The Bayshore Tea Party Group Redistricting Committe, Middletown, submitted what they are calling “the only truly Constitutional Map released thus far in New Jersey’s decennial foray into map making” to Dr Alan Rosenthal, PhD, the 11th and tie breaking member of the State Redistricting Commission.
In his cover letter to Rosenthal, BTPG Redistricting Committee Chairman Sean Spinello, Esq., said that the group “set out to produce a non-gerrymandered map that protects the all-inclusive and singular most important community of interest – the franchised voters of the State of New Jersey.”
Without consideration for partisanship, incumbency or socio-economics, the group’s map was constructed based upon the Constitution requirements of population equality, contiguity, compactness, and keeping districts wholly within individual counties where possible and where not possible, splitting districts into as few counties as possible.
In a statement posted on the BTPG website, Patrick Murray of Monmouth University Polling Institute said,
“Except for what appears to be an inadvertent split of Egg Harbor Township between Districts 1 and 2 (which will requiring some re-tooling) the map’s parameters are solid. It also maintains and perhaps enhances minority representation (basically as well as the map proposed by the minority coalition!) and provides for real competition for control of the next legislature. Of course, it is unkind to incumbents, and thus contrary to what Rosenthal has laid out as his priorities. On the whole, a map worth adding to the discussion.
The map is unkind to incumbents. In Monmouth County, Senators Joe Kyrillos (Middletown) and Jennifer Beck (Red Bank) are both in a new 13th district comprised of Bayshore and Two River towns. Old Bridge is moved, along with incumbent Assemblyman Sam Thompson, from the current 13th to an all Middlesex County 19th. Assemblyman Declan O’Scanlon (Little Silver) would join Assemblywoman Amy Handlin as incumbents in the lower house.
The current 11th district would remain largely intact, adding Manasquan and Oceanport, and be renamed the 12th. Incumbents, Senator Sean Kean and Assembly members Dave Rible and Mary Pat Angelini would be unaffected.
The new 11th district would be comprised on Colts Neck, Farmingdale, Howell and Tinton Falls of Monmouth County and the Ocean County towns of Jackson and Lakewood. Senator Robert Singer (Lakewood) would be the incumbent with Assemblywoman Caroline Casagrande (Colts Neck). There would be a vacant Assembly seat in this district.
The town by town key of the BTPG “People’s Map” can be found here.
The Redistricting Commission is required to release the new map on April 3.
O’Keefe told MoreMonmouthMusings, “I wish the Tea Party hadn’t told the press that I didn’t want the event videoed,” before saying that he was on another line and promising to call back. He hasn’t called back.
The rambunctious gumshoe didn’t leave Charles Measley and Barbara Gonzalez, the BTPG members who appeared on the APP.com video, much choice. No one knew O’Keefe didn’t wanted the event recorded until he failed to take the podium after an inspirational introduction by BTPG Chairman Bob Gordon and an enthusiastic standing ovation. He was hiding in the mens room and had be coaxed to make his presentation with the press present.
It was only after Measley promised to get the videographer out of the room that O’Keefe emerged from the commode to address the admiring crowd. There were reporters in the room. O’Keefe’s delay required an explanation. The videographer was in the room when O’Keefe started. Measley and Gonzalez handled the situation well. Steve Grossman, the former Hazlet GOP Chairman who is heard off camera arguing with Gonzalez, handled himself just as those of us who know and love him have come to expect.
For someone who has demonstrated that he is quick on his feet, O’Keefe handled this one very poorly. He gave the media, who he is a ferocious critic of, a story to discredit him where there wasn’t one.
O’Keefe knew that reporters and photographers were in the room during his presentation. At one point while showing a video clip of a Star Ledger interview of one of the teachers exposed in his Teacher Gone Wildvideo, O’Keefe asked, “Are there any Star Ledger reporters in the room?” Seeing none, he showed the clip that made the point that the mainstream media is out to protect those he is exposing and to discredit him.
Unfortunately, James gave his detractors in the mainstream media the ammunition to embarrass him this time. There was no upside to banning the videographer. There was plently in the presentation that had already made national news, but nothing that would have made a new national story. Only O’Keefe knows if he altered his presentation because reporters were present. Had he allowed the presentation to be videoed, APP.com might not even have posted the video.
