Congressman Chris Smith Acknowledges Hotels That Fight Human Trafficking

Representatives of the Junior Leagues of NJ State Public Affairs Committee meet with Rep Chris Smith during the NJ Chamber’s Congressional Dinner. Click on photo for info on JL-NJSPAC’s anti-human trafficking efforts

During his remarks to the New Jersey Chamber of Commerce’s 82nd Walk to Washington Congressional Dinner, Congressman Chris Smith acknowledged five hotel chains for their leadership in fighting human trafficking; Hilton, Carlson, Radisson, Wyndham and Marriott.

Smith introduced legislation yesterday, H.R.1427, which will require that hotels that fight human trafficking be preferred vendors for federal government travel.

Smith remarks to the Chamber, as prepared for delivery, follow:

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Smith’s new legislation will fight human trafficking in the hotel industry

Congressman Smith addressed the 9th annual NJ Human Trafficking and Awareness Event on January 25, 2019 in Trenton

Legislation introduced by Congressman Chris Smith on Thursday will require that U.S. government travel business be prioritized to hotels that have strong anti-human trafficking policies in place.

“U.S. government travelers should be staying at hotels that are part of the solution to human trafficking, not part of the problem,” Smith said. “Six of the 10 major hotels chains in the world have taken the initiative to train their staff to recognize and report when human traffickers use their hotels for crime.  These are the hotels that deserve U.S. government business.”

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Aagre not running for reelection in Hazlet

Hazlet Mayor Scott Aagre and former Senator Joe Kyrillos 

Mayor Scott Aagre has decided not to seek a sixth term on the Hazlet Township Committee, GOP Municipal Chairman Gene Kiley confirmed to MMM.

First elected in 2003, Aagre will have spent 15 years on the Hazlet governing body when he leaves office at the end of this year.

“Scott is a great public servant and a good friend to the people of Hazlet,” said Freeholder Sue Kiley, who served with Aagre from 2014 until she was sworn into her current office. “His wisdom and contributions will be missed.”

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Why Amazon Did Not Choose New Jersey

By Senator Robert Singer

Senator Robert Singer

A whopping 238 cities across the United States sought to be the home of Amazon’s second headquarters, dubbed “HQ2.” Of all city applicants, Newark, New Jersey offered Amazon the largest tax benefits in the country. Regardless of being one of twenty cities to make the final cut, Newark was passed over by Amazon not once, but twice. It speaks volumes that a package of tax incentives totaling $7 billion could not entice Amazon to choose New Jersey.

Our state’s prime geographic location, diverse workforce, state-of-the-art infrastructure, convenient transportation, and best-in-the-nation schools should have made the Garden State an easy sell. The New Jersey Legislature’s successful bipartisan effort to top all other competing tax incentive offers nationwide should have made the Garden State an easy choice. The competition was fierce to court HQ2, and New Jersey was in play.

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Neptune Man Arrested for Child Abuse Porn

Anthony McCray, 50, of Neptune Township has been arrested and charged with the possession and distribution of videos that depict the sexual abuse of children, according to an announcement by Monmouth County Prosecutor Christopher J. Gramiccioni.

On August 3, 2018, McCray distributed 16 videos depicting the sexual abuse of children via a peer-to-peer file-sharing program – an online connection of computers allowing the sharing of files directly between individual users. On November 18, 2018, McCray distributed an additional 86 videos depicting the sexual abuse of children via a peer-to-peer file-sharing program. On February 21, 2019, law enforcement executed a search warrant at McCray’s residence located additional child pornography.

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Baroni gets 18 months for Bridgegate conviction

Bill Barnoni, 47, a former NJ State Senator and the former Deputy Executive Director of the Port Authority of NY/NJ was sentenced to 18 months in federal prison today for his role in the September, 2013 George Washington Bridge lane closure known as Bridgegate, Assistant US Attorney Attorney for the United States Mark Coyne announced.

U.S. District Judge Susan D. Wigenton imposed the sentence in Newark federal court.

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Gopal: The courts should decide if NJ can keep Trump off the ballot if he doesn’t release tax returns

By Art Gallagher

Senator Vin Gopal

State Senator Vin Gopal said it would be up to the courts to decide if New Jersey has the right to keep a presidential candidate, President Trump or any other candidate, off the ballot in the state if they do not disclose five years of tax returns, as required by legislation he voted in favor of last week, should the bill pass in the Assembly and be signed by Governor Phil. Murphy.

Gopal reached out to object to MMM’s coverage of his vote on the bill, S119,which would also prohibit Electoral College electors from voting for a candidate who did not disclose their tax returns, regardless of how voters cast their ballots.  He objected to the use of the phrase “fellow cronies” in describing his relationships with the other Democrat senators who passed the bill last week.  He said I was inferring that he was corrupt for not wanting the the disclosure requirement to apply to him and other NJ elected officials and that I was implying that his cash purchase of his Tinton Falls office building was nefarious.

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Statement By Paul Caneiro’s Attorneys

Robert A. Honecker, Jr. and Mitchell J. Ansell of Ansell Grimm & Aaron, defense attorneys for Paul Caneiro, issued the following statement regarding his indictment which is handed down by a Monmouth County Grand Jury this morning.

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Hypocrites Gopal, Downey and Houghtaling vote to keep Trump off the 2020 ballot

Sen Vin Gopal, Assemblyman Eric Houghtaling and Assemblywoman Joann Downey

Senator Vin Gopal voted with his Trenton Democrat cronies last week in voting in favor of legislation that would keep candidates for President and Vice President off the ballot in New Jersey unless they disclose five years of tax returns .  Gopal also voted against an amendment to the bill that would have it apply to himself and his fellow legislators and the governor.

Assembly Members Joann Downey and Eric Houghtaling voted in favor of identical legislation—and against the amendment to have the bill apply to themselves—in 2017.

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Frankly Chatting: Amazing Grace

By Steve Frank, FranklyChatting.com

A. Tobias Grace, 1945-2019 R.I.P.

It was the autumn of 1964. The social winds of discord were in the air and nowhere more evident than at Trenton State College where the Theta Nu Sigma fraternity roamed the campus with the rebellious attitude that defined the decade. They subsisted on cheap beer and testosterone; ingratiated themselves to the other frats; and enjoyed the affections of the coeds so enchanted by the lure of the “bad boy”. They were loud and ribald; fiercely insular and prone to debauching themselves on weekends.

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