Clergy calls out State Democrat Chairman’s attack on religion

In an open letter to State Democrats, a member of the New Jersey clergy questioned Democrat Chairman John Currie’s motives for encouraging the media to attack religious leaders…

Chairman John Currie

NJ Democratic State Committee

196 W State Street

Trenton, NJ 08608

Dear Chairman Currie:

I am writing to you because I am disgusted with the offensive way the state Democratic Party, of which you are Chairman has used Matt Friedman and the Politico website to smear, attack and denigrate people of faith.  You seem to think that you are above God, that in order to achieve salvation, we need only drink the Koolaid offered by the State Democratic Party and its allies in the media. 

To be a Christian is to follow The Christ. That means to order your life to the discipline of the Word of God – not the word of your political party.  We take our instruction from the Bible and not from the Star-Ledger or the Record or a political blog or a political party.  When we follow the tenants of our faith, you and your allies in the media should not try to label us as “haters”.  

My faith tells me that the “LGBT lifestyle” is wrong and that it is contrary to the Word of God.  That does not make me a “hater” like you and your friends like to call us.  It makes us Christians.  Please let me share this story with you, a story from my life, and then you can decide whether you and your party and the Matt Friedmans of the world should call me a “hater”.

I am a nurse. As the AIDS epidemic hit Dayton, Ohio, in the early 80’s I volunteered for the Dayton Area AIDS Task Force.  I personally cared for many men as they were dying of AIDS.

The only medicine available at the time was the toxic, previously banned for human consumption, AZT.  From the disease and medicine, these men could barely take care of themselves. As a nurse, I helped take care of their daily needs, including bathing, toileting, dressing, and feeding them.  I wiped their bottoms, gave them their medicine, took them to their doctors.  I also did their eulogies and officiated over the memorial services.

Many clergy and church people stepped up to take care of these men and minister to their families.  The accusation that the clergy is “hateful” towards LGBT people is false.  I remember when the late Cardinal O’Connor was alive, he would go to the AIDS wards in New York hospitals, not just to pray for these men, but he helped feed them. He would take off his clerical robes, roll up his sleeves, and help bathe them.  But your party and agenda driven reporters want to accuse all clergy of being haters bigots and homophobes. In so doing you show your hatred and bigotry to Biblical Christians, Torah Jews, and adherent Muslims. That’s a lot of people.

In New Jersey, LGBT identified persons have been given more rights, more protections, more attention than any other socioeconomic group in the state, with the possible exception of illegal aliens.  This has all been done at the expense of the 1st Amendment rights of people of faith. This is by design. The New Jersey legislature has passed a plethora of bills in the last several years that deal with alternative lifestyles. Including enabling children to change sexual identity, mental health services, without parental consent at the expense of the taxpayer. They are now forcing children and teachers to be indoctrinated about the contributions of LGBT identified persons in every subject beginning in eighth grade.  The contributions of other citizens perhaps even more qualified and more accomplished will not be taught because they’re not LGBT.

You and your media allies with your hate, will not rewrite Holy Scripture or destroy our faith.  Political parties will not be allowed to intrude into religion and make it bend to their political will. 

I am here to tell you today that your politics is intruding into our religion.  You cannot judge us by your political yardstick which is your faith.  When we don’t comply, you should not set your Matt Friedmans upon us to mock religion and call us names. 

If you don’t know the difference between theology and politics, then perhaps we can teach you.  We preach against adultery, but we encourage adulterers to attend our church.  We preach against substance abuse, but we minister to those who suffer from it.  We preach against sodomy, but all are welcome in our church. We stand with the Bible, but we do not treat any “sinner” different than another.  And rest assured, that begins with the sinner in the mirror every morning.  The ground is level at the foot of the cross. 

To this end, I would like to invite you to attend a public discussion on this subject.  We can work with your schedule. 

Please let us know what week works best for you. 

Thank you,

 Rev. Greg Quinlan

Conservatives' testimony shakes up Dems

At the two hearing yesterday in which the public got to comment on the attempt by Senate President Steve Sweeney (D-Norcross) to rig the next redistricting to produce a one-party state, one thing became certain -- nobody supports SCR 188 or ACR 4 except the politicians in the Democrat caucus and their masters who run the Democrat machines that select them for approval by the voters. 

It actually restored your faith in humanity to have liberals admit that this was Sweeney's version of Old Adolf's Enabling Act.  As Garden State Families President Greg Quinlan said in his testimony, "Germany didn't become a dictatorship using guns, it became one using laws."

What was the Enabling Act?  First, remember that these things never sound like what they are.  Its full title was "A Law to Remedy the Distress of the People" and the proponents (the Sweeneys of their day) had already taken measures to limit the number of opposing legislators casting a vote by banning some members of the legislative body from voting because they were accused of engaging in a form of "hate speech".  Other members of the opposition were kept away through the use of threats and bullying.  Remember that these guys burned down houses of worship too.   

