NJ Spotlight: A conversation with Matthew Jenkins, NJ District 4 Democratic candidate

 

NJ Spotlight News Senior Digital Projects Editor Colleen O’Dea sits down with New Jersey’s District 4 Democratic candidate Matthew Jenkins. 

 NJ Decides 2024 Election Exchange is a political podcast series that gives New Jersey voters insight into the candidates running for Congress this November. NJ Spotlight News Anchor Briana Vannozzi, Senior Political Correspondent David Cruz, and Senior Digital Projects Editor Colleen O’Dea sit down with candidates for one-on-one candid conversations about the issues impacting the Garden State. 

 

Upcoming Candidate Forums / Debates

(Info provided by MiddletownDemocrat.org)

Letter: Support Josh Welle for U.S. Congress

Dear Editor:

Voters in New Jersey's 4th Congressional District who value equality and human rights should tell Trump-supporting Republican incumbent Congressman Chris Smith, "You're Fired", by casting their U.S. House of Representatives vote for Democratic candidate Joshua Welle, a respected U.S. Navy Veteran.

Joshua Welle won the Democratic Party primary to challenge draconian bigot Republican Congressman Chris Smith, who doesn't believe that LGBT couples should be allowed to adopt children, and instead Smith prefers to warehouse children in orphanages. If the voters don't stand up and throw Smith out of office, the district is effectively endorsing his hate. Smith is also unsurprisingly opposed to women's reproductive rights, so he clearly needs to go. Joshua Welle supports the rights of women and LGBT people, so voting for him should be an easy sell for anyone with an ounce of human decency.

Prior to retiring, I was an active leader in efforts to support LGBT students, staff, and faculty at Brookdale Community College. Yet Congressman Smith, whose district includes our campus community, shamefully opposes the environment of equality we sought to achieve.

The bottom line is, if you're a bigot who hates the gay community, incumbent Republican Chris Smith is your guy. If you believe all our diverse citizens must be treated with respect and dignity, Democrat Josh Welle is who will represent you in Congress.

Now that the lid has been blown off on Chris Smith's anti-LGBT extremist views, voters need to take action by electing Democratic candidate for U.S. House Josh Welle.

Carol "Kitty" Hafner (D)
Former Congressional Candidate
Box Elder, South Dakota


The expressed opinions or views of this letter does not necessarily represent the opinion of the MiddletownMike blog.

No Show Smith

sloanesjacket
Published on Jul 24, 2017 

Rep. Chris "No Show" Smith (NJ-04) has not held a public town hall in nearly 25 years. Instead, he prefers to spend his time demonizing his constituents on talk radio and in the op-ed pages of the local paper, rubbing elbows with campaign donors, and taking it easy in his home of the last few decades in Herndon, VA. He has yet to say anything challenging the increasingly-disturbing Trump administration, probably because he's made a bargain to continue fawning over 45 in exchange for the ability to advance his misogynistic, homophobic, anti-choice agenda.

Letter: Women In The 4th Congressional District Deserve Better

The expressed opinions or views of this letter does not necessarily represent the opinion of the MiddletownMike blog:


As a District 4 constituent, I have contacted Congressman Chris Smith’s office on two issues that affect women in New Jersey. Statistics show that 52 women a month are killed due to domestic abuse in America (more than any other developed nation), but Smith, along with many other congressmen, has refused to support expanded national universal background checks that would help keep guns out of the hands of dangerous people. He has also voted against the Violence Against Women Act.

Smith’s voting record on women’s health care has resulted in the shuttering of accessible neighborhood health care clinics, necessitating expensive, long-distance travel for women who care for sick children, elderly parents or themselves. Turning the clock back on reproductive rights increases the suffering of women when access to a safe abortion is removed, especially in cases of rape, incest or to save the life of the mother.

Smith’s bill to block private insurance and flexible spending money from paying for birth control also affects a couple’s right to plan for their family’s future and again causes undue financial burden.

