Will investigation derail Eustace's appointment?

Word comes to us that the Doyen of the LGBT caucus -- Tim Eustace (AKA Brother Eustace, Major Eustace, the Kingfish, Great White...) -- shouldn't get too comfy in that new six-figure job of his.  Eustace's new job puts him in charge of water supplies in northern New Jersey. 

Eustace -- an ally of Sussex Democrats Kate Matteson and Gina Trish, and friend to Bergen politicos like Josh Gottheimer and John McCann -- was appointed by Governor Murphy as the deputy director of North Jersey District Water Supply Commission.  The appointment was considered by many as a "consolation prize" for his being blocked for the State Senate, after a vacancy opened.  Just why he was blocked is still unclear.

Sources confirm that multiple ethics violations are being prepared -- and perhaps a New Jersey Election Law Enforcement (NJELEC) violation as well.   Some of this appears to involve the former Assemblyman's use of money raised for his re-election campaign to send a staffer to Nepal with a stop-over in Dubai.  It appears that Eustace accompanied the staffer on the far-east excursion. 

Dinner in Dubai?
 
What's up with these Democrats?
 
Now take a look at this...

So let's get this straight.  Democrat Assemblyman Tim Eustace collects money from special interests, so that he and his legislative aide can fly around the world to do what?  You are a state legislator, not a congressman.  New Jersey doesn't have a foreign policy.

It looks like the former Democrat Assemblyman has some explaining to do. 

Are these Democrats aware that Nepal is one of the worst centers for human trafficking and modern slavery in the world?  While dining with some bigwigs there did they know that, according to the U.S. State Department, "the government of Nepal does not fully comply with minimum standards for the elimination of human trafficking"?  Here is more, from Wikipedia:

"Human trafficking in Nepal is a growing criminal industry affecting multiple other countries beyond Nepal, primarily across Asia and the Middle East.   Nepal is mainly a source country for men, women and children subjected to forced labor and sex trafficking... Human trafficking is the fastest growing criminal industry in the world, second to drug dealing and tied with arms dealing."

"Trafficking victims often are taken to locations within Nepal, often from rural areas to the urban centers. Mainly young girls and women are trafficked for sexual exploitation in places such as cabin/dance restaurants, massage parlors, and other places within tourism sector... Within Nepal, labor trafficking is also common: victims often end up in carpet and garment factories, embroidering sweatshops, brick-kilns, and others." 

"The trafficking of girls from Nepal into India for forced prostitution is perhaps one of the busiest slave trafficking routes anywhere in the world, with estimated 5,000-10,000 Nepali women and girls trafficked to India each year.   An estimated 100,000-200,000 Nepali trafficked persons are in India.   Nepali girls are especially desirable as prostitutes in India because they are considered more attractive due to their lighter skin color, and because Nepali virgins are believed to be able to cure AIDS.   Victims are also trafficked for labor in circuses, agriculture, and other manufacturing sectors.   The 1850 kilometers of open, porous border between Nepal and India make trafficking simple and difficult to catch.   In addition, there is no immigration control for Nepalese migrating to India or Indians coming in Nepal under the 1950 Peace and Friendship Treaty between India and Nepal.   In addition to being a destination, India is also a transit country for Nepalese and Bangladeshi women trafficked to Pakistan, Western Asia, and the Middle East and for women trafficked from the Russian Federation to Thailand."  

"Victims, especially girls and women, are trafficked to Saudi Arabia, Malaysia, Hong Kong, Russia, Pakistan, the United Arab Emirates and other Gulf states.   Experts believe China is also becoming an emerging hub for Nepali victims.   Many victims who end up overseas are passed through India first before their final destinations... Girls are sold to brothels at prices ranging from 50,000 to 70,000 Indian rupees.   The younger the girl, the higher the price she will be sold for.   Once sold, the girls are property of the brothel owner until they can pay back the amount that was paid for them... One study reported that girls were forced to serve an average of 14 clients per day, with a minimum of three and a maximum of 40 men."