The Enabling Act amended the Weimar Constitution to allow the executive branch to enact legislation without the benefit of it having to go through the legislative process.  Sort of like what Old Barack is doing on guns.  The idea is the same as the one behind SCR 188 and ACR 4 -- get rid of the opposition so that you can pretty much do whatever you want.

Patrick Murray did a very fine job of explaining -- very scientifically -- that the bills would produce one-party domination.  He was supported by additional testimony that added layer upon layer to this narrative.  John Tomicki, the dean of social conservative lobbyists in Trenton, told the honorables that they "were better than this" and urged them to do the right thing.  Of course, he was speaking to a number of sociopaths, so if it got through is questionable. 

The Democrat chairing the Assembly committee hearing on ACR 4, in particular, didn't appear able to fully contain his anger.  He also seemed confused as to whether or not the Governor needed to "sign" this legislation to amend the state constitution.  It does beg the question:  Should a knucklehead like that be chairing a committee?  How much staff is required to wipe this guy's butt? 

Bill & Barbara Eames, representing the Tea Party movement, testified on the effect gerrymandering has on voter hope and voter turnout.   What everyone who cries about low voter turnout doesn't seem to get is that voters CORRECTLY understand that in MOST cases their vote means NOTHING.  Why?  Well here, we'll let the non-partisan reform group RepresentUS answer that:

The problem with SCR 188 and ACR 4 is that it will INCREASE the number of instances when voting is MEANINGLESS.  It is a VOTER SUPPRESSION ACT in addition to being an ENABLING ACT for the corrupt power brokers who run the state's political machines.

The testimony that seemed to shake up Democrats the most came from Jim Simonetti, a police chief who said he got fed up with the political process and decided to run for office this year to do something about it.  Simonetti is a candidate for Warren County Sheriff and has already secured the backing of Warren County Freeholder Ed Smith, one of the top conservatives in the state.

Simonetti reminded the Democrats that in suppressing the Republican Party, they were suppressing the "tough on crime party".  Here are some excerpts of his testimony:

"I'm just a layman talking, but there is a perception out there that the Republican Party is tougher on crime than the Democrats.  Maybe that is the case or maybe it isn't, but the perception comes from things like Megan's Law -- passed when the Republicans ran the Legislature -- and Jessica's Law, whose passage was delayed for years in New Jersey by the Democrat leadership.  Our state, which had led with Megan's Law, ended up being almost the last place in America to pass Jessica's Law.  It should be an easy issue to understand, protecting children from violent sexual predators.

The death penalty was scrapped under a Democrat administration, by a Democrat legislature.  Last year the Democrats in the Assembly passed legislation that, had it not been corrected in the Senate, would have prevented employers from knowing the criminal backgrounds of prospective employees.  This is dangerous legislation.  Employers have been victims of home invasions because they didn't realize who they were dealing with.  People have the right to know."

The Democrats started to turn green thinking about the campaign mail coming out of this.  Stay tuned.

Rutgers bosses stonewalling about PAC

While the boss of the Rutgers SuperPAC makes fashion statements, the Rutgers President and the Chairman of its Board of Governors hide out from public scrutiny.

Three weeks ago, religious leader and family rights activist Rev. Greg Quinlan wrote to Rutgers President, Robert Barchi, and Chairman of the Board of Governors, Greg Brown.  Rev. Quinlan's letter was very respectful.  Like any taxpayer of New Jersey, he wanted to know how Susan McCue, as a member of the Board of Governors, can run a Super PAC whose sole purpose is to influence the election of legislators in New Jersey.  Those same legislators who are responsible for taxing and spending money on behalf of Rutgers.

Rev. Quinlan has yet to receive the courtesy of a reply from these two "role models for the leaders of tomorrow."  Does having a position of power give you the right to display contempt for the ordinary citizens who fund your institution and its salaries, perks, and benefits?  Apparently it does -- and apparently this is what they are teaching at Rutgers these days.

We have been assured that the issue is not going away and that eventually, Messrs. Barchi and Brown will have this placed under their noses so much and so often that they will end up commenting on it, if only by mistake.  Watch... and see if we are not correct. 

Here is the letter:

Garden State Families

Rev. Greg Quinlan, President

October 21, 2015

Mr. Robert Barchi, President

Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey

83 Somerset Street
New Brunswick, NJ 08901-1281

Mr. Greg Brown, Chairman of the Board of Governors

Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey

Chairman & CEO

Motorola Solutions, Inc.
1303 East Algonquin Road
Schaumburg, Illinois 60196 

Dear Messrs. Barchi and Brown: 

I would like to bring a serious conflict-of-interest to your attention. 

Susan M. McCue -- of Alexandria, Virginia -- is currently serving as one of the 15 members of the Rutgers' Board of Governors responsible for policy and oversight of the University.  Ms. McCue is a political consultant who controls a business called Message Global LLC, where she serves as President. 