APP reporter Alesha Boyd William’s initial story on O’Keefe’s presentation was excellent. A fair and accurate report on what happened. The story was featured prominently at APP.com on Friday morning and was front page above the fold in the Friday print edition. I’d link you to the story, but it appears to be gone from the APP site, replaced by the far juicer “gotcha” story, that is now national news.
James O’Keefe is doing important work. He is right when he says that the mainstream media no longer does investigative journalism and that their news coverage has devolved to “punditry, stenography and promotion.”
O’Keefe has the potential to become a long term major journalistic figure and make a real difference. However, he needs to step up his game in handling the inevitable blow back from his work. He needs to stop blaming others for his own missteps. Otherwise he’ll be a flash in the pan.
Keyport, March 17 – James O’Keefe, the 26 year old citizen journalist/filmmaker who has exposed taxpayer funded atrocities at ACORN, Planned Parenthood, the NJEA and most recently NPR spoke before approximately 100 members and friends of the Bayshore Tea Party Group this evening at the Ye Cottage Inn in Keyport. Among the guests were State Senator Mike Doherty, R-23, and 13th district Assembly members Amy Handlin and Sam Thompson.
O’Keefe explained that is work is funded by grassroots donations to his Project Veritas, a 501-C3 (pending), whose mission is to investigate and expose corruption, dishonesty, self-dealing, waste, fraud, and other misconduct in both public and private institutions in order to achieve a more ethical and transparent society.
O’Keefe said he work is possible and necessary because the mainstream media no longer performs investigative journalism. “Mainstream journalism has devolved into punditry, stenography and promotion,” he said.
O’Keefe summarized his body of work with a video presentation that started with Jon Stewart’s coverage of the ACORN expose’ and concluded with clips of a hilarious video he produced while a student at Rutgers wherein he complained to a Dean that Rutgers serving Lucky Charms in their dining hall was denigrating to Irish Americans.
O’Keefe said that Rutgers banned Lucky Charms from their dining halls as a result of his meeting and later got the joke and started serving the breakfast cereal again.
In between Stewart and Lucky Charms, O’Keefe’s presentation showed his work exposing Planned Parenthood, the NJEA and various media pieces wherein mainstream media outlets ignored his stories and/or attempted to discredit him as he explained to the group the methodology of his stings and the reasoning for the staggered release of his videos.
The first annual Bayshore Tea Party Group St Patrick’s Day Celebration raised funds for the organization’s education and grassroots activism efforts. The event was sponsored by Senator Joe Kyrillos, 11th district legislators Senator Sean Kean and Assembly members Dave Rible and Mary Pat Angelini, Doherty, Castle of Dreams Animal Rescue, Fastrack Oil and Lube, Diane Gooch’s Strong New Jersey, Todd Christie, Ken and Ann Kievit, Anna Little and Sean Spinello.
Fresh off the resignation of NPR top executives, O’Keefe to give a behind the scenes peek.
Middletown, NJ—The Bayshore Tea Party Group is proud to announce its first annual St. Patrick’s Day Celebration, this Thursday, March 17th, 2011 at Ye Cottage Inn in Keyport, NJ. James O’Keefe, the Jersey boy who blew the lid off of the corrupt ACORN racket, will headline the event on the water in Keyport.
O’Keefe most recently exposed National Public Radio (NPR) executinves meeting with prospective donors that may have violated federal law. The tirade O’Keefe caught on film resulted in the resignation of NPR’s President Vivian Schiller.
Prior to the rampage, NPR Foundation President Ron Schiller made it clear to the Country that NPR would be better off without federal funding. Suffice to say, we agree.
Details:
Who:James O’Keefe, III headlines at the Bayshore Tea Party Group
What:1stAnnual St. Patrick’s Day Celebration
Where: Ye Cottage Inn, 149 West Front Street, Keyport, NJ 07735
When:Thursday, March 17th, 2011
7-9 PM
How:$50 at the door / $1000 event sponsorship
Noted in Politico as one of the most “prominent” tea party groups in the State of New Jersey and the Country, the Bayshore Tea Party Group is an all-volunteer organization working tirelessly in Monmouth County and New Jersey to implement Constitutional and Conservative policies throughout New Jersey through a variety of channels.
