This week we began the rebranding of the blog to The Informed Conservative. A new web site is being developed and our Facebook page was created. This week we discussed Cory Booker’s potential run for President in 2020, Democratic leadership in NJ rushing through a constitutional amendment that will rig the legislative redistricting process, an Asbury Park Press editorial regarding marijuana legalization, Vincent Squire’s “Season of Giving”, Murphy accomplishing his dream of making New Jersey a sanctuary state, a discussion about leaving NJ or staying and fighting Murphy’s destructive agenda, hundreds of jobs and millions in tax revenues leaving with Honeywell and Murphy focusing his time outside of New Jersey.
Monday 11/26/18. Will Cory ““Spartacus” Booker run for President in 2020? Hasn’t New Jersey suffered enough?
Booker has said he is considering a run for President in 2020. Booker has consulted with presidential campaign strategists who worked for Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama. Recently he visited 24 states while campaigning for Democratic candidates in the mid-term elections including early primary states and states predicted to be battleground states. In October New Jersey lawmakers enacted a bill “Cory Booker’s Law” that would ensure that no one could legally challenge Booker running for President and his Senate seat simultaneously. According to a Morning Consult/ Politico poll Booker is ranked sixth among Democrats’ preferences for their 2020 candidate. All of this begs the question between Booker, Menendez and Murphy hasn’t New Jersey suffered enough embarrassment?
Last weekend Booker told NJ.com “I will consider running for president. That’s something that I will do. There’s people in New Jersey who are talking to me about it, across the country that are talking to me about it.” It’s rumored that Booker is being aggressive in gaining support in early voting states.
Booker’s position on criminal justice reform and introduction of The American Opportunity Account Act alone not to mention his positions on immigration, gun control and support of Obamacare make him wrong for America. His “Spartacus moment” at Judge Kavanaugh’s confirmation hearing was an embarrassment to America.
NJ GP Chairman: Dems are conspiring for one-party rune in NJ. You should stop them!
Also on Monday we discussed New Jersey Republican State Committee Chair Doug Steinhardt’s Op-Ed piece in the Star Ledger pointing out that Legislative Democrats are scheming to weaken our State Constitution and marginalize the value of your vote. According to Chairman Steinhardt Democratic leadership is conniving, over the holidays, to rush through a constitutional amendment that will rig the legislative redistricting process and secure for them a permanent majority by creating legislative districts that allow greedy politicians to take you and your votes for granted. The bill, ACR60/SCR43, is proposed by a few, powerful men to eliminate Republican competition and perpetuate their personal power says Steinhardt.
How can you help?
First click here to find your state legislator and contact him or her. Let them know that you don’t support SCR43. Then click here to sign the NJGOP’s petition opposing SCR43.
Wednesday 11/28/18. Asbury Park Press Editorial “Marijuana legalization: Just say no to pot bills”.
A November 23, 2018 editorial in the Asbury Park Press makes strong points for the legislature to hold off on advancing a marijuana bill until legitimate concerns that have been raised about legalization have been answered. By now a bill has already passed legislative committee but it’s not too late to ensure that legislators take a close look at unanswered questions. While I continue to oppose a legalized marijuana bill in New Jersey I believe the legislature will pass some form of legislation and want to ensure that the legislature does it’s due diligence. Why rush a bill to meet a self-imposed timeline?
Among other concerns the Asbury Park Press Editorial addresses health concerns about marijuana use that have been expressed by The Centers for Disease Control, the American College of Pediatricians and the National Institute of Health’s National Institute on Drugs. The Governor and legislators ignoring the safety concerns of the New Jersey State Association of Police Chiefs, which has come out against legalization of recreational marijuana is also addressed.
I called into the Bill Spadea show on NJ 101.5 radio to talk about the effect of legalized marijuana on employers in New Jersey. I shared that while marijuana remains federally illegal employers can continue to test for marijuana – both pre-employment and during employment – and refuse to hire or terminate an employee for marijuana usage. I also shared that in my consulting practice I advise my clients for liability purposes to continue to test for marijuana both pre-employment and post-hire. I have not seen the negative effects on employers in New Jersey addressed by the Governor or the legislature.
If legalized marijuana is coming to New Jersey the Governor and the legislature need to slow down, look at the bigger picture and propose legislation that works for the businesses and people of New Jersey.
Is this Vincent Squire’s “Season of Giving” or is there more to it? (Story updated 12/118)
Also on Wednesday we discussed failed and disgraced 2018 Camden County Freeholder candidate and 2017 Pennsauken Township Committee candidate Vincent’s Squire’s “Season of Giving” event.
