Cory Booker Announces 2020 Presidential Run

Late last night / early this morning, New Jersey's junior U.S. Senator, Cory Booker announced that he will be running for President in 2020.

I've met Cory Booker on a few occasions. He's charming, affable and has the ability to give a great speech. But if I'm honest, he doesn't have the "street cred" yet to run for president. What record does he have to point to in the Senate or before that, as the superhero Mayor of Newark? Running into burning buildings in Newark or saving freezing puppies doesn't do it.

At least the last NJ Senator to run for president, Bill Bradley, was a tax policy guru and was responsible for rewriting much of the tax code back in the 80's.

At this point, I don't know who I will be supporting in 2020 but if it is Booker, he really needs to convince me that he's more than a photo op candidate. He has the potential to be the next "Rock Star" politician but so far he hasn't done anything to distinguish himself on the national stage. He's known more so as a flip-flopper on issues rather than a progressive elite.  If he can't shake the image of a flip-flopper,  he won't be getting out of Iowa next February.

Here is the campaign video announcing his presidential bid.

The Weight of History

The following is from Congressman Rush Holt's newsletter

During my tenure in Congress, the preservation of historically and environmentally significant land has been an important concern for me. My legislation to expand the Battlefield Acquisition Grant Program, which passed in the House, is awaiting action in the Senate. The bill would help organizations acquire funding to preserve Revolutionary War and War of 1812 sites in the United States. Hundreds of battlefields and associated sites need to be preserved, many in New Jersey.

Rep. Rush Holt receives the Preservation Leadership Award from Jim Lighthizer, President of the Civil War Trust, and Civil War Trust Board Member Bill Vodra

I was recognized this week by the Civil War Trust for my work on preservation. The Trust presented me with a plaque and two artifacts from the Civil War: a brass breastplate engraved with the Union Eagle, and a New Jersey officer’s uniform button engraved with the Great Seal of New Jersey. The breastplate was unearthed at the Chancellorsville Battlefield in Virginia, where 24 New Jersey regiments fought from May 1-5, 1863, and suffered 1,700 casualties.

To hold these two relics from a key moment in our American story is to feel the weight of history and understand the need to protect our historical sites.




Common Sense Reform

Last week, U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder announced that he would be stepping down after almost six years as our nation’s top law enforcement officer. He has some important actions and positions to point to. During his tenure the Department of Justice has fought to uphold the civil liberties of LGBT citizens, has defended the right of all Americans to vote, and has protected immigrants from harassment. While I felt he could have done more on issues like the NYPD’s warrantless surveillance of Muslim Americans, he has “done much to make real the promise of our democracy” as he said when announcing his resignation.

Just this month, the Attorney General announced that for the first time in 34 years, the federal prison population has actually decreased by 4,800 inmates. While the United States encompasses five percent of the world’s population, we imprison almost 25 percent of the total global prison population. An important factor in this change has been the Attorney General’s efforts to reduce mandatory minimum sentences, which I have long opposed because they discount mitigating factors in crimes and are discriminatory towards people of color.

We must also take other sensible steps to reform our broken criminal justice system. Senator Cory Booker has introduced the REDEEM (Record Expungement Designed to Enhance Employment) Act to give individuals convicted of non-violent crimes a second chance.

The Most Powerful Instrument Devised By Man

In 1965, President Lyndon B. Johnson said that "the vote is the most powerful instrument ever devised by man for breaking down injustice." September 23rd commemorated National Voter Registration Day. Here in New Jersey the deadline to register to vote in the general election in November is October 14th. If you have not yet registered to vote, I encourage you to click here.

We must all remember that our duty does not stop with registration. Voter turnout is about 14 percent lower in non-Presidential election years (like this one) than when the office of the President is on the ballot. I understand that citizens are often busy and distracted, and sometimes unsure or confused about the candidates, or just plain cynical, but we must try to get all to exercise the most basic part of citizenship. Also, we in government must work to ensure that all eligible voters have good access, and that all votes are counted reliably and verifiably.

