Ridgewood NJ, Councilmen Ramon Hache reminds everyone to ,”Get out there and vote today, regardless of who your candidate is. You can’t complain about what’s wrong if you don’t do anything about it. And if you think your vote doesn’t count, it actually counts a lot less if you don’t vote. Voting is not just a right, it’s a privilege. If you can vote, it means you have the privilege of being a citizen of the United States. Despite all our problems, this is still the greatest country in the world. We are fortunate to live in a country where there can be an orderly transfer of power every four years. This country is still the number one destination for people all over the world who are looking for opportunities and a better way of life. Don’t throw away your privilege.”
Open Letter to The Record’s Alfred Doblin from Sarah Neibart, Garrett for Congress Campaign Manager
Alfred,
I think there’s no doubt we can all agree that this election season has crossed the Rubicon in terms of political rhetoric. But Monday, November 7, 2016 completely changed my world. That’s the day The Bergen Record published my name and called me a Nazi for questioning whether Democratic campaign operatives were involved in a disgusting political stunt. The only reason you’ve attacked me is because I’m a female Republican supporting Congressman Scott Garrett, a man that you’ve chronically made your target of editorial ire.
As a professional political operative, I’ve been astounded at the political tactics of Josh Gottheimer’s campaign throughout this race. Their name-calling began early, as they manipulated the Congressman’s policy stances to paint him as a bad person. It’s not the first time I’ve seen this, as the Left often assumes that if Republicans were smarter or better people, we’d be Democrats, but this was an operation unlike any other. They started by using words like “bigot,” “extremist,” and “racist.” They absurdly alleged that my candidate supports domestic terrorism. They photoshopped a government document in order to allege the Congressman was under investigation for bribery. They’ve even claimed he hates puppies and kittens.
Today, your editorial adopts a tactic straight out of the playbook of these Democrat operatives – just as they protested businesses and people supporting Scott Garrett in order to bully them out of their political positions, you have called me the worst name imaginable, just because of my work for him.
Last week, things reached an unbelievable new low. A flyer was circulated depicting our challenger, Josh Gottheimer, as the devil. We first found out through a media inquiry, and when I saw the image, I felt a sickness in my stomach. This disgusting, hateful flyer enraged me and is not something our campaign would ever, ever consider distributing or condoning. The majority of our campaign staffers are Jewish, as am I. These flyers had been reportedly distributed everywhere – on cars, in train stations, on trees, and in elementary schools. School children had seen this horrific image.
One thing was overwhelmingly clear to me. The distribution of this flyer – though it looked crudely made – seemed like it came from a pretty sophisticated operation. It just didn’t seem feasible that it came from one unhinged lunatic supporter of our campaign. And it was suspicious to me that the Gottheimer campaign “found” these flyers first and alerted the media – and that none of our supporters throughout the community had seen them, and no one in the media had independently seen them before Gottheimer’s press release.
In your editorial this morning, you published my name and my statement suggesting that Gottheimer’s campaign had distributed these flyers. And then you said, “This is — whether Neibart was aware or not — exactly what the Nazis would say.”
You don’t know me, Alfred, but let me tell you about a few things of which I’m “aware.”
I’m “aware” of the persecution that Jews have faced all over the world, simply because of our faith. I’ve stood in a gas chamber in Poland and seen the nail marks down the wall. I’m “aware” of how people are systematically murdered for their heritage or their beliefs. I lived in Egypt under the oppressive government of the Muslim Brotherhood. I’ve been to Rwanda and seen the aftermath of those atrocities. We must be vigilant against hatred, but that conversation is completely separate from whether or not I believe Josh Gottheimer’s campaign would be so insidious as to fake an anti-Semitic flyer and then put out a press release feigning moral outrage.
