Recalling a New Jersey (Democ)Rat
Sadly, very few Americans have ever read the most perfect blueprint for government ever created: the Constitution of the United States. Even fewer - those in New Jersey - have read the constitution of the Garden State. They would be surprised to discover that it authorizes the citizens of this once great state to recall ANY elected official - including Congressional Representatives and Senators.
According to Article I, Section 2:
2. a. All political power is inherent in the people. Government is instituted for the protection, security, and benefit of the people, and they have the right at all times to alter or reform the same, whenever the public good may require it.
b. The people reserve unto themselves the power to recall, after at least one year of service, any elected official in this State or representing this State in the United States Congress. The Legislature shall enact laws to provide for such recall elections. Any such laws shall include a provision that a recall election shall be held upon petition of at least 25% of the registered voters in the electoral district of the official sought to be recalled. If legislation to implement this constitutional amendment is not enacted within one year of the adoption of the amendment, the Secretary of State shall, by regulation, implement the constitutional amendment, except that regulations adopted by the Secretary of State shall be superseded by any subsequent legislation consistent with this constitutional amendment governing recall elections. The sufficiency of any statement of reasons or grounds procedurally required shall be a political rather than a judicial question.
This directive has since been cast into the concrete of the New Jersey Statutes - specifically, NJS 19:27A.
SGP warrior princess Denyce Lucatorto forwarded to my attention last night this press release (it’s lengthy, but highly informative and worth the time…READ IT):
A “Committee to Recall U.S. Senator Robert Menendez,” sponsored by the Sussex County Tea Party has announced plans to launch an effort to recall Senator Robert Menendez from his position in office.
Helping to lead the charge is New Jersey Tea Parties United, the state’s grass-roots coalition of county and regional Tea Party groups representing several thousand members in support of fiscal responsibility, individual liberty and limited government.
The Committee filed a formal Notice of Intention to Recall with the Secretary of State’s office on September 25, 2009. While the office of the Secretary of State acknowledged receipt of the Committee’s Notice of Intention to Recall in a letter dated October 5, 2009, it has since provided no further communication.
NJ state law requires that administrators respond either with an approval or with a notice of non-compliance stating the reasons within three business days of receiving the Notice, which was October 4, 2009.
Since no response had been received, on November 25, 2009, the Committee filed a civil complaint in the Essex County Superior Court of New Jersey against Nina Mitchell Wells, Secretary of State and Robert F. Giles, Director of the Division of Elections, demanding that the defendants be ordered to immediately and forthwith comply with state law by issuing a response to the Committee’s Notice of Intention.
To date, the Secretary of State has ignored the Notice and the Complaint in violation of state law and the Committee is awaiting a decision from the court. For up to date information, go here or visit www.njteapartiesunited.org.
Once the notice is approved by the state or by court Order, the Committee to Recall along with NJ Tea Parties United will spearhead a large coordinated petition drive to collect signatures in support of a special recall election. NJ state law requires a minimum number of signatures equivalent to at least 25% of the prior general election’s registered voters in order to grant a special recall election.
Appointed to a special one-year term by Governor Jon Corzine in November 2005, Robert Menendez was subsequently elected in 2006 during the mid-term election and has served in the US Senate for just over four years as a Democrat representing New Jersey. His term isn’t scheduled to end until January 2013.
The Recall Committee and New Jersey Tea Parties United believe that Senator Menendez has sided with rigidly partisan politicians in his repeated votes for cloture on a variety of key bills, stifling public debate in the Senate and denying New Jersey citizens transparency. For example, the Senator voted down an amendment that would have prevented Medicare from being raided for new entitlements[1], and another that would have limited the government’s control over the health care of American families[2].
During this difficult financial period when Americans are cutting their own budgets and trying to save every penny, Senator Menendez voted down proposals to remove from spending bills a number of extravagant, excessive multi-million dollar projects that offered little or no short-term economic benefits[3]. When an amendment was proposed to transfer some of the country’s funding for the United Nations contributions to help offset the costs of providing assistance to family caregivers of our disabled veterans, he voted against it[4]. And in one case, Senator Menendez voted against allowing each member of Congress and the Secretary of Defense to simply review the allocation of certain taxpayer funds[5].
One NJ Tea Party member put it this way, “When NJ voters came out to the polls in November of 2008, they voted for the transparency and accountability that was promised. Rather than believe his own constituents who have desperately been trying to convey their wishes to him on health care reform without a government run option, he chooses to dismiss us, making public statements on the senate floor that our concerns are all nothing more than the greedy insurance companies lobbying to protect themselves.”
