Using photo-ops, Tammy Murphy is selling a new solar scam

By Sussex Watchdog
 
A previous Freeholder Board spent $600,000 on no-bid contracts without getting to the bottom of who was responsible and who profited from the solar scam that ripped-off Sussex County taxpayers to the tune of $26 million.  It was a story of political intrigue, secret committees made up of county bureaucrats and vendors with conflicts of interest, and Wall Street investors who stood to make a profit if it succeeded – but who lost nothing when it failed. 
 
And it wasn’t just Sussex County.  Although Sussex was hit the worst, taxpayers in Morris, Somerset, and Mercer Counties were also affected.  The solar scam and its aftermath consumed headlines in the New Jersey Herald and Star-Ledger for much of 2015-2018.  So… are you ready to do it all over again?    
 
Tammy Murphy is.
 
She’s fresh from forcing the State Board of Education to mandate a consumer sales-based curriculum that programs children to favor the taxpayer-subsidized energy alternatives promoted by such Wall Street giants as Tammy and Phil Murphy’s alma mater, Goldman-Sachs.  The solar industry is taking a page out of big tobacco’s marketing plan and getting their consumers young.  Get them young and you’ll maybe get 70 years out of them.  That’s a lot of profits!
 
Tammy Murphy has embarked on a public relations tour.  Yesterday she was in Sussex County, making nice to all those folks her husband refused to provide COVID-19 funding to for six months.  Murphy is targeting places like Sussex County because it has lots of farmland and lots of woodland… and her party has plans for it.

On Wednesday, the Philadelphia Inquirer broke the story about a solar developer operating in Salem County who wants to buy up 800 acres of prime farmland to build a sprawling power plant of 400,000 solar panels. 

Instead of beautiful farmland, Dakota Power Partners (in Sussex it was Mastec Power Partners) plans to construct a dystopian nightmare of 400,000 solar panels on stilts (so you can’t miss them) while underneath, 1,000 sheep will graze (making it a farm and earning it a farmland assessment).  Dakota Power Partners just opened an office in New Jersey, so it looks like they are here to stay.   
 
Under Governor Chris Christie, the state rolled back taxpayer-funded incentives, making big solar projects economically unfeasible.  That’s right, without taxpayer money and these scams simply don’t work.  But don’t worry, Governor Phil Murphy has made solar the centerpiece of his Energy Master Plan, so the taxpayer subsidies are back.  Just listen to this solar sales pitch from Goldman-Sachs… 

Leading the charge for Murphy’s Energy Master Plan is Democrat Bob Smith, Chairman of the State Senate’s Environment and Energy Committee.  He has proposed legislation to direct the state Board of Public Utilities to establish a utility-scale size solar energy program with farmland as a component. The bill, introduced August 25, would reintroduce incentives to encourage solar to be built on farmland and forests to try to meet the state’s aggressive plan of generating 17 gigawatts of solar power by 2035.  Murphy says he wants 100% of the state’s electrical power supplied by alternative energy by 2050

That’s right…

Murphy and the Democrats are proposing to clear-cut the state’s forests and destroy farmland to achieve Goldman-Sachs’ investment strategy of promoting solar.

Hey, that sales video wasn’t kidding when that fellow from Goldman-Sachs said that demand for solar was “policy-driven”. 
 
According to the Philadelphia Inquirer, Murphy’s plans have pissed-off some environmentalists.  The newspaper writes: 
 
Michelle Byers, executive director of the New Jersey Conservation Foundation, said the bill would toss a law that currently steers solar arrays toward brownfields, landfills, rooftops and parking lots.

The proposed law would not only make it easier to build large, utility-scale solar arrays on the state’s best farmland, it would also allow forests to be clear-cut to make way for solar projects, which makes no sense

Byers said in a statement.
 
The New Jersey Sierra Club hopes the state looks for space other than farmland and forests.
 
“As the scale of solar projects increase, it is important that New Jersey properly finds land for it,” Jeff Tittel, the club’s president, said in a statement. “We should use existing developments or brownfields, create sound barriers on highways, use barges, rooftops, ponds and more as suitable sites for solar panels.”
 
Peter Furey, executive director of the New Jersey Farm Bureau, said the solar bill has the potential to change the landscape.

We don’t want energy interests coming in and dictating to local planning boards,” Furey said. “We don’t want it on prime agricultural land. 

“We think the debate is not finished.”
 
