Money Can’t Buy Love But Maybe It Buys A US House Seat

David Richter (from Facebook)

Republicans gathered in Atlantic City over the weekend for their 2019 Statewide Leadership Summit. I didn’t go, I generally don’t go to these type events. Honestly, I considered it after several people asked me to, but my brother had surgery Friday and family comes first.

Everyone I spoke with who attended said it was a good event, so kudos to Chairman Doug Steinhardt and his team on a good event.

One thing happened at the event that seems to have a lot of folks talking. David Wildstein at the New Jersey Globe broke the news that Millionaire David Richter is considering a self-funded run for Congress in CD2 against Congressman Jeff Van Drew.

And, based on his Facebook page, it appears Mr. Richter really is considering a run:

Always the pessimistic anti-establishment guy my first thought on hearing the news Richter is considering a run for Congress was, “Here we go again,” establishment Republicans are falling in love with a candidate because he has a lot of money, no vetting, no nothing, just money.

Don’t get me wrong, Richter might be a nice guy, he might even be a good candidate, but he’s never lived in CD2. He lives in Princeton, his Facebook page says he’s from Cherry Hill and the New Jersey Globe piece says he grew up in Burlington County. So, what does he know about CD2?

All things being equal, I’d rather have Hirsh Singh. Singh may not have the kind of money folks thought he had, but at least he’s from the district, knows the district and has a little bit of name ID.

Then there’s Seth Grossman, another guy from the district who knows the district and held the race against Van Drew closer than most expected. While Grossman lacks a big bank account, he still has some organizational strength and name ID.

Brian Fitzherbert didn’t take his ball and go home after taking a shot at Congress last year. Quite the opposite, he’s built an active Young Republican organization, he’s well-liked, smart and folks know his name. There are folks who want to see him run.

I don’t know if Singh, Grossman or Fitzherbert want to run, but their names have been talked about throughout the district.

There is a real estate guy, John Andrie, who wants to run. He’s been making phone calls, but I don’t know much about him. Does he have money? One source says he has a little, another says he doesn’t. So, who knows?

So, back to Richter. Why does a guy with a sizeable bankroll who lives in CD12 want to run in CD2? Is he afraid to take a shot against U.S. Representative Bonnie Watson Coleman? Personally, I would like to see someone with lots of money challenge her. If nothing else, her money would have to stay in her district.

Unfortunately, what I would like to see doesn’t matter, it rarely does. What I do know is that if Mr. Richter is serious about running in CD2 he has a lot of convincing to do and it’s going to take more than, “I have a lot of money in the bank” to convince me.

So, Mr. Richter, consider this an invitation to call-in to the Bob & Steve Show and introduce yourself to the voters of CD2. We have 50,000 listeners and 30,000 something monthly readers who would love to hear from you.

Until then, in the words of the Beatles:

“Tell me that you want the kind of thing that money just can't buy
I don't care too much for money, money can't buy me love

Can't buy me love, love
Can't buy me love”

But maybe, it can buy a US House seat.

NJGOP Chairman: Democrats In Trenton Have Been Driving Resident Satisfaction Drop For Years

By now you’ve all seen the news that New Jersey’s quality of life index is at an all time low according to a poll conducted by Monmouth University. NJGOP Chairman Doug Steinhardt places the blame on the Democrat controlled state legislature. His statement follows:

Trenton, NJ -  Yesterday Monmouth University released polling data that New Jersey's quality of life index was at a record low. 

In the release, pollster Patrick Murray noted "New Jerseyans seem to separate their views of the state as a whole from how they feel about their own neighborhoods."

NJGOP Chairman Doug Steinhardt released the following statement in response to the poll results:

"This poll is about more than just people's dissatisfaction with their property taxes. These results are a reflection of the nearly twenty years that Democrats have been in control of the legislature and the culture they have created here. They are sucking the power - and life - out of New Jersey's communities on and through everything from high density housing, to education, immigration, and over-regulation, and drowning them under the weight of Trenton’s uncontrolled spending. 

"Governor Murphy's unabashed, liberal policies are waking up New Jersey’s 9 million, weary residents. Enough is enough. The NJGOP has honest solutions to the State’s myriad problems. Don’t let bad government chase us out of our homes. Let’s chase bad government out of Trenton, instead."

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New Jersey Jumps On The Ultra Left-Wing Sue President Trump Bandwagon

New Jersey has joined other states, all with Democratic attorneys general, in suing President Donald Trump over the border wall. Obviously, not one of these attorneys general give a damn about what folks, some of whom are my friends, living along the border go through on a daily basis.

They claim there is no emergency along the border with Mexico. According to NJ.com, New Jersey Attorney General Gurbir Grewal went so far as to say:

“As the chief law enforcement officer for New Jersey, I have a duty to stand up for New Jersey’s residents – including our immigrant community – and so I’m joining states across the country in challenging this emergency declaration in court,” Grewal said in a statement provided to NJ Advance Media on Monday.

I agree, the New Jersey Attorney General does have “a duty to stand up for New Jersey’s residents.” I’m a New Jersey resident, born and raised here. I also lived for several years in a border state and have many friends living along the border with Mexico and those friends will tell you there is a crisis where they live.

My first question is simple, does Mr. Grewal believe he is standing up for me? As a New Jersey resident I have to say, no he’s not standing up for me.

An obvious question is how would New Jersey’s Attorney General know whether or not there is an emergency along the nation’s southern border? Does he have knowledge of the situation? Has he ever spent any time in a border state? Has he talked with one person who has had a negative experience with anyone crossing the border illegally?

I know for a fact he hasn’t spoken with any of my friends back in New Mexico. If the state’s Attorney General had spoken to any of them he would have heard stories of homes being broken into, property stolen and/or damaged, threats on peoples’ lives and worse. My suspicion is Mr. Grewal doesn’t want to speak to any of these folks because their stories don’t match the narrative he wants to push.

The thing is, Mr. Grewal doesn’t have to speak with any of these folks. He could read a message from a border resident right here on this website and learn what folks are dealing with. He could listen to episodes 28, 29 and 30 of The Bob & Steve Show and hear the stories of border residents.

Simply put, I don’t believe Attorney General Grewal wants to hear their stories. I don’t think he cares, not when he sends out Tweets like this:

Notice the quotation marks around the word emergency? It’s an obvious attempt at implying the emergency is made up, yet I personally know people who will tell you it’s not made up. And, talking about undermining public safety in New Jersey is a joke considering the sanctuary status of New Jersey undermines public safety. To me, statements like that make Mr. Grewal a hypocrite.

And, what about this Tweet by our Attorney General:

Seriously? “On Friday, the President ignored the rule of law and manufactured a crisis - all in the service of his ideological agenda. Today, we're fighting back.” He had the nerve to write that, but doesn’t see Governor Phil Murphy making New Jersey a sanctuary state as ignoring the rule of law all to service his ideological agenda! It’s just another example of hypocrisy from the Attorney General.

Ignored the rule of law? I am not a lawyer, but I have to ask, isn’t that exactly what sanctuary cities and states do? Ignore the rule of law by not cooperating with federal law enforcement?

I get it, we’re The Bob & Steve Show and our views lean unapologetically to the right, but no matter how you look at it the State of New Jersey joining this lawsuit is nothing more than far left-wing political grandstanding. And, to my friends back in New Mexico, I apologize for my home state not believing you and sincerely hope that none of you ever again have Border Patrol agents ever find 12 men in the country illegally with backpacks loaded with drugs and carrying AK47s in a building on your property.