Where was Vin?

South Jersey Democratic boss George Norcross invited the “reconfigured power elite” of the state Democratic Party to dinner in Colts Neck last night, according to a report at PolitickerNJ.

Monmouth County Democratic Chairman Vin Gopal was not there; not invited to a high powered Democratic gathering in his county.

Also not present, gubernatorial nominee and head of the party in name only, State Senator Barbara Buono.  Assembly Speaker Sheila Oliver, not there. U.S. Senate nominee Cory Booker represented Essex County.  Essex County Executive Joseph Divencenzo, who has endorsed Governor Chris Christie for reelection, was not invited.

Gopal would not comment on this story. He said via text that he is traveling and would call back Monday.

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Christie Nominates Camden County Assignment Judge To State Supreme Court

Justice Helen E. Hoens. photo via NJ Courts website

Governor Christie announced the nomination of Judge Faustino J. Fernandez-Vina to replace Justice Helen Hoens on the State Supreme Court during a press conference at the State House this afternoon.

Hoens, who was up for reappointment after seven years, will not be re-nominated, Christie said, because State Senator Ray Lesniak, a senior Democratic member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, recently said that Hoens would not be reconfirmed as political retribution for Christie not re-nominating Justice John Wallace in 2010.  Christie said that Hoens took the news as a professional and thanked him for not putting her through an arduous and fruitless re-confirmation hearing.  Hoen’s term expires in late October.

There are currently two vacancies, of seven positions, on the State Supreme Court. Christie nominated Monmouth County Judge David F. Bauman and Board of Public Utilities President Robert Hanna to fill those vacancies in December of last year.  The Democratically controlled State Senate has not acted on their nominations, despite the fact that both men have been previously confirmed by the Senate for their current positions.

If all three of Christie’s current nominees are confirmed, a majority of the Court, 4 Justices, will be Christie appointees. Justice Anne M. Patterson was nominated by Christie in May of 2010. She was confirmed by the Senate and sworn in 19 months later in September of 2011.

Judge Fernandez-Vina, a Cuban-American and a Republican, was first nominated to the Superior Court in Camden County by Governor Jim McGreevey in 2004.  He was re-nominated by Christie an reconfirmed by the Senate in 2011.  In 2012, Chief Justice Stuart Rabner, a Corzine appointee, named Fernandez-Vina the Assignment Judge of the Camden County Vicinage.

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Christie Says Lonegan Tweet Was Inappropriate

Governor Chris Christie said this afternoon that the controversial tweet sent out by a Lonegan for Senate staffer last week during the Democratic Senatorial Debate was inappropriate, and the fact that Lonegan immediately ordered the tweet taken down indicates that Lonegan knows it was inappropriate, despite his protestations since.

“Why take it down if there was nothing wrong with it?” Christie said.

Christie said the would have fired the staffer who posted the tweet, “but its Steve’s campaign. He has a different management style.”

The Governor said he would endorse the winner of tomorrow’s Republican primary to replace the late U.S. Senator Frank Lautenberg.

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Sen. Rand Paul: Gov Chris Christie Is The King Of Bacon

Christie: New Jersey is a donor state.  Doubts Paul will cut pork he’s bring home to Kentucky

By Matt Rooney, SaveJersey.com

The Christie/Paul 2016 skirmish got ugly on Tuesday evening, Save Jerseyans.

Responding to Christie, who inferred that Paul was a hypocrite for bringing home to Kentucky, Paul told CNN’s Wolf Blitzer that ”[t]his is the king of bacon talking about bacon,”

Sigh…

Watch:

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Lonegan agrees with Christie and Paul

Former Bogota Mayor Steven Lonegan, the front runner for the GOP nomination to succeed the late U.S. Senator Frank Lautenberg, issued the following statement regarding the controversy between Governor Chris Christie and U.S. Senator Rand Paul (R-Kentucky) regarding libertarianism and the federal government’s anti-terrorism measures:

Lonegan: Rand Paul is Defending Our Freedom

Metuchen, NJ – Republican U.S. Senate candidate Steve Lonegan today spoke out on efforts by Senator Rand Paul (R-KY) and others to curtail NSA surveillance. Lonegan said, “I agree with Gov Christie that we must be vigilant in our defense against terrorism, and this can be achieved without sacrificing our fundamental liberties. Senator Rand Paul is defending our freedom against the overreach of our government into our lives and privacy, and the NSA surveillance scandal clearly highlights this administration’s abuse of its power to invade our private lives. I support Sen Paul’s efforts. “

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What would Rand Paul say if he knew what Christie knows?