Sincerely,

Rush Holt
Member of Congress

Pallone, Menendez, Booker Call on Obama Admin to Protect the Jersey Shore from Offshore Drilling

July 2nd, 2014

ASBURY PARK, NJ – U.S. Senators Robert Menendez and Cory Booker (both D-NJ) and Congressman Frank Pallone (NJ-06) today sent a letter to President Obama urging his administration to keep the Atlantic Coast off limits for oil and gas exploration, stressing that the environmental and economic consequences of an oil spill near the Jersey Shore would be catastrophic.

“As we learned all too clearly in the wake of the Deepwater Horizon tragedy, offshore drilling poses a substantial risk of economic and environmental devastation for our shoreline communities,” the Senators and Congressman wrote. “Even today, more than four years after the BP oil spill, 60 percent of the 210 million gallons that spilled are unaccounted for, and oil-soaked sand and tar balls continue to wash up on the beaches of the Gulf.”

The strength of New Jersey’s economy and workforce depends strongly on having a thriving Jersey Shore, which continues to rebound from devastation caused by Superstorm Sandy. In 2011, the federal lawmakers noted that New Jersey’s tourism industry generated $38 billion, $4.4 billion in state and local taxes and $4.8 billion in federal taxes. The industry directly supports 312,000 jobs in New Jersey and 486,000 jobs including indirect and induced impacts—a total of 9.8% of the state’s workforce. The state’s commercial and recreational fishing industries, which employ tens of thousands, would be decimated in the event of a spill.

The Bureau of Ocean and Energy Management (BOEM) announced last month the first steps in the development of the 2017-2022 Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) Oil and Gas Leasing Program, calling for a Request for Information and a 45-day public comment period.

“As we get ready for the July 4th weekend with everyone headed to our beaches, BOEM is looking to develop their next plan, which could include drilling off our coast and the mid-Atlantic,” said N.J. Sierra Club Director Jeff Tittel. “The last thing New Jersey needs after Hurricane Sandy recovery is an oil spill. The only oil we want on our beaches is suntan oil. Instead BOEM should be coming out with leases for windmills off our coast. The fossil fools in Washington keep trying to target our coast for big oil and gas companies. We cannot trust Big Oil with our energy future. We cannot drill ourselves into energy independence.”

As thousands descend on the Jersey Shore for the July 4th holiday weekend, Menendez and Pallone were joined at a news conference on the Asbury Park boardwalk by Mayor Myra Campbell, Tittel and local business owners at a news conference on the Asbury Park boardwalk.

“The Jersey Shore is a priceless natural treasure, providing recreation to generations of families and supporting a thriving ecosystem of marine mammals and sea life,” wrote Menendez, Booker and Pallone. “We owe it to future generations to ensure that our pristine natural resources are preserved and protected from the polluting fossil fuel industry.”

Click here to download a copy of the letter.
The full text of the letter to President Obama follows:
July 2, 2014

The Honorable Barack Obama
President of the United States
The White House
1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW
Washington, DC 20500

Dear Mr. President:

Last week, the Bureau of Ocean and Energy Management (BOEM) announced the first steps in the development of the 2017-2022 Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) Oil and Gas Leasing Program, calling for a Request for Information and a 45-day public comment period. As your Administration begins work on this plan, we write to strongly oppose any efforts to expand offshore oil and gas drilling, particularly any such efforts that would threaten New Jersey’s vibrant coastal communities.

As we learned all too clearly in the wake of the Deepwater Horizon tragedy, offshore drilling poses a substantial risk of economic and environmental devastation for our shoreline communities. Even today, more than four years after the BP oil spill, 60 percent of the 210 million gallons that spilled are unaccounted for, and oil-soaked sand and tar balls continue to wash up on the beaches of the Gulf. This is not an isolated example—20 years after the 1989 Exxon Valdez oil spill off the coast of Alaska, 21,000 gallons of crude lingered in the areas where the spill occurred, and species including herring and pigeon guillemots are still not yet recovered. In the event of an oil spill that hit New Jersey’s coast, the damage would be both enormously costly and likely permanent.