It is a very sad thing to see members of New Jersey's political class -- rich, liberal, and fortunate-to-have-been-born-in-America -- turn a blind eye to their impoverished sisters overseas.  Very sad indeed.

Assemblyman Eustace sent his staffer to Nepal?

Dinner in Dubai?
 
What's up with these Democrats?
 
Look, we're cool.  We tend not to involve ourselves in the world of our Democrat brothers and sisters.  We let them do them, so long as we are left alone to do us. 
 
But lately a whole train of Dems are sticking their peckers into places where they certainly don't belong.  And so, we say, be done as you have done.
 
Now take a look at this shit...

Paid for by those special interests who pour money into Assemblyman Eustace's campaign account...

So let's get this straight.  Democrat Assemblyman Tim Eustace collects money from special interests, so that he and his legislative aide can fly around the world to do what?  You are a state legislator, not a congressman.  New Jersey doesn't have a foreign policy.

Are these Democrats aware that Nepal is one of the worst centers for human trafficking and modern slavery in the world?  While dining with some bigwigs there did they know that, according to the U.S. State Department, "the government of Nepal does not fully comply with minimum standards for the elimination of human trafficking"?  Here is more, from Wikipedia:

"Human trafficking in Nepal is a growing criminal industry affecting multiple other countries beyond Nepal, primarily across Asia and the Middle East.   Nepal is mainly a source country for men, women and children subjected to forced labor and sex trafficking... Human trafficking is the fastest growing criminal industry in the world, second to drug dealing and tied with arms dealing."

At the LD24 Sussex County debate on Tuesday evening, we heard Assemblyman Eustace's aide -- David "Mr. Frosty" Grant -- pontificate about how much he admired "strong (rich, suburban, one-percenter, liberal) women."  That is good as far as it goes, but what about all those other women who don't have the advantages that say Kate & Gina, the ANTIFA twins have, or that their running mate "Boom Boom" Hamilton has?  Again, Wikipedia takes up the story of those women:

"Trafficking victims often are taken to locations within Nepal, often from rural areas to the urban centers. Mainly young girls and women are trafficked for sexual exploitation in places such as cabin/dance restaurants, massage parlors, and other places within tourism sector... Within Nepal, labor trafficking is also common: victims often end up in carpet and garment factories, embroidering sweatshops, brick-kilns, and others." 

"The trafficking of girls from Nepal into India for forced prostitution is perhaps one of the busiest slave trafficking routes anywhere in the world, with estimated 5,000-10,000 Nepali women and girls trafficked to India each year.   An estimated 100,000-200,000 Nepali trafficked persons are in India.   Nepali girls are especially desirable as prostitutes in India because they are considered more attractive due to their lighter skin color, and because Nepali virgins are believed to be able to cure AIDS.   Victims are also trafficked for labor in circuses, agriculture, and other manufacturing sectors.   The 1850 kilometers of open, porous border between Nepal and India make trafficking simple and difficult to catch.   In addition, there is no immigration control for Nepalese migrating to India or Indians coming in Nepal under the 1950 Peace and Friendship Treaty between India and Nepal.   In addition to being a destination, India is also a transit country for Nepalese and Bangladeshi women trafficked to Pakistan, Western Asia, and the Middle East and for women trafficked from the Russian Federation to Thailand."  

"Victims, especially girls and women, are trafficked to Saudi Arabia, Malaysia, Hong Kong, Russia, Pakistan, the United Arab Emirates and other Gulf states.   Experts believe China is also becoming an emerging hub for Nepali victims.   Many victims who end up overseas are passed through India first before their final destinations... Girls are sold to brothels at prices ranging from 50,000 to 70,000 Indian rupees.   The younger the girl, the higher the price she will be sold for.   Once sold, the girls are property of the brothel owner until they can pay back the amount that was paid for them... One study reported that girls were forced to serve an average of 14 clients per day, with a minimum of three and a maximum of 40 men."

