By Matt Rooney
_
Whether Phil Murphy violated ethical canons by intervening in the troubles consuming his soccer team remains an open question, Save Jerseyans. It was only one scandal of many hitting the Democrat’s administration at the pivot point between year one and two of his first (and hopefully only) term.
I doubt it will be the last. Did you happen to catch Monday’s Assembly budget hearing?
–
I’m sure you didn’t. You have a life! But something interesting and worth noting happened during the testimony of Lt. Gov. Sheila Oliver.
At one point, Oliver (who doubles as head of the Department of Community Affairs) was asked about Phil and Tammy Murphy’s personal donations – by way of their foundation – to Fair Share Housing, a Camden County-based non-profit which sues New Jersey municipalities to advance affordable housing. There is a direct correlation between these lawsuits and the rise in your local property tax burdens. Irony abounds: the Murphy Administration doesn’t have a plan to save our state and spends most of its energy suing Trump.
A MAJOR conflict?
Yes.
Her response?
“I don’t think any contribution or charitable support that the Murphy Foundation provides to any charitable organization is any different than what the Trump Foundation provides,” responded Oliver before declaring that she wouldn’t entertain any more discussion on the topic.
Seriously… she said it. Watch:
Oliver is a notorious dope.
There: I said it! I’m not even trying to be mean (I swear). She might be a nice person. Don’t know her personally, but her reputation on both sides of the aisle in Trenton is one of a person who underwhelms others with her intellectual prowess. It’s therefore no surprise whatsoever that she stuck her foot squarely in her mouth. She in over her head; there’s a reason she got shuffled out of the Assembly speakership.
Again, this is obviously a major conflict of interest. Responding with canned “Trump” talking points is lazy, insulting, and from a practical political point of view unlikely to accomplish anything other than drawing more attention to Murphy’s latest massive f-up. Good work, Sheila!
It’s also an apples and oranges comparison. The Donald J. Trump Foundation dissolved in 2018, and there existed profound differences between the two foundation’s activities (most of Trump’s foundation’s donations were not ideological); however, intentionally or not, Oliver seems to believe there are parallels between her boss’s charity and the Trumpster’s embattled former foundation.
Does the LG believe Phil and Tammy should close up shop, too?
These are the people in charge of our tax dollars and pension crisis, folks! Is it any wonder why we’re up the creek without a paddle?
_
MATT ROONEY is a practicing New Jersey attorney, regular panelist on ‘Chasing News’ with Bill Spadea, and the founder and blogger-in-chief of Save Jersey.
_
