Aren’t We Supposed To #BelieveWomen? Apparently, Phil Murphy Doesn’t, Not When It Comes To Nick Sacco

Nick Sacco

Elections in New Jersey are tough, no one denies that. In Hudson County the race for mayor of North Bergen between Larry Wainstein and Mayor/state Senator Nick Sacco is especially tough, and for those of us who like watching slug fests this is the one to watch. As a Republican, this one is especially fun because they’re both Democrats. The Hudson Reporter did a good job capturing some of the fun back in March.

One particular part of the Hudson Reporter piece caught my attention:

At the March 11 rally, Gov. Phil Murphy was one of many high-ranking officials to turn out and sing Sacco’s praises.

“I talk about a stronger and fairer New Jersey all the time, and if you want to see an embodiment of strong and fair, look at the leadership we have on stage tonight,” Murphy said. “I know the mayor as a friend, supporter, and confidante when times are tough. I know him as one of the most senior, distinguished, and respected state senators in Trenton, and most importantly I know him as Mayor Nick Sacco of the great North Bergen.”

The reason that jumped out at me is reading about what a great guy Governor Phil Murphy thinks Nick Sacco is reminded me there was once some sort of issue with a woman and Sacco. I didn’t remember exactly what that issue was until last week when Wainstein came with an online ad that includes alleged “actual voicemail recordings of Nicholas Sacco.” They were recordings allegedly left on Lydia Coleman’s phone by Sacco.

To be fair, Sacco, through a spokesman, claimed the recordings were “doctored.” From a Star-Ledger article.

Paul Swibinski, a spokesman for Sacco (D-Hudson), said the recordings appear "doctored," and that there were other issues, including financial difficulties, that called into question Coleman's credibility.

The spokesman did his job making the claim the recordings were doctored, but then launching into an attack on Coleman was classless.

Now, to continue with being fair, in an Observer article an expert concluded the recordings were authentic. From the Observer article:

Attorney Mario Blanch said he received a letter from Professional Audio Laboratories of Park Ridge, Inc. President Paul Ginsberg.

“After some experimentation to optimize intelligibility, I produced an enhanced copy, and proceeded to do a preliminary examination,” said Ginsberg, referring to a copy of the tapes he received from the Star-Ledger.

“My conclusion was that the recordings were authentic, but with the caveat that in order to make a definitive finding I would need to examine the original recording or have access to the voicemails.”

I’m going to have to believe the expert because the Lydia Coleman incident is not the only sexist incident involving Sacco and a woman.

In 2010 North Bergen paid April Tricoli-Busset $90,000 because she sued over sexist remarks. According to the Jersey Journal:

In the suit, she said she endured a series of sexist taunts, including an occasion in June 2006 when Mayor Nicholas Sacco, chatting at the North Bergen Flag Day Parade with township commissioners, asked, "Don't you think we should have a big boobs page on the website?"

The thing is I don’t remember any outrage at Sacco during or after either of these incidents. It’s almost as if Trenton Democrats thought it was okay for Sacco to allegedly make sexist remarks and allegedly leave threatening messages.

Two incidents involving two different women makes a pattern. Sacco has a track record of mistreating women. Yet, Phil Murphy still felt it was important to stand with Sacco.

Someone needs to ask Murphy if with Sacco’s record he still believes Sacco is “a friend, supporter, and confidante when times are tough.” And, if Murphy still believes that then he needs to explain if he still knows Sacco “as one of the most senior, distinguished, and respected state senators in Trenton.”

One may argue these incidents involving women and Nick Sacco are old, but don’t forget allegations against Brett Kavanaugh were even older and Phil Murphy made his opinion on that known when he said Kavanaugh "ought to just pack up and leave town."

Now that new light has been shed on Nick Sacco’s treatment of women Phil Murphy should be calling on him to just pack up and leave town. He did it for Kavanaugh and Sacco should be no different.

PRESS RELEASE: NJGOP Chairman Steinhardt and Assemblyman Ryan Peters Release Rain Tax Video

NJGOP Chairman Steinhardt and Assemblyman Ryan Peters released a video today regarding the “Rain Tax.” Their joint press release follows:

Trenton, NJ - NJGOP Chairman Steinhardt and Assemblyman Ryan Peters released a video today urging the people of New Jersey to fight back on the "Rain Tax".

Chairman Steinhardt and Assemblyman Peters have been vocal opponents of Governor Murphy's latest tax scheme, and are highlighting an avenue for people to take action. Chairman Steinhardt is circulating an online petition allowing for voters to urge their Mayor to reject the rain tax and Assemblyman Peters is providing local Governments with the framework of a resolution to ban the tax.

Please find the video here.

