House Votes To Continue Domestic Spying

photo via facebook

Yesterday, the House of Representatives defeated, 205-217, an amendment to the 2014 Defense Appropriations Bill that would have defunded the National Security Agency’s  Domestic Phone Metadata program.

Congressman Frank Pallone was in New Jersey campaigning for the Democratic nomination for U.S. Senate which will be decided in the Special Primary on August 13.  He did not vote on the measure.

The rest of the New Jersey delegation split, 4-7, to continue domestic spying.

Voting for the amendment (against the spying) were Republicans Chris Smith and Scott Garrett and Democrats Rush Holt and Bill Pascrell.

Voting nay (for funding the spying) were Republicans Rodney Freylinghuysen, Frank LoBiando, Leonard Lance and Jon Runyon, along with Democrats Rob Andrews, Donald Payne, JR, and Albio Sires.

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Lonengan and Eck Debate Debates

With less than three weeks to go until the Special Senate Primary on August 13, the GOP hopefuls are debating debates.

Yesterday, Dr. Alieta Eck’s campaign Tom Roberts put out a statement with the headline Lonegan Refuses To Debate.

(Somerset, NJ) – Today, Eck for Senate learned that Steve Lonegan has refused a debate organized by the League of Women Voters of New Jersey, which would have matched him against Dr. Alieta Eck on Saturday, July 27th.

“That Steve Lonegan doesn’t want to debate Dr. Eck should probably come as no surprise. Mr. Lonegan has run for office many times and can identify some problems facing Americans, but without solutions he would just join the ranks of those already in DC who are watching our nation’s economic decline. In contrast, Dr. Eck has outlined proven, workable solutions to provide health care and reduce spending. The contrast in a debate would not have been favorable for Mr. Lonegan. We still welcome any future opportunity to debate,” according to Campaign Manager Thomas Roberts.

That sounded like a sound political strategy on Lonegan’s part to me, given that Eck had only 9% name recognition and support from only 5% of registered voters in the last Quinnipiac poll.  For the last week or so, Lonegan has been ignoring Eck and running a general election type campaign, focusing on Newark Mayor Cory Booker and this week, the mad scientist, “millions will die if we don’t tax carbon and make energy completely unaffordable,” Congressman Rush Holt.

But I’m not Lonegan’s strategist.

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Weiner Called His Interns “Monica”

Early in his New York City mayoral campaign, former Congressman Anthony Weiner gathered his twenty interns into his private office for an introduction.

Olivia, not Monica, Nuzzi

“I always say that on every campaign, there are one or two volunteers who really make a difference,” he began. (There were roughly twenty of us in the room.) “So I just want to let you know that no task is too small, and the work you’re doing is important and it is appreciated.” He continued to speak for a few minutes, reiterating this point over and over.

“Okay!” Weiner said loudly, though not enthusiastically. “I’m going to go around the room now and ask you your name and a fact about yourself, and then I’m going to go back around and repeat your name to you.” A member of the campaign staff looked on, nervously. “I’m great at this,” Weiner said.

The Weiner proceeded to listen to the interns names and facts and then went back around the room and called the first tw0 women “Monica” and gave up.

“We all laughed nervously. Monica is an interesting intern name to pick out of the air. (Weiner’s wife, we should remember, works for Hillary Clinton.),” wrote former MMM columnist Olivia Nuzzi in a piece for her current gig at NSFWCorp.

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A Campaign We Can All Agree On

Boardwalk Breakfast Empire. photo via facebook

This is a first.  I’ve found a ticket of candidates that all MoreMonmouthMusing readers can rally behind.

Joanne Distefano Garelli and her friends Timothy Boulous and Ilene Winters are in the running  to win $50,000 and a food truck in the Food Network’s  The Great Food Truck Race.

Garelli and her husband Steve operated Steve’s Breakfast and Lunch in Sea Bright for 37 years before Superstorm Sandy destroyed the business that served up great omelets and muffins.

Now Joanne has joined with Timothy and Ilene as Boardwalk Breakfast Empire to compete against seven other teams from across the United States in the reality TV show that premieres for the season on August 18.

Boardwalk Breakfast Empire is leading in the fan voting with 44% over its closest competitor, Aloha Plate of Los Angeles and Hawaii.  Let’s join the All About Sea Bright facebook group in keeping our hometown team on top.

Voting is Hudson County style.  Fan voters are encouraged to vote 10 times per day.  Vote here.

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Pallone’s Family Values

By Art Gallagher

Frank Pallone has been my congressman for almost twenty years.   Through ten election cycles, I don’t recall Pallone ever promoting himself as a family man.  I didn’t even know he was married (to a woman) until 2010 when, during Anna Little’s first campaign against him, triCityNews columnist Ernesto Cullari revealed that Pallone’s wife, Sarah had secured a six figure job in the Environmental Protection Agency.

