What universe is this, Save Jerseyans?
Certainly one without any accountability. Last Tuesday proved that well enough.
Tammy Murphy is officially running for U.S. Senate, announcing her bid earlier today and likely becoming the early frontrunner for the nomination (since a newly-strengthened George Norcross has signaled his intention to back the governor’s wife over South Jersey Congressman Andy Kim). Few think the indicted incumbent Bob Menendez has a serious shot at winning renomination, but even fewer doubt that Democrats are likely to retain the seat in a presidential cycle; after all, Republicans haven’t won a New Jersey U.S. Senate election in the post-Watergate era.
Menendez refuses to quit despite the desperate odds, and he fired back at Murphy with a notably curious line of attack for a Democrat.
“Mrs. Murphy will need to explain why she and the Governor believe that if taxes are your issue, New Jersey is not your state,” Menendez said in a statement covered by The New Jersey Globe. “Doesn’t every family and small business owner deserve tax relief and the ability to afford the state they call home? She will need to finally address why so many veterans died in state-run nursing homes during the COVID-19 pandemic and why the state hasn’t fully implemented a tutoring program to address learning losses with federal funding I brought back to New Jersey.”
Wow. Just wow, folks!
Menendez has occupied “high office” since the 1980s and Congress going back to 1993.
He cares about taxes NOW? Facing almost certain defeat next June and possible imprisonment for selling out his country to a foreign power?
It’s also possible that I missed it – no one is perfect, including yours truly – but I don’t recall ever hearing a Bob Menendez critique of Phil Murphy’s reckless (at best) oversight of New Jersey nursing homes during the Covid-19 pandemic. Approximately 10,000 residents and workers died due in large part to the policies of the Murphy Administration. Yet throughout almost four years of carnage, incompetence, bad science, multi-million dollar settlements and a DOJ determination that the Murphy Administration violated the Constitution at two state-operated facilities, Bob Menendez said… nothing.
No public rebuke of Murphy. No demand for accountability. He went along to get along because he was still a part of the team.
We’re supposed to believe he cares because his job is now on the line?
Menendez’s decision to attack Tammy for her husband’s sins is certainly fair game. Unfortunately for Menendez, he’s also admitting that he did nothing while the Murphy Administration oversaw a slaughter of thousands of vulnerable Garden State residents including parents, grandparents, and military veterans. The senior senator’s lack of credibility may do the cause more harm than good, but that’s very much “in character” for a guy who is trying to pass off gold bars and free cars as morally unobjectionable.
There aren’t any good guys in this primary. This opening exchange is all the proof you need.