Tammy Murphy has Sussex County in her sights and when she’s through with it, it’s going to look more like a scene out of Blade Runner than the bucolic “God’s Country” it is today.  Don’t worry though, if the state gets too ugly, Tammy and Phil have homes in Italy and Germany to decamp to.  They’re going to be okay… the rich always are. 

"It’s definitely going to change the landscape,”

David Dolbow, of Bil-Dow Farm, told the Philadelphia Inquirer, who wrote: “What he (Dolbow) fears most is the loss of thousands of acres of prime farmland to utility-scale solar systems.”
 
And if it all goes bust like the last solar scam did… well, after the grandkids of the current property taxpayers in Sussex County get done paying off the bill for the current solar scam, their grandkids can look forward to paying off the bill for the next solar scam.  See, it’s nice to leave something for future generations… for the children.

“I assumed solar panels would last for ever. I didn’t know what went into the making of them (referring to raw materials, including quartz, and the fossil fuels needed to manufacture the panels)."

(Michael Moore, environmentalist and documentary film producer)

Democrats target another college trustee over Free Speech

Rob Jennings of the Newark Star-Ledger is reporting how some far-Left Democrats are, once again, attempting to muzzle free speech and shut down the expression of any differing opinion. This time their victim is a trustee at Raritan Valley Community College. Her name is Dr. Felecia Nace.

Her crime? Speaking at an event in Boston, where she criticized the Legislature’s recent implementation of an unfunded mandate – the newly imposed “LGBTQ” curriculum requirement. Dr. Nace posed the question: “Where is the overwhelming need to teach lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, questioning, intersex and asexual history that supersedes basic academic success.”

The Legislature imposed the new requirement without any additional funding – while it slashed education funding in most of New Jersey’s school districts.

Dr. Felecia Nace

Dr. Nace argues that the emphasis on LGBTQ education distracts from academic achievement and could even distort history. Citing examples from a similar curriculum used in California, she noted that it questioned the sexuality of President James Buchanan, the only unmarried U.S. president, and 19th Century poet Emily Dickinson.

“This reckless questioning sets children on a slippery slope. We have honored these individuals for their contributions to society, and what a slap in the face to their memories to now question their sexuality," Dr. Nace said.

"For most children, their gender is a fundamental part of who they are. The vast majority of children are not confused about their sex, and it’s something that they were never, ever preoccupied with until today.”

Dr. Nace taught language arts in the Montclair public school district, was an adjunct professor of English at Mercer County Community College, and worked as an education specialist with the state education department.

The community college issued a statement on Dr. Nace, who has been a trustee since 2017, pointing out that Dr. Nace was “present as a private citizen” and made her views accordingly. Of course, that wasn’t enough for the anti-speech, far-Left Democrats, who called for Dr. Nace’s resignation.

One such authoritarian politician – a certain Melonie Marano – put out a statement in opposition to intellectual diversity: “At a time when our county is becoming more diverse, and our young college students are becoming more understanding about LGBTQ+ issues, we cannot have board members who actively try to exclude gay studies from education.”

Marano’s statement reeks of religious conversion rather than democratic debate. Of course, true Democrats (those worthy of the name) understand that ALL unfunded mandates thrust upon the property taxpayers by the Legislature are open to question and debate. That is the very idea of democracy – a concept Marano apparently hates.

Marano is a long-time politician and candidate for Freeholder in Somerset County. She is affiliated with the far-Left group Indivisible and is endorsed by the Somerset County Democrats. In August, the Somerset Democrats went on social media to encourage those who “hate our country” to run for office. The media reported:

Somerset County Democrats disavowed a since-deleted Facebook post encouraging those who “hate our country” to run for public office, donate to political campaigns or otherwise engage in politics that drew fire from the county’s Republicans.

The leadership of the Somerset County Democrats did not take responsibility for what was posted on its social media and instead blamed a “volunteer” who they claimed was angry with… you guessed it… Donald Trump. The Democrats refused to name the volunteer.

Apparently, HATING AMERICA is now a qualification for office with some Democrats, so it should come as no surprise when we read statements from Melonie Marano in opposition to the First Amendment and the Bill of Rights.

Malinowski tries to smear opponents of human trafficking

Tom Malinowski is at it again.  Blaming labor unions and working people.  Calling them haters because they fail to adopt his globalist vision of cheap labor, child labor, and slave labor.  In his latest “note from Tom” he insults every working stiff concerned about globalist off-shoring and outsourcing.  

But shilling for the very worst forms of corporate globalism is nothing new for Malinowski, a Democrat congressman from Somerset County.  He’s done it all before.

