Garden State Patriot

Great news today for conservatives. Dede Scozzafava is suspending her campaign.

Scozzafava suspends campaign
By Tony Romm – 10/31/09 10:37 AM ET
State Assemblywoman Dede Scozzafava (R) announced on Saturday she would suspend her campaign to fill former Rep. John McHugh’s open House seat, citing dismal poll numbers just days before the much-hyped special election.
Her exit from the race offers serious momentum to Doug Hoffman, the Conservative Party candidate who has stolen from Scozzafava a slew of important GOP endorsements and donations in recent weeks.

“Today, I again seek to act for the good of our community,” Scozzafava wrote in a letter to supporters, obtained by the Watertown Daily Times. “It is increasingly clear that pressure is mounting on many of my supporters to shift their support. Consequently, I hereby release those individuals who have endorsed and supported my campaign to transfer their support as they see fit to do so.”

“I am and have always been a proud Republican,” Scozzafava added. “It is my hope that with my actions today, my party will emerge stronger and our district and our nation can take an important step towards restoring the enduring strength and economic prosperity that has defined us for generations.”

This is also a victory of the conservative blogosphere which exposed Scozzafava and put the pressure on for her to step aside..

This is cross-posted at Conservatives with Attitude!

Michael Illions was one of many bloggers today across the right-wing spectrum to call for Dede Scozzafava to withdraw from the NY District 23 House race. The movement to call for Scozzafava’s withdrawal, though, started brewing earlier this week.  Here’s a little background.

Over at NRO, Jim Geraghty did a piece on the NY-23 House race on Monday in the Campaign Spot. In that piece, Geraghty contended that conservatives ought not fault the NRCC and RNC for supporting a Republican chosen by the local party.

This is not a defense of Scozzafava. I’m just saying it’s a contradiction if a conservative denounces the National Republican Senatorial Committee, when it backs Charlie Crist over Marco Rubio and Arlen Specter over Pat Toomey (yeah, that one went well), for not letting Republican grassroots have their say, and then denounces the NRCC and RNC when they try to help Scozzafava win. In this case, the NRCC and RNC are backing the choice of the local party, after the choice has been finalized. It may be a lousy choice, but you rarely if ever see national parties overruling the selection of local parties; once you open that door, you face the question of how often these national committees get to exercise a veto over the local parties’ selection.

Two days later, though, Geraghty changed his tune after Scozzafava had a run-in with Weekly Standard reporter John McCormack. Geraghty explains:

Earlier this week, I was noting that it was unrealistic for conservatives to expect national Republican committees, like the RNC and National Republican Congressional Committee, to do anything but back the Republican in New York’s special congressional election.

But the situation has changed.

It’s not just the inanity of Dede Scozzafava’s campaign calling the cops on a reporter; it’s doubling down and calling McCormack a liar. With audiotape now exposing the Scozzafava campaign as the liar in their account of the candidate’s interaction with John McCormack, it’s a different ballgame. I’m actually finding myself driven to a position beyond the editors.

It’s time for the NRCC and RNC to cut their ties, and more. It’s embarrassing enough when a candidate won’t answer reasonable questions from reasonable press and her campaign attempts to smear them in order to cover up their mess. Forwarding McCormack’s e-mails to Talking Points Memo just shows how upside-down the Scozzafava campaign is.

The time has come for the RNC and NRCC to ask for their money back. This goes well beyond any reasonable difference on policy. There’s room in the party for pro-choice Republicans and pro-gay-marriage Republicans and maybe even the odd pro-card-check Republican. But not this kind of arrogance, this kind of clumsy dishonesty, this kind of reckless hostility to a reporter and a publication that need not be an enemy.

The RNC and NRCC are better than the Scozzafava campaign. It’s time for them to demonstrate that they know how a candidate and her staff are supposed to react when asked a question, and to show that Scozzafava’s team’s behavior is just not acceptable.

Well, this represented the last straw for many in the right-wing blogosphere, prompting several sites this morning, starting with Red County, Red State and the American Spectator (Quinn Hilyer), to call for Scozzafava to withdraw. Red County, in particular, led the way on this starting with a post this morning from Joshua Sharf. A flurry of posts followed on Red County including here, here, here and here.

