President Trump’s border czar, Tom Homan, having been alerted to New Jersey Democrat governor Phil Murphy admitting he had an immigrant who lacked full documentation residing in his home and daring the federal government to “try and get her,” indicated he would seek to prosecute Murphy if he was knowingly harboring an illegal immigrant.
Speaking at a public event with “Blue Wave New Jersey,” Murphy bragged that New Jersey was “the lead state in challenging birthright citizenship.” Later, he said defiantly, “There is someone in our broader universe whose immigration status is not yet at the point that they are trying to get it to and we said, &#8216;You know what? Let’s have her live at our house above our garage&#8217; and good luck to the feds coming in to try to get her.”
“Let me read a headline to you: ‘Chicago leaders encourage residents to exercise their rights in resisting Trump’s deportation policies.’ The governor of New Jersey, Phil Murphy, basically admitted he knew somebody that didn’t have full documentation that he was hiding over his garage. Your comment on all of that?” Fox news host Sean Hannity asked Homan.
“I think the governor is pretty foolish &#8230; I got note of it. Won’t let it go. We’ll look into it. And if he’s knowingly, knowingly  harboring, concealing an illegal alien, that’s a violation of Title VIII, United States Code 1324. I would seek prosecution or the Secretary would seek prosecution,” Homan answered.
“So maybe he’s bluffing; maybe he’s not; we’ll deal with that,” he continued., then turned to sanctuary cities. “And as far as suing sanctuary cities, well, get in line, because the Trump administration’s going to do that already. Sanctuary cities are sanctuaries for criminals. With one example, sanctuary cities in New York City. If they would have gave (sic) us over the killer of Laken Riley when he got arrested in New York City for endangering a child, he would have been in jail and he would never have killed Laken Riley. Sanctuary cities are responsible for deaths of thousands, thousands of young children throughout my career. And we’re going to sue ‘em. &#8230; Look, we’ve got the Supreme Court; that’s what President Trump wanted to do. He will end sanctuary cities.”
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JUST IN: Border Czar Tom Homan says he plans on going after NJ Governor Phil Murphy who taunted the Trump admin when he revealed that he was housing an illegal immigrant.
Murphy: We are housing an illegal above our garage. Good luck to the Feds who will try to get her.
Homan:… <a href="https://t.co/a9JmGp5Nmo">pic.twitter.com/a9JmGp5Nmo</a>
&mdash; Collin Rugg (@CollinRugg) <a href="https://twitter.com/CollinRugg/status/1886607902183456967?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 4, 2025</a></blockquote>
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Related: <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/leftist-governor-murphy-says-hes-hosting-immigrant-taunts-feds-try-to-get-her">Leftist Governor Murphy Says He’s Hosting Immigrant, Taunts Feds: ‘Try To Get Her’</a>

Tom Homan at roundtable

Border Czar Homan: I’ll Prosecute NJ Governor If He’s Concealing An Illegal Alien

Illegal Immigration

Phil Murphy

Tom Homan

Leftist <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/new-jersey">New Jersey</a> Democrat Governor Phil Murphy brazenly boasted that he and his wife were housing an immigrant, then taunted the Trump administration by challenging them to “try to get her.”
Speaking at a public event with “Blue Wave New Jersey,” Murphy bragged that New Jersey was “the lead state in challenging birthright citizenship.” Later, he said defiantly, “There is someone in our broader universe whose immigration status is not yet at the point that they are trying to get it to and we said, &#8216;You know what? Let’s have her live at our house above our garage&#8217; and good luck to the feds coming in to try to get her.”
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On his first day in office, President Trump issued an executive order ending birthright citizenship. “The federal government will not recognize automatic birthright citizenship for children of illegal aliens born in the United States. We are also going to enhance vetting and screening of illegal aliens,” a Trump official <a href="https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2025/01/20/trump-executive-order-birthright-citizenship-14th-amendment/77839105007/">stated</a>.
New Jersey Attorney General Matthew Platkin declared Trump’s order “an assault on the rule of law.”
In 2017, when he was running for governor, Murphy participated in a town hall hosted by the Eagleton Institute of Politics. The moderator asked Murphy about “that horrible day when four college kids in Newark were shot in the schoolyard execution-style. One of the people convicted of that murder, Jose Carranza, was an undocumented immigrant from Peru. It turned out he had been arrested the year before for child rape and released on bail.&#8221;
The moderator pointed out that the attorney general at the time suggested that if someone was arrested for a felony or drunk driving the police were supposed to notify the federal government immigration authorities.
“In many sanctuary cities they won’t notify them until there is a conviction and drunk driving is or is not included,” the moderator noted. “I wonder what you think about the current state of the law?”
“I think, the context, for me, Tom, would be the field is so tilted against Dreamers, against newly-arrived immigrant brothers and sisters, my bias is gonna be havin’ their back, because there’s always gonna be an example in any population of somebody who does somethin’ awful. &#8230; We gotta be careful not to extrapolate that and then throw a similar blanket over an entire group of folks,” Murphy answered. “I feel like the field has been so tilted against these folks. I wanna be the guy they feel that they can rely on.”
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Governor Phil Murphy Delivers 2023 State Of The State Address

Leftist Governor Murphy Says He’s Hosting Immigrant, Taunts Feds: ‘Try To Get Her’

