Jackebob’s Opens Union Beach’s Doors

A tribute to  resiliency and community.

Gigi Dorr has reopened Jakebob’s…off the bay…five months after the Union Beach landmark was destroyed by Superstorm Sandy.  The new restaurant is decorated with the doors of homes that were destroyed by the storm.

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Lautenberg ailing…..what if he retires early?

U.S. Senator Frank Lautenberg missed work, on doctors orders, for the entire month of March.  On Friday he released a statement saying he will not return to Washington on Monday as the Senate convenes after a two week recess, according to reports in The Star Ledger and Politico.

“I regret that I will not be returning to Washington next week as I continue  treatment for, and recuperate from, muscle weakness and fatigue. My physician  continues to advise me to work from home and not travel at this time,”  Lautenberg said in a statement issued by his office.

Lautenberg added: “I am disappointed I will not be present for the opening of  the debate on gun legislation in the Senate. It is an issue I am deeply  passionate about, and my victories over the gun lobby are among my proudest  accomplishments. I am, however, gratified that my legislation to ban  high-capacity ammunition magazines will be one of the key amendments offered to  this bill.”

Lautenberg will also miss the confirmation of U.S. Magistrate Patty Shwartz to the Third Circuit Court of Appeals, a nomination that was initially blocked by New Jersey’s junior senator, Bob Menendez.

“I have worked hard since Judge Shwartz’s nomination by President Obama toward her confirmation, and I am confident that she will be confirmed by a strong majority of my colleagues,” Lautenberg said.

Lautenberg, 89, announced in February that he would not seek reelection in 2014.

Should the senate seat become vacant on or before August 27, New Jersey’s election law requires that a successor be elected in the November general election.   If a vacancy occurs after August 27,  the next election for the seat would be on schedule in November of 2014, unless the governor calls for a special election sooner.  Governor Christie could appoint a temporary senator or leave the seat vacant.

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Why the Christain Peter story matters…

…and why I wrote it

By Art Gallagher

As a political blogger, I expected that my story about former NFL player and convicted sex offender Christian Peter being on a Christie fund raising committee would be viewed in a political context.   Both Democrats and Republicans asked me, “Why are you taking a shot at Christie?”  “I’m not,” I replied, “I’m taking a shot at Peter.  I am close to a few sexual assault survivors and I am related to recovering alcoholics.  I don’t give sexual predators or addicts any slack.”  “Yeah, right,” they said, “you’re taking a shot at Christie.”  That’s they would be doing.

I confess, if I found out that Peter was on the host committee of a Menendez or Buono fundraiser, my inner partisan blogger would be inclined to make hay with that information.  But I would wait until after the fundraiser.  I would try to get photos taken at the fundraiser of Peter with the candidate and the other politicians present and then wait to use them to strike or counter-strike at the opportune time.  That’s how the game is played, as they say.   But sexual assault and the destructive wake of addiction is not a game for me.

So, my inner political blogger did my friends who will be attending the Christie fundraiser a favor.  Most that of them that I talked to before I published the story had either forgotten about or never knew of Peter’s history of violence against women, even though it was written about just four months ago in the New York Times.  Who would have guessed that my political friends don’t read the New York Times’ sports section?   Now they know about Peter’s history.  They can choose to pose for pictures with him, or have a drink with him, or not, with full knowledge of his history.

That’s part of why I wrote the story, but not the most important reason.

The story I wanted to write about Peter is a tale of how he’s turned his life around.  A tale about his triumph over his demons. About how he’s made amends to the people he has hurt. I wanted to write about how he is making a difference for battered women and how he’s training young athletes not to make the mistakes he’s made.

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Former NFL Player, Sex Offender Christian Peter Is A Supporting Member Of Christie Fundraiser Committee

ASBURY PARK, NJ – JANUARY 12: NFL player, Christian Peter and WCW World Heaveyweight wrestler, Diamond Dallas Page attends the 2012 Light of Day New Jersey Rock N’ Bowl A Thon at Asbury Lanes on January 12, 2012 in Asbury Park, New Jersey. (Photo by Bobby Bank/Getty Images)

Former NFL player, admitted alcoholic and convicted sex offender Christian Peter is a member of the host committee for a Governor Christie fundraiser/cocktail party scheduled for April 30th in Middletown.