In this election season, we have an opportunity to choose a forward-thinking candidate who will stand firm to help women on these issues, as well as increase aid in areas such as education, income equality, child welfare and social justice. After 36 years, District 4 deserves a representative who is interested in tackling head on all the issues that pose a threat to our health and well-being.

Rosalind Ressner
Millstone Township

District 4 Fundraiser for Lorna Phillipson

Congressman Smith Betrays Survivors Of Human Trafficking (S. 178)

NJ.Com Letter: Rep. Chris Smith Should Know LGBT People Are Humans With Rights

The following letter appeared on NJ.com over the weekend and let me just say that I am so glad that Frank Pallone Jr. is my congressman and not Chris Smith:



I am disturbed by our congressman's disregard for the civil rights of the men and women of my community. Rep. Chris Smith recently made the comment: "I am a strong believer in traditional marriage, and do not construe homosexual rights as human rights." To add further outrage, Rep. Smith is co-chairman of the House human rights subcommittee.

Rep. Smith's unkind comment implies there is a difference between the rights of LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender) individuals and the rights of human beings. He has occupied New Jersey's District 4 congressional seat for 33 years. Smith portrays himself as a moderate Republican, but his position on social issues is of the most extreme in Congress on the rights of LGBT individuals and women. As Rep. Smith does not include his anti-LGBT and anti-women legislative work in his newsletter, I suspect he knows the majority of this community would not support his extreme agenda. I believe Rep. Smith is re-elected because voters are not aware of his disturbing record.

Rep. Smith's position is out of step with our community, out of step with New Jersey and out of step with most of America. Our representatives in Congress are elected by us to represent our values in Washington, D.C. They write laws and make policy that affect our daily lives. It is time to elect a new lawmaker in District 4 that truly represents the moderate views of this community.

Bari Rosenberg,
Manalapan
The writer is a member of the District 4 Coalition for Change.

THE Congressman CHRIS SMITH PACKAGE.

By District 4 Coalition for Change

A Republican supporter of our movement to #stopchrissmith told us that her Republican friends were going to vote for the whole package, regarding Chris Smith.

So, we decided to review what is in the Chris Smith Package and here are our TOP TEN reasons to VOTE AGAINST Chris Smith.

1. Voted to close the government - closing parks, impacting veteran benefits and putting people out of work.

2. Voted for the Ryan Budge - cutting benefits for Veterans, the elderly and cuts long term care for the disabled and autistic. Also, reopens the prescription drug "Donut hole" impacting the elderly.
The Consortium for Disabled Persons, the Veterans and the Autistic Society urged Smith to NOT vote YES on the Ryan Budget - but he voted as a GOP block anyway and ignored is constituents.

3. He has not lived in NJ for over 30 years. His children received Virginia In State tuition for college. He was not here for 9/11, Irene or Sandy. Which is probably why he made an oath to NOT support any climate change legislation unless it also provided tax cuts for the biggest polluters, the Koch Brothers who wrote the pledge!

4. He voted Against Wage Fairness in 2014

5. Voted for Personhood over and over again. Personhood gives a fetus the same rights as an adult human. Personhood BANS ALL birth control, stem cell research and in - vitro fertilization.

6. Wrote Bill, HR3, redefining the language of rape to forcible rape. Women would have to be beaten, bloody or worse to prove they were raped based on Smith's definition.

7. Voted to OUTLAW the Birth Control Pill.

8. Smith is Against CHOICE even in cases of RAPE, INCEST and to SAVE THE LIFE OF THE MOTHER.

9. Smith refuses to support common sense expanded Universal Background Checks that keep guns out of the hands of rapists, criminals, domestic abusers and terrorists. Even after 87 school shootings, Smith will not support Gun Reform.

10. Voted Against the VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN'S ACT IN 2013.

To boot, Smith will not support Marriage Equality.

Is that the package that the Republican's are voting for?

Who in this District does he actually represent?