In addition to the long-term impacts of these spills, they also have the ability to damage a broad geographic area. They do not respect state boundaries, and drilling anywhere along the Atlantic Coast poses a significant risk for all eastern seaboard states. As the coastal economies of four states were damaged by the BP oil spill, it is likely that any oil spill in the Atlantic would threaten states up and down the coast.

The economic consequences of an oil spill near the New Jersey coastline would be catastrophic. In 2011, New Jersey’s tourism industry generated $38 billion, and $4.4 billion in state and local taxes and $4.8 billion in federal taxes. The industry directly supports 312,000 jobs in New Jersey and 486,000 jobs including indirect and induced impacts—a total of 9.8% of the state’s workforce. Also critical to the state’s economic health is our fishing industry. In 2011, New Jersey’s seafood industry supported 43,000 jobs, and the state has one of the largest saltwater recreational fishing industries in the nation. The strength of New Jersey’s workforce depends strongly on having a thriving coastal economy.

In addition to the economic concerns, offshore oil drilling threatens permanent and devastating degradation to our environment and natural resources. The Jersey Shore is a priceless natural treasure, providing recreation to generations of families and supporting a thriving ecosystem of marine mammals and sea life. New Jersey’s 130 miles of coastline house a diverse array of marine life, and provide critical habitat to several federally endangered and threatened species of fish, birds and turtles. We owe it to future generations to ensure that our pristine natural resources are preserved and protected from the polluting fossil fuel industry.

Following the unprecedented devastation of Hurricane Sandy, we are still working every day to rebuild our homes, our businesses, and our way of life. It is critical that we focus on long-term efforts to improve resiliency and to limit the carbon pollution that can drive extreme and unpredictable weather. Recovering from a natural disaster of this magnitude is challenging, and New Jersey is committed to rebuilding and coming back stronger than ever. Yet, allowing for offshore oil and gas drilling poses the threat of a manmade disaster that our communities and environment cannot afford.

New Jersey’s coast has faced manmade disaster before. When medical waste washed up on our beaches in 1988, New Jersey saw a 22% decline in tourism and estimated lost revenues of over $1 billion . This type of environmental contamination is significantly easier to clean up and remediate than an oil spill, and we fear that any spill would be even more catastrophic for our environment and vital industries.

With the major oil companies continuing to rake in sky-high profits on the backs of consumers, supported by costly subsidies from the American taxpayer, there is simply no need to take further steps to line their pockets. While increasing offshore oil and gas drilling is a clear victory for Big Oil, it’s a losing proposition for New Jersey’s economy, our environment, and our way of life.

We are not opposed to harnessing energy from the Atlantic OCS; however, energy development off the Atlantic coast should be focused on expanding renewable energy production, particularly offshore wind. Last month your Administration announced a significant federal grant for Fishermen’s Energy, a proposed wind farm off the coast of Atlantic City, New Jersey, and we applaud that commitment. These are the type of investments that the federal government should be making as our country works to reduce our carbon output and transition to a cleaner energy economy.

As your administration begins preparation of the 2017-2022 OCS Oil and Gas Leasing Program, we request that you take full accounting of these costs. We believe strongly that the potential for significant and lasting hardship to New Jersey’s workforce, our coastal resources, and our communities far outweighs any benefits that the already-profitable oil companies would receive with expanded drilling opportunities. Given these concerns, we oppose the inclusion of any and all of the Atlantic planning areas in the draft plan.

Thank you for your consideration of this vital request, and we look forward to working closely with you and your Administration to chart a clean and bright energy future for the nation.

Sincerely,

Vote For Cory

President Obama made this video for Cory Booker asking New Jersyans to vote for Cory Booker for the U.S. Senate in tomorrow's special election.