Donald Trump

Two Congressional New Jersey Democrats who are vying to succeed Democrat Governor Phil Murphy <a href="https://www.foxnews.com/politics/laken-riley-act-roils-nj-governors-race-2-dems-skip-roll-the-more-someone-campaigns-less-vote?intcmp=tw_fnc" target="_blank" rel="noopener">did not vote</a> on the Laken Riley Act that passed this week in the House.
Reps. Mikie Sherrill of Essex and Josh Gottheimer of Bergen County were recorded as &#8220;not voting&#8221; on the bill, which would require illegal immigrants convicted of theft to be detained by municipal and state authorities.
“We’ve been very focused on border security; the Laken Riley Act makes it clear, if you’re committing crimes in America against people, it’s not going to be tolerated,” House Majority Leader Steve Scalise (R-LA) stated.
Every Republican voted for the bill; only 438 Democrats did the same.
“This is Cowardly &#8211; @MikieSherrill + @Josh4Jersey are the same again. If you don’t have the courage to vote for a bill then what does that say about your courage to lead as Governor. What does it say about your willingness to stand up to political bosses and charge NJ? If you can’t vote what does it say about your willingness to demonstrate any core convictions… it’s cowardly,” Jersey City mayor Steven Fulop, another Democrat running for governor, charged.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
This is Cowardly &#8211; <a href="https://twitter.com/MikieSherrill?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@MikieSherrill</a> + <a href="https://twitter.com/Josh4Jersey?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Josh4Jersey</a> are the same again. If you don’t have the courage to vote for a bill then what does that say about your courage to lead as Governor. What does it say about your willingness to stand up to political bosses and charge NJ? If you… <a href="https://t.co/T7JRbUveMt">https://t.co/T7JRbUveMt</a>
&mdash; Steven Fulop (@StevenFulop) <a href="https://twitter.com/StevenFulop/status/1876987633282252852?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 8, 2025</a></blockquote>
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“We lose elections when we don’t have any core convictions… when we can’t explain why we have a view and why we believe in it. Hiding is not an answer that wins elections,” he added.
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
We lose elections when we don’t have any core convictions… when we can’t explain why we have a view and why we believe in it. Hiding is not an answer that wins elections <a href="https://t.co/q1ft9KRorH">pic.twitter.com/q1ft9KRorH</a>
&mdash; Steven Fulop (@StevenFulop) <a href="https://twitter.com/StevenFulop/status/1876987644502048919?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 8, 2025</a></blockquote>
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Former Republican Assemblyman Jack Ciattarelli, who narrowly lost a gubernatorial election to Murphy in 2021, chimed in, &#8220;Shame on [Josh and Mikie] for gutlessly ducking a vote on the Laken Riley Act today.”
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Shame on <a href="https://twitter.com/Josh4Jersey?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Josh4Jersey</a> &amp; <a href="https://twitter.com/MikieSherrill?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@MikieSherrill</a> for gutlessly ducking a vote on the Laken Riley Act today. This brave young woman fought till her last breath against a murderous illegal immigrant, but Josh/Mikie didn&#39;t have the courage to stand up to their extreme far left base.
&mdash; Jack Ciattarelli (@Jack4NJ) <a href="https://twitter.com/Jack4NJ/status/1876740037150158902?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 7, 2025</a></blockquote>
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GOP State Senator Jon Brannick, who has announced his gubernatorial campaign, echoed, &#8220;I think you have to have campaign activities come secondary to your responsibility. &#8230; The key question is &#8212; if you’re going to run &#8212; campaign activities must be secondary to your voting.”
On February 24, 2024, Georgia nursing student Laken Riley was murdered while she was jogging near the University of Georgia. Her murderer, José Antonio Ibarra, 26, “was arrested in 2022 after entering the US illegally and was ‘paroled and released for further processing,’ according to a statement from ICE,” CNN <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2024/02/25/us/uga-augusta-university-student-killing-monday/index.html/%5d" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reported</a> on February 26, 2024. “He was also arrested last September by New York City police and charged with ‘acting in a manner to injure a child less than 17 and a motor vehicle license violation,’ but police released him ‘before a detainer could be issued,’ ICE said.”

US-VOTE-POLITICS-TRUMP

‘It’s Cowardly’: 2 Dem NJ Gubernatorial Candidates Ripped For Not Voting On Laken Riley Act