Help us #stopchrissmith and his #waronwomen by sharing Smith's voting record and #GOTV

Towns in District 4 NJ
Allentown, Bayhead, Belmar, Bradley Beach, Colts Neck, Eatontown, Englishtown, Fair Haven, Farmingdale, Freehold Township, Freehold Boro, Hamilton, Holmdel, Howell, Jackson, Lake Como, Lakehurst, Lakewood, Little Silver, Manalapan, Manasquan, Manchester, Middletown, Millstone, Neptune, Ocean, Pt. Pleasant, Pt. Pleasant Beach, Red Bank, Robbinsville, Roosevelt, Rumson, Seat Girt, Shrewsbury, Spring Lake, Tinton Falls, Upper Freehold, Wall, Neptune, Neptune City

APP LETTER: Smith on wrong side of women’s issues

The following is yet another anti-Chris Smith letter that appeared lately in the Asbury Park Press:

In response to the Sept. 20 letter regarding Rep. Chris Smith’s views on important issues, he is especially out of touch on women’s issues.

Smith voted against Equal Pay for Women, voted against the Violence Against Women’s Act, voted to outlaw the birth control pill and voted to block private insurance and flexible spending account money from covering contraception. He also wrote a bill (HR3) to redefine rape to forcible rape, which would decriminalize statutory rape. Drugged and raped, date rape and even incest of children would no longer be rape under Smith’s definition.

Smith is against a women’s right to choose even in cases of rape, incest and to save the life of the mother. He voted for fetal personhood, which would ban all oral contraceptives, in-vitro fertilization and stem cell research. It would also criminalize a women’s choice, regardless of the reason.

Incredibly, Smith has not lived in New Jersey for more than 30 years. He is not one of us nor has he shared our collective experience as a community with regard to 9/11, Hurricane Irene or superstorm Sandy. Having not lived through Sandy must be the reason Smith pledged not to support any climate change legislation unless it included a tax break for the biggest polluters, the Koch brothers. It’s nice he helped David Goldman get his son back in 2009, but that does not excuse his attack on women’s basic rights and all the rest.

Robin Nowicki

Manalapan

D4CC's Powerful Video about Congressman Chris Smith's Voting Record

District 4 Coalition for Change

We have been working hard for nearly 9 months trying to raise awareness about Congressman Smith. Thanks to our members and our amazing staff, many people in District 4 NJ now know about Congressman Smith and he can no longer hide in plain sight. NOW it's time to let the entire country know what we are doing and expose Congressman Smith to those that do not know about his anti women agenda. Perhaps we can inspire people all over the country to pay closer attention to who their Representatives are and how they vote.

Please watch our Powerful Video and share it with everyone you know.




**************

District 4 Coalition for Change was established to raise public awareness about NJ Congressman Chris Smith's voting record. Most specifically his extreme anti-women voting record.
#stopchrissmith

Letter: Scolavino Won't Take Time Off When There Is Work To Be Done

To the Editor:

Did you know Congress and my opponent Chris Smith just voted to give themselves the next two months off! So regardless of the fact that the economy remains stagnant, that we are in the beginning stages of a new war and that immigration is no closer to being fixed, Congress has chosen to take the next 2 months off the job we pay them to do in order to campaign. They spend more time trying to keep their jobs than actually doing their job! I somehow manage to run my law practice, be an adjunct professor, execute my duties as the public defender in a local town and serve on the board of my church, while running this campaign. I find the idea that my opponent takes months off every year from his job, while the common person has to work two or more jobs without time off just to make ends meet insulting. If you are sick of these professional politicians who are out of touch with the real world, it's time to vote them all out on November 4th.


Ruben M. Scolavino
Congressional Candidate for New Jersey 4th Congressional District

Smith Called Out For His Extremism In The NYT

Seeing how Chris Smith is Middletown's other U.S. Congressman. He started representing our town in 2012 and thought I should pass along the following Letter to the Editor that appeared in the New York Times earlier in the week.