Susan McCue is also President of the General Majority PAC -- an organization that in the last two election cycles has spent hundreds of thousands of dollars to defeat or elect members of the New Jersey Legislature.  This is from her biography on the General Majority PAC webpage:

Susan M. McCue is one of the nation’s top political strategists and President of Message Global, LLC, a firm she founded... Susan served as Chief of Staff for U.S. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) for eight years, where she built and managed his leadership, policy and political operations.

She also co-founded the much-praised Senate Majority SuperPAC to elect Democrats in 2012 to the U.S. Senate, and in 2013 she founded the Fund for Jobs, Growth and Security, now called General Majority PAC, to elect Democrats in state races. 

The taxpayers, through their elected representatives in the New Jersey Legislature, fund Rutgers - The State University of New Jersey.  Should a member of Rutgers' governing Board be engaged in the election or defeat of members of that Legislature?  

What effect will her presence on the Rutgers governing Board have on legislators who, when exercising their own statutory oversight, find themselves facing a quarter-million dollar cable buy advocating their defeat or re-election? Will legislators think twice before taking up the cause of a disgruntled Rutgers employee or student.  Legislators must already know that they take on Rutgers' powerful and incumbent at their peril.  McCue's presence has already had a chilling effect on free expression in and outside the Legislature.  

Lastly, the source of Susan McCue's power -- Citizens United and other decision by that failsafe of the establishment, the national Supreme Court -- and her misuse of it to amplify the voice of rich corporations to drown out the voices of millions of American people makes a mockery of our democratic process and threatens democracy itself.  Is this the example you want Rutgers students to follow? 

Thank you for your time and consideration.  I look forward to your answers to my questions  and to any ideas you might have on how to address this threat to legislative independence and democracy. 

Sincerely,

Rev. Greg Quinlan

*Rev. Quinlan can be reached at: GQuinlan@gardenstatefamilies.com

Super PAC's connection with Rutgers questioned

Rutgers Super PAC party boss Susan McCue at a cocktail dinner party with Washington, DC insiders.

In a letter to the Rutgers President, Robert Barchi, and Chairman of the Board of Governors, Greg Brown, religious leader and family rights activist Greg Quinlan questioned how Susan McCue, as a member of the Board of Governors, can run a Super PAC whose sole purpose is to influence the election of legislators in New Jersey.  Those same legislators who are responsible for taxing and spending money on behalf of Rutgers.

Here is the letter:

Garden State Families

Rev. Greg Quinlan, President

October 21, 2015

Mr. Robert Barchi, President

Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey

83 Somerset Street
New Brunswick, NJ 08901-1281 

Mr. Greg Brown, Chairman of the Board of Governors

Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey

Chairman & CEO

Motorola Solutions, Inc.
1303 East Algonquin Road
Schaumburg, Illinois 60196 

Dear Messrs. Barchi and Brown: 

I would like to bring a serious conflict-of-interest to your attention 

Susan M. McCue -- of Alexandria, Virginia -- is currently serving as one of the 15 members of the Rutgers' Board of Governors responsible for policy and oversight of the University.  Ms. McCue is a political consultant who controls a business called Message Global LLC, where she serves as President.   

Susan McCue is also President of the General Majority PAC -- an organization that in the last two election cycles has spent hundreds of thousands of dollars to defeat or elect members of the New Jersey Legislature.  This is from her biography on the General Majority PAC webpage: 

Susan M. McCue is one of the nation’s top political strategists and President of Message Global, LLC, a firm she founded... Susan served as Chief of Staff for U.S. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) for eight years, where she built and managed his leadership, policy and political operations.  

She also co-founded the much-praised Senate Majority SuperPAC to elect Democrats in 2012 to the U.S. Senate, and in 2013 she founded the Fund for Jobs, Growth and Security, now called General Majority PAC, to elect Democrats in state races. 

The taxpayers, through their elected representatives in the New Jersey Legislature, fund Rutgers - The State University of New Jersey.  Should a member of Rutgers' governing Board be engaged in the election or defeat of members of that Legislature?   

What effect will her presence on the Rutgers governing Board have on legislators who, when exercising their own statutory oversight, find themselves facing a quarter-million dollar cable buy advocating their defeat or re-election? Will legislators think twice before taking up the cause of a disgruntled Rutgers employee or student.  Legislators must already know that they take on Rutgers' powerful and incumbent at their peril.  McCue's presence has already had a chilling effect on free expression in and outside the Legislature.   

Lastly, the source of Susan McCue's power -- Citizens United and other decision by that fail-safe of the establishment, the national Supreme Court -- and her misuse of it to amplify the voice of rich corporations to drown out the voices of millions of American people makes a mockery of our democratic process and threatens democracy itself.  Is this the example you want Rutgers students to follow? 

Thank you for your time and consideration.  I look forward to your answers to my questions and to any ideas you might have on how to address this threat to legislative independence and democracy.

Sincerely,

Rev. Greg Quinlan