Laken Riley

New Jersey

Politics

Authorities are taking sightings of &#8220;very sophisticated&#8221; unidentified flying objects (UFOs) that have unnerved residents in New Jersey &#8220;deadly seriously,&#8221; Governor Phil Murphy said on Monday.
Nighttime sightings that have <a href="https://www.nbcnewyork.com/news/local/new-jersey-drone-mystery-staten-island/6048971/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reportedly</a> gone on for weeks have prompted investigations, FAA flight restrictions, and 21 mayors <a href="https://www.cbsnews.com/newyork/news/drones-over-morris-county-new-jersey/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">demanding</a> further transparency from Murphy on what is happening.
&#8220;I don&#8217;t blame people for being frustrated,&#8221; Murphy <a href="https://www.foxnews.com/us/new-jersey-gov-phil-murphy-calls-federal-help-amid-very-sophisticated-drone-sightings-we-need-more?intcmp=tw_fnc" target="_blank" rel="noopener">told</a> reporters, adding that officials from &#8220;all levels of government&#8221; including the FBI and Homeland Security Department are looking into the matter.
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NEW: Governor Phil Murphy has spoken with White House officials about the ‘very sophisticated’ drones over New Jersey.
“The minute you get eyes on them, they go dark… This is something we’re taking deadly seriously.” <a href="https://t.co/aS12aM693P">pic.twitter.com/aS12aM693P</a>
— UAP James (@UAPJames) <a href="https://twitter.com/UAPJames/status/1866219449386156330?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 9, 2024</a></blockquote>
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Last week, the FBI released a <a href="https://www.fbi.gov/contact-us/field-offices/newark/news/fbi-newark-seeks-information-on-drone-sightings" target="_blank" rel="noopener">statement</a> stating that it was seeking any information from the public on &#8220;the cluster of what look to be drones and a possible fixed wing aircraft&#8221; along the Raritan River.
Murphy, a Democrat, emphasized that officials do not see anything that would warrant public safety concerns.
&#8220;Having said that, it&#8217;s really frustrating that we don&#8217;t have more answers as to where they&#8217;re coming from and why they&#8217;re doing what they&#8217;re doing,&#8221; he added.
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The governor said there were 49 sightings on Sunday night, but noted he believed the figure to be inflated with a fixed-wing plane mistaken for a drone and multiple people reporting the same object.
&#8220;So we think these are overstated, but it&#8217;s a non-zero number,&#8221; Murphy said.
Murphy said he was involved in discussions with the White House and Homeland Security leaders &#8220;pretty much all day&#8221; on Sunday.
&#8220;I&#8217;m hoping that we&#8217;ll get answers sooner than later,&#8221; he said. &#8220;I would just ask folks to continue to let the FBI or their local law enforcement know when they see something.&#8221;
What people are seeing are &#8220;apparently very, as I understand it, very sophisticated. The minute you get eyes on them, they go dark,&#8221; Murphy said.
&#8220;We&#8217;re obviously most concerned about sensitive targets, and sensitive critical infrastructure,&#8221; he said. &#8220;So we&#8217;ve got military assets, we&#8217;ve got utility assets, we&#8217;ve got the president-elect — one of his homes here.&#8221;
Murphy was alluding to President-elect Donald Trump&#8217;s golf club in Bedminster, where <a href="https://www.inquirer.com/news/new-jersey/drones-new-jersey-trump-bedminster-golf-course-fbi-20241206.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">&#8220;car-sized&#8221; drones</a> have reportedly been seen nearby.
&#8220;This is something we&#8217;re taking deadly seriously,&#8221; Murphy said. &#8220;We&#8217;ve gotten good cooperation out of the feds, but we need more, and that was my plea.&#8221;
Murphy pledged to be transparent once he knows more.
&#8220;The minute we know something, I&#8217;m not going to hide it under a bush,&#8221; he said.
Murphy said he was not aware of any &#8220;nefarious drone&#8221; crashing, adding, &#8220;If there is one that&#8217;s crashed, could someone please call me and let me know where that is?&#8221;
The governor did acknowledge &#8220;rumored downings,&#8221; noting that one turned out to be a toy and another was not found.
&#8220;Having our hands on equipment that&#8217;s on the ground would be helpful, no question about it,&#8221; Murphy said.

New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy

Authorities Taking Mysterious UFO Sightings In New Jersey ‘Deadly Seriously,’ Governor Says

Drones

U.S.

New Jersey Democratic Governor <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/phil-murphy" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Phil Murphy</a> is expected to select his former chief of staff to replace outgoing Sen. <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/bob-menendez" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Bob Menendez,</a> who announced he would be stepping down after his conviction on corruption charges. 
Murphy will pick George Helmy, who worked as the governor’s chief of staff for four years, to replace Menendez, <a href="https://www.northjersey.com/story/news/new-jersey/2024/08/15/george-helmy-senate-bob-menendez-replacement/74805873007/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">according</a> to multiple reports. Helmy left Murphy’s team in October 2023 and became the chief external affairs and policy officer for RWJBarnabas Health.  
Helmy received high praise from Murphy, who <a href="https://www.wsj.com/politics/new-jersey-governor-set-to-tap-former-aide-for-bob-menendezs-senate-seat-5fdc70b2" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reportedly</a> picked him over Rep. Andy Kim (D-NJ), who won the Democratic primary for Menendez’s seat and is running to replace him in November&#8217;s election. Helmy would finish up Menendez’s term which ends in January. 
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&#8220;Simply put, you cannot write the history of our administration without recognizing George&#8217;s singular role in leading our team for over four and a half years,&#8221; Murphy <a href="https://www.northjersey.com/story/news/new-jersey/2024/08/15/george-helmy-senate-bob-menendez-replacement/74805873007/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a> after Helmy left his office.
The Republican nominee for Senate, Curtis Bashaw, <a href="https://www.insidernj.com/press-release/statement-of-curtis-bashaw-on-helmy-appointment/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">praised</a> the selection of Helmy.
“Governor Murphy did the right thing in appointing a temporary caretaker to this seat and letting New Jersey voters make the ultimate decision on who will best represent them in the United States Senate come November,” he said. “On Election Day, I’m confident New Jerseyans will vote to make a change from the Democratic monopoly that has brought them decades of corruption, higher taxes, and chaos at the border.”
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Menendez <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/convicted-senator-bob-menendez-will-resign-effective-august-20-reports" target="_blank" rel="noopener">announced</a> that he would leave the Senate by August 20 after he was convicted on 16 counts, including bribery, extortion, wire fraud, obstruction of justice, and acting as a foreign agent. He will be sentenced on October 29 and faces up to 222 years in prison. 
Prosecutors said that Menendez used his clout to help a friend secure a multi-million dollar investment deal from the Qatari government, in part by taking actions as a senator that benefited Qatar. They also said that Menendez was bribed with hundreds of thousands of dollars in cash, gold bars, and a Mercedes-Benz. 
The New Jersey Democrat was the chair of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee when federal investigators say the bribery scheme took place. 
Menendez believes that he will be able to reverse his convictions on appeal. 
“Obviously, I’m deeply, deeply disappointed by the jury’s decision. I have every faith that the law and the facts did not sustain that decision and that we will be successful upon appeal,” he said after the conviction.

