Who Will He Blame After This Vacation? He Can't Blame Christie This Time.

Governor Phil Murphy

Christmas is over, so it’s time to get back to work. Unfortunately, it turns out blogging about politics at this time of year is difficult, not much is happening.

Fortunately, Governor Phil Murphy is vacationing in Africa, it’s hard to find a tax to raise while he’s an ocean away and even harder to screw anything else up.

We do, however, remember what happened when he came home from his last vacation. The governor decided to blame former Governor Chris Christie for all the problems with New Jersey Transit. At the same time the management of his professional women’s soccer team was blaming Jersey shore rentals for the shoddy housing provided to the players on his soccer team.

Like his current vacation, the last one was scheduled. And, like the last one, this one is coincidentally well-timed. The last vacation enabled him to weather the storm of controversy surrounding his soccer team. This vacation comes at a time when he is faced with the Katie Brennan controversy.

The difference here is we seriously doubt the press is going to forget the Brennan story like they did the soccer team story. No amount of New Jersey Transit train delays is going to help him weather this storm. Even if we get slammed with a snow storm between now and January 2, when the guv returns, there is no way he’s getting a pass.

What we do wonder is who will Murphy blame for the lack of action he took in dealing with the Brennan situation. He can’t blame Christie for this one. Maybe, he’ll try to blame his staff, but he can’t. Remember, he did reply to Brennan’s email regarding a “sensitive matter” with “Hang in. We’re on it.” That response, at least to us, proves Murphy knew exactly what the “sensitive matter” was that she wrote him about.

We look forward to the governor’s return if for no other reason than to see who Murphy blames for his problems this time. And we will be watching!

2018 Naughty and Nice List

Merry Christmas to all! Our gift to our listeners and readers, the 2018 Bob & Steve Show Naughty and Nice List. View or download it below:

Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays! No matter how you celebrate it, no matter how you say it, The Bob & Steve Show wishes you all a wonderful Holiday Season and a very happy New Year. Consider our first ever Naughty and Nice List our gift to you. These days, it seems everyone has a list.

Does Phil Murphy Care More About Circus Animals Than Women Soccer Players?

Governor Phil Murphy

I love animals! My dog has seen more of the country than most people I know, my parrot has traveled just as much, the feral cats who make my yard their home and the raccoon and opossum who both hang out with the cats should all be enough to prove how much I love animals.

Apparently, Governor Phil Murphy shares my love of animals, so much so that he signed “Nosey’s Law” last week, banning the use of wild and exotic animals in “traveling animal acts.”

I’m not a big fan of the circus, so I really paid no attention to “Nosey’s Law” as it worked its way through the legislature.

What I do care about is Murphy’s statement following his signing of the law. One line in that statement jumped out at me. Murphy said, “I am proud to sign ‘Nosey’s Law’ and ensure that New Jersey will not allow wild and exotic animals to be exploited and cruelly treated within our state.”

Seriously? Based on the treatment of the women on the soccer team he owns, Murphy has less of a problem with the exploitation and cruel treatment of professional women soccer players.

One could argue many of the women on the soccer team Murphy co-owns have been “cruelly treated within our state.” Given that some were paid less than $15 per hour prior to the 2018 soccer season one could even argue some women were exploited within our state.

The cruel treatment of the women on Murphy’s soccer team is well documented by this blog and others. Whether forcing women to live in substandard housing, with “one of the houses that players had to live in just should have been knocked down. Plastic bags for windows, sheets of cardboard for windows, comforters stuck in holes in the wall.” And let’s not forget the “unluckiest, though, were forced to ‘live with an elderly man who repeatedly made inappropriate comments to the players and made them feel uncomfortable.’”

Less than three weeks ago it was reported that Cloud 9, the official supporters group of Murphy’s soccer team, is still protesting the treatment of the players. In fact, Cloud 9 said the team “hasn’t officially addressed the issue.”

It was on July 20 that Murphy was quoted by NJ.com:

"At the end of the day, the buck stops with me and my fellow owner," said Murphy, who co-owns the team with Steven Temares, the CEO of Bed, Bath & Beyond.

"We take this very seriously. It's not tolerable. It will not go on."

Well, here’s the thing. The buck may stop with him, but it doesn’t change the fact that according to his soccer team’s official supporters group the problems still haven’t been addressed. It’s obvious Murphy cares more about circus animal than he does women professional soccer players.

The only question left is how long will New Jerseyans allow Mr. Murphy to continue mistreating women?