If Democrat Assemblyman Tim Eustace wants to do some good to counter his gross faux pas, perhaps he should make it a point to sign-on to the Human Trafficking and Child Exploitation Prevention Act (A-4503).  Republican Assemblyman Parker Space is a prime sponsor of A-4503 and Senator Steve Oroho (R-24) is the prime sponsor of the Senate version.  In fact, he gave the bill its name and the name several dozen such bills carry in nearly all of the 50 states.

So do some good, Tim.  And maybe you can ask your aide, Mr. Frosty, to suggest to his charges (the ANTIFA twins, Kate & Gina, and "Boom Boom") that they do some good too my endorsing the Human Trafficking and Child Exploitation Prevention Act (A-4503) instead of trashing its sponsors. 

It is a very sad thing to see rich, liberal, fortunate-to-have-been-born-in-America, suburban women turn a blind eye to their impoverished sisters overseas.  Very sad indeed.

Phoebus votes to create Transgender Task Force

As President Ronald Reagan used to say:  "Personnel is Policy."

It didn't take long for Assemblyperson Gail Phoebus to go off the rails.  Since firing the conservatives on her staff just before Thanksgiving, her voting record clearly shows their absence. 

On Monday, Phoebus voted to establish a Transgender Equality Task Force.  The legislation, A-4567), is sponsored by liberal Democrats Valerie Huttle, Tim Eustace, and Nancy Pinkin.  Here's what it would do (taken directly from the official OLS Bill Statement):

This bill, as amended, establishes the Transgender Equality Task Force, which is charged with assessing the legal and societal barriers to equality for transgender individuals in the State, and providing recommendations to the Legislature and the Governor on how to ensure equality and improve the lives of transgender individuals, with particular attention to the following areas: healthcare, long term care, education, higher education, housing, employment, and criminal justice.

     The bill provides that the task force shall consist of 17 members as follows: a representative of the Department of Banking and Insurance whose duties or expertise includes insurance and banking services and policies as applied to transgender individuals; a representative of the Department of Human Services whose duties or expertise includes expanding access by minority populations to the department’s services or eliminating discrimination in the delivery of departmental programs, policies, or initiatives; a representative of the Department of Health whose duties or expertise includes expanding access by minority populations to clinically appropriate healthcare services or eliminating discrimination in the delivery of healthcare programs, policies, or initiatives; a representative of the Department of Education whose duties or expertise includes protecting the rights of minority students or eliminating discrimination in the delivery of educational programs, policies, or initiatives; a representative of the Office of the Secretary of Higher Education whose duties or expertise includes protecting the rights of minority students in the higher education system or eliminating discrimination in the delivery of higher educational programs, policies, or initiatives; a representative of the Division of Civil Rights in the Department of Law and Public Safety whose duties or expertise includes expanding access by lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender individuals to the department’s services or eliminating discrimination against lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender individuals in the delivery of the division’s programs, policies, or initiatives; and a representative of the Department of Children and Families whose duties or expertise includes expanding access by lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender youth to the department’s services or eliminating discrimination in the delivery of departmental programs, policies, or initiatives with regard to lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender youth; a representative of the Department of Corrections whose duties or expertise includes protecting the safety of minority populations or eliminating discrimination in the delivery of departmental programs, policies, or initiatives; a representative of the Department of Labor and Workforce Development whose duties or expertise includes expanding access by minority populations to the department’s services or eliminating discrimination in the delivery of departmental programs, policies, or initiatives; two public members to be appointed by the Speaker of the General Assembly, one of whom shall be a physician who specializes in transgender health issues, and one of whom shall be a transgender individual; two public members to be appointed by the President of the Senate, one of whom shall be aparent or guardian of a transgender individual, and one of whom shall be an attorney specializing in transgender rights; one public member to be appointed by the Governor, who shall be a representative of a social service agency that provides services and supports to transgender individuals; a representative of the American Civil Liberties Union; a representative ofGarden State Equality; and a representative of The Gender Rights Advocacy Association of New Jersey.