The more Middletown voters get to know Chris Smith, the more they are to dislike him:

To the Editor:

Re “Quackery and Abortion Rights” (editorial, Aug. 21): Women in this country should not be fooled into thinking that efforts to restrict access to abortion and reproductive health services are a Texas problem or a “Southern” problem. In fact, there have been several moves to pass federal “personhood” bills by conservative House members.

Most recently, in the 112th Congress, H.R. 374 was proposed, which said that life begins at fertilization, making abortion virtually illegal, as well as virtually outlawing birth control pills, the IUD and the morning-after pill. Representatives Christopher Smith and Scott Garrett of New Jersey and Michael Grimm of New York were the bill’s co-sponsors.

If ever a midterm election were important on the issue of women’s reproductive rights, this November is it. If Republicans take the Senate as well as the House, access to women’s reproductive health services will not be just a Texas problem, but also a national one.

BONNIE CHALEK
Ridgewood, N.J., Aug. 21, 2014

Extremism Is Alive and Well in Middletown

Savvy Smith Undermines his Own Work for Austism

By District 4 Coalition for Change

Publically Congressman Chris Smith Is a Champion of Autism but behind closed doors he undermines his work and his constituents. Please share this with friends and family that care about Autism.

Smith is savvy. His Newsletter arrived in the mail this week.

What Smith Omits from his Newsletter is what we should be paying attention to.

He left out his Signature Legislation HR7 that blocks private insurance companies and Flexible Spending Accounts from covering women's reproductive care. There was no mention of the Hobby Lobby and Buffer rulings in the Supreme Court in which he advocated for as well as helped architect the legislation and... NO MENTION OF THE RYAN BUDGET in which Smith VOTED YEA.

(Recent Chris Smith Newsletter)

The Ryan Budget was warned as dangerous by the Autism Society.
http://www.autismpolicyblog.com/2011/05/autism-society-ryan-plan.html






Smith is a savvy politician, he publically supports Autism research and fund raising but when he votes ... he stabs his constituents in the back and undermines his own work.

#chrissmithhastogo

Towns in District 4 NJ:
Allentown, Bayhead, Belmar, Bradley Beach, Colts Neck, Eatontown, Englishtown, Fair Haven, Farmingdale, Freehold Township, Freehold Boro, Hamilton, Holmdel, Howell, Jackson, Lake Como, Lakehurst, Lakewood, Little Silver, Manalapan, Manasquan, Manchester, Middletown, Millstone, Neptune, Ocean, Pt. Pleasant, Pt. Pleasant Beach, Red Bank, Robbinsville, Roosevelt, Rumson, Seat Girt, Shrewsbury, Spring Lake, Tinton Falls, Upper Freehold, Wall, Neptune, Neptune City

Congressman Chris Smith Wants To Regulate A Woman's Body

By District 4 Coalition for Change

The President does NOT write the LAW. Congress writes the LAWS that govern us. Congressman Chris Smith hides in plain sight voting against women and leading the attack on women's rights.

Smith votes against women and against the empowerment and freedom of women. Smith is the Chair of the Congressional Pro Life Caucus which is the think tank of the legislation written, sponsored and voted on by Smith and his colleagues.

STOP SMITH'S VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN.
Like and Share.

These links represent Chris Smith's Voting Record taken from VOTE SMART - an official website for Congressional voting records.

http://votesmart.org/candidate/key-votes/26952/chris-smith/2/abortion#.U-E1WM3D_cs

http://votesmart.org/candidate/key-votes/26952/chris-smith/75/abortion-and-reproductive#.U-E1I83D_cs

#chrissmithhastogo

Towns in District 4 NJ
Allentown, Bayhead, Belmar, Bradley Beach, Colts Neck, Eatontown, Englishtown, Fair Haven, Farmingdale, Freehold Township, Freehold Boro, Hamilton, Holmdel, Howell, Jackson, Lake Como, Lakehurst, Lakewood, Little Silver, Manalapan, Manasquan, Manchester, Middletown, Millstone, Neptune, Ocean, Pt. Pleasant, Pt. Pleasant Beach, Red Bank, Robbinsville, Roosevelt, Rumson, Seat Girt, Shrewsbury, Spring Lake, Tinton Falls, Upper Freehold, Wall, Neptune, Neptune City

Middletown's Congressman, Chris Smith's Extreme Legislation on Rape

by District 4 Coalition for Change

What has Congressman Smith been doing while representing our District in Congress.
He has been redefining rape.

