Tag: New Jersey

Posted on

Meet The Hurricane Sandy Victim NJ Gov. Christie Told to “Sit Down And Shut Up”

Meet Jim Keady, the man New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie told to “sit down and shut up.”

Ready stood up at a two year anniversary event where Gov. Christie was talking about all the progress made since Hurricane Sandy.  Ready, however, wanted to know why the bulk of funds allocated to help NJ folks was still sitting in an account.

In an interview, Keady, a small business owner and former Asbury Park councilman, told Bloomberg:

“I’m a 6-foot-4, 215-pound former pro-athlete. I’m not going to be bullied by him. And when he goes into his bullying routine, it lays bare the fact that he does not want to talk about the political realities that are being presented to him.”

During their back and forth, Christie told Keady that “somebody like you doesn’t know a damn thing about what you’re talking about except to stand up and show off when the cameras are here. I’ve been here when the cameras aren’t here buddy, and done the work.” Christie went on to tell Keady that “I’m glad you had your day to show off” and now, “turn around, get your 15 minutes of fame, and then maybe take your jacket off, roll up your sleeves and do something for the people of this state.”

But Keady is no stranger to what New Jersey has been through. He grew up in Belmar, now lives in neighboring Spring Lake, and after the storm, he said, he took a month off of work and volunteered “every day” in Belmar. “They trusted me with one of their borrowed dump trucks and I was running clean up crews all over town,” Keady said. “I wanna know how many crawl spaces the governor was in, cleaning up. But he got his photo-op in Belmar.”

Keady talked about how only 20 percent of a $1.1 billion a program to get people back in their homes has actually gone out. “His administration is sitting on $800 million of taxpayer money that was supposed to go to our fellow New Jerseyans,” Keady said.

“If I’d just stood up, sat down, and been polite, you and I wouldn’t be talking right now,” Keady added. “It’s necessary at times to do small and large acts of civil disobedience so people’s voices can be heard. And if Governor Christie doesn’t like that, he’s in the wrong business.”

Posted on

Third Circuit Court of Appeals upholds “conversion therapy” ban in New Jersey

A federal appeals court ruled Thursday to uphold New Jersey’s law prohibiting medical professionals in the state from practicing gay conversion therapy, or efforts to turn gay people straight, on people under the age of 18.

The 3rd Circuit Circuit Court of Appeals has affirmed a November 2013 ruling that found the state’s law, called A3371, which prohibits medical professionals in the state from practicing “gay conversion” therapy, or efforts to turn gay people straight, on people under the age of 18, as constitutional.

The appeals court agreed with the prior court ruling that the plaintiffs’ arguments don’t trump the state’s ability to enact laws regulating professionals, including medical and mental health providers.

The American Psychological Association, the American Psychiatric Association, and the Pan American Health Organization have all warned that these “therapies” can be harmful to minors. In addition, all agree there is no evidence “conversion therapy” is actually effective.

Last year, the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals made a similar ruling upholding California’s statewide ban on conversion therapy for minors.

New Jersey and California are the only two states that currently have such laws.

(source)

Posted on

New Jersey school will allow transgender student to enroll

Recently, 13 year old transgender Rachel Pepe was told she could not attend school this fall as a female.

Rachel had previously attended school as a male, but when her mother informed Thorne Middle School that “Brian” was now Rachel, the school balked. Rachel’s mother, Angela Peters, was told Rachel would attend as “Brian” or not at all. And, the would be no assistance provided in finding an alternative school.

From Huffington Post:

“He was going to school last year as Brian,” Angela Peters, Rachel’s mother, told the outlet, adding that her daughter had been suffering from depression. “How can I send her back as Rachel? And I am not sending her back as Brian because the depression will start again.”

On Monday evening, however, the superintendent of the school district, William O. George, said he would work with staff to make sure Rachel could attend school in a safe environment. According to Garden State Equality, George said Middletown Township Public Schools staff would undergo lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender sensitivity training.

“We applaud Superintendent George for taking the right steps to affirm the health and safety of students,” GSE Executive Director Andrea Bowen said in a statement. “This is a victory for transgender students everywhere. This Middletown student and students like her are heroes for standing up for their needs. We’re excited that the community came together in dialogue to bring this situation to a happy resolution.”

In recent months, the U.S. Department of Education issued new guidance that Title IX, the federal legislation that prohibits sex discrimination, protects transgender students.

Posted on

New report says Gov. Christie was told about bridge lane closings

New Jersey Governor Chris Christie

A new report, prepared by NJ Gov. Chris Christie’s lawyers, states that Christie was told of the George Washington Bridge lane closures at a function on September 11, 2013 by Port Authority official David Wildstein.

From the New York Times:

The official, David Wildstein, told Mr. Christie’s press secretary, Michael Drewniak, of the Sept. 11 conversation at a dinner in December just before his resignation from the Port Authority, according to the report.

The report said that Mr. Christie did not recall any such conversation and found no evidence that he was involved in the scheme, which snarled traffic for thousands of commuters in Fort Lee, N.J., from Sept. 9 through the morning of Sept. 12.

