. This underscores the contrast between the Governor’s agenda and the democratic led “Back to Work NJ” agenda in the legislature.

We have steadily been advancing roughly 30 measures to make New Jersey a more business-friendly state in order to get people back into the workforce. Many of these bills will bring to life real solutions to address the challenges that have been laid out in ongoing conversations we have had with business leaders throughout the state.

Several measures would modernize our business tax codes to benefit in-state based businesses and small businesses, the latter of which I sponsored. Another bill will expand the program that currently offers grants to businesses to help retain and create jobs, a practical, hands-on measure that will actually put people back to work.

Other components of this package seek to provide tax credits to the biotech industry, to encourage upstart companies to locate in New Jersey. And taking a cue from the successful “Georgia Work$” program, we are looking to create a similar model in New Jersey that would provide the critical training residents need to find work in key industries.

Hopefully the Governor will put his magic act on hold long enough to see the merit in these bills and sign them into law. By putting people back to work, we will be able to help people stay in their homes, generate increased revenue, and fund the vital services needed to keep our state moving forward.