Is Save Jersey’s Matt Rooney rewarding the candidate who pays him?

By Rubashov

In the 2021 Republican gubernatorial primary, Jack Ciattarelli’s campaign team did everything they could to make sure their candidate faced more than one traditional conservative in the primary. It was a good thing for Jack that they did, because Ciattarelli didn’t get a majority of the Republican votes in the primary. The majority was split between two traditional conservatives: Pastor Phil Rizzo and Hirsh Singh.

When they are able to, candidates always attempt to set the table in a way that best suits them and provides an advantage. It is usual and customary, as Congressional candidate Nick DeGregorio’s campaign team knows firsthand.

That hasn’t stopped said campaign from crying foul over a mailer sent out by the campaign of Congressman Josh Gottheimer (D-05). DeGregorio’s campaign has invested heavily in paid advertising on the Save Jersey news blog, so it was no surprise to anyone that the blog’s editor/owner – the guy cashing those checks – was open to doing a hit on behalf of DeGregorio.

We’re not kidding about those advertisements. DeGregorio ads are all over Save Jersey. You can’t read a page of Save Jersey without needing to make your eyes jump over intrusive campaign ads stuck in the middle of columns to break up the flow. And it’s not just Nick. Other ads are there, all strangely the same, only the candidates’ pictures change – all posed like people who think they’re pretty. Very pretty.

Now are you ready for that hit? Here it comes…

Is Gottheimer opening his war chest to select his own GOP opponent?
May 7, 2022 - Matt Rooney
The GOP’s 2020 NJ-05 nominee (Frank Pallotta) is taking another bite at the apple in 2022, but despite having already done this once before, his fundraising has been abysmal. At the end of Q1, he had a little more than $80,000 cash on hand.
Three-term Democrat incumbent Josh Gottheimer had $13 million.
So it hardly needs to be said that eyebrows were raised this weekend when Republican voters opened their rain-soaked mailboxes and found a Gottheimer campaign mailer (see below) attacking Pallotta, declaring that the under-funded Pallotta is “too much like Trump” and citing a no-longer-current 2020 endorsement from the former president. Why would a Democrat want to tell Republican primary voters (who generally like President Trump) that his opponent is too Trumpy?
Is Gottheimer really opening up his ample war chest to soften up a possible November rival who doesn’t have the cash to respond?
Or is the Democrat congressman trying to “help” Republicans pick the candidate he prefers to face in November?

Of course, candidate Nick DeGregorio has an idea about what’s going on, and what with all those ads his campaign is paying for, Save Jersey is more than happy to turn the floor over to Nick – unquestioned and unabated:

“It is clear who Josh Gottheimer wants to win this Republican primary – and it’s not the guy who served his country in four tours overseas and is now calling on him and others to sell off their stock portfolios to clean up Washington,” said De Gregorio in a statement shared with Save Jersey.

Hold on there! Nick, we’re all very grateful for your service, but do you really have to use it so much? Are you the sort of guy who will buy his wife a bouquet of flowers tomorrow and then remind her about it for the next year? We don’t think so. We think you are better than that.

Most veterans we know – especially those who have seen combat – don’t like to go on and on about it. Hey, everyone is different. Maybe you find it cathartic to talk about your experiences. You have certainly made it the centerpiece of your campaign. Then again… maybe it’s not you. Maybe it’s your campaign – and the folks running your campaign have not served – so maybe they are doing a disservice to you? Just a thought.

“For years, Democrats like Josh Gottheimer talked ad nauseam about Russian interference in our elections. Now Josh, who consistently presents himself as a bipartisan, common sense Democrat who’s above the fray, is using liberal special interest money to wage his own Putin-style disinformation campaign to confuse Republican primary voters about who the true conservative leader in this race is. It’s dead wrong — and if Josh is the statesman he claims to be, he will immediately stop any spending in the CD5 Republican primary.”

“A Putin-style disinformation campaign”? In exactly what way, Nick? And why didn’t you ask that question, Matt?

