Quinnipiac Poll: “Unless the sky falls, Booker can start looking for a Washington apartment”

Former Monmouth County Democratic Chairman Vic Scudiery and Newark Mayor Cory Booker

Newark Mayor Cory Booker will be New Jersey’s next U.S. Senator if the results of the Quinnipiac poll of likely voters released this morning hold true through October 16.

Booker is leading Congressman Frank Pallone by 54%-17% in the August 13 Democratic primary with Congressman Rush Holt garnering support from 15% of the respondents and Assembly Speaker Sheila Oliver with 5%.  65% of Democratic voters say their choice is firm.  8% are undecided.

In the Republican primary, former Bogota Mayor Steve Lonegan leads Dr. Alieta Eck 74%-10%.

In the October 16 special election, Booker is leading Lonegan 54%-29% among registered voters.

• Tweet

Skudera Will Not Seek Another Term As Mayor Of Tinton Falls

Tinton Falls Mayor Michael Skudera last evening announced that he will not seek a second term.

Elected to the borough council in 2005 and mayor in 2009, Skudera told supporters via email that after almost a decade of service he looks forward to what life brings next.

Skudera wrote of his team’s accomplishments and endorsed Jerry Turning to be his successor.

“When I took office as Mayor four years ago, the Borough was experiencing sharp tax increases of over 10% per year and its surplus was depleted. Now, despite a difficult economic climate, taxes have been contained to about 2% per year and match the rate of inflation. Spending has been significantly reduced; in fact this year’s budget is lower than last year’s budget.

We have improved the Borough’s aging infrastructure that was neglected for decades.  We have repaved and reconstructed miles of roadway, installed new sidewalks, and improved long neglected storm and waste-water facilities.  We improved the Borough’s credit rating, significantly reduced borrowing costs, and paid of debt before its maturity date to save taxpayers money.

In the past, economic growth was just assumed, now it’s actively pursued, encouraged and taking place.  In the last four years, we have brought one of the Northeast’s largest solar farms to Tinton Falls while also quickly advancing the redevelopment of Fort Monmouth, bringing not only millions in capital investments to Tinton Falls, but also high paying jobs.  We have utilized technology more than ever before to improve efficiencies, productivity, and to better communicate with the public.

While doing all of this, we have managed to preserve more open space than ever before to enhance our quality of life. We did this by spending less per acre, which allowed us to reduce the Borough’s open space tax.

Finally, Tinton Falls needs a leader who will continue the work we have all begun. That is why Jerry Turning will be running for Mayor. Jerry has served our community as the head of my administration and we have worked very closely together over the years. My record of accomplishments is also Jerry’s record of accomplishments.  Running with Jerry in the November election is veteran Councilman Scott Larkin and Zoning Board of Adjustment member John Roche, who I know will continue to serve the Borough well.”

Tinton Falls holds non-partisan elections in November.

• Tweet

Pallone punts on women’s right to choose to be topless

Congressman Frank Pallone stopped at Asbury Park’s Night Out celebration this evening where Mayor Myra Campbell introduced him as a candidate for “State Senate.”

MMM caught up with Pallone for a brief moment before the formal festivities and asked him to take a question about equal rights.   He said he couldn’t answer whether women should have the right go topless wherever men do because no one had ever asked him that question before.

He said he doesn’t think the New York City woman sitting in Monmouth County Jail for going topless in Spring Lake has much of a case because of laws against indecent exposure.

• Tweet

Topless Rights Advocate Jailed in Monmouth

Phoenix Feeley on Coney Island NY beach where female toplessness is legal. Photo via JetsNation.

Phoenix Feeley is serving time at the Monmouth County Correctional Institution rather than pay fines for going topless in Spring Lake five years ago.

According to a statement by GoTopless.Org, Feeley is protesting her incarceration with a hunger strike.  However, a Monmouth County official said Feeley ate a bologna sandwich yesterday.

Monmouth County Sheriff Shaun Golden said that Feeley, like any hunger striking inmate, in under constant watch. Golden said it is unlikely that Feeley will be assigned to a road crew.

GoTopless , whose motto is Free Your Breasts, Free Your Mind, says it will be staging protests in support of Feeley on August 25 which is International Go Topless Day.

• Tweet

Democratic Senatorial Debate

The Democratic candidates for the nomination to replace the late U.S. Senator Frank Lautenberg will debate tonight at 7:30 in the Dumont Television Center at Montclair State University.

The candidates are Newark Mayor Cory Booker, Speaker Sheila Oliver, Congressman Frank Pallone and Congressman Rush Holt.

The primary election is one week from tomorrow, August 13. The winner of the Democratic Primary will face off against the Republican nominee to be selected in the Republican primary also on the 13th, either former Bogota Mayor Steve Lonegan or Dr. Alieta Eck.

You can watch the Democratic debate here:

• Tweet

Middletown Democrats, Asbury Park Press Follow MMM’s Lead In Endorsing Pallone

Following the lead of MoreMonmouthMusings, the Middletown Democrats and the Asbury Park Press have endorsed Congressman Frank Pallone for the Democratic nomination to complete the term of the late U.S. Senator Frank Lautenberg.

Frank Pallone at 2010 Highlands Clamfest.
The 19th annual clamfest ends today in Highlands. Pallone was there on Friday night

MMM, the first website in the world to endorse Pallone for the Senate nomination, did so on June 25 because the congressman asked publisher Art Gallagher for help, because Gallagher believes the Republican nominee, likely to be former Bogota Mayor Steve Lonegan, stands a better chance against Pallone than against Newark Mayor Cory Booker, and most importantly, a vacancy in Pallone’s 6th district congressional seat would be fantastic for MMM’s web traffic.  Our advertisers would love it!