It bears repeating that the report was prepared by the Governor’s lawyers. So the fact that would show the Governor “not recalling” a discussion about the lane closures isn’t a surprise.

The report places the blame for the lane closures on former deputy chief of staff Bridget Anne Kelly. Kelly was fired in January as the lane closing scandal began to escalate. She was famously called a liar as the Governor’s office sought to distance itself from blame.

At one point, according to the report, Ms. Kelly directed an assistant in the governor’s office to delete an email in which Ms. Kelly had expressed pleasure at learning that the mayor of Fort Lee was angry about the closings. “Get rid of that,” she said, according to the report. (The aide complied, but saved a copy.)

It also claims that Ms. Kelly had become “personally involved” with Bill Stepien, Mr. Christie’s two-time campaign manager and the aide who had previously held Ms. Kelly’s position.

Kelly was famously called a liar as the Governor’s office sought to distance itself from blame.

Posted on

New Jersey: High school friend and Port Authority appointee of Gov. Christie says Christie knew about bridge closing

New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie

Not sure, but the other shoe may be dropping on New Jersey Gov. Christie regarding the George Washington Bridge lane-closing scandal.  His high school friend and former top aide says the governor knew about the closings, and can prove it.

From the New York Times:

In a letter released by his lawyer, the official, David Wildstein, a high school friend of Mr. Christie’s who was appointed with the governor’s blessing at the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, which controls the bridge, described the order to close the lanes as “the Christie administration’s order” and said “evidence exists as well tying Mr. Christie to having knowledge of the lane closures, during the period when the lanes were closed, contrary to what the governor stated publicly in a two-hour press conference” three weeks ago.

“Mr. Wildstein contests the accuracy of various statements that the governor made about him and he can prove the inaccuracy of some,” the letter added.

When news of the bridge closing scandal hit, Mr. Wildstein, the director of interstate capital projects at the Port Authority, resigned.

Pundits have been awaiting the news of “who” from the governor’s former team might be the first to save their own skin…

Read more here.

Posted on

NJ Gov. Christie vetoes bill allowing transgendered citizens right to change name on birth certificates

New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie today vetoed a bill that would have granted transgender citizens the right to change their names on their birth certificates.

From the governor’s veto statement:

Birth certificates are often required to complete myriad security-related tasks. Accordingly, proposed measures that revise the standards for the issuance of amended birth certificates may result in significant legal uncertainties and create opportunities for fraud, deception, and abuse, and should therefore be closely scrutinized and sparingly approved.

The bill was approved by the state Assembly in June by a vote of 43-27.  The state Senate approved it in December by a vote of 21-11.

Garden State Equality’s Troy Stevenson condemned the veto as a “vindictive move to punish the LGBT community,” highlighting that the bill would “have zero effect on anyone else.”

(source)

Posted on

Cover of the New York Post today: “Ignorance is Chris”

NJ Gov. Chris Christie's BridgeGate woes seem to be just beginning as he's slapped with lawsuits by citizens affected by the famous traffic snarl

The main story covering what is now being called “BridgeGate” goes on to say that six people caught up in the traffic jam caused by Gov. Chris Christie staff members:

The six commuters, who are all from Bergen County, were “trapped on local roads” and were either late or missed work between Sept. 9 and Sept. 12 when Christie’s senior aide Bridget Anne Kelly conspired with a Port Authority official David Wildstein to shut down two of the three lanes leading to the George Washington Bridge from Fort Lee, the suit says.

Meanwhile, New Jersey’s top lawman on Thursday ordered a federal criminal investigation into the saga.

Posted on

New Jersey: Gov. Christie drops state Supreme Court appeal on same-sex marriage

In light of the UNANIMOUS decision by the New Jersey Supreme Court to not delay marriage equality, Gov. Chris Christie has withdrawn his appeal on the ruling granting the state same-sex marriage.

From Christie’s administration:

“Chief Justice Stuart Rabner left no ambiguity about the unanimous court’s view on the ultimate decision in this matter when he wrote, ‘same-sex couples who cannot marry are not treated equally under the law today,’” the administration stated.

“Although the Governor strongly disagrees with the Court substituting its judgment for the constitutional process of the elected branches or a vote of the people, the Court has now spoken clearly as to their view of the New Jersey Constitution and, therefore, same-sex marriage is the law. The Governor will do his constitutional duty and ensure his Administration enforces the law as dictated by the New Jersey Supreme Court.”

Posted on

Mayor Cory Booker performs first New Jersey same-sex wedding

I love that Mayor Booker is so joyful about being a part of the proceedings.

The Mayor had refused to perform an marriage ceremonies until ALL couples had the same right to do so.  But at the stroke of midnight, Booker agreed to start marrying gay or straight couples. 
Orville Bell and Joseph Panessidi were the first couple to be married.

Check out the Mayor’s smackdown of the lone heckler at the 2:15 mark. “Having heard no substantive, worthy objections…”