New Jersey Dem Governor Expected To Pick Former Chief Of Staff To Replace Disgraced Menendez

2024 Election

Bob Menendez

Scandals

Rep. <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/house-democrat-remains-hospitalized-more-than-a-week-after-cardiac-episode" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Donald Payne Jr.</a> (D-NJ), a Newark mainstay who served in the seat once held by his father, has died at the age of 65, Governor Phil Murphy and Payne&#8217;s office announced on Wednesday.
&#8220;Tammy and I are deeply saddened by the tragic passing of our friend, and a steadfast champion for the people of New Jersey, Congressman Donald Payne, Jr.,&#8221; Murphy <a href="https://nj.gov/governor/news/news/562024/approved/20240424a.shtml" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a> in a statement revealing the lawmaker&#8217;s death.
It was previously known that the six-term congressman had been experiencing health problems and was <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/house-democrat-remains-hospitalized-more-than-a-week-after-cardiac-episode" target="_blank" rel="noopener">hospitalized</a> earlier this month. Payne&#8217;s office said in a <a href="https://twitter.com/AndrewSolender/status/1783199331211751695" target="_blank" rel="noopener">statement</a> following Murphy&#8217;s announcement on Wednesday that Payne had &#8220;experienced a physical accident at home on April 6, 2024, which necessitated hospitalization.&#8221;
As Payne received treatment &#8220;for this health issue, he faced medical complications due to diabetes and high blood pressure that led to subsequent cardiorespiratory arrest. Despite the dedicated efforts of the medical staff to treat him and improve his health, they were unable to prevent his passing unfortunately,&#8221; the statement added.
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Rep. Donald Payne Jr.&#39;s office confirms his death:
&#8211; Says he &quot;experienced a physical accident at home&quot; on April 6 and was hospitalized &#8211; During treatment, he experienced complications from diabetes/high blood pressure that &quot;led to subsequent cardiorespiratory arrest.&quot; <a href="https://t.co/TDhsIc1Zbv">pic.twitter.com/TDhsIc1Zbv</a>
&mdash; Andrew Solender (@AndrewSolender) <a href="https://twitter.com/AndrewSolender/status/1783199331211751695?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 24, 2024</a></blockquote>
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&#8220;With his signature bowtie, big heart, and tenacious spirit,&#8221; as Murphy put it, Payne spent years of his life in public service working as a union worker, Newark City Council president, and member of the Essex County Board of Commissioners. Payne <a href="https://www.politico.com/blogs/on-congress/2012/11/donald-payne-jr-replacing-late-father-is-sworn-in-149729" target="_blank" rel="noopener">won</a> election in 2012 to take the House seat that had been held by his father, Donald Payne Sr., until he died of colon cancer at age 77 after <a href="https://whyy.org/articles/donald-payne-jr-son-of-late-congressman-wins-10th-district-seat/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">25 years in Congress</a>.
&#8220;It was my great honor to work side-by-side with Donald to build a stronger and fairer New Jersey, and we will hold his memory close to our hearts as we build upon the Payne family’s deep legacy of service in advocating for the communities they served so dearly,&#8221; Murphy said in his statement.
“Donald’s love will live on in the homes of his neighbors in Newark, who now have access to safe drinking water, and in the good-paying jobs he helped create for his brothers and sisters in labor,&#8221; he added. &#8220;And it will live on in his wife Beatrice, and their three children, Donald III, Jack, and Yvonne, who were the pride of his life. Our heartfelt prayers are with his family during this difficult time.&#8221;
Payne&#8217;s death comes as primary voting is underway in his state. The New Jersey Globe <a href="https://newjerseyglobe.com/congress/donald-payne-will-win-the-primary-posthumously-heres-how-democrats-will-pick-his-replacement/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reported</a> that Payne, whose name is on the ballot, will likely win unless a write-in campaign defeats him. County officials from his party can call a convention and pick a new nominee after the results are certified and a vacancy is declared.
In terms of House business, Payne&#8217;s absence could have an impact on close votes. The chamber is already narrowly divided, with Republicans holding a slim majority. It was not immediately clear whether there will be a special election to fill the vacancy for the remainder of the two-year term won by Payne in 2022.
Members of Congress reacted to the news of Payne&#8217;s death, including Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) and Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA).
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
Deeply saddened by the passing of Congressman Donald Payne Jr., a good friend, highly effective public servant and compassionate leader.
My prayers and support are with the Payne family and his loved ones during this difficult time.
May he forever Rest in Peace.
👑👑👑🙏🏾🙏🏾🙏🏾 <a href="https://t.co/QXWkJPhzGv">pic.twitter.com/QXWkJPhzGv</a>
&mdash; Hakeem Jeffries (@RepJeffries) <a href="https://twitter.com/RepJeffries/status/1783181847641329950?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 24, 2024</a></blockquote>
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&#8220;Deeply saddened by the passing of Congressman Donald Payne Jr., a good friend, highly effective public servant and compassionate leader,&#8221; Jeffries said on X. &#8220;My prayers and support are with the Payne family and his loved ones during this difficult time. May he forever Rest in Peace.&#8221;
&#8220;We are saddened to be informed of the passing today of Congressman Donald M. Payne, Jr., who had been serving New Jersey&#8217;s 10th Congressional District since 2012, and who succeeded his father in the same position,&#8221; Johnson <a href="https://twitter.com/SpeakerJohnson/status/1783181627578863723" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a> in a post to X. &#8220;Our prayers are offered today for his family and friends, and especially his wife, Bea, and their three children.&#8221;

Rep Donald Payne, Jr. (D-NJ)

