Category: GENERAL/POLITICAL NEWS

New Jersey Politics

Over the Holiday you might have missed three valuable local news stories regarding the Van Drew\’s Party Switch, Brigid\’s Campaign for Congress, and NJ-2.

– On 12/22 – Tom Moran, the Star Ledger\’s Editorial Editor wrote the following piece

:

\”Meet the Woman Who Wants to Make Van Drew Pay for His Sins\”

https://www.nj.com/opinion/2019/12/meet-the-woman-who-wants-to-make-van-drew-pay-for-his-sins-moran.html

Moran

writes,

\”

Harrison is designed for this moment. A moderate Democrat with lifelong roots in the district, she is a super smart woman who

moved faster than all the boys

to secure the support of six county chairmen within a few days of Van Drew’s betrayal.\”

– On 12/23 – David Wildstein, New Jersey Globe published Brigid’s letter to each of Democratic County Chairs in NJ-2

.

Brigid Callahan Harrison’s letter to Democrats

It has been a very fast moving couple of weeks, so thought the timeline and context showcased in the letter would be helpful to understand the quick developments we have seen in NJ-2.

– On 12/19 – On the heels of Van Drew\’s party-switch, polling already showed 60% of respondents stated that “someone new” should be elected, and only 24% said that Van Drew “deserves to be re-elected.”

https://www.cnbc.com/2019/12/19/jeff-van-drew-anti-impeachment-democrat-flips-to-republican-party.html

Republicans Uphill Battle In NJ-02

Republicans face a significant challenge holding onto New Jersey’s Second Congressional District and Congressman Jefferson Van Drew’s party switch does not improve their chances in November. Beyond the vulnerabilities on display in his own internal polling, Van Drew’s party switch has further weakened him as a candidate: he enters 2020 despised by Democrats, distrusted by Republicans, and likely viewed poorly by independents who watched him swap identities for political gain. His reputation as an independent voice for South Jersey was prefaced on the mirage he held any core beliefs, but he has undermined that image by earning

coverage

of his

politically

motivated

party switch.

Southern New Jersey Democrats were already motivated to challenge Van Drew because of his very public attacks on other Democrats. His decision to join the Republican Party only increases Democratic voter motivation in the district.

The Primary Will Weaken The Eventual Republican Nominee

President Trump’s support of Van Drew is far from assured. After making his initial announcement, Van Drew loses most of his political value to the White House. And most Trump White House political endorsements

only

consist

of

a

boiler-plate

tweet.

But even with President Trump’s support, Van Drew is far from certain to prevail in the Republican primary.

His Republican primary opponents have

indicated

that they all intend to stay in the race despite Van Drew’s party switch.

David Richter, a wealthy candidate with the ability to

self-fund

and pose a serious challenge to Van Drew even without establishment support, has stated he is staying in the race. Richter has already made the NRCC’s “On The Radar” list, so House Republicans’ campaign arm will have to choose whom they support.

Since Van Drew’s party switch, Richter

affirmed

his willingness to spend $1 million of his own money on the race, which is more funding than Van Drew currently has on hand.

Richter has already begun

attacking

Van Drew. Richter went on local talk radio Wednesday morning and argued that the Republican establishment was “trying to clear the field for [Van Drew] now to get the Republican nomination because he can’t win a primary, he can’t defend his own record.”

Van Drew’s Democratic voting record provides an outsized target for Republican candidates to attack

Van Drew has voted

against

President Trump 93 percent of the time; including votes

against

border wall funding, a vote

condemning

Trump’s remarks about four congresswomen as racist, and a vote

limiting

federal spending at properties owned by President Trump.

He’s also voted against some of Trump’s signature policies, including

against

the Administration’s ban on transgender members of the military,

against

the Administration’s rule to block abortion providers from Title X funding, and

against

the Administration’s withdrawal from the Paris Agreement on climate change.

Van Drew has a

100% rating

with Planned Parenthood. A liability in a Republican primary defined by a president who selected a vice president who attempted to

shut down

the government over Planned Parenthood funding.

Van Drew spoke at a

protest against

the Trump Administration’s pursuit of seismic testing, expressing his disappointment that Trump would support the testing.

Van Drew’s decades as a Democrat also provide plenty of damaging soundbites and quotations about the Democratic party for opponents to weaponize. We’re happy to

share

some

here

.

Van Drew’s position on impeachment doesn’t mean he is an ally of President Trump

The Daily Beast

reports

that prior to Van Drew’s party switch he was “obsessively Anti-Trump” and even called Trump “crazy.”

Van Drew

endorsed

Cory Booker for President in the 2020 election (something David Richter has already noted in his attacks as well).