It is statements like this that have convinced the Committee, NJ Tea Parties United, and other tea party members that Senator Menendez is one of many elitists in government that are more concerned with promoting their own careers than doing what is right for the American people. Those spearheading this effort hope that this will be the first recall of many throughout the nation and that the Constitutional government of the United States can be restored to the American people, to whom it belongs.
[1] Vote 368: H R 3590: Gregg Amendment No. 2942
[2] Vote 360: H R 3590: Thune Amendment No. 2901
[3] Speech on Senate floor by John McCain
[4] Vote 310: H R 3326; Vote 285: H R 3288; Vote 284: H R 3288; Vote 283: H R 3288
[5] Vote 310: H R 3326: Coburn Amendment No. 2565
There are a little more than 5 million registered voters in New Jersey. This means the recall petition will require the signature of at least 1.3 million registered voters. This is where it can get problematical:
The final numbers on registered voters eligible to cast ballots in Tuesday’s election show 1,766,669 New Jerseyans list themselves as Democrats and 1,061,899 signed up as Republicans. Another 2,393,679 consider themselves as unaffiliated…
Given the current economic climate we can confidently assume the “unaffiliated” vote splits 60/40 in favor of the Republicans - of whom there are only slightly more than 1 million in New Jersey and of these, perhaps 60% can be counted upon to sign the petition. That means the shortfall will have to be made up by the so-called “unaffiliated” voters which are quite numerous here. The total number of those sympathetic to ridding Congress of the scourge of Democrat Socialists increases to 2.5 million.
It isn’t unreasonable to assume that, at most, half of that potential number will be approached by petition people to lend their signatures to the cause. This amounts to a grand total of 1.25 million signatures - 750,000 short of the 1.3 million necessary for the petition to gain political life.
It will be an uphill battle, my friends. Assuming the petition acquires the requisite number of valid signatures, we then face the prospect of the election itself - which would likely take place in November 0f 2010.
Would Menendez survive a recall vote? Good question. The New Jersey electorate is, arguably, the most ignorant, apathetic and outright stupid of any in the nation. Add to that resources that would be given to the Donks by the White House and the DNC and it becomes clear the battle will take on Armageddon proportions.
We have our work cut out for us. First things first: let’s get signatures on this recall petition and then get it cleared through the legal hurdles. Roll up your sleeves: this fight has just begun.
For further information:
Sussex County Tea Party contact:
RoseAnn Salanitri, Founder (Branchville, NJ)
Phone: (973)948-8553, Email: roseann216@gmail.comAlternate Contact:
Tim Adriance, NJ Tea Parties United
Phone: 201-674-8031, Email: tim@njteapartycoalition.orgLegal Contact:
Dan Silberstein, Esq.
Phone: (732) 388-8600, Email: dsilberstein@dpspc.com
For my part I’d love nothing more than to see this little (Democ)rat bastard sent packing. According to George W. at Resistnet.com, the laundry list of Menendez’ sins defies the capacity of the largest commercial washing machine:
1. Senator Menendez has not support and defended our constitution. He has repeatedly supported, and defended unconstitutionally protection and rights for illegal immigrants throughout the United States, and the State of New Jersey.
2. His known support of amnesty for illegal immigrants is not in support of our constitution, positively not in defense of it, or the legal citizens of the United States, or the State of New Jersey.
3. Anyone entering the United States by entering illegally is committing a criminal act, in violation of our constitution and laws. Fully knowing this Senator Menendez provides his full support, and protection. Many of these illegals where known criminals in their countries of origin, thieves, rapist, child molesters, members of drug cartels, and murders.
4. Voted against E-verify in support of jobs for illegal immigrants.
5. Drivers’ licenses for illegals – Fully support by Sen. Menendez.
6. Social Security numbers for illegals – Fully supported by Sen. Menendez.
7. Health care for illegals – Fully supported by Sen. Menendez.
8. Housing for illegals – Fully Supported by Sen. Menendez.
9. Free tuition and education for children of illegal immigrants children – Fully supported by Sen. Menendez.
10. Free food stamps for illegals – Fully supported by Sen. Menendez.
11. Voted NO on declaring English as the official language of the US government.
12. Supports “Sanctuary Cities”, Cities that ignore immigration laws, safe havens for illegal immigrants.
13. Voted NO on eliminating the “Y” non-immigrant guest worker program.
14. Voted NO on building a fence along the Mexican border.
15. Voted YES on establishing a Guest Worker program.
16. Voted YES on allowing illegal aliens to participate in Social Security.
17. Voted YES on giving Guest Workers a path to citizenship.
18. Voted NO on reporting illegal aliens who receive hospital treatment.
19. Voted YES on extending Immigrant Residency rules.
20. Voted YES on more immigrant visas for skilled workers.
21. Rated 0% by Fair, indicating a voting record loosening immigration.
22. Rated 0% by USBC, indicating an open-border stance.
It’s time to clean house. Let’s get to work.