New Jersey House Democrat Donald Payne Jr. Dies At 65

Congress

House Democrats

U.S. House of Representatives

Minors in <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/new-jersey" target="_blank" rel="noopener">New Jersey’s</a> biggest city now have the right to vote in certain elections.
The Newark City Council voted on Wednesday to grant voting rights to 16- and 17-year-olds for school board elections. The measure, sponsored by Council President LaMonica McIver, passed unanimously; she declared that minors had the right to representation.
“We support expanding our democracy and giving our young people the right to vote,” said McIver.
The <a href="https://newark.legistar.com/LegislationDetail.aspx?ID=6454487&amp;GUID=C98BC801-7B1E-40F6-AB82-F44D81A18B14">measure</a> declared that 16- and 17-year-olds deserve the right to vote because they may take on certain responsibilities like driving, paying taxes, and working, and civic activities such as political campaign contributions, volunteering in campaigns and at the polls, and attending political rallies.
Following prolonged and divided public remarks over the measure, Councilman Lawrence Crump remarked that minors today were capable of voting because they’re “much more mature, much more advanced” than he and his peers were in their youth.
“I don’t think we should punish children for what we as adults have failed to do, and I think if we don’t support [their right to vote] that’s what we’re doing, we’re punishing them from moving forward because of what we as adults and parents have not done,” said Crump.
Councilman Dupre Kelly said that granting certain voting rights to minors was critical to ensure a healthy democracy, and indicated that granting voting rights in school board elections was just the start.
“If you don’t utilize young people to help you build it, they will be the ones to tear it down,” said Kelly.
Councilwoman Louise Scott-Rountree said that it was Biblical to afford voting rights to minors.
“I think we downplay their wisdom because we think we elders know it all,” said Scott-Rountree.
Only one councilman, Carlos Gonzalez, expressed hesitation for the measure, warning that the next likely step would be policy allowing minors to run for election. Gonzalez also questioned whether the age limit was arbitrary, and if future arguments could be made for lowering the voting age even further.
“I don’t think they have the financial wisdom to handle that responsibility [of a billion-dollar budget],” said Gonzalez. “Where do we stop? I believe that we have to be concerned with the slippery slope of going from 18 to 16 to what?”
Councilman Patrick Council said that struggles with systemic racism and social justices had culminated in the measure. Council said that allowing minors to vote would help mitigate societal issues like gun violence.
Another major issue, the border crisis, was also brought up. Councilman Michael Silva expressed concern that illegal immigrant minors wouldn’t benefit from this new measure.
“My ward is going to be a reflection of a lot of wards the way the country is looking forward, and I think these 16 and 17-year-olds, even though they’re not American citizens, need to have their voices heard as well,” said Silva.
That same day, New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy <a href="https://nj.gov/governor/news/news/562024/approved/20240109b.shtml">applauded</a> the measure in his State of the State address. Murphy asked that the state legislature pass similar legislation this session to grant minors voting rights for all local school board elections.
“I know, to some, this proposal may sound unconventional. But voting is a lifelong habit. And studies show that, if a person votes in one election they are more likely to turn out in the next election,” said Murphy. “So, encouraging our young neighbors to engage with democracy, is really about encouraging them to become lifelong voters.”
Last week, Murphy signed a bill allowing 17-year-olds to vote in primary elections if they turned 18 by the time of the general election.
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Murphy credited the push for minor voting rights to two young activists: Anjali Krishnamurti, a freshman at Harvard University and former campaign volunteer for Murphy, and Yenjay Hu, a high school senior.
“Honestly, when I see young leaders like Anjali and Yenjay, I cannot help but think: is it any surprise that New Jersey has the best public education system in the country?” said Murphy.
Krishnamurti and Hu co-founded Vote16NJ, a state spinoff of a national campaign, Vote16USA, both of which advocate for lowering the national voting age to 16 in local elections.
Vote16USA is a <a href="https://www.influencewatch.org/non-profit/generation-citizen/%23:~:text=If%2520you%2520are%2520a%2520human,vote%2520in%2520certain%2520local%2520elections.">project</a> of Generation Citizen, a progressive New York-based nonprofit. Among its top funders are the Ford Foundation, Bezos Family Foundation, the Jennifer and Jonathan Allan Soros Foundation, and Rockefeller Brothers Fund.

New Jersey’s Biggest City Grants Voting Rights To Minors

Children

Elections

One of <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/new-jersey" target="_blank" rel="noopener">New Jersey’s</a> main teachers unions is calling for the end of the basic skills test for certifying teachers.
The New Jersey Education Association (NJEA) is advocating for the demise of the Praxis Core Academic Skills for Educators: Reading, Writing and Math. New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy’s signing of Bill S1553 would eliminate that requirement; NJEA called the test “an unnecessary barrier” hindering the alleviation of teacher shortages.
“When the New Jersey Department of Education (NJDOE) adopted changes to the administrative code around teacher certification, it missed an opportunity to eliminate this requirement, which created an unnecessary barrier to entering the profession,” stated NJEA.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
We need you to take action! Last year, NJ eliminated the edTPA, a barrier to becoming a certified teacher. Now it&#39;s time to eliminate another barrier: the basic skills test for teachers. Urge Gov. Murphy to sign S1553 right away. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/WEareNJEA?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#WEareNJEA</a> <a href="https://t.co/XH694Vq7Eq">https://t.co/XH694Vq7Eq</a>
&mdash; NJEA (@NJEA) <a href="https://twitter.com/NJEA/status/1722286123009949935?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 8, 2023</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Passing <a href="https://www.nj.gov/education/certification/testing/req/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">scores</a> for the basic skills test are 156 for reading, 150 for math, and 162 for writing. The maximum possible score is 200.
Certain educators don’t have to take the basic skills test: those who achieve an SAT, ACT, or GRE score in the top third percentile of the year they took it, as well as those who obtain a master’s or terminal degree with a 3.0 minimum GPA.
Nicki Neily, founder and president of Parents Defending Education, insisted that there were better options for overcoming the teacher shortage other than reducing entry standards.
“Teachers should be able to pass a basic skills test before they’re tasked with educating children in those core subjects,” said Neily.
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
You can eliminate some of the unnecessary red tape around becoming a teacher without eliminating a basic skills test.
Teachers should be able to pass a basic skills test before they’re tasked with educating children in those core subjects. <a href="https://t.co/pJjTltuoQl">https://t.co/pJjTltuoQl</a>
&mdash; Nicki Neily (@nickineily) <a href="https://twitter.com/nickineily/status/1724503212668109142?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 14, 2023</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
NJEA successfully advocated for the end of another teacher certification test last year, the educative Teacher Performance Assessment (edTPA). NJEA <a href="https://www.njea.org/njea-statement-on-ed-tpa-legislation/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">criticized</a> the edTPA as a costly, discriminatory, and unnecessary hindrance to overcoming the teacher shortage.
NJEA represents over 200,000 active and retired educators in the state.
Governor Murphy may comply with NJEA’s petition; he spoke at their conference last week, and praised them for their advocacy in other teacher shortage reduction efforts.
Murphy credited the NJEA for codifying over $20 million in funding for recruiting and training educators, stipends for student teachers, local partnerships expanding paraprofessional training, and over $4.1 million in teachers certification fees waived for about 18,000 educators this past year.
“These investments are crucial to solving our state shortage of educators, and none of them would have made their way into this year’s budget without the NJEA’s influence,” said Murphy.
Murphy also indicated that his administration would put Student Growth Objectives (<a href="https://www.nj.gov/education/AchieveNJ/teacher/objectives.shtml" target="_blank" rel="noopener">SGOs</a>) “on a diet,” which he concurred were “bureaucracy-like.” The SGOs are long-term academic goals for students set by teachers in collaboration with supervisors. The governor’s remarks elicited applause and cheers from the NJEA conference crowd: “No more SGOs!”
The governor called those critical of modern public educators “extremists” seeking to insert political ideology in schools, citing specifically those against LGBTQ+ ideology in classrooms.
“They want to dim the light of truth and instead shroud our schools in the darkness of fear and intimidation,” said Murphy. “Know that I have your backs unconditionally and always.”
<iframe loading="lazy" title="Governor Murphy Announces Preschool Expansion Funding at NJEA Convention on November 9, 2023." width="500" height="281" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Vg1k-EObFhY?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe>
NJEA’s annual convention made headlines for another reason last week: for another year in a row, the union held a drag queen story hour.
All schools close so that educators can attend the convention.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
This week dozens of schools in New Jersey closed as teachers attended the <a href="https://twitter.com/NJEA?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@NJEA</a> convention. What did teachers do at this conference while thousands of kids stayed home from school?
They were treated to drag shows, drag queen storytime, and “banned books” discussions featuring… <a href="https://t.co/07R6o6UdQe">pic.twitter.com/07R6o6UdQe</a>
&mdash; Libs of TikTok (@libsoftiktok) <a href="https://twitter.com/libsoftiktok/status/1723499531952947417?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 12, 2023</a></blockquote>
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Lockers