We’ve all heard about the outrages perpetrated by human trafficker Nike sportswear.  For at least twenty years, Nike has been criticized for its labor practices – including the offshoring of jobs to sub-contractors who use child labor and who practice human trafficking or modern day slavery to help Nike turn a very handsome profit.

Yes, Nike has been caught…

According to Wikipedia and numerous other sources, “Nike has been criticized for contracting with factories (known as Nike sweatshops) in countries such as China, Vietnam, Indonesia and Mexico… The company has been subject to much critical coverage of the often poor working conditions and exploitation of cheap overseas labor employed in the free trade zones where their goods are typically manufactured.”

“Nike has faced criticism for the use of child labor in Cambodia and Pakistan… Nike continues to contract their production to companies that operate in areas where inadequate regulation and monitoring make it hard to ensure that child labor is not being used.  A BBC documentary uncovered occurrences of child labor and poor working conditions in a Cambodian factory used by Nike.  The documentary focused on six girls, who all worked seven days a week, often 16 hours a day.”

“As of July 2011, Nike stated that two-thirds of its factories producing Converse products still do not meet the company's standards for worker treatment. A July 2011 Associated Press article stated that employees at the company's plants in Indonesia reported constant abuse from supervisors.”

Sources for this criticism include Naomi Klein's book No Logo and Michael Moore documentaries… including the clips from the one below…

Enter Congressman Tom Malinowski who labels as “racist” or “anti-Semite” any working man or woman who objects to such globalism. According to Tom Malinowski, if you oppose the exploitation of children, that makes you a dangerous “white supremacist”. Since when did standing up to slavery make you a racist?  Who – besides Congressman Malinowski – equates opposing globalism with “anti-Semitism”?   

Of course, Tom Malinowski has been shilling for globalism’s worst of the worst for years.  In 2015, when Tom Malinowski was a top State Department appointee (supposedly charged with protecting human rights), he put corporate interests before principle and in an effort to broaden the markets included in the Trans-Pacific Partnership, tried to cover-up and reclassify Malaysia’s human trafficking problem.  Unfortunately for Tom Malinowski, the attempt to downgrade the human trafficking crisis in that country came just as hundreds of bodies of trafficking victims were discovered, buried in a forest.

160 members of Congress – a bi-partisan outpouring – condemned the Malinowski State Department for ignoring the plight of victims of modern day slavery.  Here are some headlines…

State Department Watered Down Human Trafficking Report

Senators: State Department ‘Heartless,’ Lacks ‘Integrity’ After Politicized Human Trafficking Report

Lawmakers threaten to subpoena all information about inflated grades for countries that have failed to crack down on forced labor, prostitution

Earlier in May, 139 graves in camps for human trafficking victims were found near Malaysia’s northern border with Thailand.

160 Members of Congress Call on State Department to Not Upgrade Malaysia Ranking in 2015 Trafficking in Persons Report

Those headlines are from May 2015.  In June 2015, then Assistant Secretary of State for Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor Tom Malinowski testified before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee and claimed that it was all about the trade and passing the Trans-Pacific Partnership.  Malinowski argues:

“I am convinced that, on balance, TPP will greatly aid the effort to advance human rights in the Asia-Pacific region.”

Slavery is Freedom… so long as some corporate pig makes a buck (and screws the workers).  It’s like something out of Orwell.  A nightmare… straight from Tom Malinowski’s lips. 

In July 2015, Ranking Democrat Congressman Lloyd Doggett sent a letter to the State Department chastising Tom Malinowski and others responsible for the State Department’s policies.  Congressman Doggett wrote:

“Once again trade is being prioritized over trafficking enforcement.  Bending the standards to reward a country that accepts trade in women, children and forced laborers is wrong.  Malaysia adopting some new provision that will not be consistently enforced is no substitute for effective prosecution… It is easier to lower the standard than to insist that Malaysia protect trafficking victims… this (is) another indication that the Trans-Pacific Partnership is not being used to bring about meaningful change on critical issues.”

Congressman Malinowski should quit trying to stifle debate by calling it names. The only hateful act is Tom Malinowski’s… he plans to end the debate by criminalizing it and sending in men with guns… and dogs (Bull Connor style).  A true liberal, upon considering the crap that flows out of Tom Malinowski’s brain, would never stop throwing up. 

Is Tim Pino auditioning for the role of Sheriff Kumbaya?

Tim Pino is undoubtedly a “nice” guy.  But is “nice” a policy platform – and especially for someone who wants to be elected to the top law enforcement job in Somerset County?