     The bill provides that the task force is to organize as soon as practicable following the appointment of its members, but not later than the 30th day following the appointment of its members, and that the task force is to select a chairperson from among its members.  The bill permits the task force to hold meetings at the times and places it may designate, and provides that a majority of the authorized members of the task force shall constitute a quorum. The bill also provides that the task force may conduct business without a quorum, but may only vote on a recommendation when a quorum is present. Pursuant to the bill, the task force is entitled to receive assistance and services from any State, county, or municipal department, board, commission, or agency, as it may require, and as may be available to it for its purposes, and The Division on Civil Rights in the Department of Law and Public Safety is to provide professional and clerical staff to the task force, as necessary to effectuate the purposes of the bill.   

     The bill requires that the task force prepare and submit a written report to the Governor and the Legislature, outlining its recommendations for advancing transgender equality in the State, not later than six months after its initial meeting. 

A-4567 ensures that the opinions of people with traditional or religious points of view are totally shut out -- along with the views of eminent researchers, medical professionals, scientists, psychiatrists, therapists, and experts in the field of child psychology.  This legislation is designed, in advance, to achieve an intended radical, far-left outcome. 

So get ready to pay more in health care costs after those transgender mandates are recommended and then voted into law by the Democrats who control both chambers of the Legislature.  Get ready to pay higher insurance premiums.

Here's Phoebus' vote (SOURCE:  New Jersey Legislature):

This is what happens when you get rid of conservatives who were Reagan-supporters from even before he was President and replace them with liberal lawyers who donate to Barack Obama.  What you get are votes worthy of Barack Obama.

Why bully Clifton when you can celebrate with us?

In political fundraising, conflict generates cash.  And if you really want to raise money, find yourself a hate object and create something for which you can be offended.  Even so, we find the "offense" behind Garden State Equality's latest hate object -- the town of Clifton -- a bit of a stretch.  According to the whiney release from Chris Fuscarino, GSE's new executive director, Clifton hasn't flown the rainbow flag and so the sky is falling.  Wow, they haven't flown the German flag either, but that hasn't sent the town's German-American population into the streets screaming.

Screw Clifton if they don't want to party.  Last week, we invited you to come party with us this weekend at Lambertville-New Hope Pride and yes, they will have all the rainbow flags you could ever ask for.  They even have a super-duper rainbow flag that will be a big feature at Saturday's parade.  What more could you ask for?

So here's that invitation again (and we're sending it special to Tim and Reed):

May 11, 2016

Mr. Christian Fuscarino,

Executive Director

Garden State Equality

40 South Fullerton Ave.

Montclair, NJ 07042

Dear Christian,

In ten days, Saturday May 21st, Lambertville and New Hope will be holding their annual Pride Parade.  The event begins at 11:30am in Lambertville and crosses the Delaware River Peace Bridge into New Hope.  About 15,000 are expected to attend.

We would like you to join us in the festivities.  As the event is being held in Assemblyman Reed Gusciora's district, we suggest you invite him and Assemblyman Tim Eustace as well.  It would be a great opportunity to talk person-to-person, without the artifice of politics to obscure things.

Both Assemblymen -- Reed and Tim -- have suggested that they would be supportive of legislation to protect religious freedom, so long as a way can be found to prevent overt discrimination.  And we believe that together we can find a way to provide women and girls with a choice, so that they are not forced to use the same intimate facilities as anatomical males.

But don't worry.  We won't let this get heavy.  This is more about enjoying each other's company, having a few beers, and taking in the festivities.  So hopefully you can spend the time and enjoy the parade with us.

Yours for the First Amendment,

Jersey Conservative

info@jerseyconservative.org

Hey guys, we could have a sing-along!  Just picture it.  A concordat of souls putting aside their policy and political differences to enjoy each other's company, on the level, as human beings.  Maybe we could get our bartender to put on some classic sub-pop and we could do a little Jesse Bernstein.  Now here's a classic...

An Open Letter to GSE's Christian Fuscarino

May 11, 2016

Mr. Christian Fuscarino,

Executive Director

Garden State Equality

40 South Fullerton Ave.

Montclair, NJ 07042

Dear Christian,

In ten days, Saturday May 21st, Lambertville and New Hope will be holding their annual Pride Parade.  The event begins at 11:30am in Lambertville and crosses the Delaware River Peace Bridge into New Hope.  About 15,000 are expected to attend.