General Election Issues

If Van Drew is able to win the Republican nomination, he enters the general election with serious vulnerabilities. His own internal general election polling from December 7-10 includes several data points that demonstrate the difficulty he will face competing in a general election:

In a general election sample, only 31 percent of voters believe he should be re-elected. 48 percent want someone new.

President Trump has lost ground since winning NJ-02 by 4.6 points in 2016. In a general election sample his favorability is even and voters are split on whether he deserves to be re-elected.

In Summary

Congressman Van Drew tried to change his values because his own polling showed he completely alienated the Democratic base and was on track to lose his primary. Now, by switching parties, he has further motivated that base, tied himself entirely to President Trump, and will have to explain a voting record that is out of step with Republican primary voters in NJ-02. We wish him the best of luck and are confident that Democrats are in a strong position to win this seat in 2020.

source press release

Enviro Bills Up in NJ Committee on Monday

The following environmental legislation will be up in the state legislature on Monday, January 6, 2020.

Assembly Environment and Solid Waste:

A4819(Benson/Pinkin): Establishes goals, initiatives, and programs to encourage and support the use of plug-in electric vehicles.

“Finally, the roadblocks to make EV’s a reality in New Jersey are being lifted. This legislation is more critical because cars and trucks are the biggest source of air pollution in our state. The legislature is now accelerating moving forward with the original bill instead of the weakened one amended by the Murphy Administration. The new version will have the same targets as the original bill of 330,000 EV’s by 2025, 2 million by 2035, and at least 85% of all light duty vehicles sold in New Jersey will be electric by December of 2040. This bill will help kick electric vehicles into high gear. It’s a major step forward in making EVs a reality in our state,” said Jeff Tittel, Director of the New Jersey Sierra Club. “We are finally going to put our foot on the acceleration and move forward after Murphy’s staff to cut back and weaken EV goals. Now it is critical that the bill is pushed through committee and will move forward in both houses.”

Assembly Appropriations:

“There are two bills up, A6088 (Burzichelli) and A5741 (McKeon/Pinkin), that are trying to fix the solar program. When Governor Murphy signed the Clean Energy Act of 2018, we said that it would hurt the solar program and cause it to crash. That was a pass-first, fix-later legislation that was only a cover for the nuclear subsidy bill. We said that the bill would lead to the solar market collapsing completely, putting a wrench in our plans to make New Jersey cleaner and greener. Now, the legislature is working on short-term Fix Bills to deal with the damage from the Clean Energy Act,” said Jeff Tittel. “Instead of fixing and expanding the solar program, the legislature are postponing the inevitable crash of the solar market. These Fix Bills do nothing to improve the solar program, and instead continue to undermine New Jersey’s clean energy goals.”

A6088 (Burzichelli): Allows BPU to increase cost to customers of Class I renewable energy requirements for energy years 2022 through 2024, under certain conditions.

“We support this bill because it will prevent the collapse of the solar market, but our concern is that this is a temporary fix. We are heading into a crisis for solar energy, and this bill is just a stopgap instead of a real solution. We have said from the beginning that the cost cap would hurt the solar industry and cause it to crash. This legislation is just a short-term fix that averages the cost cap out over five years to extend the program. Under this bill we can only get to 200 Megawatts per year instead of the 500 MW that we need to reach our clean energy goals,” said Jeff Tittel. “We should be completely getting rid of the cap. We don’t have caps on energy from coal, nuclear, oil, or gas. Having a cap on solar hurts renewable energy and favors fossil fuels.”

The bill would allow the BPU to increase the cost cap on Class I renewable energy requirements if the total energy costs during energy years 2019 through 2021 is less than 9%. Since the solar program went into effect about 10 years ago, solar has become 29 percent more efficient and gone down in price by 25 percent.

“What we need is a real fix, not a temporary one. This bill raises the cost cap and averages it out over five years. If the costs exceed the limit the BPU is still required to set aside the Renewable Portfolio Standard for that year. You also have to factor in legacy SRECs as well as transition SRECs. Our concern is that even with this change in the law it will not allow us to have a robust solar program,” said Jeff Tittel. “We need to remove the cost cap, but we also need to come up with a new solar program that is more cost effective and works for all of New Jersey. This includes looking at other funding mechanisms and regulations to push for solar programs to get done.”

A5741 (McKeon/Pinkin):  Revises law concerning solar renewable energy portfolio standards, solar renewable energy certificates, and net metering..

“Even though this bill does not actually fix our solar program, we support it because it will prevent the program from crashing. New Jersey passed legislation in 2018 that ends the solar program at 5.1 Gigawatt hours in 2021, but we already have 5.8 GWh in approved applications. This bill would increase the solar incentive program to 6.39 GWh in 2026. This is like swerving to avoid a tree and driving off of a cliff instead. The solar market can end by either running out of the program or by hitting the cost cap,” said Jeff Tittel. “These were the flaws we saw in the 2018 solar bill and they are coming home to roost. We opposed that bill because it would lead to the solar market crashing, and now we are getting a temporary Band-Aid instead of a real fix.”