New Jersey Teachers Union Calls For End Of Basic Skills Test For Teachers

Education

Teachers Unions

The State of New Jersey sued three Monmouth County school districts over their new policies requiring school officials to inform parents if their child wishes to transition to another gender.
New Jersey’s Attorney General, Matthew Platkin, sued the Middletown, Marlboro, and Manalapan school districts on Thursday after they enacted transgender student policies surrounding parental notification and pronoun usage in school.
The Democrat’s <a href="https://www.nj.gov/oag/newsreleases23/2023-0622_NJ-v-Marlboro-Sup-Ct-Complaint.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">lawsuits</a> <a href="https://www.nj.gov/oag/newsreleases23/2023-0622_NJ-v-Middletown-Sup-Ct-Complaint.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">allege</a> that the school <a href="https://www.nj.gov/oag/newsreleases23/2023-0622_NJ-v-Manalapan-Sup-Ct-Complaint.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">districts</a> “unlawfully discriminate against students on the basis of gender identity and gender expression, in violation of the New Jersey Law Against Discrimination, and [the policies] will result in significant and irreversible harm to students if not enjoined.”
The lawsuit continues to characterize parents as threats to their own children by saying that parental disclosure will “irreparably harm transgender students.” He also claims “outing” students “poses serious mental health risks; threatens physical harm to students, including increased risk of suicide; and shirks the District’s duty to create a safe and supportive learning environment for all.”
All three districts approved the policies Tuesday, provoking Platkin to file “emergency” lawsuits within 24 hours. The districts all now require that school officials notify parents if their child changes gender identity or expression. 
Further, Manalapan determined that the “responsibility for determining a student’s gender identity rests with the student’s parents/guardians” for children in Pre-K through 5th grade, rather than with the student.
The local district rules conflict with the New Jersey Department of Education’s transgender policy, which <a href="https://www.nj.gov/education/safety/sandp/climate/docs/Guidance.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">mandates</a> that “school district[s] shall keep confidential a … student’s transgender status,” even from parents. The NJDOE also states that if the district does reveal a student’s “transgender status,” it should &#8220;facilitate the family’s acceptance and support of the student’s transgender status.”
If the school districts do not comply with the NJDOE’s mandates, they could lose state funding or face the even more severe repercussion of state takeover, according to <a href="https://nj1015.com/schools-that-defy-nj-trans-policy-could-lose-aid-face-takeover/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">New Jersey 101.5</a>. The state has taken over mismanaged school districts in the past and threatened districts with financial sanctions if they did not implement mask mandates during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Middletown School Board has been a thorn in the side of Governor Phil Murphy’s administration before by initially not complying with his mask mandates. After the Democrat threatened to take them to court, the township complied.
Many local parents lauded their school board’s decision. 
“The LGBTQIA community claims to be an all-inclusi[ve] community, but instead they are here trying to advocate to not include parents,” one mother said to claps from the crowd. “Their position interferes with my ability to help my children. And they keep telling young children that it is their parents&#8217; fault for not wanting to help them transition, and to be afraid of their parents.”
She continued, “They are trying to get into young kids&#8217; heads by having them think that their parents are not safe. They are forcing children to turn to other people than their own family. It is not their job to decide what is appropriate in my home. My children belong to me and no one else.”
One father told the school board, “I&#8217;m sorry that some of the people in this room feel that parents should be left out of the conversation. … Parents are the most important people in kids&#8217; lives. And we want to know what&#8217;s going on with our kids.”