We would like you to join us in the festivities.  As the event is being held in Assemblyman Reed Gusciora's district, we suggest you invite him and Assemblyman Tim Eustace as well.  It would be a great opportunity to talk person-to-person, without the artifice of politics to obscure things.

Both Assemblymen -- Reed and Tim -- have suggested that they would be supportive of legislation to protect religious freedom, so long as a way can be found to prevent overt discrimination.  And we believe that together we can find a way to provide women and girls with a choice, so that they are not forced to use the same intimate facilities as anatomical males.

But don't worry.  We won't let this get heavy.  This is more about enjoying each other's company, having a few beers, and taking in the festivities.  So hopefully you can spend the time and enjoy the parade with us.

Yours for the First Amendment,

Jersey Conservative

info@jerseyconservative.org

The strange neo-Victorianism of millennial America

Penis.  It is a perfectly good word to describe a well-known part of the male anatomy.  Nevertheless, eyebrows were raised when New Jersey's own Steve Lonegan used the word on CNN yesterday.  The newscaster evidently thought the word "obscene" or "dirty" because she accused him of going "crazy" and promptly gave him a maternal "time out".

Is there a better word for it than "penis"?  Perhaps wee-wee?  How about tally whacker?  Or schlong?  There's todger and wang to consider too.  And what about that good old stand by... "private parts." 

http://ncfm.org/2011/06/activities/san-diego/174-ways-to-call-a-penis-something-other-than-penis/

According to this website, there are 174 different words or phrases to use in place of "penis" -- enough to totally confuse everyone as to what you are referring to.  After all, who knows what an "Adolph" is... or an "Albino Cave Dweller."  Imagine the possibilities for confusion when someone refers to a bratwurst, burrito, or an eggroll... or even a candle?  And what goes through your mind when someone speaks of "krull the warrior king" or of "Bob Dole"?  Penis just might be the clearest word out there.

Maybe post-modern, millennial America is in penis denial mode?  Senator Ray Lesniak certainly is.  That goes for Assemblymen Tim Eustace and Reed Gusciora too.  And Bruce Springsteen. 

All of them support allowing adults with penises (what we, in a more humble age, referred to as men) into toilets and similar facilities formerly reserved for girls. 

Can they not see the penis?  Or do they simply refuse to see the penis?   Are they in penis denial? 

Lesniak, Eustace, and Gusciora have built an artifice of language around their penis denial.  Those who see the penis are "deluded by hate."  To see the penis is an act of "discrimination." Such discrimination must be acted against by the imposition of economic sanctions until such time that those who see the penis claim that they can no longer see it.  This is called the Lesniak method of "corrective thinking" or the Eustace-Gusciora therapy towards "cognitive readjustment."  Stare at it long enough, the latter tell their patients, and the penis will seem to disappear.   And it works!  Eustace and Gusciora have under their care some of the state's leading Republicans.  Of course, other things tend to disappear as well... like the Bill of Rights... but some side effects are to be expected.  

Ray Lesniak plans an exposition of these methods on Thursday, May 5th, at the Senate State Government, Wagering, Tourism & Historic Preservation Committee.  The hearing starts at 1pm in Committee Room 7, on the 2nd Floor of the State House Annex in Trenton.  Under Ray's hand and in combination with the therapy of "cognitive readjustment" he will attempt to make every penis appear to disappear .  It will be a memorable exercise.  We urge you to attend.

Look... it was here and now it aint!

808,676 sex offenders would agree with Sen. Lesniak

Senator Ray Lesniak (D-Azz) is a politician on the make.  Once upon a time he was the king of pay-to-play.  He even defended the practice and it was reported by the media.  But then they changed the law, made it stricter, and now he has to look for new ways to trouser campaign cash.