The bill amends provisions in current law to increase the solar program from 5.1 % in 2021 to 6.39% in 2026. There are five times as many jobs in the solar sector than there are in the coal industry. Improving solar energy in the state would make our environment cleaner, fight climate change, and increase green jobs.

“If New Jersey is going to deal with climate change, we need to take steps to reduce GHG emissions and move forward toward reaching 100% renewable energy. This bill is just kicking the can down the road with a temporary fix, and will not allow for a robust solar energy program. Increasing the solar program by 1.29 percent will not get us anywhere near Murphy’s goals of 50% renewable energy by 2030 or 34% solar by 2050,” said Jeff Tittel. “This bill is a short-term fix. We should be making sure the SRECs program reflects the actual cost of certain sectors of the solar market. Improving solar energy in the state would make our environment cleaner, fight climate change, and increase green jobs.”

A3783 (Eustace): Requires owner or operator of certain trains to have discharge response, cleanup, and contingency plans to transport certain hazardous materials by rail; requires NJ DOT to request bridge inspection reports from US DOT.

“We need this legislation and we need it now. New Jersey is already seeing hundreds of shipments of explosive fossil fuels, whether it is bomb trains carrying Bakken crude oil or LNG, and we could be seeing more in the future. PHMSA recently approved a special permit that will allow hundreds of trains carrying explosive LNG through New Jersey communities and neighborhoods. Not only do these hazardous shipments put people at risk by cutting through densely populated communities but they can also cause ecological disaster and water supply nightmares,” said Jeff Tittel. “We need this legislation to protect communities that have dangerous train cars traveling through them every day. It has passed in the Senate and now the Assembly needs to act quickly and get to Governor Murphy’s desk to sign.”

The bill requires operators carrying Bakken crude shipments to have discharge response, cleanup, and contingency plans to transport certain hazardous materials by rail. Previous Bakken train derailments have led to train cars setting on fire, homes being destroyed, forced evacuations of entire towns, threatened water supplies, and human casualties. Governor Christie vetoed this bill when it was originally passed and an attempt for an override was made.

“We need this legislation because if there is an accident or spill, it can catastrophic consequences to our communities. This bill requires the railroad to have a warning system in place and a contingency plan that will deal with any potential spill or accident. This legislation also gives towns important tools to deal with a response or emergency clean up and will give the town notice when a train is coming through. It is important that the state legislature is resisting Trump Administration rollbacks to rail safety,” said Jeff Tittel. “This bill will help protect the people of New Jersey from dangerous spills and derailments. We need our legislature to move quickly on this bill to help protect susceptible communities.”

A4819 (Benson/Pinkin): Establishes goals, initiatives, and programs to encourage and support the use of plug-in electric vehicles.

“Over 45% of our greenhouse gasses in New Jersey come vehicles and our state suffers from failing air levels. This bill is the first major step in reducing pollution and GHG’s from our transportation sector. Now it is critical for the legislature and Governor Murphy to pass and sign this comprehensive electric vehicle legislation. Our state used to be a leader in innovation and transportation and can be again in clean transport. We can see the benefits of clean air and clean jobs if the BPU builds a state-wide network of charging stations, creates green jobs, saves people money on gas, and reduces air pollution. Half of New Jersey’s greenhouse gases come from mobile sources, but these emissions can be easily cut by implementing EV technology,” said Jeff Tittel.

A6102 (Kennedy): Provides two-year exemption for hospitals from requirement to source separate and recycle food waste.

“We oppose this legislation because hospitals should be the easiest place to separate and recycle food waste. We are in a climate crisis and our waste is a major contributor. Food waste that is brought to landfills instead of anaerobically digested or composed contributes to global warming and GHG emissions. As we move toward getting to zero carbon, we need to move towards getting to zero food waste,” said Jeff Tittel. “Hospitals create a tremendous amount of food waste, and they should be one of the simplest places where food waste could be recycled.”

Senate Budget & Appropriations Committee:

S3796 (Andrzejczak): Requires DEP Commissioner to establish individual transferable quota system for menhaden purse seine fishery.

“Menhaden are an important species and the food supply and stability of our fisheries, but this bill would lead to overfishing of this critical fish. Our concern is that the bill will privatize the regulation and mandate by setting up this quote system. By locking in quotas for different fishing interests, we believe it will lead to overfishing. What is an even bigger problem is the trading system of quotas. Menhaden are a critical link to the food web and are known as forage species. This means they function as a food source for larger species like bluefish and striped bass,” said Jeff Tittel, Director of the New Jersey Sierra Club. “This legislation will essentially be a destructive domino effect throughout the marine food chain. It will not only impact these important species, but impact New Jersey’s commercial and recreational fisheries.”