My statement calling for an investigation into the origins of this flyer didn’t come from any ignorance about the history of my own heritage, it came from my experience as a political operative and my knowledge of Josh Gottheimer’s campaign. Democrats and liberal special interests across this country have taken every vote Congressman Garrett has ever made – whether it’s about protecting the First Amendment or reining in out-of-control spending – and manipulated them to expand the false narrative of the Congressman being hateful and out of touch with the Fifth District, despite repeatedly being elected as their Congressman. Why is it unreasonable for me to assume that a flyer no one in our network knew about was from the Gottheimer campaign? I believe that the Gottheimer campaign thinks that their current charges of bigotry and racism aren’t sinking in, and they wanted to do something to make sure they win Bergen County. You have stayed silent as Gottheimer’s campaign attacked Congressman Garrett’s faith, and yet you use my questions about Democrat campaign tactics as a weapon against me. This demonstrates that not only do you have a political agenda aimed squarely against Congressman Garrett, you are an intolerant man who refuses to recognize that other people are entitled to their own political ideologies without being labeled as racists, bigots or terrorists.
Alfred, you’ve lost the moral high ground to denounce this cycle’s political rhetoric, and you no longer get to call anyone else a bully, as you’ve smugly taken pleasure in doing over the past two years. This election will be over tomorrow, but you have to live with the fact that you cheapened the suffering of both of our families at the hands of cruel men committing unspeakable atrocities – all to make a political point.
Sarah Neibart
Campaign Manager
Garrett for Congress
Ridgewood NJ, Josh Gottheimer has picked up the support of another special interest looking to scam the US taxpayer out of more money. Gottheimer and his “Bailout Nation” are getting help from the National Association of Realtors Congressional Fund which is looking to spend $1.3 million supporting Gottheimer, including $146,000 for online ads, $529,000 for mailings and $590,000 for TV ads .
Congressmen Scott Garrett in an effort to end bank bailouts crossed the Realtors group by pushing a bill in 2013 that would have scaled back the role of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, the government-backed agencies that buy mortgages from lenders.
The bill, known as the PATH Act, (Protecting American Taxpayers and Homeowners), would have ended the government guarantee that stands behind mortgage-backed securities issued by Fannie and Freddie and relieve taxpayers of the burden of among other things of bailing out subprime mortgages issued by banks.
In 2013 Garret called the PATH Act a bill that would create a sustainable housing finance system, saying, “Approximately five years ago our nation was hit with an unprecedented financial crisis. Today, I am pleased to be introducing legislation that continues the process of addressing the core cause of it—the government’s misguided efforts at allocating mortgage credit through Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.
“The federal government’s domination of the housing finance market has left taxpayers on the hook for $5.1 trillion in mortgage guarantees. The PATH Act finally takes control away from Washington bureaucrats and allows the American people the freedom to have more choices in determining which mortgage best suits their needs.
“The PATH Act will finally end the largest bailout in history and will put our country back on a path to a sustainable housing finance market that benefits both taxpayers and homebuyers. I urge its swift passage by Congress and look forward to it being signed by the President.”
Gottheimer’s Price Tag on his Principles: $462,520.00
September 20,2016
the staff of the Ridgewood blog
Ridgewood NJ, Congressman Scott Garrett was an early and vocal opponent of President Obama’s nuclear arms deal, repeatedly announcing his concerns about the President’s framework in April 2015, voting against the Iran Nuclear Agreement Review Act of 2015 in May, and denouncing the deal itself as soon as it was announced in July.
Meanwhile, Josh Gottheimer was waiting to see which way the political winds would blow before he took a stance. He was silent on President Obama’s framework for the deal in April and again in May, on the Iran Nuclear Agreement Review Act of 2015 – legislation that paved the way for the deal. He waited a full month before announcing his opposition to the deal itself – and even then, made sure to praise President Obama’s approach. Is it possible that the reason for Gottheimer’s delay in taking a stance on this crucial issue was the series of major Washington, DC fundraisers with Democratic insiders he had scheduled?
From April 2, 2015 when President Obama announced the framework for a deal on Iran’s nuclear program to August 17, 2015, Josh Gottheimer was silent on President Obama’s nuclear deal. Instead, he spent time leveraging his political insider connections to raise $462,520.00, thanks to his Washington, DC lobbyist friends.