The LGBT lobby is flush with cash.  Remember how Steve Goldstein snorted and threatened the Democratic Party when Garden State Equality didn't get its way in 2009-10?  Old Ray was always good at minding other people's wallets.  The guy can smell money a long way off and knows how to pick a mark.  He wants some of that "gay" money.

And so he's going to put on a show this coming Thursday, May 5th, in front of the Senate State Government Committee.  He's pulling in favors from other Senators (of both parties) in order to get them to pass out of committee his legislation (S-2043) that is a response to a law passed by the Legislature in North Carolina that seeks to prevent anatomical males from using the private facilities (toilets and such) of women and girls.  According to Lesniak, S-2043 would "ban non-essential state funded travel to North Carolina to protest its law prohibiting municipalities from passing laws protecting the LGBT community from discrimination."

New Jersey is an economic sinkhole with record child poverty, foreclosure, homeless, joblessness, and hopelessness and this is what the "honorables" are focused on -- even though Lesniak himself admits publicly and in writing that "S-2043 faces a certain veto by Governor Christie."

So why are we wasting our time on crap like this?

Are rich gay people really so powerful that they can hold up everything to focus on b.s. fashion statements?  Is their money so important to fashionably-correct politicians like Ray Lesniak? Guess so.

This whole economic boycott thing is really juvenile.  It is an admission by politicians like Ray Lesniak, Loretta Weinberg, Reed Gusicora, and Tim Eustace that because they cannot do anything to fix New Jersey's failing economy they will focus on damaging the more successful economy of a state like North Carolina.

And it is being answered in kind.  Target is one of those corporations that Lesniak praises for joining in the boycott of North Carolina -- only now, Target is itself the target of an economic boycott by more than a million consumers that has already knocked $2.5 billion off the value of the company's stock.

Is this America now?  Is this who we are?  Trying to destroy the economy of a state because of how its elected Legislature voted?  Whatever happened to respect for democracy and democratic outcomes?

And what happens when states like North Carolina and Pennsylvania enact travel bans on New Jersey for its failure to uphold the Second Amendment?  One such bill is already in the works by a Pittsburgh-area legislator.  Another has a bill that whacks New Jersey companies like Johnson & Johnson for its failure to warn women of the threat by its products of ovarian cancer. 

Is this our future?  Is this going to be the focus of the legislative process from now on?  Unable to fix our own economies we will focus on destroying the economies of other states?  We suppose it is one way of improving New Jersey's dismal standing in all those rating charts, but it won't create any jobs or address homelessness or hunger.

The problem that the elected Legislature of the State of North Carolina sought to address is a real one.  There are 808,676 registered sex offenders in the United States and at least that many victims.  That's those we know about.  Heck, one of the LGBT leaders fighting the law in North Carolina -- a local Chamber of Commerce President -- was himself a registered sex offender.  Shouldn't reasonable people be able to get together and talk like human beings and find a way to protect women and girls from being sexually assaulted, while at the same time preventing any overt discrimination? 

Or are we really past the point of talking?  Is it really going to be a case of "you destroy ours and we'll destroy yours" from now on?  That's like the end of civilized human behavior.  How depressing.

Pandering politicians like Ray Lesniak don't help any.  This guy is so bad that he pulled down the American flag off his letterhead and put an LGBT "rainbow" flag there instead.  What's wrong with Lesniak?  Does he no longer represent all the people of his district or is it the case that only LGBT lives matter?

The problem is money.  Money drives the agenda.  Money moves some b.s. fashion statement to the front of the line.  We have to stop the undemocratic affect money has on policy.  Here's how we do it...

Legislators, meet your 2017 running mate

Democrat Assemblymen Tim Eustace and Reed Gusciora are two legislators we hope to be fashioning religious freedom legislation with next month, so we don't want them to take this salutary warning the wrong way.  It is meant as a benefit to you and to the other legislators who voted for A-3613 last week.

Last week, legislation sponsored by Eustace and Gusciora was rushed to the Assembly floor for a vote, bypassing the normal committee process. That meant that legislators voted on A-3613 without the benefit of public comment.  This is correct.  Public comment was not permitted.  Citizen participation was denied. 

