Congressman Smith’s Chief of Staff Calls Out Schmid’s Lies About Her Internship

Schmid uses totally false narrative about internship in Rep. Chris Smith’s office 23 years ago

By Mary McDermott Noonan

It’s disappointing—even shocking.

Having been exposed as “dishonest,” by one Democrat opponent and “quite objectionable” and “not forthright” by another in the fourth congressional district Democrat Primary on a myriad of issues, Stephanie Schmid has also used a totally false narrative about an internship in Rep. Chris Smith’s office 23 years ago.

Ms. Schmid has falsely claimed on her LinkedIn resume that the internship with Smith was for a duration of 3 months when the record shows she was in Smith’s office for a mere 15 work days—from July 7 to July 25—as part of a 3 week program with the Washington Workshops Foundation.

But it gets much worse.

Personal letters from Ms. Schmid in 1997, authorized for release by the congressman, clearly show that she is not telling the truth and has inflated her internship beyond recognition in order to promote her candidacy.

For example, in a tweet last September she said “even though I was only 16 at the time, I knew then that his values were extreme.”

In her campaign launch video, she said that “it was abundantly clear then, as it is now, that we don’t share the same values”.

On another occasion, Ms. Schmid said that “the thing that I learned most that summer is that Chris Smith and I agree on very, very little…”

Yet, letters written to Rep. Smith by Ms. Schmid in 1997 reveal instead that she shared his “interests, values, and concerns” and called Rep. Smith “a worthy public servant”.

In one letter she tells Rep. Smith: “As a Republican resident of Ridgewood, NJ, I can’t tell you what a pleasure it is to work for someone with similar interests, values, and concerns.”
In a second letter she called Rep. Smith a “dedicated and tireless advocate for Human Rights and Christianity around the world” and thanked him for the “wonderful opportunity to intern in your office.”
Ms. Schmid also gushed about Rep. Smith and wrote: “Never has there been a more worthy public servant who makes one believe in the process and forget about the bureaucracy.”

In contrast to her Facebook claims, that “it was very uncomfortable as a 16-year-old woman to be working in an office full of mostly men”—while in reality the top positions in the Smith office were held mostly by women, including me as Chief of Staff—her letters reveal a very different view, including her desire to return to the office.

In a thank you letter to Rep. Smith she said: “I would love the opportunity to work in your office again, in the not too distant future…Thank You and God Bless”
Immediately after her internship she wrote the office requesting a character reference for her college applications.
Five months later, Ms. Schmid wrote the staff saying, “I miss the office…I send all my love. Feel free to write. Love, Stephanie Schmid”.

The 15-day high school internship, in which Ms. Schmid participated, is on the shorter, less comprehensive end of the internship spectrum during which interns are tasked mainly with administrative duties and offered the opportunity to attend hearings and take summary notes for staff.

Yet, even on the duties of a high school congressional intern, Ms. Schmid has resorted to embellishment for political gain claiming on LinkedIn that during her internship she “analyzed human rights issues pending before the House Foreign Affairs Committee”.

She has even called Congressman Smith her former “boss.”

Ms. Schmid has misled many to garner support—and people know that.

Remarkably, on Sunday night, two days before the Democrat primary, neither of her fellow Democrats would commit to endorsing Schmid if she wins. One offered to coach Schmid on authenticity and integrity.