And as for labeling yourself, “the true conservative leader” – Nick buddy, you were a no-show and totally dissed the state’s conservative leaders – grassroots activists, Second Amendment leaders, people like Steve Lonegan and Right-to-Life’s Marie Tasy – and in contrast came running when Pro-abortion leaders wanted you at an event.

Nick, until you take on the simple challenge of filling out the New Jersey Right to Life and National Rifle Association questionnaires, can you really, in all seriousness call yourself a “conservative”? Right now, at this moment, you’re an unknown when it comes to your position on many important issues. And that is why we are skeptical of you. Sorry, buddy.

“I also call on my opponent, Frank Pallotta, to immediately disavow Gottheimer’s attempt to put his thumb on the scale in this race.”

Nick, to disavow something is to “deny any responsibility or support for it”. That’s the definition. Why would anyone need to disavow something unless responsible in the first place? Nick, do you go about disavowing every crime that takes place in your neighborhood? Nick, are you disavowing the allegations of anti-Asian nonsense by a candidate on your ticket? Or the alleged anti-Asian campaign mailers your consultants cooked-up? Of course not, why would you?

Nick, are you are accusing both Congressman Gottheimer and your fellow Republican of a crime – because if your fellow Republican needed to disavow something, it would be because a federal crime had been committed. Is that what you are doing Nick? And you, Mr. Attorney/ Editor/ Owner, are you riding that horse too?

Nick, the only “thumb on the scale” in this race is the county party lines that are illegal everywhere else in America. The idea that any party organization gets to corrupt the official taxpayer-paid-for ballot by structuring that ballot by presenting a list of party “approved” candidates is Soviet in nature and would not be allowed in any United Nations sponsored election anywhere in the world. Nick, that’s Soviet, as in there’s your Russian connection for you.

Heck Nick, your current supporters appear to have tried to sell the line to your opponent – before you eventually got it. And why didn’t Matt cover that? Not cool to speak ill of another attorney?

Why didn't Save Jersey cover this?

Will Save Jersey disavow this??? LOL

Some possible explanations that should be explored by Save Jersey...

(1) Polling. This was a three-way primary until recently. A poll commissioned by one of those three candidates provided results that might account for why this is now a two-way primary:

IF THE REPUBLICAN PRIMARY ELECTION FOR CONGRESS WERE HELD TODAY, FOR WHOM WOULD YOU VOTE?

FRANK PALLOTTA
Definitely 19.0
Probably 7.0

NICK DEGREGORIO
Definitely 8.0
Probably 2.5

FRED SCHNEIDERMAN
Definitely 2.0
Probably 1.2

Would it be unheard of to attack the candidate leading in the polls?

(2) Historically, Frank Pallotta is a self-funder. Congressman Gottheimer is aware of this, as is Nick DeGregorio’s campaign team. DeGregorio’s lead campaign consultant was Frank Pallotta’s lead consultant – not in the primary – but in his loss to Congressman Gottheimer. Might this be an attempt by Gottheimer to give Pallotta a taste of what’s to come, thereby inducing him to forgo a substantial investment?

For while Nick has shown some prowess as a fundraiser. To date, his fundraising would be more impressive in the context of a legislative race – not a race against someone with the resources of a Josh Gottheimer.

Frank Pallotta has never been a good fundraiser. But he’s been a good check-writer. And he does have the potential to drop a million dollars or more into this race. Perhaps that is the point of Gottheimer’s mailer?

We don’t know. Neither does Matt Rooney. So shame on him for suggesting something illegal. Frank Pallotta has done nothing to deserve such a disservice (unless you view not hiring the “right” consultant a capital offense).

“In a time of deceit, telling the truth is a revolutionary act.”
George Orwell

Second conference on Religious Liberty to be held in Ocean County

Following up on June’s successful conference on religious Liberty held in Newton, Sussex County, a second conference is scheduled for Ocean County on August 27th in Toms River.