On the issue of process alone, we would have expected more legislators to sit this vote out. 

A-3613 "prohibits state-sponsored travel to states adopting religious freedom statutes without protection against discrimination."  The bill is a direct reaction (hence the speed) to HB-2, a piece of legislation passed by the elected Legislature in North Carolina and signed into law by the Governor there.  HB-2 mandates that people use toilets and changing facilities based on the biological sex (determined by science, i.e. their genetic chromosomes) stated on their birth certificates.  Opponents of HB-2 claim that this discriminates against biological men, with penises, but who "identify" as women, because it prevents them from using facilities designated as women-only. 

Just as A-3613 was a reaction to HB-2, HB-2 was a reaction to a local ordinance in Charlotte, North Carolina, that allowed biological men, with penises, but who "identify" as women, to use facilities designated as women-only. 

Now meet the man who led the campaign in Charlotte to pass that ordinance, Chad Sevearance-Turner.  The ordinance HB-2 was meant to address.  The ordinance you supported when you rushed A-3613 to the floor and voted for it without citizen participation or public comment.

Chad was convicted of sexually molesting an under-aged boy.  He ran Charlotte's LGBT Chamber of Commerce and was the LGBT community's 2015 "person of the year." (http://goqnotes.com/40281/person-of-the-year-2015-chad-sevearance-turner/)

Now you've all been through campaigns before.  Use your imagination.  You see where this is going.  We are not looking to be uncharitable, but imagine how much it is going to cost you -- even in a "safe" seat (and in the age of Bernie and of Trump, what is safe?) -- to step on a single mailing, backed up with a robo-call, backed up with a moderate-to-heavy social media/Internet buy?  Is this the discussion that you want your campaign to be having in May or October 2017?  Your photo, next to Chad's? 

Chad doesn't believe that his conviction should matter.  He told the Charlotte Observer (March 9, 2016) that "his conviction had not stopped him from achieving success, such as being chamber president."  We wonder what affect it has had on the boy he molested?  You should wonder that too.  Maybe research it.  Because, we suspect, you're going to own it.

Here's a nice photo of Chad that you might want to use in the direct mailing or two or three that you need to explain your vote:

Of course, someone may ask why a convicted sex-offender is on a parade float with children?  As one North Carolinian woman said:  "No one who is a convicted sex offender should be leading a campaign to allow men to be in women’s bathrooms and showers.  It’s just common sense.” 

We agree.  You... apparently not.

Eustace & Gusciora: Silent on Slavery in Qatar

Was it only a week ago when Democrat Assemblymen Tim Eustace and Reed Gusciora acknowledged that issues like poverty and funding the Transportation Trust Fund were more important than LGBT vanity tropes?  What a difference a week makes.

Today, legislation sponsored by Eustace and Gusciora will be rushed to the Assembly floor for a vote. This legislation is so important -- more important in fact than tackling child hunger, poverty, foreclosure, the lack of jobs, homelessness, and every other problem facing New Jersey -- that it had to be rushed to the floor without the benefit of public comment.  That is correct.  Public comment was not permitted.  Citizen participation was denied. 

Wow.  Is the LGBT movement really that afraid of public opinion?

The bill is A-3613.  It "prohibits state-sponsored travel to states adopting religious freedom statutes without protection against discrimination."  Now those last four words should give us pause -- and hope.  Pause, because the phrase "without protection against discrimination" is very subjective.  Hope, because by adding that condition, the two Assemblymen appear to be indicating that they would be open to "religious freedom statutes" that address and protect against wanton discrimination. 

We're going to go with hope.  We're going to reach out to Brother Eustace and Brother Gusciora and ask them if we can meet together and jaw a while.  We'll keep you up to date on our progress.

Now for the sad part.  When the members of the New Jersey Assembly take the momentous step of banning travel to places within the United States of America today, here is what they won't be doing.  They won't be banning travel to Qatar.  Why should New Jersey take a stand on Qatar?  Because Qatar is using slave labor to build projects related to the World Cup.