Buono Statement on the Passing of Cory Booker's Father

New Brunswick, NJ - Democratic gubernatorial candidate Barbara Buono released the following statement after the passing of U.S. Senate candidate and Newark Mayor Cory Booker’s father, Cary:

“I would like to offer my most sincere condolences to Mayor Cory Booker upon hearing of his father’s passing.

“Mayor Booker’s father, Cary Booker, was a civil rights activist who accomplished much not only for himself but on behalf of the African-American community.

“Cory never hesitated to give his father credit for his ability to become the great public servant he is today. It is clear that his dad had a significant impact on his life, and my thoughts and prayers are with his family at this difficult time.”

Booker's Father Passes Away

My condolences go out to Newark Mayor and Democratic U.S. Senate Candidate Cory Booker and his family. Earlier today Booker’s father died.

Booker was to be in Red Bank today along with gubernatorial candidate Senator Barbara Buono and her running mate Milly Silva, attending today's Monmouth County Democrats GOTV rally at the Bates Elks Lodge #220 on Shrewsbury Avenue.

According to PolitickerNJ, Booker’s father, Cary Booker, had recently suffered a stroke. Cary Booker was 76 years old.

Monmouth Dems Host Rally for Booker and Buono in Red Bank

For those interested, the Monmouth County Democratic Organization will host a rally featuring Newark Mayor Cory Booker (Democratic Nominee for US Senate) and State Senator Barbara Buono (Democratic Nominee for Governor) on Thursday October 10th at the Red Bank Bates Elks Lodge #220, 306 Shrewsbury Avenue in Red Bank.

Other confirmed speakers include Democratic Nominee for Lt. Governor Milly Silva and State Democratic Party Chairman John Currie along with our Democratic Party candidates for local, county and state offices.

The rally will begin at 4:30pm.

Press may RSVP by e-mailing us at monmouthdemocrats@gmail.com or call (732) 739-8888.

Booker on MSNBC: "Clearly Barbara Buono is the Candidate to Support"

Last night on MSNBC's All In with Chris Hayes, Newark Mayor Cory Booker highlighted why Barbara Buono should be the next Governor of New Jersey. Mayor Booker outlined Senator Buono's record on key issues, including marriage equality, standing up for women's health care, protecting our environment and restoring the Earned Income Tax Credit. As Mayor Booker declared, "when you line up all the issues, clearly Barbara Buono is the candidate to support and frankly most in line with where New Jersey stands."

CWA Endorses Cory Booker for U.S. Senate

Booker is Best Candidate for NJ’s Middle-Class & Working Families

(Trenton, New Jersey) - Today, the Communications Workers of America (CWA) endorsed Mayor
Cory Booker for United States Senate.

“Cory Booker supports President Obama's commitment that every family should have access to quality, affordable healthcare. He believes in a pathway to citizenship, and that government has a responsibility to stand for the common good. There is no doubt that Cory Booker is the best candidate on the October ballot,” said Hetty Rosenstein, CWA NJ State Director. “Frank Lautenberg was a progressive hero who always stood up for middle-class and working families. We look forward to working with Cory Booker to carry on that legacy on behalf of New Jersey in the U.S. Senate.”

"It is an honor to have the support of the Communications Workers of America for my candidacy for the United States Senate,” said Mayor Booker. “The men and women of the CWA have fought for equality in the workplace, promoted access to quality, affordable health care for all Americans and sought to strengthen investments in job training, so that we continue to expand and empower our workforce here in the United States. These are the same values and priorities that I have fought for in Newark and will continue to fight for if elected to the Senate in October."

The Communications Workers of America (AFL-CIO) represents both private sector and public workers. CWA represents more than 70,000 working families in New Jersey - including over 40,000 state workers, 15,000 county and municipal workers, and thousands of workers in the telecommunications, airlines, health care and direct care industries.

Election Day is Wednesday, October 16, 2013.

Thoughts On Booker's Special Primary Election Win

It's been a week now since Cory Booker won the Democratic special primary election for the chance to succeed the late Frank Lautenberg to become the next U.S. Senator from New Jersey. If you have followed this blog you'd know that I supported Booker's opponent Frank Pallone.