Red State and the American Spectator were also among the first to call for Scozzafava’s withdrawal. From there, the calls for withdrawal spread quickly. As Michael mentioned, all of the following outlets also joined the bandwagon: RightWingNews.com. Andrew Breitbart’s BigGovernment.com. The Washington Examiner. The Washington Times. Michelle Malkin also got on board.

All of this goes to show just how powerful this medium called blogging has become; and how bloggers, when working in concert, can affect change. In the past, a candidate like Scozzafava would have flown well under the radar. Her views not known to the rest of us until well after the horse was out of the barn. Now, we have the power to fight back when our party puts forth wholly unworthy candidates who do not uphold any of the core values the party stands for.

One can only hope that Mrs. Scozzafava now does the right thing and steps aside. In fact, that would be the only way to show any last bit of true allegiance to the party whose banner she now is running under.

With Chris Christie on the cusp of formally announcing his candidacy for Governor, and the first debate scheduled for this weekend, the Lonegan campaign is ready for the battle which will rage until June’s primary.

In a press release today Lonegan came out with guns blazing, taking dead aim at Christie on a couple of fronts. First and foremost, Lonegan challenged the heretofore silent Christie for specifics on the issues.

With just three days until the first campaign debate, Republican gubernatorial candidate Steve Lonegan warned a potential opponent “vapid doubletalk will not beat Jon Corzine.”

Lonegan aimed his comments at former U.S. Attorney Chris Christie, who Lonegan says has avoided comment on virtually every single issue of importance including most recently a question about COAH on Monday night…

…“I look forward to debating Mr. Christie.  So far, his alleged campaign has been one of intellectually insulting platitudes and statements so banal that even his strongest supporters are starting to ask questions,” Lonegan said.  “I know because every day more and more are coming over to our team.”

He also criticized Christie for running a ‘Dewey-like campaign’ — referencing the failed campaigns of the two-time Presiential candidated Thomas Dewey in 1944 and 1948 which were devoid of substance.

“Mr. Christie’s speech tonight to the New Jersey Chapter of the Society of Industrial and Office Realtors — ‘Looking forward to the future’ — bears an uncanny resemblance to Dewey’s 1948 campaign theme ‘Your future lies ahead of you’.”

“This kind of mindless drivel is the reason people don’t vote,” Lonegan said.  “Vapid platitudes and vague platforms won’t motivate fed up taxpayers to come to the polls this November,” Lonegan said.  “Taxpayers want a leader who will stand up and speak out, not someone who cowers in a corner, hiding from controversy.”

Moreover, Lonegan said his campaign would essentially model itself after Ronald Reagan who won the Presidency – and New Jersey – twice through being bold and true to conservative principles.

“Ronald Reagan won New Jersey twice because he took bold stands that sharpened his differences with Jimmy Carter and the liberals, just as I did by winning three times by double-digit margins in a town that voted 64% for Barack Obama,” Lonegan said.  “Chris Christie, on the other hand, couldn’t even win his own primary for renomination as Freeholder, finishing sixth out of six and losing by a 2-1 margin.”

“The only way we’re going to beat Jon Corzine is with a clear line between what we believe and what he has done,” Lonegan explained.  “We’re not going to beat Corzine by being Corzine.  We’re not going to beat Corzine by trying to run away from who we are.  “We’re going to beat Corzine by standing tall for working families and always putting taxpayers first.  That’s how we’re going to win the Governorship.  That’s how we’re going to take the State Assembly this November.  And that’s how we’re going to pick up downballot offices from Freeholder to Mayor to Township Committee and Council.”

“We’re going to stand tall, stand together and stand as one — fighting for taxpayers and in defense of our towns and our conservative values,” Lonegan explained.

The Lonegan campaign, with over a million dollars in the bank, has also begun to air ads throughout the state. To hear Steve’s ad click here.

And to hear Steve’s latest interview with NJ 101.5FM. This interview can be heard here.

We wish Steve the best as he forges ahead with his campaign. New Jersey desperately needs conservative change and we believe he is the man to do it.

Note: This weekend’s debate will take place at the Somerset County Federation of Republican Women at the Fox Hollow Golf Club, 50 Fox Chase Run, Branchburg, will run from 8:30-10 am

This is cross-posted at RedCounty.com.

