The death of Republicanism, Part 1: the battlefield

By Charles Measley

When looking at politics I view it as if I’m staring at a battlefield or a chessboard: I ponder, “Where are the best places to move, position, and to attack?” Sometimes positioning your forces is the most critical move for a long-term victory. Strategically aligning forces in key places will not lead to a rapid victory, but it will ensure enduring long-term success. Sadly that’s exactly what the left has done.

Every time a Republican candidate steps out on the political battlefield, they are almost instantly placed at a disadvantage. Over the last few years, the left has positioned people with their mindset in the media, whether it’s a local paper like The Asbury Park Press or a national affiliate like ABC News. Through traditional media, the left focuses on a negative narrative towards the Republican candidate while allowing the Democrat to proceed worry free.

Read the rest of this entry »

• Tweet

County Employee Charged With Embezzling $3,000 From Millstone Golf Course

Carol Hobbs, 34, of Jackson, was arrested and charged with third degree theft on Thursday following an investigation by the Monmouth County Prosecutor’s Office.

Hobbs was responsible for maintaining the cash register in the pro shop, collecting greens fees and managing the schedule of golfers to the starting point to begin their round of golf. The investigation revealed Hobbs would modify a transaction so it appeared the golfer received a refund after the golf course patron paid for a round a golf when they had not asked for or received a refund. After modifying the transaction Hobbs retained the money. An audit revealed Hobbs embezzled over $3,000 from September 2012 through December 2012, according to a statement released by Acting Prosecutor Christopher A. Gramiccioni.

Hobbs was not charged with Official Misconduct, a second degree crime if the benefit of the infraction exceeds $200, that carries up to a 10 year prison sentence upon conviction, according to attorney Matheu D. Nunn:

Under New Jersey’s Official Misconduct law, N.J.S.A. 2C:30-2, a public servant can be prosecuted for acts committed in their official capacity and, if convicted, imprisoned for up to ten years.

A public servant includes any officer or employee of government including legislators and judges as well as any person participating as a juror, advisor, consultant or otherwise, in performing a government function; it does not include a witness. The test is whether the person is performing a “government function.”

Under New Jersey Official Misconduct law the public servant’s action or omission must be coupled “with a purpose to obtain a benefit for himself or another” or a purpose to injure another or deprive another of a benefit….

…Here is the scary part–Official Misconduct is a crime of the second degree. As a result, the official faces up to 10 years in state prison if the benefit involved exceeded $200 in value. If the benefit is less than $200 in value it is a crime of the third degree and the official faces a term of imprisonment up to 5 years.

If the purpose is to injure another it will be a crime of the second degree no matter how slight the injury.

And, unlike many other “non-violent” crimes, pursuant to N.J.S.A. 2C:43-6.5, a person convicted of Official Misconduct:

“shall be sentenced to a mandatory minimum term of imprisonment without eligibility for parole as follows: for a crime of the fourth degree, the mandatory minimum term shall be one year; for a crime of the third degree, two years; for a crime of the second degree, five years; and for a crime of the first degree, 10 years; unless the provisions of any other law provide for a higher mandatory minimum term.”

Former Brookdale Community College President Peter Burnham is serving at least two years of a five year prison sentence due to his guilty plea to Official Misconduct.

Gramiccioni declined to say why Hobbs was not charged with Official Misconduct, citing work product confidentiality.

• Tweet

Codey not running for Governor

Buono likely to be unopposed for Dem nomination

Former Acting Governror Richard Codey told The Star Ledger that he will not seek to Democratic nomination for Governor, saying that a statewide campaign would be too much on his family life.

“After talking with my family, friends and other advisors and weighing the impact of a campaign on my family life, I have decided not to seek the nomination,” Codey said. “I want to thank my friends and supporters throughout the state who encouraged me to run and provided counsel during this process.”

Codey said he would seek reelection to the State Senate.

PolitickerNJ reports that Senate President Steve Sweeney’s is still mulling entering the gubernatorial fray and that his decision will be announced by the end of this month.

A Democratic source familiar with Sweeney’s thinking told MoreMonmouthMusings that Sweeney will not be a candidate.

That will leave State Senator Barbara Buono, who declared her candidacy in early December, as the likely nominee to attempt to deny Governor Chris Christie a second term.

In a Quinnipiac poll published on Wednesday,  68% of New Jersey voters said that Christie deserves a second term.  Christie beats Buono 63%-22% and Sweeney by 61%-25%.  Only Codey, who finished Governor Jim McGreevey’s term as governor, would keep Christie under 60%, losing 59%-28%.

• Tweet

Menendez Sex and Ethics Scandal Widens

Daily Caller says FBI is investigating NJ Senator for exploiting underage Dominican prostitutes, ABC News covering up scandal

Senator Bob Menendez should be kicking back and celebrating his accomplishments this weekend.  He took over the chairmanship of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee just in time to preside over Hillary Clinton’s high profile testimony regarding the September 11 attacks on the U.S. Consulate in Benghazi, Libya and he scored a 51% approval rating among New Jersey voters in a Quinnipiac poll this week.

But the stories about Menendez’s inappropriate foreign relations in the Dominican Republic just won’t go away.

Early this morning Daily Caller, the conservative website that last October broke the story about Menendez stiffing Dominican prostitutes, posted a story reporting that the FBI opened an investigation into the Senator for victimising underage Domincan girls, in exchange for money, last August.

DC links to documents indicating that ABC News Senior Investigative Producer Rhoda Schwartz was on to Menendez’s exploits last May and that Citizens for Responsibilty and Ethics in Washington (CREW) was alerted to Menendez’s foreign pay to play last April.

