Video: O’Scanlon discusses his position on the vaccine bill

In the face of passionate opposition and push back, Senator Declan O’Scanlon issued the following statement regarding the controversial legislation that alters the religious exemption for mandatory vaccines.

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How Monmouth County Legislators Voted On Drivers Licenses For Illegal Aliens

Senator Vin Gopal and Assemblywoman Joann Downey are the only Monmouth County legislators who voted to approve drivers licenses for illegal aliens. Photo via ericandjoann.com

The New Jersey Senate and Assembly on Monday passed a bill that would allow illegal aliens qualify for drivers licenses.  Governor Phil Murphy is expected to sign the bill.

Of the legislators representing parts on Monmouth County, only Senator Vin Gopal and Assemblywoman Joann Downey voted in favor of the bill.

Here’s a tally of the Monmouth delegations’ votes on A4743:

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How Monmouth County Legislators Voted On Busting The Property Tax Cap

Senators Sam Thompson, standing, and Vin Gopal, were the only Monmouth County legislators to vote in favor of busting the 2% property tax cap. Photo via NJ School Boards Association

The New Jersey Senate and Assembly passed legislation on Monday that allows school districts that have lost state funding for their budgets and are spending less annually than what the state considers adequate to raise property taxes above the 2% cap without voters’s consent.  The 2% cap was the hallmark reform of the Christie administration.  The cap busting legislation expires after the 2024-2025 school year.

The bill awaits Governor Phil Murphy’s signature before it becomes law.  Murphy has indicated he is opposed to busting the property tax cap, preferring to raise income taxes on millionaires.

Of the legislators who represent parts of Monmouth County, only Senators Vin Gopal (D-11) and Sam Thompson (R-12) voted in favor of the bill.

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Monmouth County Man Connected To Jersey City Shooting Faces Federal Weapons Charges

Ahmed A-Hady, 35, of Keyport, New Jersey, was arrested by the FBI early on Saturday morning and charged with being a convicted felon in possession of a firearm. He expected to appear on before U.S. Magistrate Judge Joseph A. Dickson in Newark federal court on Monday, according to a statement by U.S. Attorney Craig Carpenito.

A note found in the pants of the male suspect in the Jersey City mass shooting last week prompted federal authorities to investigate A-Hady who goes by the name Ed Him on social media.

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Rep. Chris Smith Announces Winners of 2019 Congressional App Challenge

Colin Martin, teacher Laura Gesin, Jack Hester and Michael Cielecki of Communications High (missing is Vaughn Battista).

Congressman Chris Smith (R-NJ) announced the winners of this year’s New Jersey Fourth Congressional District Congressional App Challenge, part of a nationwide competition for middle and high school students to showcase their software app-developing skills and teamwork.

“I am pleased to congratulate Communications High School students Vaughn Battista of Tinton Falls, Michael Cielecki of Spring Lake Heights, Jack Hester of Oceanport and Colin Martin of Red Bank for their first place-winning app, ‘Commuitas,’” said Rep. Smith.  “They developed a unique ‘task-sharing’ mobile application which allows users to barter their skills and abilities with other users to share tasks in exchange for a virtual points system. The judges thought it was very unique and well devised.”

Timed to coincide with Computer Science Education Week (CSEdWeek), December 9-15, 2019, Smith said this year’s contest drew a record number of entries from Monmouth, Ocean and Mercer Counties.

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Princeton Grad Student Released By Iran In Prisoner Exchange

Xiyue Wang and his family. photo via @FreeXiyueWang on twitter

Xiyue Wang, 38, a Princeton University graduated student, was released from an Iranian prison on Saturday. Wang had been held on espionage charges since August of 2016.   He was exchanged by the U.S. government for Masoud Soleimani, an Iranian scientist who was arrested in Chicago last year and convicted of violating American trade sanctions against Iran, according to the NY Times.

Rep Chris Smith has kept pressure on the Trump Administration to secure Wang’s release since the PhD candidate’s friends and family reached out to the congressman in early 2018.

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Monmouth Dem Chairman Apologizes For The Handling Of Congressional Candidate’s #MeToo Complaint

Tiffany Kaszuba, left and Bill Robinson, right at an event in Asbury Park in September. Photo via Kaszuba’s twitter page

Monmouth County Democrat Chairman Dave Brown issued an apology this morning for the way he handled the concerns of Tiffany Kaszuba, a lobbyist who ended her candidacy for Congress in CD4 on Tuesday with explosive allegations against Bill Robinson, the former Chairman of the Eatontown Democrats and former member of the Monmouth Democrats Executive Committee.

Kazuba issued the following statement announcing her withdrawal:

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Gopal Opposes Independent Contractor Bill As Written

Senator Vin Gopal @ the TommyG show

State Senator Vin Gopal (D-11) told MMM that he is opposed to S4204, a bill introduced and sponsored by Senate President Steve Sweeney this month, that would classify thousands of small business owners now working as independent contractors to employees of their clients.

“As written, this bill would be devastating to freelance photographers, journalists, truck drivers and even babysitters,” Gopal said in a phone interview. “I am a NO on the bill in its current form.”

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Pallone Should Fight to Reauthorize Brand USA So They Can Continue to Help Lure International Visitors to Atlantic City and Other New Jersey Cities

By Chris Knudsen

Chris Knudsen

The fall means one thing for sports fans in the Garden State: football is back! And with football comes tourism, both as fans travel to, from or through New Jersey. But it’s not just Giants, Jets and Scarlet Knights fans that are traveling on Game Day. New Jersey also sees an influx of tourism and revenue in Atlantic City related to sports betting.

The state Division of Gaming Enforcement released a report that revealed a total gaming revenue increase 13% in August 2019 compared to the same month last year with the total gaming revenue at $338.8 million. This August marked the 15th consecutive month of gaming revenue increases for casinos in Atlantic City.

In response, the President of the Casino Association of New Jersey Steve Callender said, “The summer of 2019 was the one of the best summers in recent years for Atlantic City. Casinos saw strong employment, visitation and gaming revenue. Two great back-to-back summer seasons continue to demonstrate that the casino industry’s ongoing investment in Atlantic City’s transformation into a first-class resort and business conference destination has staying power.”

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Golden pledges to pursue legal remedies against Murphy’s sanctuary policies

Monmouth County Sheriff Shaun Golden responded to NJ Attorney General Gurbir Grewal’s directive issued this afternoon which directs corrections officers at the Monmouth County Jail not to cooperate with ICE with a pledge to fight the directive legally and to keep Monmouth County residents safe.

“We shall continue to pursue legal remedies to this directive, which deprives Monmouth County of the ability to identify individuals who have committed crimes and are here illegally,” Sheriff Golden said in a statement.

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