I supported Frank Pallone because he is my congressman and I like him very much. He gets a bad rap from those that reign over Middletown because he is a Democrat. They like to portray him as weak and a "do nothing" member of congress even though he has represented the Northern Monmouth County Bayshore region amiably since 1988 in congress. And when Hurricane Sandy devastated the area, he was there to make sure that Middletown residents in Belford, Leonardo, Navesink, North Middletown and Port Monmouth, along with those from Keyport, to Sea Bright to Long Branch got there fair share of relief from the federal government in their time of need.

Pallone winning the primary was an extreme long shot but nevertheless he put up a good fight against Booker, but the Newark Mayor won the primary running away with 60% of the vote (Pallone came in second place with 20%).

Pallone's loss was bittersweet. On the one hand I am slightly sadden, he would have made an excellent U.S. Senator. On the other, he now won't have to resign from his seat in Congress and he will still be representing the residents of the 6th Congressional District, of which I am happy about.

During the last few days of the campaign Booker's opponents did there best to tarnish and sully his squeaky clean, superhero image. None of it did much damage to Booker but it will add some ammunition to the guns of his October 16th challenger Steve Lonegan. Short of  a 20 megaton bomb however, Lonegan doesn't have much of  a chance against Cory Booker.

Booker should easily cruise to a 15 point victory over Lonegan and then head down to Washington for what should be a very long time.

Salon.com: New York Times endorses plutocracy! The Grey Lady calls "coziness with the moneyed class" an "asset," in an editorial supporting Cory Booker. Seriously

I happen to be supporting Frank Pallone and his candidacy for the U.S Senate and while I don't have anything personal against Cory Booker or the New York Times, I have to agree with this scathingly critical assessment of what just "... may be the most nauseating endorsement you'll read this election cycle ".

Salon.com's David Sirota writes the following review of the New York Times endorsement of Cory Booker for the U.S. Senate seat left vacant by the passing of Senator Frank Lautenberg:

If you happened to have read the New York Times’ opinion section this weekend, you may have noticed you were told that the U.S. Senate – the body comprised primarily of millionaires – apparently needs more lawmakers who are very close to the wealthy.

Yes, despite every member of the upper house raising huge amounts of campaign money primarily from the American aristocracy, and despite the fact that legalized bribery results in votes that consistently defend the aristocracy’s economic interests at the expense of everyone else — the grey lady’s editorial board implored voters to see Senate candidates’ all-too-close relationship with America’s uber-rich not as something suspicious or repugnant, but as something commendable and worthy of reward.

This was the powerful message in the Times’ house editorial this weekend endorsing Newark Mayor Cory Booker’s candidacy in New Jersey’s upcoming special U.S. Senate election. Citing Booker’s success engineering a $100 million donation to Newark schools from Facebook’s Mark Zuckerberg (but conveniently not mentioning the ugly controversies surrounding the donation), the newspaper concluded its endorsement with a slap at Booker’s opponents – one that in a single sentence revealed everything you need to know about the elite media’s royalism (emphasis added):

Some of Mr. Booker’s opponents are trying to denigrate those assets — his fame, his ability to work with Republicans, his coziness with the moneyed class.

You read that correctly: According to the Times, being “cozy with the moneyed class” should be seen by voters as an “asset” for an aspiring senator – one the Times insinuates shouldn’t dare be “denigrated” by other candidates.

Of course, the Times is fairly accurate in declaring Booker as “cozy with the moneyed class.” If anything, in fact, it’s an understatement – Booker is one of Corporate America’s most loyal and obedient Democratic politicians.

PALLONE CAMPAIGN HITS OPPONENTS FOR LACK OF "TRANSPARENCY AND ACCOUNTABILITY"

“Voters have simply been ignored by Cory Booker, Sheila Oliver and Rush Holt.”