It’s been almost 30 years since the big screen flop Xanadu polluted theaters across America. Well fast-forward some 29 years and another Xanadu is causing pollution. This time it’s right in Jerseyans very own Meadowlands where the Xanadu shopping center - scheduled to open this coming summer – has been found to be quite contaminated.

Of course, that would be bad enough in and of itself but there’s more. Guess who is going to have to foot the bill for the cleanup? You guessed it – the already strapped New Jersey taxpayer.

Reacting to a story in today’s Bergen Record that more dangerous materials were discovered at the Xanadu construction site in East Rutherford, Assemblyman John Rooney (R – Bergen ) criticized the fact that taxpayers will be required to pick up the anticipated cleanup cost, estimated at over $6 million.  The recent discoveries were detailed in a report by a project engineer who stated that the contamination at the site is widespread and will remain a concern even after the shopping center opens this summer. The report also indicates that a plan for addressing the problem is being formulated by project engineers; however, it will not be submitted for the state’s approval until after the opening of the center. 

“It is more than troubling that evidence of leaking drums and contaminated bodies of water are still being discovered at Xanadu,” stated Rooney.  “It is even worse that the cost of cleaning up the site is going to be north of $6 million and paid for by the public.  Once again, New Jersey ’s taxpayers are shouldering the burden for an expense that should be the developer’s responsibility.  The state is dealing with its own toxic fiscal crisis and cannot afford to pick up the tab for a problem that should have been discovered long before now.”

The engineering report also details that the water below the development contains elevated levels of cancer-causing organic compounds as well contamination in the soil surrounding Xanadu’s foundation.  While the project’s developers and sports authority officials maintain that the site was fully investigated prior to the commencement of construction, the report from the Elmwood Park-based engineering firm indicated that the initial study failed to detect “significant” contamination at the site, which included the presence of underground fuel tanks and pools of oily refuse. Up until 1970, Alpha Oil Refining occupied the property in question.  

“Given the history of the Meadowlands, it is disconcerting that a more thorough analysis wasn’t undertaken to address the remediation necessary from the outset of the development,” continued Rooney. “The state should be investigating what happened to Alpha Oil Refining and seeking restitution for the contamination, or from their successor.  Beyond Alpha Oil, the state should examine who else operated on the site and determine whether they, too, are culpable for polluting the property.

“Just as disturbing is the news that an action plan to remedy the issue will not be submitted until after the shopping center opens.  That is a prime example of putting the cart before the horse.

“Who will take responsibility if further evidence is discovered that people’s health is at risk if they shopped at Xanadu?  This report tells me that the taxpayers and Xanadu patrons are certainly taking one on the chin.”

There’s a joke in here somewhere but I can’t seem to come up with one. Perhaps my readers can come up with something.

According to the Bergen Record, Bergen County Democratic Organization Chairman “Goomba” Joe Ferriero announced yesterday that he will resign effective January 22nd.

Bergen County Democratic Organization Chairman Joseph Ferriero announced Friday — after months of pressure from fellow Democrats — that he will resign as the group’s leader, effective Jan. 22.

Ferriero also declared that he was ending his leave of absence immediately to “assure a smooth transition.”

A federal grand jury indicted Ferriero and BCDO counsel Dennis Oury this fall on charges of conspiracy to commit fraud. Ferriero’s trial is set for September.

“I believe that it would adversely affect our party and our candidates if I were to continue to serve as chairman while on trial several weeks before the November election,” he said in a letter. “It is for that reason that I am calling a special county committee meeting for Jan. 22, 2009, to elect a successor.”

The move avoids a fight within the BCDO as they had called on Ferriero to resign by this coming Thursday if he were yet to prove his innocence on charges of charges of conspiracy to commit fraud.

Several prominent Democrats, including Bergen Congressman Steve Rothman, had tried to oust Ferriero. But Rothman didn’t have the muscle to budge the Ferriero machine.

Democrats, of course, are trying at all costs to get the Ferriero monkey off their back with key elections upcoming this November in the state, starting with the Governorship and the State Legislature. The next move will be fore the BCDO to select a new Chairman who will have the task of cleaning up the BCDO’s image – and trying to make Bergen voters forget.

But that will be a tough task. Ferriero’s trial on corruption charges are still scheduled to take place in Septemeber smack dab in the middle of the election season, giving Bergen Republicans a golden opportunity to exploit this issue. The only question is: can they?

NOTE: This post can also be found at redcounty.com