Smith Leads Congressional Delegation To Ethiopia To Push For More Reforms, Release Of Political Prisoners

PM Abiy Ahmed held talks with a US Congressional delegation led by Congressman Chris Smith. The two parties exchanged views on a range of bilateral & regional issues. PM Abiy updated the delegation about Ethiopia’s current political and economic reform initiatives. #Ethiopia pic.twitter.com/qfjDEQR8RZ

— Fitsum Arega (@fitsumaregaa) August 23, 2018

Congressman Chris Smith with Ethipian-American leaders, July, 2017, after the House Foreign Affairs Committee passed a resolution condemning human rights abuses by the now former Ethiopian government

Congressman Chris Smith is in Ethiopia today, leading a bipartisan Congressional delegation to encourage continued political reforms, reinforce human rights issues, and press for freedom for Menashe Levy, an Israeli citizen who has been brutally imprisoned since July of 2015 and beaten in Ethiopia with no access to due process rights.

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Congressman Smith Tours Storm Damage In CD-4

Congressman Chris Smith toured storm damage sites in Wall Township and Howell Township yesterday afternoon to prepare his appeal to the Trump Administration for federal assistance in the recovery, if Governor Phil Murphy asks the President for FEMA’s assistance, as expected.

Smith said his letter to President Trump is already written and that he is prepared to work for federal reimbursement as soon as Governor Murphy makes the request.  The knowledge he gained on yesterday’s tour will help him make his case to Trump Administration officials and FEMA when he meets with them to appeal for federal funds.

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Congressman Smith Praises NJ Company For Solar Installation and Anti-Human Trafficking Efforts

Congressman Chris Smith, GE Solar Executive CEO Erik Schiemann, Plant Manager Cyndi Bray-McDaniel and Ingersoll-Rand Chairman-CEO Michael Lamach

Congressman Chris Smith was in Hamilton on Tuesday to celebrate the installation of a new 1.9 million, 5000 panel, solar power array at Ingersoll-Rand’s Trane Residential HVAC manufacturing facility.

The plant, which has been operational since the 1940’s ,employs almost 1200 people in two shifts. The new solar array will provide 15% of the facility’s electricity and is part of the company’s commitment to reduce their global greenhouse gas emissions by 35% by 2020.

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Welle proclaims “deep, strong, progressive convictions” –Video

When Josh Welle, the Democrat trying to unseat Congressman Chris Smith in New Jersey’s 4th district, was competing with former Asbury Park councilman Jim Keady for the Democrats’ organizational support (and favorable ballot position in the primary election) he proclaimed his deep, strong, progressive convictions–and bemoaned that the 4th is not a progressive district.

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Welle’s Bogus Town Hall Meeting in Jackson-Videos

Josh Welle refers to a flash card while answering a question about solar energy

By Art Gallagher

Josh Welle, the Democrat running against Congressman Chris Smith in the 4th congressional district, held a campaign event, dubbed a town hall meeting, in Jackson on Thursday night that appeared to be designed to capture footage for television commercials, rather than to hear from the people of Jackson, as advertised.

Rather than the free wheeling give and take of town hall meetings New Jersey residents are accustomed to, like those of former Governor Chris Christie, and the ObamaCare town halls held by Congressman Frank Pallone and Rush Holt in 2010, Welle’s event featured pre-screened questions read by a moderator.  The person who submitted the question was instructed to stand (for the video cameras) while Welle delivered prepared answers.

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House Defense Bill Will Boost Joint Base MDL, Congressman Smith announces

Congressmen Chris Smith and Tom MacArthur cut the ribbon for a new hanger at JB-MDL in 2015

The 2019 National Defense Authorization Act, passed by the House of Representatives today, provides for a 2.6% pay increase for all military personnel, the largest increase in nine years, and provides $10.2 million for projects at Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst , Congressman Chris Smith announced this afternoon.  Additionally, there will be no Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC) process through fiscal 2019, under the terms of the bill.

“It is critical that this legislation authorizes a pay raise and new equipment for the men and women serving in our nation’s armed forces,” Congressman Smith said.  “For too long their needs have been ignored, and now is the time to ensure they have all the resources and equipment they require to  get the job done.”

The $10.2 million for JB-MDL will fund infrastructure improvements needed in preparation for the highly-anticipated arrival of 15 KC-46A refueling tankers, which are expected to begin arriving in FY 2021.

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57 Countries Endorse Tools To Combat Human Trafficking Proposed By Congressman Chris Smith

The  Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe Parliamentary Assembly (OSCEPA), an assembly of over 300 lawmakers from 57 countries in Europe and North American adopted “Implementing Trafficking-Free Communities,” a comprehensive resolution to combat human trafficking sponsored by Congressman Chris Smith, during their 27th annual session yesterday in Berlin.

Based upon best practices developed in the United States under Smith’s Trafficking Victims Protection Act of 2000, the resolution encourages governments to implement multiple best practices simultaneously to significantly reduce trafficking in a community over the course of a year.

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Dem Congressional Candidates Poaching Volunteers From Each Other

.@AndyKimNJ capping off a banner week by stealing @JoshuaWelle volunteers in Monmouth County. #teamworkmakesthedreamwork @MonmouthMusings @wildstein @INSIDER__NJ @MattFriedmanNJ @davidlevinsky @MonmouthGOP @MattRooneyNJ @chrisjdmartin pic.twitter.com/OGhYj5LMCq

— Chris Russell (@ChrisRussell_NJ) July 7, 2018

Andy Kim, the Democrat candidate running against Congressman Tom MacArthur in the third congressional district is recruiting volunteers for his campaign among the Spring Lake Heights Democrats.  Spring Lake Heights in in the 4th congressional district where Josh Welle, address none of your business, won the nomination to lose to Congressman Chris Smith in November. Read the rest of this entry »

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A Very Special High School Graduation: Sean Goldman Graduates From Holmdel High School

By Art Gallagher

David and Sean Goldman celebrate Sean’s graduation from Holmdel High School

This time of year thousands of New Jersey families, millions throughout the nation, are celebrating a major milestone in the lives of their teen aged children as they graduate from high school.

Twice this week, Sean Goldman’s graduation from Holmdel High School was described to me as a miracle.

It’s not that Sean overcame a disability or extreme hardship–miracles that should be celebrated.  Sean was abducted by his mother, Bruna Bianchi, 14 years ago and taken to Brazil. Bianchi took Sean on what she said was a two week vacation to visit her family in Brazil, but once there, she divorced Sean’s father, David Goldman, and kept the four year old boy from his father.  A Brazilian Court granted Bianchi a divorce. A New Jersey Court granted David custody of his son.

When Bianchi died during childbirth four years later, the international child custody case should have been over, under the terms of the Hague Convention which grants custody to a surviving biological parent.  But Sean’s maternal grandparents and step-father used their wealth and political influence to thwart—temporarily as it turned out–David’s unrelenting commitment to raise his son.

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Welle Assuming Victory Over Keady In CD-4 Dem Primary, Schedules Event For Night of Dem Convention

Josh Welle, address none of your business, seems to think he has the Democrat nomination in the 4th Congressional District locked up before any of the votes have been counted.

The primary election between Welle and former Asbury Park councilman Jim Keady is tomorrow, June 5.

The Welle campaign has a meet and greet scheduled for Tuesday evening, June 12 in Ocean Grove.

Someone should tell Welle that the Monmouth County Democrats are having a convention that night.

Actually, someone should tell the Monmouth County Democrats that they need to have a convention that night.  I guess I just did. Read the rest of this entry »

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