The Middletown Dems say they endorsed Pallone because he “did the best he could” on a variety of issues.  In reality, they are hoping for money from Pallone to fund races even porn distributors are taking a pass on.

The Asbury Park Press endorsed Pallone, even though they say, “Voters can’t go wrong, no matter which way they lean in this primary, ” because they hope hometown Pallone will spend some advertising dollars,drive up newsstand sales and website visits.

All three endorsements come down to money.  Only MMM will admit that.  We like money and we need it!  Go Frank Go!

• Tweet

Layoffs At Asbury Park Press

Nudniks Tout $1500 Prize, Don’t Report Layoffs

No news. Empty newsstands stored in the Asbury Park Press’s empty parking lot in Neptune. July, 12 2013

Between 13 and 40 people were laid-off at the Asbury Park Press last week, as part of a nationwide RIF in parent company Gannett’s newspaper division.

Gannett, a publically traded company, is not saying how many employees they have cut loose. The Gannet Blog, which first reported the story which was picked up by the Associated Press, estimates that 200 newspaper employees have been let go from the Asbury Park Press, The Burlington Free Press in Vermont, The Arizona Republic in Phoenix and The Courier-Journal in Louisville, Ky.

The Asbury Park Sun was the first New Jersey news outlet to report the story.

The Asbury Park Press Neptune Nudniks have yet to find the story newsworthy, preferring instead to report how they won a $1500 prize from the Associated Press Media Editors for their Superstom Sandy coverage.

“We are honored by the great recognition the journalism community has given to the entire staff of the Asbury Park Press and APP.com for their unflagging
dedication during such a terrible storm, which affected each of us in some way,” said Hollis R. Towns, executive editor/vice president for news at the Press.
“Our team worked tirelessly before, during and after the storm to ensure the community received the most accurate, useful information as quickly as
possible.”

In the same article, the Nudniks touted a prize they received yesterday from the National Association of Black Journalists for their “Gripped by Violence” report on shootings in Asbury Park.

Read the rest of this entry »

• Tweet

Work Horses or Show Horses?

Rush Holt doing Steve Holt. Who is Steve Holt? facebook photo

Frank Pallone doing Frank Pallone

Congressmen Frank Pallone and Rush Holt have each been trying to close the canyon in the polls between themselves and Newark Mayor Cory Booker for the Democratic nomination to succeed the late U.S. Senator Frank Lautenberg be asserting that they are “work horses” that get the job done while Booker is a “show horse” celebrity.

There’s not much evidence that it is working.  Nor is there much evidence that Pallone and Holt are indeed “work horses.”

In the 24 years Pallone has been in Congress, 6 bills that he sponsored became law.  The Affordable Health Care Act, aka ObamaCare was not one of them.

Holt has been in Congress 14 years. Three of his bills have become law.

Of those nine bills Pallone and Holt have successfully navigated to the president’s desk for signature, two were to name post offices.  One post office for each of them.

Booker may be a “show horse,” but what do Pallone and Holt have to show for their years in Congress?

• Tweet

Booker won’t run for President in 2016

Former Monmouth County Democratic Chairman Vic Scudiery and Newark Mayor Cory Booker

Newark Mayor Cory Booker, the front runner for the Democratic nomination to replace the late U.S. Senator Frank Lautenberg, yesterday told Poltico, that he “unequivocally” will not be a candidate for President or Vice President in 2016.

“I think that people want me to be the next U.S. Senator from New Jersey,” he  said, adding, “I would not consider [a presidential run]. At this point, my  focus is 100 percent on being the next U.S. Senator and doing a great job  finishing out the unexpired term of Sen. Frank Lautenberg, and then doing six  years [in a full term].”

“There’s a lot of work to do here in the state of New Jersey and I’m excited  about it,” he said, adding later, “No presidential, no VP, no.”

No one asked Congressman Frank Pallone if he was going to run for President.

• Tweet

Scudiery Aggressively Out To See Pallone Defeated

Former Monmouth County Democratic Chairman Puts His Money Where His Mouth Is

Victor V. Scudiery, the Monmouth County businessman and former 23 year Chairman of the Monmouth County Democrats, is backing up his endorsement of Newark Mayor Cory Booker in the August 13 Special U.S. Senate Primary with an aggressive negative endorsement of Congressman Frank Pallone.

Scudiery is launching a personally financed campaign this morning designed to weaken Pallone’s support in his 6th Congressional district home base of Monmouth and Middlesex Counties. Scudiery’s efforts are independent of and without the prior knowledge of the Booker for Senate campaign.

The $45,000 campaign includes a mailing to 75,000 likely Democratic primary voters, print ads in local weekly newspapers and a web based ad campaign on local websites.

“I might even spend more by the time the 13th (the August 13th primary) comes around,” Scudiery said this morning.

“He’s all about himself, not for the people,” Scudiery said of the congressman whose tenure coincided with his own marathon as party chairman, “When I brought him to events, non-political events, like for senior citizens, Italian-Americans or small businesses, people would always say, ‘Frank, you never got back to me, I need your help,’ He’s been an embarrassment.  He rarely followed through. When he did follow through, it was usually with excuses, not results.”

Read the rest of this entry »

• Tweet