Don't believe us?  This is a headline from the Guardian(U.K.):  "Modern Day Slavery in Focus in Qatar" (March 30, 2016).  From Mother Jones:  "Qatar is treating its World Cup workers like slaves" (May 26, 2015).  From Reuters:  "Qatar complicit in modern slavery" (October 28, 2015).  Here is what Amnesty International had to say about Qatar: 

The authorities arbitrarily restricted the rights to freedom of expression, association and peaceful assembly. A prisoner of conscience was serving a lengthy sentence for writing and reciting poems.

Amnesty just issued a report (March 31, 2016) titled, "Qatar World Cup of Shame."  Here are a few excerpts:

Migrant workers building Khalifa International Stadium in Doha for the 2022 World Cup have suffered systematic abuses, in some cases forced labour... “The abuse of migrant workers is a stain on the conscience of world football. For players and fans, a World Cup stadium is a place of dreams. For some of the workers who spoke to us, it can feel like a living nightmare,” said Amnesty International Secretary General Salil Shetty.

“Despite five years of promises, FIFA has failed almost completely to stop the World Cup being built on human rights abuses.”

...Amnesty International uncovered evidence that the staff of one labour supply company used the threat of penalties to exact work from some migrants such as withholding pay, handing workers over to the police or stopping them from leaving Qatar. This amounts to forced labour under international law.

“Indebted, living in squalid camps in the desert, paid a pittance, the lot of migrant workers contrasts sharply to that of the top-flight footballers who will play in the stadium. All workers want are their rights: to be paid on time, leave the country if need be and be treated with dignity and respect,” said Salil Shetty...

Qatar’s kafala sponsorship system, under which migrant workers cannot change jobs or leave the country without their employer’s (or “sponsor’s”) permission, is at the heart of the threats to make people work... Some of the Nepali workers told Amnesty International they were not even allowed to visit their loved ones after the 2015 April earthquake that devastated their country leaving thousands dead and millions displaced.

My life here is like a prison... a metal worker from India who worked on the Khalifa stadium refurbishment, complained when he was not paid for several months but only received threats from his employer:  “He just shouted abuse at me and said that if I complained again I’d never leave the country. Ever since I have been careful not to complain about my salary or anything else. Of course, if I could I would change jobs or leave Qatar.”

https://www.amnesty.org/en/latest/campaigns/2016/03/qatar-world-cup-of-shame/

But Assemblymen Eustace and Gusciora are not going to peep about Qatar.  You see, it is easy to pick on Americans living in North Carolina, but not so easy to stand up to the powerful people in New Jersey who represent the State of Qatar. 

We happen to have a copy of the signed contract between this powerful firm and the Embassy of the State of Qatar -- signed last December -- courtesy of the Foreign Agents Registration Act of 1938 (enforced by the United States Justice Department).  This powerful partnership of lobbyists, political consultants, and public relations specialists receive a retainer of $100,000 a month just for making sure the State of Qatar isn't embarrassed by the likes of Eustace and Gusciora.  Last year, they pocketed as much as $155,000 a month just in consulting fees. 

Among the New Jersey politicians who have accepted money from these folks (and whose names appear on various Foreign Agents Registration Act statements) are Assembly Speaker Vinnie Prieto, Senator Bob Gordon, Senator Theresa Ruiz, Assemblyman Nicholas Chiaravalloti, Assemblyman Jon Wisniewski, Assemblyman "David" Lagana, and Mayor Steven Fulop. There's also a host of county and local elected officials on these statements too, which has to make you wonder.

So go ahead boys.  Make your fashion statement.  Spite your fellow Americans for their religious freedom -- while you cower before the State of Qatar and its slavery and abuse of human rights.  We have no anger for you.  Just pity.

Migrant workers in Qatar helping to construct offices for the 2022 World Cup reportedly haven't been paid after a year of toiling in the desert heat in slum like conditions. Sharan Burrow from the International Trade Union Confederation thinks Qatar should be boycotted until fundamental labor laws are in place.