Happy February! I’m excited that our friend Punxsutawney Phil did not see his shadow signaling an early spring will be upon us.
I would like to update you on what I have been up to the last couple weeks.
My fellow Freeholders and I have been keeping busy working on the 2020 Monmouth County Budget. As I have said many times before, we do not start working on the budget in the early months of the year. Instead, my colleagues and I work throughout the entire year to efficiently run our departments while keeping costs down. Read the rest of this entry »
Shaun Golden and U.S. Senate candidate Rik Mehta at the Golden Gala
Bill Palatucci, New Jersey’s Republican National Committeeman, was showing U.S. Senate candidate Rik Mehta around the Golden Era Gala on Friday night, which surprised me because Hirsh Singh has been touting the Republican National Commiteeman’s endorsement for the nomination to take on Senator Cory Booker for months.
“I’m trying to get Eli Manning to run,” I told Palatucci when he asked me if I knew Mehta. Bill laughed and without missing a beat said, “Is that going to happen? Just it case it doesn’t, you should know Rik Methta.” Read the rest of this entry »
Over 900 of Shaun Golden’s friends, family, supporters and potential adversaries showed up for the Sherrif’s 9th annual winter gala at Eagle Oaks Country Club in Farmingdale on Friday night.
Always an exciting event, there was an additional energy this year as a rumor spread throughout political circles that Golden would announce his intention to run for governor in 2021.
WASHINGTON, DC— Rep. Chris Smith joined President Trump, Vice President Mike Pence, Advisor to the President Ivanka Trump, Attorney General William Barr, and other congressional and State Department officials at the White House today to mark the 20th year since enactment of Smith’s landmark Victims of Trafficking and Violence Protection Act of 2000 (TVPA, Public Law 106-386). Read the rest of this entry »
Rep Chris Smith stands behind President Trump this afternoon at the signing of an Executive Order to combat human trafficking
Congressman Chris Smith has raised $729,885 for his reelection bid in the 4th congressional district of New Jersey, according to a report at NewJerseyGlobe.
Smith had $514,816 cash on hand as of December 31.
Smith has a wide fundraising lead over his potential Democrat opponents. Stephanie Schmid, the apparent establishment choice to take on Smith has raised $202,256, including $1000 from Jim Keady’s former campaign manager, and spent $114,139, leaving her with $88,117 cash on hand. $12,378.24 of Schmid’s expeditures were payable to herself for unspecified campaign expenses.
David Richter, the former CEO of Hill International, a global construction management firm, has had a tough start to 2020. Richter, of Princeton, was the front runner for the GOP nomination for Congress in the second district of New Jersey and was poised to end the political career of Congressman Jeff Van Drew.
The impeachment of President Donald J. Trump upended Richter’s self-funded path to Congress. In a deal brokered by former Governor Chris Christie, according to the NY Times, Van Drew became a Republican and pledged his undying support to the President. Trump, seeing a opportunity much larger than picking up one congressional seat in New Jersey, provided Van Drew with a first class political operation and cleared the path for the freshman congressman to win the GOP nomination for reelection.
A 81 year old woman was struck by a motor vehicle while she was walking on Bamm Hollow Road near Pelican Road on Wednesday evening. She died as a result of her injuries, according to a statement by Detective Lt. Paul Bailey of the Middletown Township Police Department.
USDOT Secretary Elaine Chao announced a nationwide initiative to combat human trafficking in the transportation industry this week with an objective of training over 1 million employees in the transportation workforce to spot and report these heinous crimes.
Congressman Chris Smith spoke at the event in Washington this week to support the effort.
Christine Giordano Hanlon announced that she is seeking a second term as Monmouth County Clerk and that she will seek the Republican nomination at the Monmouth GOP convention on Feburary 8 at iPlayAmerica in Freehold.
“I am excited to announce my intention to run for re-election as Monmouth County Clerk. It has been the honor of a lifetime to serve the residents of Monmouth County for the past five years in this capacity and I look forward to the next five year term with many more ideas and the enthusiasm to continue to build upon the successes we have had.”