So I was surprised to find the above Pallone family portrait on Frank’s Senate campaign website and facebook page.  In his video ad, Typical Jersey Story, Frank looks into the camera and says, “Sarah and I have three teenagers, which means that things are a little crazy at home, most of the time.”  Frank’s facebook introduction starts,”Husband, Father, Democrat, Public Servant.  Frank Pallone, Jr. has been fighting for the people of this state for over 2 decades.”

After wondering why Pallone’s eldest daughter isn’t squinting, the next question to occur to me upon seeing the portrait was, “Why after almost three decades of keeping his family life private, is Pallone trotting his family out on the campaign trail?”

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O’Scanlon: Buono Not Fit For Any Office

Assemblyman Declan O’Scanlon

State Senator Barbara Buono, the Democratic nominee for governor, yesterday said that the many Democrats who have endorsed Governor Chris Christie for another term did so to get more Sandy recovery money for their communities.

From NorthJersey.com:

Buono, the Democrat running against Christie for governor, said she believes many of the endorsements are “transactional.”

“A lot of the folks have said that they’re endorsing him because they’ve received assistance for Sandy and they need more. And you know what, they do need more,” she said. “And this is a governor that’s shown that he can be vindictive.”

Christie’s campaign spokesperson Kevin Roberts said that Buono hit a reprehensible and insulting new low by suggesting that Sandy aid was subject to horse trading.

Assemblyman Declan O’Scanlon went further, saying that Buono is unfit for public office.

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Booker Opens Monmouth County Campaign Office

Newark Mayor Cory Booker, the runaway front runner for the Democratic nomination to replace the late U.S. Senator Frank Launtenberg, opened a campaign office in Victor Scudiery’s Airport Plaza in Hazlet today.

Booker has a commanding lead against 49% to 12% lead over Congressman Frank Pallone in the Monmouth University Poll of likely voters released earlier this week. Congressman Rush Holt gets 8% in the Monmouth Poll and Assembly Speaker Shelia Oliver has support of 3% of the likely voters.  28% are undecided.  Pollster Patrick Murray classified Booker’s lead as “impregnable.”

If Booker prevails in the August 13 primary, he will face off against the winner of the Republican primary on the same day in a special election to be held on October 16.  Former Bogota Mayor Steve Lonegan is the heavy favorite to win the Republican primary over political novice, Dr. Alieta Eck of Piscataway.

Booker’s Hazlet office is having a grand opening celebration this evening from 6-9.  The office will be open and staffed from 9-9 daily through the primary.

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Asbury Park Press Gets Its Facts Wrong Again

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

This morning the Asbury Park Press Neptune Nudniks have an article about something that might be happening and that might cause something else that’s bad to happen.

Two of the three mayors on the Fort Monmouth Economic Revitalization Authority may be breaking confidentiality rules — and possibly jeopardizing millions of dollars in redevelopment deals — to keep their governing bodies up to date on property negotiations affecting their towns. (Emphasis added)

In a nutshell, the Fort Monmouth Economic Revitalization Authority (FMERA) is the entity responsible for redeveloping the fort that Congressmen Frank Pallone and Rush Holt let get away.  The authority is governed by a 13 member board. 6 of the board members are representives of the State government. 1 is a Monmouth County Freeholder, 3 are “public members.” The final three are the mayors of the communities that host the fort, Oceanport, Tinton Falls and Eatontown. 

Here’s where APP reporter Bill Bowman got a basic fact wrong:

A state authority under the umbrella of the state Department of Community Affairs, FMERA is the sole body that seeks out potential buyers and lessors and negotiates and approves contracts for the property.

FMERA is not under the umbrella of the state Department of Community Affairs.  It is an independent authority staffed by the New Jersey Economic Development Authority.

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Groper Fingered For Stuffing Bets

Jeffery Bork

Oceanport Police have arrested Jeffrey L. Bork, 65, of Eatontown and charged him with Criminal Sexual Contact.  A betting teller at Monmouth Park, Bork is alleged to have groped the breasts of several female patrons of the racetrack after putting their betting vouchers down the front of their shirts, according to a statement released by Acting Monmouth County Prosecutor Christopher Gramicconi.

The incidents reportedly occurred between 1PM and 4PM on Saturday July 13.

Anyone with information is asked to contact Oceanport Police Detective Jonathan Tucci at 732-222-6301 ext. 107.

Bork is being held at Golden’s Palace.  His bail is $15,000 as set by Oceanport Municipal Judge Richard B. Thompson.

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Ho Lee Fuk, Howie Felterbush!

Gannett’s USAToday Gets Pranked While Reporting Zimmerman Verdict

‘Howie Felterbush’s’ facebook avatar. The photo is actually of photographer Terry Richardson and two friends, according to TinEye.com

Newspaper/website conglomerate Gannett has more problems than the Asbury Park Press Editorial Board Neptune Nudniks.

The editors of the USA Today, the flagship paper of the Nudnik’s parent company, Gannett, were pranked over the weekend while covering the George Zimmerman verdict.

Deadspin caught the prank and saved it with a screen grab:

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