Im not sure this recall attempt
> makes strategic sense. But as soon as Christy is sworn in and I
> would think that a Republican Secretary of state would be
> more sympathetic to a recall of a Dem than the current
> one..
>
>
> If we are successful in getting a recall election who will
> we get to run against him? Menendez won by 8% in the Senate
> election against Tom Kean Jr who had enormous name
> recognition..we wont have anyone like that to run against
> Menendez..
>
> I think our focus and along the other tea parties org
> across the country should be the defeat of the handful
> of vulnerable Dem Senators and congressman from other
> states..if we all pool our efforts into helping defeat Harry
> Reid , Ben Nelson and others instead of trying to unseat a Dem
> senator in a Dem state we have a better chance of finally
> getting a majority GOP senate and Congress to stop Obama’s
> policies.
>
> Just my thoughts…I just think that going for a recall of
> Menendez would be a distraction for NJ tea pary people and a
> drain on our resources which could best be spent trying to
> defeat more vulnerable dems
>
Hope that this will help to remove him from office. The web site has been around a few years but hit the nail squarely on the head!
http://robertmenendezcorruption.com/
Now if all of you Tea Party activist types would go into every voting precinct and either become the chairperson for that precinct or captain canvasser and get your conservative agenda to every republican primary and general election voter, than none of your attempts at reform would be a problem.
With such a ingrained and penetrated precinct strategy, it wouldn’t matter what the media or the WH says, because you’d have those voters in the palm of your hand.
For the price of a couple of meals eating out, you could send all those 200 - 500 voters in each precinct any message you’d like and get their signatures for whatever you wish!
This isn’t complicated folks.
2 - 3 people could split the cost and time of canvassing by precinct and get the registered voters covered at every whim and fancy.
There would be no need for a PAC fundraiser to do this job and when you’re running constitutional conservative candidates, the same method applies, so very little monies would be needed for putting that candidate over the finish line.
Once that conservative candidate wins the primary, well then he/she would win the general with the same method because again…. you’d have the voters in the palm of your hand….the media and the White House be DAMNED, because conservatism wins every time it’s tried - that is if people know about it!
This is so freaking simple that people have a hard time believing that it works, but the truth is, that, ALL of our problems as a nation stem from the conservatives not being measurably-difference-making activists up to this point.
Now, thanks to the radical Obama elected, we have woken up!
Now, make sure that you get yourself and everybody within arm-twisting length off your lazy duffs and get this done!!!
You have three (3) more days to get your application in at the local county GOP office for precinct chair.
If you miss this deadline this year than the window doesn’t open until latter part of 2010 again.
Of course you can still be a canvasser of your local voting precinct and get the word out.
What you really want to focus on is to overwhelm the local county GOP office with precinct chair applicants and canvassers and TAKE IT OVER!!
MAKE HISTORY PEOPLE!!
MD, this appears to be a comment intended for folks in Texas: there is no impending deadline in New Jersey that I’m aware of. If I’m mistaken, I apologize, but if I’m not I would ask that you comment in a manner apropos to the subject of the post.
That said, I would be remiss if I did not point out that many folks in the Garden State are struggling to get by in an economy that’s a shambles. Many have sacrificed so very much for this noble cause and are unable to sacrifice any more. They are obliged to tend to their own lives and to the well-being of their families.
Few have the luxury of the time - or even the kind of temperament - to undertake what you are suggesting. I realize it sounds self-defeating, but it’s reality. Most folks simply aren’t cut out for the kind of political activism you are proposing and to expect them to act otherwise is to place unrealistic expectations upon both them and yourself.
Let’s not forget the words of John Milton:
When I consider how my light is spent
Ere half my days in this dark world and wide,
And that one Talent which is death to hide
Lodged with me useless, though my soul more bent
To serve therewith my Maker, and present
My true account, lest He returning chide,
“Doth God exact day-labour, light denied?”