Since announcing his “opposition” to the deal, he’s gone on to campaign and fundraise with Members of Congress who embrace the deal and are frequent critics of the State of Israel. He’s also refused to condemn the “ransom” payment to Iran.
Looks like Josh Gottheimer will say anything he needs to in order to get elected, but his loyalties are firmly with those trying to send him to Congress: Washington, DC Democratic lobbyists.
citation: Josh Gottheimer for Congress two year summary of itemized individual contributions attached, as downloaded from FEC.gov on Mon Sep 19 15:55:03 GMT 2016.
Elizabeth NJ, As a handful of craigslist hired or craigslist inspired people stood outside a PSE&G office Thursday, holding signs saying “Don’t donate to hate” and “Stop funding bigots,” company representatives watched from only a few feet away.
The faux protest of under 10 people of coarse grabbed the attention of New Jersey Media who answered the call for the photo op in what has become a well coordinated attack on Congressmen Scott Garrett .
The faux protest outside the PSE&G’s Elizabeth office was over PSE&G’s financial support of U.S. Rep. Scott Garrett (R-NJ 5th District), who last year allegedly said he had refused to pay dues to the House Republicans’ fundraising arm because it had supported gay candidates for office. While no video or sound recordings or even a transcript have been produced as they say never let the facts get in the way of a good story.
Assemblyman Tim Eustace (D-Bergen, Passaic), has been on the band wagon since the beginning while Garrett’s alleged comments seem to bother Eustace far more the Democrat candidate Josh Gottheimer excepting money from disgraced former congressmen Bob Torcelli or Saudi Businessman known for beating his wives. After all un like New Jersey women are property in Saudi Arabia so it cant really be a big deal.
Eustace and a about a dozen other people have made it their mission to visit every New Jersey company that financially supports Garrett and convince them to withdraw their funding. And of coarse they ccan always count on their friends in the New Jersey media to cover their one sided ambitions.
While they have had some success ,some businesses, including First Energy, which owns Jersey Central Power and Light, have pledged to halt their donations.
Eustace was joined by Rahway city councilman Bob Bresenhan, Jr., one of the photo ops organizers, acknowledged that PSE&G advocates for its LGBT employees, but said it undercuts those efforts by supporting Garrett.
A spokesman for PSE&G said the company’s federal political action committee (PAC) donates to candidates both Democrats and Republicans — who support PSE&G’s business interests.
In March, Garrett told The Record political opponents had distorted his stance on gay congressional candidates. He said it is “everyone’s right” to run for office, but he would only back people who oppose same-sex marriage.
His reelection campaign manager, Sarah Neibart, on Thursday said the protesters were “political opportunists” seeking only to raise their own profiles.
“As Congressman Scott Garrett has stated many times, he believes in the right of all Americans to run for public office,” Neibart said. “This has been published on the record repeatedly, and yet apparently, that’s not good enough.”
Bresenhan said Garrett’s stance on gay candidates was only part of his problem with the congressman. He also takes issue with Garrett’s opposition to same-sex marriage and his sponsorship of legislation that would allow businesses to deny service to gay couples because of religious beliefs.
Perhaps Bresenhan’s time would be better spent at Muslim bakeries asking them to create gay wedding cakes? Or limiting campaign contributions from countries that murder gays , still support slavery or treat women as property ? We can bet more than 10 people would show up for those protests whether you paid them or not.
Ridgewood NJ, the 15th Annual Kessler Foundation WTFUSA National Wheelchair 10K Championship, part of the Fred D’Elia Ridgewood Run, was held on Memorial Day, May 25, 2015 at Graydon Pool–201 North Maple Avenue in Ridgewood, NJ. This event is one of the largest integrated races in the country, as wheelchair athletes compete on the same course, at the same time, as the runners. Racers compete for cash prizes!