Former Republican Robert Turkavagex Announces Run for NJ Second District CongressionalSeat

Today, I am announcing that I intend to seek the support of the Democratic Party to be their nominee for the United States House of Representatives for the Second District of New Jersey.

Two weeks ago, after almost a lifetime of affiliation with the Republican Party, I changed my

Robert Turkavagex

party affiliation from Republican to Democrat. A number of events over the past few years made this change unavoidable. First, the GOP, long regarded as a staunch defender of fiscal responsibility, bears primary responsibility for the 3.1 trillion increase in our national debt since 2017, accomplished largely through tax cuts to even the wealthiest of Americans.  Second, President Trump, the GOP’s leader, has relentlessly attacked the pillars of our democracy that have served our country well for over 200 years. His attacks on the press, our election process, and the courts have inflicted mistrust and hatred of these institutions on a scale that our adversaries could only hope to inflict. Third, law enforcement could always count on the GOP as a reliable partner, yet the GOP remained silent as its leader urged non-cooperation with law enforcement investigations, and labeled law enforcement cooperators as “rats”. Fourth, the accuracy of reporting by our intelligence agencies has been repeatedly questioned by President Trump while alleged intelligence provided to him by our Russian adversary is routinely accepted at face value. Fifth, the law granting amnesty to 3 million undocumented immigrants signed by a Republican president in 1986, was replaced by a policy of separating children from parents charged with misdemeanor violations of immigration laws.  The absence of GOP outrage over this policy was an abomination.

On matters of national security, President Reagan’s GOP forged strong relationships with our allies and confronted our adversaries. Trump’s GOP has gone in the opposite direction.  First, Trump has repeatedly disparaged our closest allies, the same allies who came to our defense following the September 11 attacks.  Second, in both Syria and the Ukraine, the US has abandoned or inhibited the efforts of allies actively engaged in warfare with our adversaries; allies who sacrificed their lives to prevent terrorists or adversaries from bringing the fight to the US. Lastly, members of the GOP, without exception, defended President Trump as he faced allegations that he conditioned a White House visit and foreign aid to a promise from a foreign nation that they would announce an investigation on the President’s political adversary. Collectively, the above events and others not mentioned here, made me realize that the Republican Party which I proudly admired and supported for many years was no more. As I see it, the Republican Party left me; I did not leave the Republican Party.

Even though my party affiliation has changed, my positions on the issues have not. National Security has always been, and remains my top concern. To the delight of our adversaries, President Trump’s immigration policy has caused many Americans to view immigration as the preeminent national security threat. I disagree. The threats posed by Hypersonic weapons being developed by Russia and China, and the lack of cybersecurity as it pertains to our missile defense systems and our electrical grid pose a far greater risk to our security than immigration lawbreakers. One week ago, the Washington DC publication “The Hill” published an OPED I authored entitled “The less hyped, but More Realistic Threats to our National Security”. This article “connects the dots”, in that it identifies the vulnerabilities in the above systems and provides evidence of adversaries who have sought to exploit these vulnerabilities. This article is a “must” read for any person concerned about national security.

The issue of undocumented immigrants in the US, however, must be addressed. As with all laws, law enforcement cannot decide for themselves which immigration laws to enforce, and immigrants cannot decide which immigration laws they choose to obey. On the other hand, our courts have been solicitous of defendants’ pleas for mercy when there is an acceptance of responsibility by the defendant. With this in mind,

on January 7, 2020,

I will unveil a two-pronged proposal that will identify an existing legal mechanism by which under certain circumstances, undocumented immigrants will be permitted to obtain legal status in the US. Secondarily, the proposal will provide a mechanism by which the penalty imposed on the immigrant may be lessened/eliminated should the immigrant assist the government in identifying other criminal activity of which he/she may be aware.

Now to taxes. In 2017, after studying the long-term effects of the Reagan and Bush tax cuts, I wrote an article in The Hill (“Tax Cuts: Haven’t we been down this road before”) that the Trump tax plan, contrary to Administration claims, would not have a long-term measurable effect on GDP, and would instead “bust out” the debt. Moreover, although a reduction in corporate tax rates was justified, the newly enacted tax law was not accompanied by an offsetting elimination of many corporate tax loopholes. Last, but most important, many Americans were, and will continue to be financially harmed by long-term investment decisions (i.e., home purchase) made, based on the assumption of a static tax code that was upended in 2017. On

January 21, 2020

, I will unveil a position paper which, among other things, will call for the restoration of previous tax rates for certain high-income taxpayers; restoration of certain deductions eliminated in the 2017 tax law, and a change in the tax treatment of certain items of income.