I fondly ask. But Patience, to prevent
That murmur, soon replies, “God doth not need
Either man’s work or his own gifts. Who best
Bear his mild yoke, they serve him best. His state
Is kingly: thousands at his bidding speed,
And post o’er land and ocean without rest;
They also serve who only stand and wait.”
“It will be an uphill battle”
Indeed!!!
I was heavily involved with acquiring the petition signatures needed to put Steve Lonegan on the ballot. We set the record for the number of signatures attained by any candidate for statewide office —over 11,000.
A project such as this requires an organized effort. Most efforts fail. California’s recall of Gray Davis was one of the few successes. They needed less signatures than are required in New Jersey and was aided by a $2 million dollar donation was Darrel Issa. See: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/California_gubernatorial_recall_election,_2003
You sure are a pessimist, Gene.
There is no more activism required for the precinct project than what these marchers to Washington did on Sept. 12th and the time and money they spent on getting their butts to Tea Party gatherings and visiting their elected officials offices and calling them/signing petitions.
This effort is like Washington dragging his men across the frozen Delaware River, most without shoes, the day after Christmas.
Except of course, we have the luxury of a heated automobile driving down to the local county GOP office and spending about an hour to get your application notarized and submitted.
You sir are seriously underestimating the American people’s resolve and their determination to justify and avenge the multiple barrels of blood shed by many a soldier for the sake of our freedom.
Your personal projection of failure, loss and pessimism is very transparent and is wholly unjustified and uninvited for such a time like this.
I expected better from you and I am disappointed to say the least.
Shape up for the battle and I will promote you when the time and opportunity comes to do so on a larger platform.
Or, stay pessimistic and be dissolved into oblivion because you don’t fit the needs of the battlefield.
Your choice.
You have lot’s of material and talent here that can be used for battle, but you make it difficult if I have to refer to your work with the caveat that you are too pessimistic for the current battlefield.
You’re in one heck of a battle if you think you’ll win this debate, because this precinct project activist strategy has precedence in success.
I was alerted to the success Obama’s primary election precinct project had, when I encountered one at an apartment complex entrance filled with Katrina victims - the activist was looking for one (1) ONE… primary voter!!
As history now tells us, that precinct project by Obama is what put him over the top - the media notwithstanding - without that extra effort Obama would have lost.
The choice really is yours, Gene. Be a part of history in this American Revolution or be the Grinch of it.
Ahhh…there’s your blog title: “The Grinch Of The New American Revolution”
You sure are a
pessimistrealist, Gene.Fixed it for you.
Not quite. The Great March was a one time deal. Tea parties are one time deals. The kind of involvement you are proposing is beyond the schedule and, quite frankly, the temperament of most people. THAT is reality.
Not quite: we were at war with the British Empire and these men were fighting for their very lives. Then again, those times are likely going to come around again.
I have carefully mapped the road ahead and pointed out that it contains plenty of hazards, observing quite logically that if the current Democrat Socialist majority in Congress is not replaced with a veto-proof Reaganite majority, absolutely nothing will be possible in the way of reversing the present course aside from continued obstruction and filibustering.
This isn’t the opinion of a pessimist, it’s political reality. You may not enjoy hearing it, but the facts are the facts.
Don’t count on Darrel Issas, Bruce Kovners or any other conservative sugar daddies coming out of the wood work any time soon.
I cannot get online and comment very often right now, but please know that when I’m not here, I’m out there, spreading the conservative word. It’s just a constant thread that runs through all my conversations and encounters. I find that the direct approach is not very effective right now since most morons, I mean people, don’t think about these things unless it’s an election year. (I used to be one of those morons, I mean people).
Basically, any topic can be worked around to a place where before they know it, we’re discussing basic American individual freedoms, big government takeovers, government corruption, being taken over by China and like that. The constant drum beat of no transparency whatsoever, Washington “business as usual” on steroids, no bi-partisanship whatsoever…you know, all the things Obama promised.
Morons, I mean people, who never knew the name of a sitting Speaker of the House know Pelosi. They also know what a federal deficit is and that a Democrat congress was in charge when the spending really got out of hand.
It’s starting to shift I think. If I’m any example of transformed morons, I mean people, we have a chance.
Gene,
I am with Mr. Byler regarding his “precinct project”. In New Jersey, we call them committeemen and committeewomen. As one, I can assured anyone that it is not difficult to become one and the responsibilities and effort is minimal.
If you want to become one in your area, I can help you achieve that position.
As a fellow “New Jerseyian” you’ve got my vote to oust this weasel.
Hey john mccain has a amigo he can work across the aisle with