Full transcript of the video is below:

Chairman Steinhardt: Hi, I'm NJGOP Chairman Doug Steinhardt and I'm here today with one of New Jersey's best and brightest, South Jersey Assemblyman Mr. Ryan Peters.

Assemblyman Peters: We appreciate you tuning in because we have something very important to bring to your attention. A few weeks ago Governor Phil Murphy, signed into law his newest scheme: the rain tax.  

This new law is nothing more than another Trenton money grab saddling NJ’s already overburdened families and businesses with another unaffordable and unnecessary obligation. The Rain Tax is a cleverly disguised new assessment on patios, parking lots, driveways and roofs. Homes and businesses, and even Churches, charities and non-profits are all susceptible to this new property tax.

Chairman Steinhardt: Many towns and cities around the state may face real stormwater problems, but residents should know that the Rain Tax is not a serious solution. The language of this law describing how much people and businesses will pay and how the taxes generated will be used is vague and ambiguous and, as usual, Trenton bureaucrats skim off 5% for its use, not yours. 

We must work within our means to solve our communities’ problems, but the cost of raising a family or owning a successful business in New Jersey is at a breaking point, and another manipulative revenue stream to pad government budgets instead of promote discipline is not the answer.

Assemblyman Peters: The good news is our local governments have a check and balance on Trenton's latest tax scheme. Your town or city's Mayor and local council members can reject the rain tax.

We are helping to start a movement to urge local governments to pass resolutions pledging to reject the rain tax. We've sparked a fire and now  the NJGOP and Chairman Steinhardt want to do their part to pour fuel on the flames and bring this to everyone's attention. 

Chairman Steinhardt: In the comment section, you'll see a post from the NJGOP with a link to a petition where you can urge your local elected officials to pledge to end the insanity and ban the rain tax.

We're drowning in taxes already. Please join us and help to cut off the steady stream of government mandates coming from Trenton and Governor Murphy. Sign the petition and tell your local government to ban the rain tax.

I'm NJGOP Chairman Doug Steinhardt with South Jersey Assemblyman Ryan Peters and we thank you for watching.

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Bonnie Watson Coleman Tells Half The Story About Border Security

Bonnie Watson Coleman

Over the weekend Congresswoman Bonnie Watson Coleman, the same U.S. Representative who sponsored a bill to provide free tampons in public restrooms penned an editorial titled “I saw what Trump’s policies created at the border, congresswoman says. There’s fear, misery and the sound of babies crying.”

Frankly, her editorial was filled with the same left-wing garbage talking points we are all accustomed to reading. She must think we’re stupid.

Watson Coleman obviously did not visit any of the areas of the border that guests on The Bob & Steve Show talked about for three weeks in a row on our radio show. In fact, she visited some of the most secure areas along the border. According to NJ.com:

The group visited processing centers, ports of entry and Immigration and Customs Enforcement detention centers, and surveyed the state of operations for processing asylum seekers and migrant families.

I lived in New Mexico and I’ve been to ports of entry and those areas are secure. There is no arguing that. I’ve also seen places where there is no security, I have friends who live in areas where there is no security and Bob and I have interviewed folks who live in areas where there is no security and they live in fear every day. Does Bonnie Watson Coleman care about them? Obviously not. Did she visit any unsecured locations? Nope!

One would think a member of congress from New Jersey might visit members of the New Jersey National Guard who happen to be in Hidalgo County, NM (where there is no barrier). She didn’t.

How do I know there are members of the New Jersey National Guard in Hidalgo County, NM? Simple, while working on this post I decided to check in with some of the folks who have appeared on The Bob & Steve Show and one of the folks I chatted with met them. She did not meet, or see, any member of Congress from New Jersey.

If Watson Coleman had bothered to visit unsecured border areas she would have heard the stories listeners of The Bob & Steve Show have heard: burglaries, a kidnapping and 12 men with backpacks loaded with drugs and carrying AK47's.

If Bonnie Watson Coleman had bothered to travel just a little to the west she would have learned that the Board of County Commissioners of Hidalgo County passed a resolution that a State of Emergency be declared in that county by the Governor of New Mexico.

She also would have learned that last month Luna County, NM commissioners unanimously passed a resolution supporting the president's declaration of a national emergency along the U.S. southern border.

I spoke with a border resident we had on The Bob & Steve Show while writing this piece and she informed me that her grandson arrived home to find “five illegal border crossers at his house. He arrived home before they had a chance to break in.” Three were caught by authorities, but two got away.

It’s obvious Congresswoman Bonnie Watson Coleman does not care about the issues people face along the border every day. If she did she would seek the whole truth, rather than only things that match the talking points she’s armed with.