Peter Burnham resigned the presidency of Brookdale Community College yesterday in a defiant letter to the college board of trustees that touted his accomplishments. His said his resignation should not be construed as an admission of wrong doing, according to a report in the Asbury Park Press.Burnham said he was confident that his good reputation would be preserved.
Freeholder Lillian Burry blasted Burnham with the strongest language that any official has yet to use to condemn the disgraced college president’s excessive compensation and spending irregularities:
“He disgraced himself in the eyes of his students, in the eyes of his peers, in the eyes of everyone who believed in his vision for Brookdale and every Monmouth County taxpayer,” Burry said. “He has to be held accountable for his actions.”
Burry also backed off her previous support of the college board.
“They did allow this to happen,” she said. “They created the environment that allowed Peter Burnham to become untouchable. Everyone believed in what he was doing and there was no oversight.”
Freeholder Deputy Director John Curley called upon the Board of Trustees to resign, saying that they are policing themselves which is unacceptable. Freeholder Director Rob Clifton said that he expected that board members would voluntarily resign.
Across the aisle, Democratic Freeholder Amy Mallet was relatively quiet with the APP, deferring to her potential running mate, former Middletown Committeeman Sean Byrnes who ran for Freeholder against Curley in 2009.
The apparent lack of fiscal oversight at Brookdale is probably not unique to the college, Byrnes said Tuesday.
“Hopefully, the county will take this example and, perhaps, consider doing audits and investigations into some of the (other) boards they have ? library, parks,” he said.
Burry met with approximately 45 members of the Bayshore Tea Party Group last evening where she was very well received. Charles Measley, a GOP county committee member from Rumson and active BTPG member who attends Brookdale was particularly pleased with Burry. “I went into the meeting thinking Burry was a RINO, but came away impressed by how conservative she really is,” Measley said, “regarding Brookdale, she told us of Burnham’s departure and assured us that there would be additional house cleaning.”
Barbara Gonzalez, BTPG founder, said that Burry was extremely impressive and that some of the group’s members thought she should run for higher office.
James O’Keefe, the citizen journalist well known for his undercover videos exposing inappropriate and criminal activity at ACORN and the NJEA has struck again. This time National Public Radio was his target.
In the video released today NPR Senior Executive Ron Schiller and fundraiser Besty Liley meet with two O’Keefe associates posing as members of a Muslim Brotherhood front group who are considering a $5 million donation to NPR.
Throughout the video, Schiller bashes Republicans and the Tea Party, calling them racist and xenophobic. He says that liberals are more intelligent and informed than conservatives.
Schiller says that NPR would be better off without federal funding. I say let’s be informed by his intelligence and cut the funding off.
O’Keefe will be the guest speaker at the Bayshore Tea Party’s St. Patrick’s Day Celebration on Thursday March 17th from 7PM -9PM at Ye Cottage Inn in Keyport. No word on whether green tea and/or green tea will be served.
Wisconsin public employees will join their New Jersey comrades in Trenton on Friday to protest fiscal discipline, representative government, and the right to work.
Dwight Kehoe has left his leadership role with the BTPG, leaving Gonzalez and Bob Gordon as the group’s co-chairs. In an email to group members, Kehoe sang the praises of what the group has accomplished since July of 2009 and said that he will “always support that wonderful organization.”
Unrelated to Kehoe’s departure, there have been persistent rumors within the GOP establishment that the Bayshore Tea Party is planning on supporting primary challengers against incumbent GOP state legislators in June.
Both Gonzalez and Gordon have told MMM on multiple occassions that they have no such plans. They say their focus this year is on redistricting on the state and federal levels, and to increase the number of GOP legistors elected statewide. They are looking at working in swing districts outside of Monmouth that they hope to bring into the GOP side of the aisle. Gordon mentioned that they would also consider supporting Democratic primary challengers.