LONG BRANCH ¬ Weeks after first Congressman Frank Pallone first signed the “People’s Pledge” and asked Cory Booker, Sheila Oliver and Rush Holt to join him, Pallone’s campaign today noted the request has been met with silence. While widely regarded for its ability to remove outside special interests and unnamed PAC money from the Massachusetts United States Senate race between Scott Brown and Elizabeth Warren in 2012, the Congressman’s opponents have simply ignored the request for transparency and accountability. Congressman Pallone’s campaign today released the following statement:

“Fifteen days ago Congressman Pallone signed the ‘People’s Pledge’ in an effort to provide voters in this year’s special Democratic Primary campaign for U.S. Senate the opportunity to hear directly from the candidates, and he asked his opponents to do the same. Since that time, our campaign’s request for accountability and transparency has been met with silence.

In an expedited election sorely lacking in much needed direct voter contact as a result of multiple debate opportunities being turned down by Congressman Pallone’s opponents, the ‘People’s Pledge’ is the bare minimum the other three candidates can do to make sure Democratic voters aren’t encumbered by outside influence. Yet, Democratic voters have not even been give the courtesy of an answer in the negative and an acknowledgement that outside special interests and unnamed PAC’s with their own agendas will play an active role in this race. Instead, these voters have simply been ignored by Cory Booker, Sheila Oliver and Rush Holt.

The dismissive posture taken by all three of Congressman Pallone’s opponents with regard to accountability and transparency in this election is truly perplexing and should speak volumes to New Jersey’s Democratic primary voters on August 13. We will continue our call for Frank Pallone’s opponents to sign the ‘People’s Pledge’ in the coming days and weeks, just as we will continue to hold out hope they will agree to more debates to allow for a proper vetting of all four candidates previous records and future platforms in this campaign for United States Senate.”

Holt Video - I'm With Rush

Just before the holiday weekend I received and email from the Rush Holt for Senate campaign that contained a link to the video below.

 In the video Holt's background as a scientist/teacher and his progressive stands and voting record in Congress are highlighted by a number of people both young and old that rattle off a list of issues that are near and dear to them.

The video also takes a passive aggressive, subtle swipe at one of Holt's U.S. Senate challengers, front runner Cory Booker. The swipe happens when a young African-American supporter states, " I like Cory Booker but for Senate, I'm with Rush".

Overall I like the video, it's effective, concise and charmingly quirky, playing off the "Big Bang Theory" geekiness of Holt's background and supporters.  



Rush is a teacher, scientist and a true progressive. No one will fight harder for progressive policies in the US Senate.

Rush has taken on the Republicans in Congress - voting against the war in Iraq, to repeal the PATRIOT Act, against warrantless surveillance of Americans, and against Republican cuts to Social Security and Medicare.

In the Senate, Rush will be a leader on progressive issues, like increasing education funding, expanding background checks to ALL gun sales and building a smart national energy grid.

Booker Releases First Senare Campaign Ad

Newark Mayor and Democratic U.S. Senate candidate Cory Booker released his first T.V. spot for the upcoming special election for the U.S. Senate seat left open by the passing of Senator Frank Lautenberg earlier this month. The 30 second campaign ad titled "Run" will begin airing tomorrow.

PALLONE CALLS ON OPPONENTS TO SIGN “PEOPLE’S PLEDGE”

New Jersey’s Democratic voters deserve the opportunity to hear directly from the candidates


LONG BRANCH - Citing the widely acknowledged positive impact “The People’s Pledge” had on the tone and tenor of the 2012 Massachusetts United States Senate race between Scott Brown and Elizabeth Warren, Congressman Frank Pallone today called on his opponents to join him in signing a similar pledge for this year’s campaign for the special Democratic Primary for U.S. Senate. The Pallone for Senate campaign sent the pledge to Newark Mayor Cory Booker, Congressman Rush Holt and Assembly Speaker Sheila Oliver and Congressman Pallone released the following statement:

“’The People’s Pledge’ had a tremendous impact on the Massachusetts Senate race in that it allowed for voters to hear directly from the candidates, as opposed to outside special interests and anonymously funded PAC’s. The Supreme Court made a terrible ruling in the Citizens United decision that opened the floodgates to special interests dominating elections without even having to disclose their donors. The true test of whether someone is a reformer is if they're willing to take personal responsibility and make a personal sacrifice.

