O’Scanlon’s bill will require full restitution for stealing from taxpayers

Pay up or get locked up

Senator Declan O’Scanlon today announced his plans to introduce legislation that would prohibit State entities from entering into civil settlements for less than the amount that has been stolen from social safety net programs and offering immunity from criminal prosecution.  The legislation comes as a direct result of recent investigations into Medicaid fraud settlements in Lakewood.

“The notion that people who have knowingly received benefits they were not entitled to would only be required to pay back half of that amount of money is completely ludicrous. It’s basically like letting someone get away with stealing from taxpayers. That’s unacceptable.”

Read the rest of this entry »

• Tweet

Mexican National Pleads Guilty To Trafficking Fentanyl into NJ

Angel Santo Jerez Matos, 60, a/k/a “El Colonel,” today admitted his role in conspiring to traffic approximately 300 grams of fentanyl into New Jersey, according to an announcement by  U.S. Attorney Craig Carpenito.

According to the documents filed in this case and statements made in court:

Matos was a supplier of fentanyl, heroin, and cocaine to a drug trafficking organization operating in and around New Jersey.

Read the rest of this entry »

• Tweet

Marlboro Governing Body Condemns Congresswoman’s Anti-Semitic Remarks

Marlboro Mayor Jon Hornik

Mayor Jonathan Hornik and the members of the Marlboro Township Council today issued a public letter condemning the Anti-Semitic remarks of Congresswoman Ilhan Omar (D-Minnesota).

Read the rest of this entry »

• Tweet

Monmouth Poll: New Jersey has mixed feelings for Phil Murphy

Governor Murphy and Howell Democrats, Mayor Theresa Burger and Councilman John
Howell Councilman John Bonevich,

Governor Phil Murphy’s net approval rating has declined 13% after his first year in office and he is less popular than Governors Christie and Corzine were at this stage of their terms, according to a new Monmouth University Poll released this morning.

“Murphy started his term with greater public goodwill than his recent predecessors, but he has now fallen behind them.  The most troubling result may be the large number of his fellow Democrats who continue to take a wait-and-see attitude.  It seems he has yet to score a defining win with his base despite spending a significant amount of energy pushing a progressive agenda,” said Patrick Murray, director of the independent Monmouth University Polling Institute.

Read the rest of this entry »

• Tweet

Frankly Chatting: Don’t be a baby

By Steve Frank

I always sorta’ saw myself as a tough guy. Not physically but in a mental patient kind of way. I never pampered myself. Didn’t let the weather affect me; scorcher, nor’easter, flooding, blizzard -didn’t matter. I went about my business doing whatever it is I do. I used to coach wrestling. Anyone who’s ever spent time in a wrestling practice room knows the saying “Suck it Up!” When you’ve got nothing left in the tank; you’re gasping for air; there’s thirty seconds left on the clock. Suck it Up!

I incorporated this politically incorrect child-rearing philosophy into raising my kids. They flirted with 100% attendance almost every year of their school lives. Got a headache? It’ll pass. Queasy stomach? Don’t be a baby. Tired? Stop whining. And, of course, you never get to quit anything. Well, at least, without giving it your best shot.

Read the rest of this entry »

• Tweet

Murphy Reprises Corzine’s Asset Monetization Plans, MMM Reprises ‘King of the Road’

Asbury Park Press graphic. Permission to use granted 11 years ago

Politico is reporting that Governor Phil Murphy is reaching back to the previous Goldman Sachs Administration in New Jersey by “launching an effort to identify state assets that could be leveraged to reduce New Jersey’s unfunded pension liability.”

Former Governor Corzine couldn’t sell his idea of selling New Jersey’s toll roads to investors (China) for a $30+ billion cash infusion to plug our chronic budget wholes. Will Murphy, who according to Politico is looking to sell more assets than toll roads,“numerous state assets, including property, buildings, roads, transit facilities, easements, air rights, naming rights and infrastructure, such as airports, bridges, water facilities, ports, parks and recreational facilities,” succeed where Corzine failed?

Politico says that Senate President Steve Sweeney supports the concept.

On January 21, 2008, MMM responded to Corzine’s scheme with a song parody crafted by Lori Gallagher, aka Mrs. Musings:

Read the rest of this entry »

• Tweet

Republican Enthusiasm Abounds At Monmouth County Lincoln Day Dinner

It’s become a winter tradition that Monmouth County Republicans can mark their calendars by.  Shaun Golden’s annual Starry Night Celebration is on the last Friday of January followed by the Monmouth GOP’s annual Lincoln Day Dinner two weeks later.

The atmosphere was electric on Friday night in Freehold where over 500 enthusiastic Republicans gathered at Southgate Manor for the annual celebration of America’s first Republican president and the annual kickoff of signature gathering for candidates’ petitions.

New Jersey’s sole remaining Republican in Congress, Rep Chris Smith, received a spontaneous standing ovation when Golden noted his arrival from a Friday voting session in Washington.  Smith in turn acknowledged the strong Monmouth Republican team that held back the blue wave that swept the rest of New Jersey in last fall’s election and specifically congratulated Golden, not for politics, but for outstanding government.  The Sheriff was honored in Washington last year, Smith noted, for leading the best 911 call center in the country.

Read the rest of this entry »

• Tweet

O’Scanlon and DiMaso Introduce “River’s Law” To Increase Penalties For Animal Abuse

River

Senator Declan O’Scanlon and Assemblywoman Serena DiMaso have introduced legislation that will increase certain animal abuse crimes to the second degree level.  Convictions for second degree crimes carry penalties of five to 10 years imprisonment and fines of up to $150,000.

The legislation is named for River, a pitbull/mix that was rescued by a Good Samaritan, Jennifer Vaz of Highlands, who discovered the dog caged and left to drown on the banks of the Shrewbury River at Veterans Memorial Park last June.

Read the rest of this entry »

• Tweet

Mary Pat Christie for Congress? From the 11th or the 3rd district?

CHRISCHRISTIE.COM PHOTO

Former Governor Chris Christie floated the idea of his wife, Mary Pat Christie, running for Congress in the 11th district next year as a challenger to freshman Congresswoman Mikie Sherrill, according to a report at NewJerseyGlobe.

Sherrill, who flipped the Republican 11th district convincingly with a 57%-42%  victory over Assemblyman Jay Webber, and raised a gazillion dollars to do it, will be tough to beat in 2020.

Mary Pat would have a much easier race against 3rd district freshman Congressman Andy Kim who barely beat Tom MacArthur last year.   The Chrisites own a house in Bay Head, in addition to their home in Mendam.  MacArthur relocated to Ocean County from Morris County to run for the seat after Jon Runyan retired in 2014.

Read the rest of this entry »

• Tweet

Greg’s List: Things to Do in Monmouth County This Weekend, February 8-10, 2019

By Greg Kelly

Like this?

Friday, February 8

• An Evening with The Celebrity Housewives at Count Basie Theatre (Red Bank) – MORE INFO
• Sylvia by South Street Players (Spring Lake) – MORE INFO
• “Apple Season” at NJ Repertory Theatre (Long Branch) – MORE INFO
• Beyond #MeToo Exhibit Opening at Monmouth U. (WLB) – MORE INFO
• “Wet as the Atlantic Ocean: Prohibition in NJ” exhibit (Ocean Twp.) – MORE INFO
• School Italian Dinner (Eatontown) – MORE INFO
• Hunt for the Hearts Festival (Ocean Grove) – MORE INFO
• AARP Tax-Aid Program (Monmouth County Libraries) – MORE INFO

Read the rest of this entry »

• Tweet