At the first conference, attendees heard from Senator Steve Oroho on the status of various legislative initiatives – including the Human Trafficking & Child Exploitation Prevention Act and the 20/20 bill, which recognizes that a fetus experiences pain at 20 weeks (all but 7 nations on earth recognize this FACT).

Rev. Mandy Leverett gave a talk about the threat of human trafficking in New Jersey and detailed a number of horrific cases.  There was a discussion about how a porous border and the Murphy administration’s Sanctuary State directive empowers human traffickers in the sexual exploitation of women and children. 

Christine Flaherty explained the importance of the 20/20 bill, also known as the "Babies in the Womb Feel Pain".  This legislation recognizes the scientific fact that a fetus or unborn baby is pain-sensitive at 20 weeks.  Every other country on earth recognizes this fact except North Korea, China, Vietnam, Singapore, Canada, and the Netherlands.  Similar legislation has been passed in nearly half the states and is moving forward in others in an attempt bring our laws into line with the rest of the civilized world. 

An ecumenical movement has formed called the 20/20 Project.  Its members represent many religious denominations.  It is actively supported by a number of organizations including the Respect Life Office of the Archdiocese of Metuchen, the Respect Life Office of the Archdiocese of Newark, Project LEARN, the New Jersey Family Policy Council, New Jersey Right to Life, the Center for Garden State Families, Corazon Puro, LifeNet, the League of American Families, among others. 

Of course, the 20/20 bill has been attacked by the death-cult wing of the New Jersey Democrat Party (there are still a great many religious Democrats who value life and recognize that their communities are being slaughtered for profit by Planned Parenthood).  As one activist said:  “They celebrate taking life and would do anything to maintain the barbaric practices that are illegal in most of the civilized world."

And speaking of attacks…  Since the first conference in Sussex County, one of the speakers has been attacked for his Biblical-based beliefs.   

Pastor Phil Rizzo, who spoke to the conference on the importance of religious freedom, was stalked and targeted by Sussex County Democrats for agreeing to help sort out a recent Twitter controversy involving the GOP county chairman.  State Democrats reached out to a political blog to arrange a “hit” on Pastor Rizzo, the gist of which was that he didn’t embrace Islam and wasn’t pro-LGBTQ+. 

The fact that those two world-views differ dramatically apparently didn’t dawn on the author of that hit piece, but the incident did offer up an important lesson:  There are Establishment forces who want to drive traditional Judeo-Christian beliefs out of the public square and to make it punishable (and eventually illegal) to express them. 

Despite the presence of good believers in the Democrat Party, the leadership of that party is in thrall to these forces – as is corporate media.  As evidence of this was the statement by the Sussex County Democrat Chairwoman that compared Pastor Rizzo to “Hitler” because he held traditional Biblical beliefs and the attack by an LGBTQ+ activist employed by the Star-Ledger. 

The battle lines are drawn and they are coming for your Bible.  They want to make reading it (or repeating what you have read) a “hate crime”.  And they will target and stalk anyone who stands for religious freedom.  Faith will either win this one or be driven into the wilderness. 

If you are interested in attending the Second Conference on Religious Liberty, please contact the Center for Garden State Families at

info@gardenstatefamilies.org

If you have a conflict, please contact the center and ask when the next one will be (at least four more are planned throughout the state).  Let’s get active!

And be of good cheer.  Faith can move mountains, while government and politicians and corporations and media and academics are all… “a small dust in the balance.”

Pastor Phil Rizzo: The Christian the Democrats want you to Hate…

And Julie O’Connor, and the Star-Ledger, and Matt Friedman, and assorted other politicos and hacks too.  Hate is their game…

NJ Republicans should hold the line on recreational pot

In a recent column published on the blog InsiderNJ, marijuana lobbyist Ken Wolski argued that legalizing marijuana for recreational purposes “is the best way to get this medicine to the most people,” adding, “legalization changes cannabis from a drug that requires multiple doctor visits to one that can be purchased over the counter, like aspirin.”  Was Wolski, who is the Executive Director of the Coalition for Medical Marijuana, letting the cat out of the bag?  Has this been the goal all along?  Was “medical” marijuana merely a way to grease the slippery slope towards legalization and the inevitable expansion of the drug’s use?

