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Congressman Chris Smith “more determined now than ever” in face of death threat

Congressman Chris Smith told MMM that he is more determined than ever to serve the people of New Jersey’s 4th congressional district, following an online death threat he received last weekend.  The congressman said the threat is not the first and will not be the last. “We can’t let that kind of tactic win,” he said.

Dereal Finklin, 43, of Plainfield, was arrested on Saturday, July 28 after he posted a picture of Smith on facebook with the caption “dead man walking.” Smith said the post was referred to Monmouth County Prosecutor Christopher J. Gramiccioni who, Smith said, took the threat seriously and had Finklin arrested.

Finklin, who has a non-violent criminal record, according to The Trentonian, is in the custody of the Monmouth County Correctional Institution pending his detention hearing.

Congressman Smith was in Middletown on Thursday evening where he attending a book signing at Brookdale Community College before holding a round table meeting with young adults at a private home.

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Posted: August 2nd, 2018 | Author: | Filed under: Chris Smith, Monmouth County News, Monmouth County Prosecutor, New Jersey | Tags: , , , , , , , , | 12 Comments »

12 Comments on “Congressman Chris Smith “more determined now than ever” in face of death threat”

  1. Dirty Hippie said at 8:35 am on August 2nd, 2018:

    I wish Congressman Smith actually lived in the district that he represents. Smith lives in Virginia and is rarely in New Jersey. Smith represents the 4th Congressional District. According to online records (see the link below), Christopher H. Smith (Date of Birth: March 4, 1955) is registered to vote using an address in Toms River. Toms River is in the 3rd Congressional District. Please see:

    https://voter.njsvrs.com/PublicAccess/servlet/com.saber.publicaccess.control.PublicAccessNavigationServlet?USERPROCESS=PublicSearch

  2. @Dirty Hippie said at 9:29 am on August 2nd, 2018:

    Why don’t you stay on subject and condemn the threat of violence against the Congressman?

    That said, Congressman Chris Smith knows more about Carpetbagger Josh Welle who only moved to the district about 2 years ago. Smith is a producer for the district. All Welle wants to talk about is abortion.

    BTW, I would like to see Welle condemn what this guy did. Fat chance.

  3. Art Gallagher said at 12:46 pm on August 2nd, 2018:

    You got his dob wrong hippy. Try March 1953. You’ll find he’s been registered to vote in Hamilton since 1982

  4. Dirty Hippie said at 1:07 pm on August 2nd, 2018:

    I stand corrected. Thank you for disabusing me, Art.

  5. Art Gallagher said at 1:20 pm on August 2nd, 2018:

    My pleasure, Dirty. Truly.

  6. Dirty Hippie said at 1:40 pm on August 2nd, 2018:

    Why, poster # 2, would I condemn someone
    or something without knowing all the facts? Only a fool would do as much. Incidentally, do you have some sort of inside information about the case against Dereal Finklin that is not available to the general public?

    Dereal Finklin may be innocent of the charges filed against him. It is entirely possible that Finklin did not do what the government is alleging he did. Finklin’s attorney may very well argue that when Finklin wrote on social media that Congressman Smith was a “dead man walking” that Finklin was not actually threatening the Congressman’s life. Finklin’s lawyers may very well argue that the language Finklin used was not a threat but rather a constitutionally-protected act of political hyperbole. Finklin’s lawyers may very well argue that Finklin was not threatening the Congressman’s life but rather was speaking about Congressman Smith’s chances of being re-elected in November (e.g., “dead man walking” = “Smith has no chance of being reelected in November”)

    Ultimately a jury of Mr. Finklin’s peers may, after hearing all of the evidence and all of the arguments, decide if any laws were broken and whether Dereal Finklin warrants any sort of condemnation. Might I suggest that you reserve judgment and do the same.

    https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hyperbole

    http://examples.yourdictionary.com/examples-of-hyperboles.html

  7. @Dirty Hippie said at 1:56 pm on August 2nd, 2018:

    So, let me rephrase that.

    If it indeed happened, would you condemn it?

    But there seems to be probable cause with a picture and a death threat, so keep on parsing.
    Other than that, you are trying to do the Texas Two Step with a bunch of words.

  8. Judging by said at 5:13 pm on August 2nd, 2018:

    the general appearance of the Congressman, it appears as if he is consuming Espresso by the gallon. I hope he is resting a bit easier now since the individual who made this threat is incarcerated.

  9. Judging by said at 5:13 pm on August 2nd, 2018:

    the general appearance of the Congressman, it appears as if he is consuming Espresso by the gallon. I hope he is resting a bit easier now since the individual who made this threat is incarcerated.

  10. He has said at 8:11 am on August 3rd, 2018:

    always been a dedicated, high- energy person: it is frightening to see the lengths some people will go to, to unseat a social conservative- who by the way has done so much for all his constituents, on so many issues. Am sure he will win, but suggest more security for him, now. Those people are getting bolder and sicker, just to win a seat, and it needs to be stopped.

  11. @ Judging By said at 9:08 am on August 3rd, 2018:

    Is that all you got, insults? Man, you are desperate, aren’t you?

    Oh, and Dirty Hippy, you never responded to my last question.

  12. @@ Judging By said at 3:16 pm on August 3rd, 2018:

    Sick burn bruv.