The Wheelchair 10K began at 8:15am, with registration opening at 7am. All participants will receive a commemorative t-shirt. Kessler Foundation will host a brief awards ceremony with refreshments immediately following the Wheelchair 10K. Congressman Scott Garrett pitched in and held the ribbon at the finish line.
“It was an honor to have one of the most important jobs at the Ridgewood Wheelchair 10k–holding the ribbon at the finish line! Congratulations to everyone who participated!”
by JOHN FUND June 3, 2016 4:00 AM @JOHNFUND Plan B for November
Hillary Clinton’s mounting political — and possibly legal — problems over her e-mail server led me to write a column speculating that Democrats might move to install Vice President Joe Biden as the Democratic nominee if her poll numbers tank between now and the Democratic convention in late July. Biden might be joined on the ticket by fiery progressive senator Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts in an effort to placate furious backers of Senator Bernie Sanders.
My NRO colleague Andrew C. McCarthy called my suggestion “increasingly plausible,” and pointed out that Democrats had made just such a switch in 2002 when their one-vote Senate majority was in jeopardy. An ethically challenged senator, Bob Torricelli of New Jersey, was trailing his GOP opponent by double-digit margins following release of a devastating Justice Department report on his involvement in bribery and campaign-finance scandals. Democrats made Torricelli “an offer he couldn’t refuse,” forcing him to leave the Senate race only 36 days before the election and replacing him with former senator Frank Lautenberg. “The lateness of the switcheroo denied Republicans a meaningful opportunity to campaign against Lautenberg, in violation of state election laws,” writes McCarthy. “But New Jersey’s solidly Democratic judiciary predictably looked the other way.” Lautenberg went on to win in November (although Democrats still lost their Senate majority, and didn’t regain it until 2006).
RIDGEWOOD, N.J., Rep. Scott Garrett (NJ-05) hosted young legislators from 35 New Jersey high schools in Bergen, Passaic, Sussex, and Warren counties at the third annual Model Congress Saturday in Ridgewood.
This years turnout was significantly larger than last year . Students were well informed and thoroughly debated the issues .There were clearly some future statesmen and women in the room .
The Model Congress is an educational event for students where they will replicate a day in the life of a Congressperson in the U.S. House of Representatives. It gave an opportunity for naive idealism to met reality of negotiation and compromise. The Congressmen’s very able staff helped organized and run the event.
The Model Congress gives students a first-hand opportunity to learn how Congress works by allowing them to research legislation currently being considered in the U.S. House of Representatives, break into committees to further examine and debate the legislation, and finally bring the legislation to the House floor for a vote.
Students were assigned to represent different states, but not specific political parties. They stated their day by picking committee chairs and amending and voting on bills . Local boy scouts were brought in keep time and enforce time limits .
This is a nonpartisan event. Each school in New Jersey’s Fifth District sent two students for the Model Congress, and awards will be given for best debater, best consensus builder, best speaker, best research, best counterargument, and leadership at the end of the event. The congressmen made his usual low keyed entrance and keep the focus on the students ,letting his staff run the show .
Students from the Following Schools attended the event:
Bergen:
Bergen County Academies
Bergen County Technical High School
Bergenfield High School
Dumont High School
Fair Lawn High School
Glen Rock High School
Hackensack High School
Indian Hills High School
Lodi High School
Mahwah High School
Midland Park High School
Northern Highlands High School
Northern Valley Regional-Demarest
Paramus High School
Park Ridge High School
Pascack Hills High School
Pascack Valley High School
Ramapo High School
Ramsey High School
Ridgewood High School
River Dell High School
St. Joseph Regional High School
Teaneck High School
Waldwick High School
Westwood Regional High School
Passaic:
Lakeland Regional High School
West Milford High School
Sussex:
High Point High School
Kittatinny Regional High School
Newton High School
Pope John XXIII High School
Vernon Township High School
Wallkill Valley Regional High School
“During President Obama’s speech in Havana with Cuban President Castro this afternoon he talked about a Rolling Stones concert, a Tampa Bay Rays baseball game, and urged Congress to lift the trade embargo against the tyrannical regime. The president did not, however, mention a single word about the extradition of convicted cop-killer Joanne Chesimard or terrorist William Morales.