In

February 2020,

I will offer a position paper on steps I believe are necessary to insure the solvency of the Old-Age and Survivors Insurance (OASI) and the Disability Insurance (DI) trust funds. Also, in

February 2020,

I will offer a position paper on Health Care, it being noted I fully support continued insurance coverage of pre-existing medical conditions, and am opposed to “Medicare for All”. In

March 2020,

I will offer a position paper on matters affecting our Veterans.

At the time I announced my candidacy for Congress in 2018, I mentioned that virtually all sectors (Financial, Oil and Gas, Pharmaceutical, etc.,) of our economy were well-served by lobbyists in Washington D.C., but that there was no measurable lobbying effort working on behalf of our children. I also noted at that time that if I had the opportunity to serve as your Congressman I would legislate as though I were the lobbyist for your children and mine. I noted then that every vote I cast would be weighed against three benchmarks: Is it good for my constituents? Is it good for my country? And most importantly is it good for our children? Like my positions on the issues, that pledge to you has not changed with the passage of time.

God Bless America.

Robert Turkavagex

Feds Give NJ Families Nearly $2Million to Help Them Reach Self-Sufficiency

Federal funding to support education and employment among HUD-assisted families

See local funding chart below

NEW JERSEY – U.S. Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Secretary Ben Carson today awarded more than $79 million to nearly 700 public housing authorities across the country. In New Jersey, HUD awarded $1,925,793.00 to 24 public housing authorities and local agencies.  These funds will help residents of public housing and voucher-assisted housing increase their earned income and reduce their dependency on public assistance and rental subsidies.

Read more about the local impact of the grants announced today

.

Funded through HUD’s

Family Self-Sufficiency Program(FSS)

, these grants enable public housing agencies (PHAs) to collaborate with social service agencies, community colleges, businesses, and other local partners to help participants further their education, gain marketable skills, and otherwise increase their income potential through new employment or by advancing in their current workplace.“Helping people find jobs that will put them on the path to self-sufficiency is at the core of HUD’s mission,” said HUD Secretary Ben Carson. “HUD is committed to working with our local partners to connect families with the opportunities and support they need to succeed at every level.”

“The FSS program is a data-proven vehicle that has helped thousands of HUD-assisted families achieve financial independence,” said Lynne Patton, HUD Regional Administrator for New York and New Jersey.  “I am thrilled that this Administration has dedicated $8 million to help advance low-income residents New York & New Jersey and ensure that they receive the guidance and resources necessary to usher them into a self-sufficient New Year!”

HUD’s FSS Program funding helps local public housing authorities to hire Service Coordinators who work directly with residents to connect them with existing programs and services in the local community. These Service Coordinators build relationships with networks of local service providers, who provide direct assistance to FSS participants. The broad spectrum of services made possible through FSS enables participating families to find jobs, increase earned income, reduce or eliminate the need for rental and/or welfare assistance, and make progress toward achieving economic independence and housing self-sufficiency.

Participants in the program sign a five-year contract requiring the head of the household to obtain employment. In addition, no member of the FSS family may have received cash welfare assistance for twelve months prior to program graduation. Families in the FSS program have an interest-bearing escrow account established for them. The amount credited to the family’s escrow account is based on increases in the family’s earned income during the term of the FSS contract.  FSS participants who successfully complete the requirements of their FSS contract receive the escrow funds upon completion and are able to apply those funds to advance their personal circumstances, including, for example, paying educational expenses or making a down-payment on a home.

For more information on the successes of the FSS program, please see

FSS Celebrates 25 Years! 25 Years of the Family Self-Sufficiency Program: Families Working, Families Prospering

.

###

HUD’s mission is to create strong, sustainable, inclusive communities and quality affordable homes for all.

More information about HUD and its programs is available on the Internet

at

www.hud.gov

and

https://

espanol.hud.gov

.

Letters to the Editor: A new DECADE of possibilities

John F. Kennedy once said

“We

choose to go to the moon in this decade!”

So We the People stepped up — and

we went to the moon

.

Ronald Reagan once said

“Freedom

is never more than one generation away from extinction!”

So We the People stepped up — and

freedom rang throughout our nation

.

Donald Trump once said

“Let’s

Make America Great Again!”

And once again,

We the People are stepping up

.

2020 marks the beginning of a new decade of American ingenuity, progress and innovation. As we move forward into the new year together, I hope you will work with me to make 2020 a

Decade for the PEOPLE

.

That means no more indoctrination of children. Affirming our right to self-defense at the highest levels. Implementing policies that put our nation FIRST and KEEP AMERICA GREAT.

Cory Booker and the Democrats think that 2020 is

their

year — for more cronyism, more deception, more corruption.

Let’s show them how wrong they are.

Happy New Year,

Hirsh V. Singh

For the People

Republican for U.S. Senate

Letters to the Editor: Proud to be a Republican

I\’m Jeff Van Drew. I met with President Trump last week in the Oval Office; and with his blessing and endorsement, I\’m proud to say that I\’m now a member of the Republican Party representing

South Jersey in Congress.