President Biden Hosts Bipartisan Group Of Governors During Winter Meeting

New Jersey Sues 3 School Districts Over Transgender Student Policies

School Boards

Transgender

The co-owner of a New Jersey gym that remained open in defiance of Governor Phil Murphy’s executive order during the COVID pandemic, then saw himself sentenced to one year of probation for contempt of court after he and his co-owner removed the doors of the gym to prevent police from locking them out, had some harsh words for Murphy on Friday as his probation came to an end.
After Ian Smith and Frank Trumbetti, the owners of Atilis gym, opened the gym in May 2020 in defiance of Murphy’s order, Murphy pronounced, “If you show up at that gym again tomorrow, there’s going to be a different reality than showing up today. These aren’t just words.&#8221; In January 2022, Smith and Trumbetti were sentenced to one year of probation, prompting Smith to tweet, “We got one year probation for the crime of taking our doors off to prevent government goons from locking us out of our gym.”
But on Friday, that year was up. Smith fired at Murphy, “The governor of NJ tried to have our doors locked at Atilis Gym. We took the doors off and stayed open for 24/7 for 40+ days. We were charged with multiple felonies. Today I completed one year of probation. My only question to Phil Murphy is, how’s your wife’s boyfriend doing?”
https://twitter.com/iansmithfitness/status/1618970613837873160
In August 2020, CNN’s Chris Cuomo <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/watch-gym-owner-to-chris-cuomo-youre-knocking-trump-cites-data-a-fing-stat-that-nobodys-talking-about" target="_blank" rel="noopener">interviewed</a> Smith and Trumbetti, and a heated confrontation ensued, with Trumbetti ripping Cuomo, saying, “You&#8217;re knocking Trump because of the total numbers,” and pointing out that “53.3 percent of the deaths from 0.6 percent of the population,” “a f***ing stat that nobody&#8217;s talking about.”
Cuomo began the interview by noting that the pair had been arrested and “charged with defying the state&#8217;s COVID restrictions last week.” He played a videotape of the men kicking in the plywood barricade at the front door of their gym in order to reopen it.
Cuomo noted, “This is a court battle; they could go to jail. Now you have the state AG&#8217;s office there in Jersey recommending a fine of up to $10,000 a day.”
He asked the men for their perspectives on the issue.
“I would say that actually, when this first started, they asked for two weeks,” Trumbetti replied. “When we first opened up, we gave them two months. Then we gave them until May 18th. At two months they had no plan. Plain and simple. They had no plan — we did. We actually wanted to prove that we could open up safe. They actually say that liquor stores are essential. That actually every place that – you can go into Home Depot and Lowe&#8217;s is essential. I disagree with that, okay? We&#8217;re all essential. Everybody is essential.”
“And bottom line is, this isn&#8217;t about opening up a gym; they have violated everyone&#8217;s constitutional rights,” he continued. “We all have the right to make a living. We all have a right to actually do what we want to do as Americans. We are promised liberty, and they have actually put such oppressive restrictions on us, it is just unacceptable to us.”
“You seem like you&#8217;re a big numbers guy,” Trumbetti said to Cuomo. “And, actually, I would like to put some numbers out there for you. Are you aware that actually when this first started, there are 2.1 million people in the United States in long-term care facilities that represent 0.6 percent of the population. But on July 17, that 0.6 percent of the population represented 53.3 percent of all the deaths that occurred in the United States from COVID.”
Cuomo stated, “What you&#8217;re saying about long-term care facilities, I&#8217;m not questioning it. We did the wrong job by the most vulnerable people. And even though, obviously, the oldest and the most fragile will die the most in a situation like this, it doesn&#8217;t mean you did it the right way. The only thing I would caution you about —”
“You&#8217;re knocking Trump because of the total numbers,” Trumbetti interjected, repeating, “53.3 percent of the deaths from 0.6 percent of the population.”
Cuomo jumped in, “Frank –”
Trumbetti snapped, “Bottom line, that&#8217;s a f***ing stat that nobody&#8217;s talking about.”
Cuomo interjected, “Frank, watch your mouth on television.”
Related: <a href="https://dailywire.com/news/n-j-gym-owners-defying-shutdown-orders-have-license-removed-owner-says/">N.J. Gym Owners Defying Shutdown Orders Have License Removed, Owner Says</a>
<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/watch-gym-owner-to-chris-cuomo-youre-knocking-trump-cites-data-a-fing-stat-that-nobodys-talking-about">Gym Owner To Chris Cuomo: ‘You’re Knocking Trump,’ Cites Data, ‘A F***ing Stat That Nobody’s Talking About’</a>

Collage Maker-27-Jan-2023-03.47-PM

‘How’s Your Wife’s Boyfriend Doing?’: Owner Of Gym Rips Dem NJ Gov After Year Of Probation Ends