Things are changing in law enforcement.  “Woke” is replacing “Tough” as a watchword.  You need only look at Philadelphia, where a George Soros backed Democrat won the race for District Attorney.  One year in and his office has all but stopped prosecuting – and this in the midst of a rising murder rate.  The “nice” DA has even dropped his opposition to yet another appeal by convicted cop-killer Mumia Abu-Jamal, leaving some to wonder if the widow of the murdered police officer will ever see justice.

Outgoing Somerset County Sheriff Frank Provenzano is “tough”.  In the business of law enforcement, “tough” is the first step to being competent.  It is a para-military organization, after all.  Sheriff’s officers wear uniforms and carry guns.  This para-military aspect is somewhat mitigated by the presence of a labor union to argue for better pay, shorter hours, more perks, and leniency in the face of discipline.  There are no unions in the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines, or the Coast Guard. 

Sheriff Frank Provenzano took a clear stand on issues like liberal Democrat Governor Phil Murphy’s plan to turn New Jersey into a so-called “Sanctuary State” – a place where state and local law enforcement ignores federal law in favor of people who are in our country illegally.  A policy that turns New Jersey’s sworn officers into little more than scofflaws.

Yes, scofflaws… defined as people who flout the law, especially by failing to comply with a law that is difficult to enforce effectively.  Democrat Phil Murphy wants to make the Somerset County deputy sheriffs into scofflaws… something like a collection of parking ticket deadbeats.  They should have more pride than to let that happen.   

We know that Sheriff Provenzano won’t allow it, but what about Tim Pino?  As a media personality, lobbyist, community activist, and candidate for office, Tim Pino has been very careful not to comment on the Murphy Democrats’ plans to turn New Jersey into a so-called “Sanctuary State”.  Pino aint talking.

What Pino is doing is playing it “nice”.  Like he’s auditioning for a role in Kumbaya… the Musical!

Instead of taking on the question of illegal immigration and the Democrats’ attempts to foster it through the expenditure of millions in taxpayers’ money, Tim Pino is talking about the need for law enforcement to get on the diversity bandwagon.  Of course, anyone who has ever seen the symbol of Justice knows that the law is supposed to ignore such surface details as race, ethnicity, and religion.  That is why Justice is always represented as blindfolded. 

We all know what happens when law enforcement puts ideas like diversity ahead of enforcing the law in a fair way, regardless of someone’s cultural differences.  We have many sad examples of how law enforcement lets down victims when it decides to walk along the egg-shelled strewn path of cultural diversity. 

Perhaps the most egregious example is the Rotherham child sexual exploitation scandal involving an estimated 1,400 children who were sexually abused between 1997 and 2013.  Investigations uncovered that law enforcement failed to act because of “fear that the perpetrators' ethnicity would trigger allegations of racism and damage community relations; and the (political) reluctance to challenge an ethnic minority voting bloc.”

You can read the whole sad story and failure of law enforcement to address it at Wikipedia:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rotherham_child_sexual_exploitation_scandal

Rotherham is what happens when law enforcement makes “nice” a priority and “diversity” its watchword.  It is what happens when law enforcement forget that crime is crime, rape is rape, sexual exploitation of children is the exploitation of children… no matter who does it. 

As a candidate for public office, Tim Pino has engaged in the kind of politically correct virtue signaling that leads him to fixate on creating solutions to problems that aren’t really there.  Pino’s campaign website ignores issues like the opioid epidemic, the threats of human trafficking and the sexual exploitation of women and children, and the rise of MS-13 gangs in New Jersey.  Instead, there is a whole page (including a video and links to articles) on the threat of “white supremacy” in Somerset County. 

Candidate Pino makes much of a report showing instances of people handing out between one and thirty “fliers” – yes, leaflets or literature – that are considered to be “white supremist”.  While obnoxious and stupid, this still is protected speech under the First Amendment to our nation’s Bill of Rights. 

On the other hand, Tim Pino completely fails to mention a recent New Jersey State Commission of Investigation report on MS-13 criminal gang activity in New Jersey or that neighboring Union County is a hotbed of MS-13 activity.  Pino fails to note that the SCI report links tough immigration enforcement to keeping MS-13 from spreading deeply into places like Somerset County. 

MS-13 doesn’t hand out stupid leaflets.  MS-13 is into the trafficking of illegal drugs.  What should get the priority? 

In candidate Tim Pino’s world, the fear that an idiot kid will hand out a leaflet touting his ignorance is worthy of greater attention and resources than an organized criminal drug gang.  This is cloud cuckoo land or the rainbow fantasy world of the winged unicorn of delusion.  It isn’t law enforcement.