These cowardly criminals must face justice here in the United States for their crimes before Congress has any debates about lifting the trade embargo, and the president’s failure to make this a priority in negotiations between our countries is truly upsetting to those seeking justice”Congressman Scott Garrett, U.S. Representative for New Jersey’s 5th
NJ Congressman Scott Garrett, U.S. Representative for New Jersey’s 5th congressional district, joined us on air to discuss his displeasure with President Obama’s trip to Cuba. He has been an outspoken critic on opening relations with Cuban regime. Currently, Cuba harbors New Jersey state police murderer — Joanne Chesimard. This among, other things, Garrett says, are on a list of items that President Obama needs to discuss with Cuba to truly regulate relations with Cuba.
Congressman Garrett recently sent a letter to the president’s administration saying: “On February 18th your administration announced your trip this March to Cuba citing the significant progress made by normalizing relations. However, we fail to see any progress in extraditing the fugitives like Joanne Chesimard and William Morales, nor any improvement in the treatment of the Cuban people by their government.” The president has yet to respond.
Congressman Garrett expresses a similar concern to Senator Bob Menendez stating “Senator Menendez and I don’t agree on many things. This is one issue we agree on.” Listen to my full interview with Congressman Scott Garrett discussing normalizing relations waiting to be resolved below.
BY BRETT CARROLL
STAFF WRITER |
PASCACK VALLEY COMMUNITY LIFE
Elderly residents around Pascack Valley can eat well thanks to the efforts of their local “Meals on Wheels” program, a service that delivers food to their doorsteps.
Meals on Wheels is a national organization that delivers food to elderly citizens who cannot drive to get food on their own. It is one of the oldest national food programs and there are chapters across every state.
The Westwood House, the senior living facility in the borough, is the Meals on Wheels chapter for Pascack Valley, and Jeanne Martin is the woman who runs and operates the program.
“I’ve been doing this for 11 years now,” Martin said during a delivery run the morning of Tuesday, March 8. “I was at Pascack Valley Hospital doing [Meals for Wheels] until it closed. I’ve been here for 8 years now.”
Most of the program is paid for through private grants and subsidies from the government, she said.
New Jersey Congressman Scott Garrett accompanied her that day for his biannual checkup on programs in New Jersey.
He was pleased to see the dedication and enthusiasm of Martin, and applauded the benefits of the program.
“This is a program that is helping a lot of people,” the Garrett said “There are so many people in this area that need this. I’m glad we have people like Jeanne who want to help and serve.”
Though the senate and assembly races in Republican-leaning LD40 won’t be held until 2017, a number of moving parts have made the district one to watch. When Senator Kevin O’Toole announced that he would not be pursuing reelection when his term ends, it opened the door for speculation on what would happen when his retirement came. Now, some are wondering who will eventually become the Republican nominee for his seat and what will happen to the assembly positions in the district.
O’Toole’s decision brings into question the fate of his district mates, Assemblyman Scott Rumana and Assemblyman David Russo. Some wonder if O’Toole’s decision to depart will entice either of the sitting assemblyman to pursue the LD40 senate seat. That move would open at least one spot in the assembly.
The mayor of Wyckoff is no longer pursuing the BCRO chairmanship.
Despite considerable speculation that Wyckoff Mayor Kevin Rooney dropped from the race for Bergen County Republican Organization Chairman in order to pursue an LD40 assembly seat, the mayor said he is not planning on making the move at this time.
“I am happy where I am,” Rooney told PolitickerNJ. “We have two assemblymen who just got elected so why would I even try that?”
On Tuesday, Rooney announced that he would be exiting the BCRO race for chairman and would be endorsing current chairman Bob Yudin. According to his remarks, Rooney’s decision stems from a desire for Bergen County’s Republicans to move forward as a unified front to the November elections.