New Jersey’s mainstream media has ignored the story because it is considered “thin,” according to one reporter and becauses “nobody cares and we’re too busy” according to another.

USNews reported in November that the story “wouldn’t stick”, in part, because it involved a Democrat.

“You would see a little more digging if he were a Republican. It is the slightest of the factors, but it is still a factor,”

State Senator Sam Thompson, in his capacity as chairman of the Middlesex GOP, wrote to the Senate Ethics Committee in November asking that they investigate Menendez.  So far, there has been no investigation reported.

• Tweet

Governor Christie Outlines Regulations to Allow Residents and Businesses to Rebuild Faster, Stronger and Safer from Hurricane Sandy

Standards Will Ensure Lower Premiums In The Long Term, Protecting Residents From Out Of Control Costs

Trenton, NJ – Taking action to give New Jersey families, businesses and local governments the best available guidance to quickly and more durably rebuild from Hurricane Sandy, Governor Chris Christie today signed emergency regulations to adopt the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s (FEMA) updated Advisory Base Flood Elevation (ABFEs) maps as the rebuilding standard for the entire state. These regulations establish requirements and more efficient procedures for residents and businesses to construct, reconstruct, relocate and elevate buildings and other structures in flood hazard areas. 

  Read the rest of this entry »

• Tweet

Congressman Chris Smith Debunks Hillary Clinton’s Claim That A Lack Of Funding Caused Benghazi Deaths

• Tweet

BECK SEEKS TO GIVE DEPARTMENT OF BANKING AND INSURANCE OVERSIGHT ROLE IN FLOOD INSURANCE CLAIMS

NEW BILL WOULD HOLD INSURERS ACCOUNTABLE TO NJ STANDARDS

Senator Jennifer Beck has introduced legislation that clarifies the Department of Banking Insurance’s jurisdiction over the processing of certain flood insurance claims. The bill specifies that though flood insurance is administered by Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) the actual claims process must adhere to New Jersey Department of Banking and Insurance (DOBI) laws and regulations.  In most cases in New Jersey, the NFIP flood insurance itself is purchased from New Jersey-based private insurance companies who participate in FEMA’s “Write Your Own” program.  Additionally, those same New Jersey-based insurers are often administering the claims.

 “In the wake of Sandy, we have been deluged with complaints about unresponsive and misleading flood insurance representatives” Beck explained. “While the NFIP is a federal program, I want to clarify that licensed New Jersey flood insurance companies must still comply with our consumer protection laws when processing our residents’ flood claims.  This is the New Jersey Department of Banking and Insurance jurisdiction and they must be able to protect our residents from bad actors.”

Senate Bill 2505 extends DOBI’s current authority to investigate and punish insurers who engage in unfair methods of competition or unfair and deceptive acts. The bill applies to specifically to New Jersey licensed insurers that process flood insurance claims under FEMA’s “Write Your Own” flood insurance program.

“Thousands of NJ residents have lost their homes and belongings and rebuilding cannot be stalled by flood insurers dragging their feet on legitimate claims.  Our residents are desperate to move forward with recovery efforts and time after time I am hearing that flood insurers are the obstacle,” said Beck.  “This legislation gives New Jersey’s DOBI enforcement power over the flood claims process in this State.  Once passed, DOBI’s Division of Insurance will enforce all New Jersey law, regulations and policies and have the legal authority to protect our residents from insurers that are non-complaint.”

• Tweet

Hillary Clinton Testifies Before House Foreign Affairs Committee

Secretary of State Hillary Clinton is testifying before the House Foreign Affairs Committee about the September 11th attack on Benghazi this afternoon.

Monmouth County Congressman Chris Smith is a member of the committee.

Watch the hearing here.

• Tweet

O’SCANLON ADVISES SANDY AFFECTED HOMEOWNERS TO CONSIDER HOLDING OFF ON CERTAIN MITIGATION WORK

Owners may want to delay elevating houses until FEMA  grants are announced

Assemblyman Declan O’Scanlon today advised  homeowners affected by Sandy that they may want to hold off on  mitigation repairs until the specifics of the Hazard Mitigation Grant Program  (“HMGP”) are announced. The HMGP  provides grants to States and local governments to implement long-term hazard  mitigation measures after a major disaster declaration. The program enables  mitigation measures to be implemented during the immediate recovery from a  disaster.

“These grants can help fund elevating houses  and other, expensive mitigation work,” explained O’Scanlon. “Once the state  advertises that HMGP funding is available for mitigation projects in the state,  those interested in applying to the HMGP should contact their local government  to begin the application process. Local governments should then contact their  State Hazard Mitigation Officer so the needs of each town can be  assessed.

HMGP funds may be used to fund projects that  will reduce or eliminate the losses from future disasters. Projects must provide  a long-term solution to a problem, for example, elevation of a home to reduce  the risk of flood damages. In addition, a project’s potential savings must be  more than the cost of implementing the  project

“HMGP grants can fund up to 75% of a total  project,” O’Scanlon told. “Homeowners need to seriously think before shelling  out a lot of money to elevate their homes. If they can wait, these grants may be  a great way to offset the costs of expensive mitigation work. While not everyone  is approved for a grant, it looks like New Jersey may be receiving a sizeable amount  of aid from the Sandy Aid Package. It only makes sense for homeowners to  consider these grants as a possible source of assistance when planning expensive  home repairs.”

For more information on the HMGP, you can visit http://www.fema.gov/hazard-mitigation-grant-program.

• Tweet

Bipartisanship

Editorial cartoons are sponsored by New Markets Realty, 146 Maple Ave, Red Bank. 732-741-8211. Jim Giannell, President

• Tweet