In signing this pledge, it is my hope that the other three Democratic candidates in the special election will also decide that it is in the best interests of New Jerseyans to bar special interest third party interference in the campaign in all forms - television ads, radio ads, web ads, field programs and direct mail. The expedited time frame of this election makes this even more critical. With just over 7 weeks left before Election Day, voters should not be forced to sift through a bombardment of outside promotions and attacks. This campaign must be an opportunity for the candidates to engage in debates, talk about their records, and share their visions for our great state. With issues like immigration reform, gun safety, job creation, a minimum wage increase, marriage equality, climate change and school reform all looming, New Jersey’s Democratic voters deserve the opportunity to hear directly from the candidates. Cory Booker, Rush Holt and Sheila Oliver should immediately sign this pledge to ensure that is exactly what occurs.”

Following is a link to an article detailing the Pledge’s value, and below is the pledge which was sent to the other three Democratic candidates.


http://atlasproject.net/daily-blog/the-peopleâ??s-pledge-and-positivity-in-a-post-citizens-united-world/

- - -

The People’s Pledge

Because outside third party organizations – including but not limited to individuals, corporations, 527 organizations, 501c organization, SuperPAC’s, and national and state party committees – may make independent expenditures and issue advertisements either supporting or attacking Congressman Frank Pallone, Congressman Rush Holt, Assemblywoman Sheila Oliver and Mayor Cory Booker (individually the “Candidate” and collectively the “Candidates”); and

Because these groups function as independent expenditure organizations that are outside the direct control of any of the Candidates; and

Because the Candidates agree that they do not approve of such independent expenditures, and want those expenditures to immediately cease and desist for the duration of the 2013 special primary election cycle; and

Because the Candidates recognize that in order to make New Jersey a national example, and provide the citizens of New Jersey with an election free of third party independent expenditures, they must be willing to include an enforcement mechanism that runs not to the third party organizations but instead to the Candidates’ own campaigns:

The Candidates on behalf of their respective campaigns hereby agree to the following:

In the event that a third party organization makes any independent expenditures including television ads, radio ads, web ads, field programs, and direct mail in support of a named, referenced (including by title) or otherwise identified Candidate, that Candidate’s campaigns shall, within three (3) days of discovery of the expenditure total cost, duration, and source, pay 50% of the cost of that expenditure to a charity of the opposing Candidates’ choice.


In the event that a third party organization makes any independent expenditure including television ads, radio ads, web ads, field programs, and direct mail in opposition to a named, referenced (including by title) or otherwise identified Candidate, the opposing Candidate’s campaign shall, within three (3) days of discovery of the expenditure’s total cost, duration, and source, pay 50% of the cost of that expenditure to a charity, of the opposed Candidate’s choice.

In the event that a third party organization makes any independent expenditure including television ads, radio ads, web ads, field programs, and direct mail that promotes or supports a named, referenced (including by title) or otherwise identified Candidate, that Candidate’s campaign shall, within three (3) days of discovery of the expenditure’s total cost, duration, and source, pay 50% of the cost of that expenditure buy to a charity of the opposing Candidate’s choice.

In the event that a third party organization makes any independent expenditure including television ads, radio ads, web ads, field programs, and direct mail that attacks or opposes a named, referenced (including by title) or otherwise identified Candidate, the opposing Candidate’s campaign shall, within three (3) days of discovery of the expenditure’s total cost, duration, and source, pay 50% of the cost of that expenditure to a charity of the opposed Candidate’s choice.

