By Matthew Gilson | The Save Jersey Blog
Support for America’s local police used to be fairly universal or at least never a partisan issue.
Over the last year, however, Democrats have shown their true colors by siding against law enforcement at every turn. Whether it is supporting indictments for officers doing their job, or outright calling for violence against law enforcement officials, Democrats have been fairly vocal in their refrain: cops are the real criminals.
That’s what makes the betrayal of Mike Saudino all the more interesting.
Saudino, who claims to be all about law enforcement above politics, is joining the party which despises everything about law enforcement. Think about this: in November, Saudino will run on a ticket headlined by either Hillary Clinton or Bernie Sanders. He will run on a ticket of the party that courts the support of “Black Lives Matter” – a movement which celebrates convicted murderers – and the George Soros-backed Occupy Wall Street.
There has perhaps never been a worse time to be a law enforcement official and a Democrat. Does Saudino now support more restrictions on doing his own job? Does he support increased gun control and removed the Second Amendment rights of law abiding citizens?
One can’t help but marvel at his logic – or lack thereof – as Saudino cites the need to put good law enforcement over politics while siding with those who side with cop killers’ apologists. I can understand Saudino’s self-preservation instinct given the disarray within the Bergen GOP’s rank’s, but the larger message he is sending is one which frankly scares the hell out of me. That somehow Democrats are the party which supports law enforcement, or that campaigning for Bernie Sanders is something all those who support good police work should be doing?
Give me a break, Mr. Sheriff.
Do what you want with your career but don’t insult our intelligence.
Saudino turned his back on the many people who worked for him. He turned his back on the voters who gave him confidence that his word when his bond. He turned his back and made a switch to a join a party which thinks that Mumia al-Jamal should be freed from prison, and that Joanne Chesimard is a folk hero, all because he thought it was the best way to get reelected. So that’s exactly what the GOP slate – and whoever is on it – needs to talk about between now and November.
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Matt normally I agree with you but I have to diverge a little. I consider kind of a Staten Island type law and order Republican (and I’m not a big fan of some of the libertarian wing) of the party. But I think Bergen Democrats aren’t exactly Occupy/BLM leftists on police and other issues. In fact I think Tedesco is more conservative than Kathe Donovan. Saudino would not be leaving the Bergen GOP if the chair was more like Peter Murphy or John Traier in terms of dealing with regular people.
I don’t disagree with the fact that he wouldn’t have left with a different chair, but just for him to suggest it isn’t political is disingenuous. It was clearly political
Agreed on that point
I respectfully have to disagree here.
His switch had nothing to do with the national political climate, and EVERYTHING to do with the local political climate in Bergen. There is a huge difference IMO.
Matt is fully aware of that. This is his attempt at spin. When someone praises the job the Sheriff has done one day and then damns it the next, based simply on a change in the letter than follows the Sheriff’s name, it speaks to the character and prejudices of the commentator, not the Sheriff.
No attempt at spin, I made this exact point in my last article saying:
“He likes being sheriff and switching to the winning team makes that task even easier. Saudino does not stop being a good sheriff overnight… he only stops being so if bows down to the whims of Lou Stellato.”
Time will tell whether Saudino is changed in how he conducts business as a sheriff, but the larger overall message he is sending is is a scary one. To suggest his decision isn’t politically motivated is wrong.