Political fundraising host committees typically don’t meet.  Members names are included on invitations in order to encourage others to attend and contribute to the event and as an acknowledgement of the level of funds the member has agreed to contribute or raise.  The invitation to the April 30th event at the DiPiero residence on Navesink River Road can be viewed here.

The committee, chaired by Senator Joe and Susan Kyrillos, is a who’s who of investment banking, medicine, commerce, philanthropy, politics and government in Monmouth County and beyond. Peter’s name sticks out like item from a which item does not belong test.

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James O’Keefe Exposes Hypocrisy Of Piers Morgan and Tribeca Films On Guns

James O’Keefe of Project Veritas released a new investigative video yesterday designed to expose the hypocrisy of CNN’s Piers Morgan and the employees of Robert DeNiro’s Tribeca Studios on the issue of guns.

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Bellew Comes Out Swinging

LD 13 GOP State Senate challenger Leigh-Ann Bellew wasted no time in kicking off her campaign to unseat incumbent  State Senator Joe Kyrillos.

“Negative” is not a strong enough word for the press release Bellew sent out this afternoon. “Scathing” is a more accurate description.

IN OFFICE SINCE THE 1980s, KYRILLOS TAKES HEAT FROM CONSERVATIVE PRIMARY CHALLENGE

Union Beach, NJ — State Senator and defeated 2012 U.S. Senate candidate Joe Kyrillos, a leading GOP “moderate” who has broken with most Republicans on taxes, abortion and gun control, is facing a conservative primary challenger backed by a full slate of candidates.

“Joe Kyrillos has been in office since the 1980s – that’s nearly 30 years – and his  ‘accomplishments’ have included tripling state spending, endorsing new and expanded gun control laws, and  supporting abortion,” said Leigh-Ann Bellew, a Union Beach educator and conservative activist challenging Kyrillos in the June 4 Republican Primary.

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Quality Used Furniture

To donate quality used furniture contact Furnished With Love at 732-222-1923.  All donations are tax deductible.

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Bellew says she’s not the Bayshore Tea Party Group’s candidate

Republican challenger for State Senate in the 13th Legislative District told MoreMonmouthMusings that she is not the Bayshore Tea Party Group’s candidate, as we have been reporting.

“While Bayshore will likely support me, I am not their candidate,” said Bellew, “I have a professional team running this campaign and much of my support will come from outside the tea party.”

Bellew is running against Senator Joe Kyrillos for the GOP nomination in the June 4th primary.

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Bennett: Tea Party Primary Challenge Is “Ludicrous”

Monmouth County Republican Chairman John Bennett said that “it is ludicrous to me that these individuals are being challenged” in the primary.  Bennett was speaking to MoreMonmoutMusings about the primary challenges to his 13th legislative team of Senator Joe Kyrillos, Assembly members Amy Handlin and Declan O’Scanlon, as well as Sheriff Shaun Golden and Freeholders Tom Arnone and Serena DiMaso.

John Bennett

“I have no idea what their agenda is,” Bennett said of the Bayshore Tea Party Group and their slate of candidates who filed to challenge the incumbents today,” our candidates are doing great jobs and are conservatives.”

“We will treat this challenge like any other election against our good, strong incumbents and return these good people to office with every resource at our disposal.”

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Bayshore Tea Party Candidates for Legislature in LD 13

Former Congressional candidate Leigh-Ann Bellew of Union Beach filed petitions to run for the Republican nomination for State Senate in the 13th legislative district this afternoon.  Her petitions included 154 signature.  Bellew is attempting to unseat incumbent State Senator Joe Kyrillos.

Edna Walsh of Middletown and Stephen Boracchia of Atlantic Highlands are challenging incumbent Assembly members Amy Handlin and Declan O’Scanlon for the Republican nominations to be decided in the June 4 primary election.

The 13th district challengers and the county candidates for Sheriff and Freeholder are running together under the slogan Republicans for Conservative Leadership.

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