Since my announcement, a ton of folks have asked, \”Why did you leave the Democratic Party?\” My answer is simple: \”

I didn\’t leave the Democrats, the Democrats left me.\”

You see, I\’ve always been for fiscal responsibility and supported things like our right to bear arms. And in today\’s Democratic Party, which is dominated by self-proclaimed socialists, I was ostracized.

When I was told by Nancy Pelosi that I had to vote \”YES\” on impeachment, I knew that was the last straw. It was time to walk away…

Now, I\’m facing a critical end-of-year fundraising deadline. Can I count on your support?

Chip in $100 before the end of 2019>>>

Chip in $75 before the end of 2019>>>

Chip in $50 before the end of 2019>>>

Chip in another amount before the end of 2019>>>

It\’s no secret that my conservative positions have never made the Democrat Party leadership happy — whether it\’s protecting the 2nd Amendment or fighting tax increases or fighting to build the wall (not to mention voting AGAINST Nancy Pelosi for Speaker), I\’ve always been more at home among Republicans than the extreme Democrats.

Thank you for your time and consideration.

Jeff Van Drew

Yuma Mayor Withdraws Proclamation Thanks to Trump’s Successful Efforts to Confront Border Crisis

WASHINGTON — Today, Mayor of Yuma, Arizona, Douglas Nicholls, at a meeting with Senior Official Performing the Duties of Deputy Secretary of Homeland Security (DHS) Ken Cuccinelli, withdrew an April 2019 local State of Emergency proclamation regarding the ongoing security and humanitarian crisis on the Southwest border.

Mayor Nicholls officially issued the proclamation on April 16, 2019, after the historic flow of illegal immigration caused thousands of illegal aliens to be released into his city. The mayor credits successful efforts by the Trump Administration in confronting the crisis, including initiatives implemented by DHS and the Government of Mexico, that have substantially relieved the city’s burden in caring for the overwhelming number of illegal immigrants.

“The president’s strategy to address the crisis at the Southern border, particularly Central American families illegally flooding across the border, has worked and we are seeing an impact in border towns across the country,” said Acting Deputy Secretary Cuccinelli. “The number of Central American family units apprehended has decreased by 85% since the height of the crisis in May. And thanks to a number of policies we implemented, we have ended catch and release and are returning, removing and repatriating more aliens from the border than ever before. Now, communities like Yuma are directly seeing the effect of our efforts. We are pleased to stand alongside Mayor Nicholls and to work together to secure the border and protect the American people.”

“I am grateful to be able to withdraw the Proclamation of Emergency due to the Trump Administration\’s policy changes that diminish the flow of the migrant family units to the Yuma area and prevent releases into the Yuma community,\” said Mayor Nicholls.

On September 23, DHS officially announced that it ended widespread catch and release for Central American families arriving at the border. We are now removing, returning, and repatriating more illegal aliens, including Central American families, faster than ever before, and illegal border crossing cases are completed faster than ever before. Under the Trump Administration, those who present themselves as families after crossing the border illegally will no longer be released into the United States. There has never been a time when illegally crossing the border is less likely to succeed than right now.

This can be attributed to the following efforts by DHS and the Trump Administration:

Under the Migrant Protection Protocols, more than 53,000 migrants have now been returned to Mexico to await their immigration hearings

With electronic nationality verification for northern triangle countries, we have been able to repatriate aliens from these countries within hours of their arrival at the border,

The Trump Administration has signed more than a dozen agreements with Central American countries to increase border security, combat transnational criminal organizations, and enhance economic development in the region.

We have now built nearly 100 miles of new border wall, including wall in the Yuma sector.

November marked the sixth month in a row that enforcement actions at the border declined due to decreased migration flows. Defying seasonal trends for the past seven years, CBP reports an overall decline in illegal cross border activity in November compared to October. Enforcement actions along the Southwest border involving family units declined nearly 4% to 13,154 and enforcement actions involving single adults were down 8.4% to 25,755. CBP’s Southwest border enforcement actions in this fiscal year to date are 29% lower than for the same period last fiscal year.

Topics:

Border Security

,

Disasters

Keywords:

Border Security

,

Immigration

Political Observers Say There is a Deep Rift Among Democrats in New Jersey

TRENTON, N.J. — Several political observers are suggesting there is a big rift among members of the Democratic Party in the states of New Jersey. The proof they say was seen at a State Senate hearing in November when Sue Altman, the leader of the left-leaning Working Families Alliance was singled out by New Jersey state troopers and forcibly removed her from the crowded State Senate hearing

on

corporate tax breaks.