The Candidates and their campaigns agree that neither they nor anyone acting on their behalf shall coordinate with any third party on any paid advertising for the duration of the 2013 primary election cycle. In the event that any Candidate or their campaign or anyone acting on their behalf coordinates any paid advertisement with a third party organization that Candidate’s campaign shall pay 50% of the cost of the ad buy to a charity of the opposing Candidates’ choice

The Candidates and their campaigns agree to continue to work together to limit the influence of third party advertisements and to close any loopholes (including coverage of sham ads) that arise in this agreement during the course of the campaign.

SIGNED:



_ ____ 6/25/13
Frank Pallone, Jr., Congressman                         Date

_______________________________________________
Rush Holt, Congressman                                     Date



_______________________________________________
Sheila Oliver, Assemblywoman                           Date



_______________________________________________
Cory Booker, Mayor                                            Date

Who is Rush Holt?

A: He’s the scientist/lawmaker who beat Watson at Jeopardy and just launched his first New Jersey Senate campaign video.

Cory Booker: the inexorable rise of Newark's neoliberal egomaniac

A scathing and rather unflattering portrayal of Newark's Mayor Cory Booker, written by Jason Farago of the Guardian, appeared online earlier this week. This critical critique of Booker is pretty harsh and not at all off-base.

 "..it seems far more likely that the next senator from New Jersey will be the anti-Lautenberg: a neoliberal egomaniac who sees government as nothing more than a charity for billionaires and corporations to support as they please. There may be no stopping the rise and rise of Cory Booker. But let's at least recognize his impending triumph for what it is: another victory for the men in the glass towers, enabled by a nonstop publicity campaign waged 140 characters at a time."

Once you dig beneath Booker's superhero, social media persona, the true Cory Booker starts to emerge. His real record in Newark, I'm sorry to say, isn't that impressive and his critics are many. Rush Holt and Frank Pallone, his opponents for the open US Senate seat, are already knocking his record on education, something that Jason Farago also pointed out when asking whatever happened to the $100M Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg gave the city of Newark for improvements to its school system.

Booker's campaign to become the Junior Senator of New Jersey isn't going to be an easy one, he is going to have to answer some very tough questions from Holt, Pallone and Sheila Oliver, all of whom wanting to succeed Frank Lautenberg for his open seat.

Assembly Speaker Oliver To Seek U.S. Senate Seat

The race to succeed the late Frank Lautenberg for the U.S. Senate just got a little more crowded last night according to PolitickerNJ, when NJ Assembly Speaker Sheila Oliver announced in East Brunswick that she will be a candidate to succeed Lautenberg and would file petitions in Trenton later today seeking his open seat.

Oliver has been playing coy by not saying whether or not she intended to run in this years special election even though she has been quietly gathering signatures this past week.

When Speaker Oliver makes it official by dropping off her petitions, she will join Congressmen Rush Holt and Frank Pallone and Newark Mayor Cory Booker as declared candidates who will face off against each other during an August primary that will determine who will face an as of yet, unnamed Republican challenger.  

Pallone to Announce Senate Campaign Tomorrow

It is widely expected Congressman Frank Pallone will announce his candidacy for the U.S. Senate tomorrow afternoon after handing in petitions containing over a 1,000 signatures from supporters from  all around his 6th Congressional District and State at the New Jersey Division of Elections.   Pallone will be running in the special election this fall to replace Frank Lautenberg who passed away last week.

Pallone will be hold a press conference on the steps of the New Jersey Division of Elections in Trenton tomorrow afternoon at 1:30pm, he will deliver a statement announcing his candidacy then answer questions.

I wish Pallone well, he's my congressman and I like him but he will have stiff competition for the nomination, both Congressman Rush Holt and Newark Mayor Cory Booker have announced their intentions to enter the race.

Booker Announces Campaign for Senate

In case you missed it yesterday, as expected, Newark Mayor Cory Booker announced that he will be entering the special election to replace Frank Lautenberg in the U.S. Senate.

Booker will be competing against Congressmen Rush Holt and Frank Pallone for the Democratic nod in the upcoming special election.