WATCH VIDEO AND SHARE

Chris Smith can lose in 2014 but not without your help.

Drugged, Raped and Pregnant? Too bad.

by District 4 Coalition for Change

This is what Congressman Smith has been doing while occupying our District 4 Congressional Seat. The seat we give him to represent OUR values.

Drugged, raped and Pregnant? Too bad. Congressman Chris Smith's Legislation HR3.
Please share... this information with friends and family.

It's up to us to raise awareness about Congressman Smith.

SMITH HIDES IN PLAIN SIGHT.

#CHRISSMITHHASTOGO

http://m.motherjones.com/politics/2011/01/republican-plan-redefine-rape-abortion

Stop the School Shooting

For Immediate Release:

Republican Congressman Chris Smith says that he feels sorry for the victims of the recent spate of gun violence. We are tired of politicians "feeling sorry"! We demand action right now! This do-nothing Congress has sat around avoiding the issue of gun control for too long.

Since the tragic shooting at Sandy Hook in December of 2012 there have been 74 school shootings. Just this year we have already had 37 shootings on school grounds. What more does this Congress need? How many innocent lives have been lost since Chris Smith took office over 30 years ago. Yet Smith has opposed universal background checks, and has done nothing to ban the sale of assault rifles, like the one used earlier this week in Portland. As many of you know, I have promised not to sell myself to special interest groups like the NRA.

I will stand up to powerful lobbyists and dedicate myself to taking assault rifles and other dangerous weapons off the street. I will fight to make sure that background checks, waiting periods and limits on the sale of all guns becomes the law throughout this entire country. I ask that you do what's right to protect our children on November 4th and vote Scolavino for Congress.

LETS STOP SCHOOL SHOOTINGS NOW!!!!!

#scolavino4congress
#congressionalchallenge

THE #CONGRESSIONALCHALLENGE: AN IDEA WHOSE TIME HAS COME

For Immediate Release:

It is a great moment in our campaign as we now begin the fight to win back Washington in earnest. I
have thought long and hard about what I can bring to this upcoming campaign, and more importantly as
your future voice in Washington. It is clear that Washington is broken and the primary reason for all
that is wrong with politics comes down to one specific issue, namely that of the influence of special
interests and the incredible amount of money they spend to influence our lawmakers. It is no longer a
Congress for the people, but rather a Congress sold to the highest bidder. From the NRA to Super Pacs
to corporate lobbying groups, elections are being decided by who raises the most money. Unfortunately
the organizations that finance these campaigns and elected officials, do so with the expectation that they
will decide what goes on the agenda in Congress. As these groups are allowed to spend more and more
money, they become the only voices that have any impact on lawmakers in Washington. The needs of
regular people like you and me are being ignored and our votes become diluted in favor of the wealthy
and special interests.

That’s why I have decided to do something different in this election. I will disavow any contributions
from special interests groups or PACs or Super Pacs or other organizations. I will not sell myself in
order to win this campaign! This will be a campaign based on issues, about the people, for the
people. I will contact any group that has already been contacted by my campaign, and inform them of
my decision and give back any funds that have been accepted by my campaign. But more importantly I
will challenge my opponent and all those who are running for Congress this year to do the same! Give
back the special interest money and run on the issues! We should no longer expect our Congress to be
sponsored by corporate interests. So join me if you support the idea that Congress belongs to us, and
spread the word on Twitter and Facebook using #CongressionalChallenge. Contact your
Congressman or candidate and tell them that you want them to join us in the #CongressionalChallenge,
vowing to accept only individual contributions and to give back any money from PACs or other special
interests groups. Let’s take back our Government!

Sincerely,
Ruben Scolavino