Owner Of Gym Rips NJ Gov After Year Of Probation Ends

Fitness gym

Health

Democratic <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/new-jersey" target="_blank" rel="noopener">New Jersey</a> Gov. <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/phil-murphy" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Phil Murphy</a> signed an “information literacy” law this week that mandates <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/education" target="_blank" rel="noopener">schools teach K-12</a> students how to identify “disinformation” in the name of protecting “democracy.”
The bill, signed by Murphy on Wednesday, was <a href="https://www.njleg.state.nj.us/bill-search/2022/S588" target="_blank" rel="noopener">sponsored</a> by both Republicans and Democrats in the legislature earlier this year. 
“Our democracy remains under sustained attack through the proliferation of disinformation that is eroding the role of truth in our political and civic discourse,” Murphy <a href="https://www.nj.gov/governor/news/news/562022/20230104b.shtml" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a> in a statement. “It is our responsibility to ensure our nation’s future leaders are equipped with the tools necessary to identify fact from fiction.”
The bill, S588, directs New Jersey’s Department of Education to develop standards for school districts to teach “information literacy” and critical thinking. “Information literacy is more important now than ever before, especially with the growing prevalence of social media and online news,” said Acting Commissioner of Education Dr. Angelica Allen-McMillan.
The bill was broadly supported by both Democrats and Republicans. 
&#8220;Teaching children about information literacy will help them to weigh the flood of news, opinion, and social media they are exposed to both online and off,&#8221; said State Sen. Michael Testa, a Republican sponsor of the legislation. &#8220;This law isn&#8217;t about teaching kids that any specific idea is true or false, rather it&#8217;s about helping them learn how to research, evaluate, and understand the information they are presented for themselves.&#8221;  
Democratic State Sen. Shirley Turner linked the bill to the riot in Washington, D.C., on January 6, 2021. “This signing feels especially timely as we approach the second anniversary of the January 6th attack on the US Capitol. It is incredibly important that our children are taught how to discern reliable sources and recognize false information,” she claimed. 
The curriculum will include information about “critical thinking and using information resources,” “the difference between facts, points of view, and opinions,” and “the economic, legal, and social issues surrounding the use of information.” 
Murphy touted the legislation as the first-ever state legislation dealing with “information literacy.” According to the group <a href="https://medialiteracynow.org/your-state-legislation-2/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Media Literacy Now</a>, other states have pursued various ways to integrate media literacy into the school curriculum. 
 He also linked it to his “Disinformation Portal” which was launched through the New Jersey Office of Homeland Security and Preparedness.
At the portal, are <a href="https://www.njohsp.gov/disinformation">resources</a> about how “disinformation hampers efforts to curb monkeypox,” “anti-government disinformation targets law enforcement,” “domestic extremists promote violence to oppose elections,” and “domestic extremists exploit war in Ukraine.”

Key Speakers At Aspen Ideas: Climate Conference

New Jersey Schools To Teach Children How To Avoid ‘Disinformation’ In The Name Of ‘Democracy,’ ‘Civic Discourse’

New Jersey Schools To Teach Children How To Avoid 'Disinformation' In The Name Of 'Democracy,' 'Civic Discourse'

Democratic Governor of <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/new-jersey" target="_blank" rel="noopener">New Jersey</a> Phil Murphy is <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2022/11/15/nyregion/bear-hunt-new-jersey.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reversing</a> his position against bear hunting much to the discontent of animal rights activists. 
When Murphy was running for governor in 2017, he was against the bear hunt in the state and vowed to get rid of it. He did so, but this year, he is bringing it back due to the increasing bear population in the state and the rising number of dangerous encounters with the animals. 
Murphy signed an executive order in 2018 that ended hunting bears on government land. The governor <a href="https://www.wsj.com/articles/new-jersey-moves-to-curb-bear-hunting-1534806669?mod=article_inline" target="_blank" rel="noopener">noted</a> at the time that in order to entirely ban the practice, the New Jersey Fish and Game Council would need to do so. Earlier this month, Murphy said he was planning to get rid of the 2018 order because of increased safety concerns. 
The New Jersey Fish and Game Council <a href="https://newjerseymonitor.com/2022/11/16/n-j-bear-hunt-likely-returning-despite-pleas-from-animal-activists/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">held</a> a unanimous vote in favor of bringing back the hunt after Murphy said he had to reinstate it. After they did so, Murphy <a href="https://www.nj.gov/governor/news/news/562022/20221115a.shtml" target="_blank" rel="noopener">agreed</a> and got rid of his 2018 order. The council also examined and approved alterations to the Game Code regarding the bear season in New Jersey. 
“The facts on the ground have shown that we cannot rely on nonlethal methods alone to protect New Jersey residents from a growing black bear population,” Governor Murphy said earlier this month. “Today’s actions will facilitate the reinstatement of a regulated black bear hunt this year to help limit dangerous interactions between people and bears to protect public safety.”
The state’s Department of Environmental Protection <a href="https://dep.nj.gov/njfw/bears/bear-hunting-season-information/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">outlined</a> the public safety issues regarding bears in the state. The department noted that the DEP received a “237% increase in bear damage and nuisance reports” from the beginning of this year up to October 21, when compared to the same time span the year before.
The department <a href="https://dep.nj.gov/wp-content/uploads/njfw/activity_ytd_october22.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a> that there have been 84 property damage incidents reported to the agency, 129 vehicle strikes, 62 aggressive encounters, 15 attempted home entries, and 433 sightings.
The population of bears has gone up to over 3,000 in the state. Regular hunts used to keep the number closer to 1,500, Ed Markowski, a former worker at the state’s Division of Fish and Wildlife, <a href="https://www.wsj.com/articles/new-jerseys-bear-hunt-is-restored-reigniting-debate-on-curbing-population-11668922408" target="_blank" rel="noopener">told</a> the Wall Street Journal.
Jeff Tittel, former director of the New Jersey Sierra Club, claimed that Murphy’s new stance has to do with his political future. 
“It’s one thing to be for gun control,” Tittel <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2022/11/15/nyregion/bear-hunt-new-jersey.html#:~:text=Months%20after%20taking%20office%20in,in%20the%20fall%20of%202020." target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a>, “but another thing to be against hunting. That would hurt him in states like New Hampshire, Iowa, Michigan and Pennsylvania.”
Activists and groups are <a href="https://www.wsj.com/articles/new-jerseys-bear-hunt-is-restored-reigniting-debate-on-curbing-population-11668922408">issuing</a> threats of legal action to stop the hunt. 
The hunt will take place from December 5 to December 10. It will end if 30% of the bear population of 2022 is brought in, but if 20% of the bears are not harvested during the hunt, an additional window of time will be allowed.

Bear crossing sign on the road

Democratic Governor Reverses Stance Against Bear Hunting, Allows Hunt As Encounters Increase

Democratic Governor Of New Jersey Phil Murphy Reverses Stance Against Bear Hunting, Allows Hunt As Bear Encounters Increase

animal rights

Environment

Hunting

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