Vincent Squire is a convicted Felon with multiple convictions for Theft by Deception and a conviction for Burglary. He is currently facing Second Degree Felony Assault (for beating his son in the Summer of 2017) and Harassment charges. I’ve heard (I’ve not read the complaint) that he’s facing Criminal Trespass charges. He threatened this blogger for attempting to interview him. He filed frivolous criminal charges against this blogger in an attempt to shut down this blog (he said so on video). His family home is awaiting Sheriff Sale due to foreclosure. At one point his family home owed over $1 million in fines and penalties to Pennsauken Township (I’ve not verified that the fines continue to be outstanding since early 2018). The Camden County GOP when announcing they had disavowed him indicated he had accepted at least one unreported cash donation. He has failed to file required financial disclosures with the New Jersey Election Law Enforcement Commission. His behavior can only be described as puzzling. Squire is not only a man with a checkered past but a man with a checkered present. Why then are seemingly reputable organizations hosting and participating in a charitable event with him? Especially after he turned his “food drive” for the South Jersey Food bank into a thinly veiled political stunt. Or are they?
I felt for the good of the community and the organizations Squire mentioned in his announcement of the event to make them aware of the man they had partnered with. I sent emails to representatives of the Pennsylvania Real Estate Investment Trust (owner of Cherry Hill Mall), the Camden Rescue Mission, the Food Bank of South Jersey Cherry Hill School of Rock and Burlington Coat Factory. A Burlington Coat Factory representative contacted me by email stating “Burlington is not a sponsor of this event, nor do we have a partnership with Vincent. We are holding our annual coat drive in our store and Vincent said he would have our flyers on hand to let consumers know to come in to Burlington to donate a coat”. An executive at the Pennsylvania Real Estate Investment Trust told me “The event you’re referring to is not occurring”. I spoke to a representative of the South Jersey Food Bank who asked that I not quote her but said that Squire was not collecting donations with their permission or authorization to use their name. I did not hear back from the Camden Rescue Mission or Cherry Hill School of Rock. Given the $400,000 GoFundMe scam in Philadelphia this year I would think that individuals and organizations would be very careful with the way they organize and present charitable events to the public. Especially someone with prior convictions for Theft by Deception. Maybe not.
While Squire moved his event to another location and is now promoting new charities I continue to question the validity of this event. The organizations I was able to reach for comment deny that Squire is doing this event as a partner to them or with their authorization. I warn that if you want to support these organizations support them directly.
Thursday 11/29/18. Goodbye Garden State. Welcome to New Jersey. The Sanctuary State.
We knew it was coming. Murphy campaigned on making New Jersey a sanctuary state. Just a couple of weeks ago Attorney General Grewal said he would hand down new sanctuary rules and directives on how New Jersey’s law enforcement agencies should interact with ICE. At the time I asked why New Jersey’s Governor and Attorney General do not feel they have to enforce the law. I also pointed out at the time that Murphy and Grewal’s refusal to cooperate with federal law enforcement to enforce immigration laws is costing the state $16 billion in federal funding. Today is the day New Jersey became a sanctuary state. Knowing it was coming doesn’t make my anger any less.
Grewal released the 11-page Immigrant Trust Directive Included in the new rules New Jersey law enforcement officers cannot turn illegal immigrants over to federal law enforcement officers for deportation or ask the immigration status of any individual,unless doing so is necessary to the ongoing investigation of a serious offense and relevant to the offense under investigation. ICE is not to be provided access to state or local law enforcement resources including equipment, office space, databases or property. You can read the Attorney General’s new sanctuary directive here.
ICE Deputy Director Matthew Albence slammed New Jersey’s new sanctuary rules saying “Ultimately this directive shields certain criminal aliens, creating a state-sanctioned haven for those seeking to evade federal authorities, all at the expense of the safety and security of the very people the New Jersey Attorney General is charged with protecting”.
Friday 11/30/18. Stay and fight or leave New Jersey?
In 2017 when voters elected Phil Murphy the 56th Governor of New Jersey we (I did not vote for him) did so eyes wide open. Murphy told us his agenda included things like raising our taxes, legalizing marijuana and making us a sanctuary state. In less than a year he’s aggressively moved his destructive agenda forward. Yesterday via a directive handed down by Attorney General Grewal New Jersey became a sanctuary state. “Legalized” marijuana legislation is moving forward. Democrats are working on redistricting to ensure they keep a lock on Democratic rule in New Jersey. Murphy has put illegal immigrants before NJ taxpayers by allocating $2.1 in funding to provide legal representation for illegal immigrants facing detention and deportation. He wants to ruin New Jersey’s economy by raising the minimum wage to $15 per hour. Murphy has committed he will use New Jersey taxpayer funds to provide “aid and support” to Puerto Rico. And let’s not forget that now Murphy wants to give driver licenses to illegal immigrants. While doing his best to ruin the once great state of New Jersey he’s spending time publicly opposing President Trump apparently thinking that he has the power to override the federal government. Does Murphy think federal laws do not apply to New Jersey?
