By Art Gallagher
State Senator Joseph Vitale and Assemblyman Craig Coughlin, both Democrats from Middlesex County’s 19th legislative district, have distributed a “Dear Friends” letter on legislative stationery that is strongly critical of Governor Christie, Republican State Legislators and Congressman Leonard Lance, while praising Congressmen Frank Pallone and Albio Sires.
The 19th legislative district is comprised of parts of 6th, 13th and 7th congressional districts which are represented by Pallone, Sires and Lance respectively.
The letter, a copy of which can be downloaded here, is critical of Christie for vetoing the “Millionaires tax extension” and the GOP legislators for not voting to override Christie’s veto. The so called Millionaires tax enacted under Governor Corzine expired in December 2009. Christie’s veto was not of an extension, but of a new tax.
Vitale and Coughlin tell their “Dear Friends” that they are not getting there Homestead Property Tax Rebates because Christie vetoed the tax and that he took “$1200 out of the pockets of 500,000 middle class residents.”
They conclude their letter by sharing the “good news” that their friends who hit the Medicare “Donut Hole” will receive a $250 check thanks to Pallone’s and Sires’s votes in favor of ObamaCare. “Congressman Lance, on the other hand voted against mailing seniors and disabled the $250 Medicare ‘Donut Hole’ checks,” they said at the end of the “good news” paragraph.
The State Ethics Commission expressly prohibits the use of Official Stationary to promote a candidate for political office. That line has been crossed in this letter by the comments on Pallone, Sires and Lance, each of whom is currently running for reelection.
Additionally, the Ethics Commission prohibits using Official Stationary to express a personal opinion on a matter not related to one’s official duties. While this is more of a grey area, the letter is clearly opinion, as the facts are wrong on the Millionaires tax “extension” and there is no guarantee that had the previous Democratic legislature and Governor Corzine extended the tax, that the revenue from it would have funded rebates.
Vitale and Coughlin should be severely reprimanded for the political nature of this letter and compelled to reimburse the taxpayers for the cost of printing and postage.
]]>Written by Christopher Shalaby TUESDAY, 24 AUGUST 2010 17:10
On January 6th 2008, Frank Pallone, Jr. was officially sworn in for his 11th full term in the U.S. House of Representatives. Frank Pallone is obviously not for congressional term limits. Frank is a career political, and is now pursuing his 12th term in congress. Frank is also proud to announce he is currently celebrating his 111th congress approval rating of 16%. Also according to the latest Rasmussen Report, “Only 12% of voters believe most members of Congress are more interested in helping people than in helping their own careers; while 76% say most in Congress put their own careers first.”
Pallone is proud to announce he is working hard with lobbyist, and special interests instead of, “We the People” of the 6th Congressional District. Frank wouldn’t like the people of Middlesex, Bayshore, Monmouth, Plainfield, and Franklin to know he has spent over 56.3 million dollars in pork barrel ear mark projects from 2008-2010. During his anticipated lame duck session, he will add additional spending to that debt.
During Frank’s career in the once prosperous New Jersey, the opportunities for middle-class citizens has vanished. Pallone’s policies have driven the wealth and jobs from New Jersey to other neighboring states that are more business friendly. From 2004-2008, author John Havens found “a large decline in the number of wealthy households entering New Jersey” as well as “a moderate increase in the outflow of wealthy households leaving.” The result: a net decline of $70 billion in household wealth for the state of New Jersey.
In the 111th Congress, Pallone is a senior member of the House Energy and Commerce Committee which is responsible for a list of extremely unpopular, and small business crushing legislation. Frank Pallone supports mandating every American to buy Government Health care insurance. The socialistic takeover of medicine will force all Americans to pay for health insurance or be subject to violations, penalties and fines.Pallone supports the Health Care bill even though support for repealing the bill is at its highest level. Many voters know Socialism programs are not helpful in a Free Market Economy. The latest Rasmussen Reports survey of Likely Voters shows that 60% want the Healthcare bill repealed. The mandatory health insurance bill will cost tax payers “$940 billion over 10 years,” according to the Congressional Budget Office.