The

New York Times

reported she was led past her main political rival,

George E. Norcross III

, a Democratic power broker who was at the hearing to testify in support of an $11 billion

economic incentive program

that Ms. Altman had criticized harshly and that is the subject of state investigations and subpoenas.

According to Times the imagery and its aftermath have roiled Trenton, exposing a generational and philosophical rift between progressive and mainstream Democrats that is mirrored nationwide

The clash thrust Ms. Altman into the limelight and offered a vivid example of how the grass-roots energy in New Jersey that helped Democrats

flip four seats in Congress

last year has spilled into the State House. Altman’s ejection from the November hearing is being reviewed by the attorney general, and it is coloring the discussion of a range of issues, including the renewal of the

corporate tax-break program

and the fight for control of the Democratic State Committee.

CONTINUE TO READ

PUBLISHED Gloucestercitynews.net

Video: How Did Political Boss George Norcross Acquire Waterfront Land in Camden City at Such Low Prices?

The tower, located on the Camden City waterfront, is owned by George Norcross and two other partners who received a $245 million tax break

(image courtesy of David L. Lewis/WNYC)

CNBNews.net

CAMDEN CITY, NJ (December 26, 2019)–

NJTV NEWS interviewed a reporter from the Philadelphia Inquirer who wrote an investigating article about South Jersey Political Boss George Norcross and his quest to buy up properties along the Camden City waterfront. How did George Norcross obtain acres of land along this prime section of waterfront at prices under the appraised value?

What is known is Norcross and his friends used tens of million in state-approved incentives to obtain the properties.  The

Delaware River Port Authority and Camden Redevelopment Agency held interests in one of the properties, which was

appraised at $2.3 million in 2015

. Public officials

agreed to sell it to Liberty for $800,000

. After the sale, Liberty gave Norcross and his business partners an option to buy the property — which they eventually did, for $350,000 — or 15 cents on the dollar of the appraised value when it was held by public agencies.

The \”Inky\” confirmed hearsay that federal prosecutors in Philadelphia are carrying out their own investigation into the controversial New Jersey program.

Michael Hill,

NJTVonline.org

News correspondent talks with Catherine Dunn, one of the lead reporters on the story in the video below.

video source

https://www.njtvonline.org/

Related:

How power broker George Norcross and friends got waterfront land for cheap

Both the Delaware River Port Authority and Camden Redevelopment Agency held interests in the land, which was

appraised at $2.3 million in 2015

. Public officials

agreed to sell it to Liberty for $800,000

. After the sale, Liberty gave Norcross and his business partners an option to buy the property — which they eventually did, for $350,000 — or 15 cents on the dollar of the appraised value when it was held by public agencies.

And while Norcross and his partners aren’t allowed to build on the parking lot for five years, they could develop it by 2023 if they choose.

The series of transactions also underscores the influence and reach of the Mount Laurel-based law firm Parker McCay, led by George Norcross’ brother Philip.

CONTINUE

Related:

Taking Down The South Jersey Political Mafia

You may think we live in a state run by democratically-elected officials, but the reality is closer to a system of political corruption that would surprise most Americans. The truth is, the mafia is alive and well in New Jersey and it controls the political machine in the state. This isn’t the Cosa Nostra of the old days, but an even more sinister cabal of powerful men working to consolidate power and enrich themselves at the cost of the taxpayers.

George Norcross has been called the most powerful unelected person in New Jersey. He controls nearly every elected Democrat in South Jersey including party chairs, state senators and  assemblymen. Even if you get elected outside of his control, you will get nowhere in the party. Norcross and his team have done a masterful job of consolidating power in a relatively short period of time; only a few decades. They have insured that you can’t get elected without his support, and if you do, and you don’t play ball, you will be sidelined to political Siberia. Without his endorsement and the cooperation of Senate President Steve Sweeney, you won’t get on any committees. You won’t get resources. You won’t get money for staff. You will be irrelevant.

Consequently, the candidates you find on your ballot have been hand-chosen by Norcross and his political organization. The Democratic Party is beholden to his

CONTINUE

Related:

How The Norcross Political Machine Muscled In On Camden City\’s Prime Real Estate, NJ\’s Poorest Community

But the Norcross brothers had other ideas.

The most powerful political family in the state had spent months helping to engineer the tax break law. George E. Norcross III, a prolific Democratic fundraiser and power broker, had championed the idea among lawmakers; his brother Philip Norcross, a lawyer and lobbyist with deep ties to local and state government, wrote parts of the legislation; and a third brother, Donald Norcross, then a state senator and now a member of Congress, had co-sponsored it. Once the law passed,

the Norcrosses’ allies, business partners and clients

took advantage.

published

Gloucestercitynews.net

December 26, 2019

Norcross, Booker, Hayes Introduce Legislation to Support Childcare for Student-Parents

WASHINGTON, DC – U.S. Congressman Donald Norcross (NJ-01) this week joined Congresswoman Jahana Hayes (CT-05) and Senator Cory Booker (D-NJ) to introduce H.R. 5475, the Preparing and Resourcing Our Student Parents and Early Childhood Teachers

(PROSPECT) Act. This important legislation would invest heavily in federal grants supporting childcare for student-parents at community colleges and Minority Serving Institutions (MSI’s).

