Congressman Chris Smith Fighting For Release Of Americans Held In Iran

Congressman Chris Smith told News12 that he will personally bring the cause of Princeton University graduate student Xiyue Wang to the attention of Vice President Mike Pence and that he will have Wang’s wife, Hua Qu, testify before his Congressional Committee as part of his effort to secure the release of the American student, and others, from prison in Iran.

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Congressman Smith’s Anti-Trafficking Law Used In Two Recent High-Profile Prosecutions

Congressman Chris Smith

Allison Mack of the TV series “Smallville,” and former Middletown Police Officer  James Keenan  are facing justice for their alleged human trafficking crimes thanks to a law conceived, championed and passed into law through the leadership and tenacity of Congressman Chris Smith.

Smith’s landmark Trafficking Victims Protection Act of 2000 (PL 106-386) is the law being enforced in the recent high-profile indictment of a trafficking ring in New York that involved Mack and the indictment of Keenan on child sex trafficking charges.

“This law, the TVPA, sends a message to traffickers of the gravity of their offense,” Rep. Smith, co-chair of the Congressional Human Trafficking Caucus, stated.

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U.S. Supreme Court Overturns Sports Betting Ban

The U.S. Supreme Court today issued a decision overturning the federal ban on sports betting outside of Las Vegas, Nevada.

The Opinion in Murphy, Governor of New Jersey, et al v National Collegiate Athletic Association, et al , overturns the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act (PASPA) of 1992 and allows states to set their own rules for sport betting. Read the rest of this entry »

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Adam Schneider: Life is good!

Long Branch Mayor Adam Schneider on Friday afternoon

Long Branch Mayor Adam Schneider said he was filled with a mix of positive emotions when I spoke with him on Friday, three days after he was defeated for reelection after twenty-eight years leading the city.

“I feel a sense of pride in a way I never have before since my work is now complete,” the mayor said. “A lot of pressure lifted, almost instantly gone. I didn’t even realize how much pressure.”

Schneider said his immediate plans are to put some work into his law practice before taking some time off with his wife, Pat.  Then there will be summer days on the beach as he contemplates what is next for his career. “Sitting on the beach, reading  book and taking a nap is my perfect summer day,” he said. “I hope to have lot of those this summer.”

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Transcript: Curley called DiMaso a “Staten Island Guinea”

Disgraced Freeholder John P. Curley

The report prepared by retired Acting Supreme Court Justice Mary Catherine Cuff states that disgraced Freeholder John P. Curley referred to Assemblywoman Serena DiMaso as a “Staten Island Guinea,” according to the transcript of federal court proceedings Curley has brought against Monmouth County.  DiMaso was a Monmouth County Freeholder at the time that Curley said “that Staten Island guinea” and “I ought to stab her with my insulin pack.”

Staten Island is the New York City borough where DiMaso was raised. “Guinea” is a derisive ethnic slur that refers to people of Italian heritage. The slur is derived from “Guinea Negro” a term that referenced Blacks or people of mixed ancestry from Guinea, the African country in West Africa. The term is “the most vile” one can call an Italian, according to Urban Dictionary, and is used as a slur for Italians because of many of them have darker skin than Anglo Saxons/Germans, according to the Racial Slur Database. Read the rest of this entry »

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Video: U.S. Coast Guard medevacs fisherman 65 miles off coast

The Coast Guard medevaced a 51-year-old man approximately 65 miles off Atlantic City, New Jersey, Sunday.

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Casagrande joins U.S. State Department

Caroline Casagrande

Former Assemblywoman Caroline Casagrande has taken a job in the United States State Department as a special advisor to Assistant Secretary of State for Educational and Cultural Affairs Marie Royce.

As mandated by the Mutual Educational and Cultural Exchange Act of 1961, the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA) works to build friendly, peaceful relations between the people of the United States and the people of other countries through academic, cultural, sports, and professional exchanges, as well as public -private partnerships, according to the bureau’s website. Read the rest of this entry »

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Long Branch Mayor Adam Schneider makes his case for another term

Long Branch voters will elect and mayor and council next Tuesday, May 8th.  Adam Schneider, the mayor since 1990, is seeking a 8th term leading the City. Read the rest of this entry »

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Video: Pallone Declares His Love and Support for Bob Menendez

Congressman Frank Pallone responded to the Senate Ethics Committee’s severe admonishment of Senator Bob Menendez for abusing the powers of his office in exchange for extremely lavish gifts from Dr. Salomon Melgin by declaring his love and support of Menendez to reporters in Washington.

See the video originally posted by NorthJersey.com:

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What if Menendez resigns?

It’s not considered likely that Senator Bob Menendez will resign as a result of the bi-partisan admonishment he received from the U.S. Senate Select Committee on Ethics.  NJ and Washington Democrats have become a much more forgiving people since Senator Bob Torricelli was forced out of office after his admonishment 16 years ago.

As Bret Stephens wrote in a Trump bashing piece in the NY Times yesterday, America’s standards have declined over the years.   Menendez’s admonishment for trading the power of his office for luxury travel and massive campaign contributions will likely blow over as the Democrats and their media partners continue their mission to destroy the Trump presidency.

But what if the Russian collusion with the Senate Ethics Committee works and Menendez decides to take a job running Dr. Salomon Melgen’s port security business in the Dominican Republic while looking over his luxury villa?

If Menendez resigns, Governor Phil Murphy gets to appoint someone to fill the vacancy until January. That person would run in Menendez’s place for a six year term in the November election. Who would Murphy choose? Read the rest of this entry »

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