“If we are going to win this November and in the future we must unite and stop the interparty fighting,” Rooney said. “I know some of you will be disappointed by my decision, but now is not the time for a ugly divisive chairman’s race, this will only lead to a democrat victory.”
On Wednesday, Assemblyman Scott Rumana held a successful fundraiser in Little Falls. Over 130 guests were present and the event drew the likes of Assembly Minority Leader Jon Bramnick, Congressman Scott Garrett, Senator Gerald Cardinale, Conference Leader Dave Rible, Passaic County Chairman John Traier, Ocean County Chairman George Gilmore, and NJ Federation of Republican Women President Vanessa LaFranco.
According to one source, any speculation on what impact O’Toole’s departure might have is nothing more than conjecture. Because the LD40 races are not until 2017, the source said it is hard to know how the process will play out until after this year’s elections are no longer a main priority.
“Rumana is out there fundraising and, as far as I know, David Russo has not said that he is retiring,” the source said. “It is a rumor. Everybody is always looking for the curve behind the curve and, sometimes, there really isn’t just anything there. I think you are going to see a lot of candidates running for a lot of things depending on what happens in the next year.”
Even so, some insiders are saying that Rumana may be positioning himself to run for the Senate seat to be vacated by O’Toole in 2017. Others are saying that he might accept a judgeship.
Congressman Scott Garrett, the U.S. Representative for New Jersey’s 5th congressional district, met with employees of Crestron on Monday to tour it’s the company’s Experience Center located at its headquarters in Rockleigh, New Jersey.
Crestron, a global organization with more than 90 offices around the world, employs 1,500 employees from Bergen County and the surrounding area at its worldwide headquarters and campus in Rockleigh, New Jersey.
The campus includes the Experience Center, Research Center, manufacturing plant, pre-production facility, and distribution center.
The tour provided Garrett with an in-depth look into the world of Crestron and its award-winning, advanced control and automation technology. Crestron’s solutions have led the way for over four decades, supporting Fortune 500 companies, government organizations, leading hospitals, universities and prestigious homes.
The Crestron Experience Center combines the finest design with cutting-edge technology, for the ultimate immersive demonstration of its innovative solutions. Congressman Garrett saw firsthand how the company has evolved from a pioneer in A/V and control systems, to the world-class enterprise management company it is today.
Congressman Scott Garrett’s tax plan would be a real gas for Jersey drivers: Mulshine
In the New York Times the other day a panel of experts debated the wisdom of lowering the drinking age. Those in favor of doing so pointed out that current law encourages younger people to binge on hard liquor in private instead of drinking beer or wine at a bar.
The article was sent to me by Assemblyman Mike Carroll of Morris County. Carroll, who is a father of five or six or some such number, said he supports lowering the drinking age to the voting age, which is 18.
“If you’re not capable of making a determination to drink a beer, are you capable of making a determination that Barack Obama should be president of the United States?” asked Carroll.
As you might deduce from that remark, Carroll is a conservative Republican. But there are liberal Democrats who also support lowering the drinking age. It all makes for a high-toned and illuminating debate and it might have great meaning – if this were a free country.
Unfortunately it’s not. Americans love to yammer on about their love for freedom, but they love pushing other people around even more. That’s how we ended up with such draconian regulations as a national 55-mph speed limit and a national drinking age of 21.
Scott Garrett has an idea that would end all that over-regulation – and free up a lot of money for transportation as well. Garrett, a conservative Republican who represents the northwest corner of the state, is sponsoring a bill that would accomplish both those ends through the simple expedient of turning the federal gas tax into a state tax.
Congressman Scott Garrett : Today is Constitution Day! Take the Constitution Quiz
“Today is Constitution Day! On this day in 1787, 39 brave men signed the U.S. Constitution ensuring a framework for a government that worked for the people. Start your morning with this quiz from the Washington Post to test your knowledge of constitutional history. Let me know how you did in the comments below.”