There are over 4 million college students in the United States who are raising children while attending school. Although the number of student parents has been on the rise, the share of community colleges and four-year institutions with campus child care has been in decline. In New Jersey, 46 percent of all residents live in a child care desert, according to the

Center for American Progress

. The PROSPECT Act would help New Jersey students enrolled in community colleges fight costly barriers to degree completion and make sure more young people have the tools they need to learn and succeed.

“Today, many student-parents are forced to choose work over their education because they cannot afford child care,”

said Congressman Norcross, a member of the House Committee on Education and Labor.

“Access to quality, affordable child care for college students impacts the strength of our economy and the diversity of our workforce. The PROSPECT Act will help provide student-parents with a level playing field. South Jersey is a leader in higher education, and this legislation will ensure that parents, their children and educators are afforded the resources and opportunities they need to succeed.”

“I was a student-parent while I pursued my bachelor’s, master’s, and graduate degrees. I know first hand the struggles of being a young parent, while trying to study and earn a degree,”

said Congresswoman Hayes,

a member of the House Committee on Education and Labor

. “The PROSPECT Act would provide student-parents with much-needed assistance, which removes one more barrier to success. I thank Senator Booker and Congressman Norcross for joining me in this effort to support student-parents.”

“Today’s college students are faced with realities that are very different than the idyllic assumptions we have of them,”

said Senator Booker.

“Millions are raising kids and have enrolled in college to improve their life circumstances for their children, but too many are forced to drop out because quality child care is unavailable or unaffordable, leaving them without a degree and saddled with student debt. This legislation will address this crisis by investing in campus child care and infant-toddler educator preparation programs, making our college campuses better equipped to help today’s students succeed.”

The PROSPECT Act is endorsed by the following organizations: American Federation of Teachers (AFT), CLASP, Education Reform Now – Advocacy, Generation Hope, Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities (HACU), National Black Child Development Institute, National Women’s Law Center (NWLC), Public Advocacy for Kids, UNCF, UnidosUS and Zero to Three.

“Representative Jahana Hayes’ bill addresses two essential family needs – the cost of child care, and the need to meet the appetite children have to learn and thrive,”

said

Randi Weingarten, President of American Federation of Teachers.

“Children are always learning, particularly in the months and first few years of life, which means finding ways to help nurture this learning will help the children who receive that.  At the same time child care costs pose an undue burden for working parents that immediately hamstring kids whose parents work to earn a living. Child care for infants and toddlers costs parents roughly 60 percent more than child care for a 3- or 4-year-old. Finding and affording child care is even harder for parents who are in college themselves. Rep. Hayes’ Preparing and Resourcing Our Student Parents and Early Childhood Teachers Act takes bold steps to address the reality that in today’s economy, most parents are working parents, and many are also in school. It will make infant and toddler child care more affordable and accessible on college campuses, enabling student parents to finish their degrees and access a better a better life for their families. By funding high-quality child care programs with well prepared and compensated early childhood educators, this bill helps parents and educators address take care of themselves, and their families.”

“In 1999, I started as a full time freshman and teen mother at the College of William & Mary, struggling to find childcare for my three-month-old daughter while adapting to the new world of college and the academic rigor of a prestigious school,”

said

Nicole Lynn Lewis, Founder and CEO of Generation Hope. “

I founded Generation Hope in 2010 to ensure young, parenting college students have all of the supports that I lacked, and the PROSPECT Act builds upon this work in an innovative way by providing childcare and opportunities for students across the country who are working incredibly hard to become college graduates.”

“Every student deserves a fair chance at completing a college degree and pursuing their American Dream,”

said Dr. Michael L. Lomax, President and CEO of UNCF.

“This is something that HBCUs know all too well given their unique mission and continued efforts to ensure that our neediest of students are not ignored. The PROSPECT Act builds on the invaluable approach lead by HBCUs to make sure students with children are also taken care of and able to achieve their dreams. UNCF is proud to support such common-sense legislation and urges Congress to act swiftly and pass the PROSPECT Act.”

“Latinos are enrolling in college in record numbers. But support services are needed to help them finish on time, such as expanded access to quality early childhood education for student-parents,”

said

Eric Rodriguez, Senior Vice President of Policy and Advocacy at UnidosUS.

“The PROSPECT Act will lift up entire families by expanding child care at college campuses, helping with college completion and providing young children a strong start in early education and life.”