While a large number of New Jersey voters questioned his honesty voters reelected lifelong politician Menendez who could not take credit for a single accomplishment in his 44-years in politics (he did say he brought money back to NJ after Hurricane Sandy – which I believe Governor Christie played a larger part in and he said he co-wrote the Affordable Care Act which has proven to be failed legislation). Menendez was indicted and tried on charges of bribery, fraud and lying to federal prosecutors. While a jury deadlocked on a verdict and the Judge declared a mistrial the Senate Ethics Committee formally reprimanded Menendez saying he broke federal law. There were also allegations that Menendez had slept with underage prostitutes in the Dominican Republic. Menendez’s claim to fame also appears opposing President Trump. New Jersey reelected him.
Then there is our other embarrassment of a Senator Cory Booker. Booker’s accomplishments seem to be running the City of Newark into the ground while he was Mayor and his humiliating Spartacus moment at Judge Kavanaugh’s confirmation hearing. Booker, like Murphy and Menendez get their attention from publicly opposing Present Trump. Booker wants to make our workplaces and streets less safe with his vision for criminal justice reform and bring us another step closer to socialism with his American Opportunity Account Act. Booker appears to be a 2020 Presidential hopeful. Hasn’t Booker embarrassed New Jersey enough?
This is no longer the New Jersey I’ve spent my life being proud of. Rapidly New Jersey is becoming no longer the state I once knew. The question I kept asking myself is what can we the citizens of New Jersey do? How can we bring a sense of honor and pride back to our state? How can we ensure that our elected officials are complying with federal laws not turning us into a rogue state? How can we stop Democrats and their destructive agendas from running the revenue generators out of New Jersey? How can we get the residents of New Jersey to start paying attention and get mad? Are we too far gone? I am at a crossroads of do I stay and fight or throw my hands up in defeat and leave New Jersey for good? Are there enough people in New Jersey who are as angry as I am? How do we even start the fight? We had interesting conversations about this across social media channels.
Hundreds of jobs and millions in tax revenues are about to leave New Jersey.
Also on Friday we discussed New Jersey Governor Murphy handing the State of North Carolina a gift this week as a Fortune 100 company has announced it will be moving its headquarters out of New Jersey. Honeywell will be moving it’s corporate headquarters from Morris Plains New Jersey to Charlotte North Carolina taking with it 700 to 800 jobs that pay median salaries of $85,000. While Murphy was focused on minimum wage workers and illegal immigrants New Jersey just lost hundreds of jobs and millions in tax revenue.
I have been saying since Murphy was elected that his vision is wrong for New Jersey and will chase businesses and revenue generators out of the state. It has only just begun.
Sunday 12/2/18. Murphy will spend 2019 and 2020 focused outside of NJ. I couldn’t be more thrilled!
New Jersey Governor Murphy has been chosen to serve as Vice Chair for 2019 and Chair-Elect for for 2020 by the Democratic Governor’s Association. In his new roles Murphy will help lead the charge to unseat President Trump in 2020 and help Democratic Governors keep their seats and the Democratic party gain additional state houses. I couldn’t be more thrilled. This means Murphy will spend his time traveling and focused outside of New Jersey. While traditional wisdom will say that we want our Governor in New Jersey and focused on our state I’m looking forward to a break from Murphy’s destructive vision for New Jersey.
In his first year in office Murphy has been ineffective, a weak leader and a destructive force in New Jersey. He spends much of his time publicly opposing the Trump Administration rather than leading New Jersey. From his #SnowGate fiasco to his pushing a $15 minimum wage, refusing to enforce federal law by making us a sanctuary state and pushing the legalization of marijuana (which remains federally illegal), budging $2.1 to defend illegal immigrants, grandstanding in his opposition of Trump by committing NJ taxpayer funds to support Puerto Rico and pushing revenue generators out of the state I think most New Jerseyans would agree that Murphy’s first year as Governor has been a disaster.
Given the circumstances I wish Murphy all the best in his new DGA leadership roles and hope that he spends a lot of his time focused outside of New Jersey.
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