Here we go again! Another double standard from a New Jersey Democrat. This time it’s Governor Phil Murphy.
I was reading a couple of pieces on Murphy’s veto of the meeting minutes of the South Jersey Port Corporation, a short piece on InsiderNJ that led me to a more detailed piece on Politico. Something in the Politico piece caught my attention.
This is the section of the Politico piece:
The governor, who has clashed with Sweeney over a number of policy issues, was primarily concerned with the decision to renew a contract with General Counsel Raymond Zane, a former state lawmaker, according to three sources familiar with the issues that led to the veto.
Sweeney ousted Zane from the Senate in 2001, but the two men later became allies.
The sources, all of whom spoke on condition of anonymity to characterize the behind-the-scenes squabble, said the governor’s office had made it clear to the corporation’s board members that they believed Zane was not serving the agency’s interests. In particular, the governor’s staff cited Zane’s handling of what the front office considered “credible accusations of sexual harassment in the work place,” the sources said.
While the employee who faced the accusation ultimately retired, Zane had indicated “that some comparatively minor level of reprimand would be sufficient despite the intensity of the sexual harassment,” one of the sources said, declining to discuss details of the case.
Reading that, one would think Murphy has a problem with sexual harassment, and he should.
To be clear, sexual harassment is a big deal and men who engage in such an activity deserve, at the very least, to have their asses kicked.
The problem is it appears Phil Murphy applies a bit of a double standard when it comes to sexual harassment.
You may recall, on this blog we quoted a ThinkProgress report that stated, “While some players dealt with makeshift windows, others were forced to couch surf with roommates during the season because of a lack of provided housing. The unluckiest, though, were forced to ‘live with an elderly man who repeatedly made inappropriate comments to the players and made them feel uncomfortable.’” ThinkProgress got this trinket from The Equalizer.
The thing is “…an elderly man who repeatedly made inappropriate comments to the players and made them feel uncomfortable” sounds a lot like sexual harassment to me. Sure, I’m guessing the “inappropriate comments” were sexual in nature, but as a former gambler I would take that bet. I have two sisters – I know exactly what “inappropriate comments” that make women “feel uncomfortable” means and so does every other person reading this.
What has Murphy said about having made, and for all we know is still making, women live with harassment? NOTHING! Why? Because the New Jersey press continues to let him off the hook on the issue of his soccer team.
It looks like Governor Murphy is practicing a big double standard when it comes to sexual harassment. If I’m wrong Governor, give me a call at 7:00 AM any Saturday on The Bob & Steve Show and after I get off the floor from falling out of my chair we’ll chat about it on the air. The studio call-in number is 856-696-0092 (to avoid getting pranked ask your former staffer Adam what political candidate I hired his firm to raise money for in 2010).