Remember that tobacco too had once been promoted for its “medical benefits” as were opioids.  Both got well out of control.

Wolski’s column urged Republican legislators to support the highly flawed legalization bill being proposed by Governor Phil Murphy and the Democrat leadership in Trenton.  Let me add my voice to those who applaud the GOP for standing with those responsible Democrats who oppose it. 

When I first heard that the New Jersey legislature was considering a bill legalizing the use and sale of recreational marijuana, and expunging the record of anyone who had been charged with a related offense, I was both disheartened and spurred to action. As a Christian, I obviously oppose marijuana and its legalization on moral grounds, and as the pastor of City Baptist Church in Hoboken, I have had the responsibility of ministering to families affected by substance abuse. Knowing the devastation, and the harm that marijuana inflicts on individuals and families, and the crime and moral degradation it brings to communities, I determined to testify against the bill in person before the appropriations committee in Trenton.

I arrived in Trenton on March 18 with the intentions of opposing the recreational marijuana bill on the basis of morality, relying on my experiences and perspectives as a pastor who has worked with people through drug-related issues. However, as I sat waiting to testify, listening as the bill’s amendments were read, my mind turned to other substantial issues this bill would generate if passed into legislation. 

Beyond the moral implications of the bill, and its effect on families, this measure would present practical difficulties for employers and residents generally in many ways, a few of which would affect me personally.  You see, in addition to pastoring in an urban area, I am a third-generation real estate developer in northern and central New Jersey. With 420 garden apartments owned & managed by my family, and 100+ in the pipeline, the marijuana bill would be devastating to our operations. 

Two provisions of the bill are particularly alarming from this perspective: the fact that thousands of New Jersey residents would be able to smoke marijuana recreationally in their homes, and the expungement of previous arrests/convictions for possession.  While there are certainly other provisions that provide cause for concern and alarm, I would like to briefly address the implications and negative consequences of these two. 

First, as the owner of a multi-family unit, I have serious concerns about the negative impacts some residents’ use would cause to others. Many have heard of the harmful consequences of second-hand smoke, and where marijuana is involved, those concerns are magnified. A family, for example, with a baby, will now have to be concerned about their neighbor’s activities both in and outside the apartment. If a neighbor hosts a party where marijuana is smoked, that smoke would filter into the other person’s apartment and potentially harm their baby, and the parents are left with no recourse because the police would now be unable to stop the use. 

Second, from an employer perspective, the record expungement present serious problems for us in making hiring decisions. Under this bill, a now-criminal would have their record expunged if they had been convicted of using marijuana in the past, and that record would no longer be available to potential employers, indeed, we could not even ask about it. Marijuana use is certainly concerning to me as an employer, but even worse is the fact that often, when someone is convicted of possession, it is because they plead down from a much greater offense.  A drug dealer arrested and charged with 10 pounds of marijuana with the intent to distribute could have previously plea bargained down to simple possession. 

The new marijuana bill would hinder me from ever finding out about that potential employee’s behavior. That employee, if hired, would then be given access (with a master key) to all 420 residential units as a complex superintendent. Regular maintenance calls, inspections, and day-to-day operations would put our residents in great danger.   A drug dealer with a plea bargain down to simple possession would now be walking into the homes and lives of innocent people. This is not only a danger to residents, it is a serious liability to employers such as myself, and takes away a necessary tool for evaluating a potential candidate.

In closing, I urge the Republican legislative leadership to continue to stand with Democrats like Senator Ron Rice of Newark, a veteran and former police officer, who understand the problems presented by this legislation. This needs further debate and examination before any final consideration.

Phil Rizzo is the Pastor of City Baptist Church in Hoboken.