Gov Chris Christie and HUD Sec Shaun Donovan at Bahrs Landing, Highlands, 4/29/13, photo by Art Gallagher

Much is being made in the political media today about the “harsh assessment of libertarianism” and its most popular current spokesman, Senator Rand Paul, that Governor Chris Christie delivered in his remarks during the Aspen Institute forum with fellow Republican governors Bobby Jindal, Mike Pence, and Scott Walker last night.

Politico published an edited clip of Christie’s comment on “esoteric, intellectual” libertarianism that made it sound as if the Aspen forum was the kick-off of the 2016 Republican presidential primary between Paul and Christie:

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What’s Working On The State Level?

Governor Chris Christie will join Indiana Governor Michael Pence, Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal and Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker in a panel discussion before an Aspen Institute conference in Colorado at 8PM.

Watch the event here:

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Christie Order Allows Teenagers To Volunteer In Rebuilding Efforts

photo courtesy of Samaritanspurse.org

Teenagers are allowed to perform construction work as volunteers for non-profit organizations assisting New Jersey residents in rebuilding from the devastation of Superstorm Sandy thanks to an Executive Order signed by Governor Chris Christies yesterday.

Many of the young people assisting homeowners clean up and rebuild over the last 9 months have been doing so in violation of New Jersey’s Labor Law which prohibits anyone under the age of 18 from coming within 30 feet of construction work.   As the law became more common knowledge, charities were turning young volunteers away.

Assemblywomen Mary Pat Angelini (R-Monmouth) and Marlene Caride (D-Bergen and Passaic) proposed legislation last month that would permit youthful good works, but the bill could take a year or more to pass and become effective.

Christie’s order, which can be viewed here, permits minors between 14 and 17 years of age to volunteer for non-profits engaged in housing construction through the end of this year.

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Christie Administration Announces Federal Supplemental Social Services Block Grant To Assist Superstorm Sandy Victims

Funds Will Reinforce Social Services Programs and Continue to Assist New Jerseyans’ Personal Recovery Efforts

Trenton, NJ – The Christie Administration today announced that it received authorization to spend $209 million of a supplemental social services block grant (SSBG) from the US Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Children and Families on services provided to victims of Superstorm Sandy. The funding is allocated to the Department of Human Services (DHS) and shared with the Departments of Health (DOH) and Children and Families (DCF) for eligible expenditures.

“The physical rebuilding of structures and the removal of debris are just one part of New Jersey’s efforts to recover from Superstorm Sandy,” said Governor Chris Christie. “Another stage of that recovery is the healing process, which many of our impacted residents have been undergoing over the last eight months through social services programs available to them. New Jersey will use these grant funds to reinforce our social services infrastructure so that we can continue to support Sandy survivors’ ongoing personal recovery efforts.”

The Disaster Relief Appropriations Act provided about $500 million to five states for expenses related to recovery and rebuilding. New Jersey received almost half of the total allotment. SSBG funds are designed to address necessary expenses resulting from Superstorm Sandy, including social, health, and behavioral health services, as well as the repair, renovation and rebuilding of health care, child care and other social services facilities.

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Christie Orders Flag Lowering For James Gandolfini

James Gandolfini shopping at IEI in Hazlet

Governor Chris Christie today ordered that all State buildings will fly flags at half-staff on Monday, June 24, 2013 to recognize the achievements and contributions of actor James Gandolfini.

Gandolfini, best known for his depiction of Tony Soprano in the HBO series The Sopranos, died of a heart attach at age 51 on Wednesday while vacation with his family in Italy.

In a statement issued by his office, Christie said,

James Gandolfini, a New Jersey native born in Westwood, who graduated from Park Ridge High School and earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from Rutgers University. James Gandolfini enjoyed an extraordinarily successful acting career across television, film and Broadway, including his popularly acclaimed role as Tony Soprano in The Sopranos, and advocated for United States servicemembers and veterans in his two documentaries, Alive Day Memories: Home From Iraq and Wartorn:1861-2010. James Gandolfini was an iconic actor and will be remembered for the timeless impact he left upon television and film in the State of New Jersey and across our nation.

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