Congressman Chris Smith To Hold Hearing on Human Trafficking and The Super Bowl This Afternoon

New Jersey, New York and federal officials, along with their private sector partners in the transportation and hospitality industries have been working to thwart human trafficking associated with the Super Bowl since the day it was announced the big game would be played in New Jersey this year.

Congressman Chris Smith, Chairman of the House committee that oversees global human rights, will hold a hearing this afternoon at 2PM to examine the measures that are being deployed this week before the game.

“As sports fans prepare for February’s Super Bowl, the prospect of human trafficking threatens to darken the festivities,” said Smith, author of the landmark Trafficking Victims Protection Act of 2000. “Fortunately, we have learned from past sporting events and have new best practices, such as training for the transportation and hospitality industries to help identify and rescue victims being trafficked in plain sight. This hearing will examine how we can transform this Super Bowl  —and other major sporting event worldwide— from potential trafficking-fests to trafficking-free zones.”

Representatives from the State Department, the Department of Homeland Security, AMTRAK, the airline industry and End Child Prostitution and Trafficking-USA are scheduled to testify.

The hearing will be live-streamed here.

Live streaming video by Ustream

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As Chris Christie faces scandal, NJ Republicans wait for guidance

As Chris Christie faces scandal, NJ Republicans wait for guidance (via NJ.com)

TRENTON — New Jersey’s Republican county chairmen will gather tonight in Princeton for a dinner meeting where they’ll hear from Gov. Chris Christie’s chief strategist, Mike DuHaime. They’ll have a lot to talk about. As Christie fights two…

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Ice boating returns to the Navesink River

Ice boating returns to the Navesink River (via NewsWorks)

With arctic air continuing to surge into the region, ice boaters are seizing on the opportunity to cruise on the frozen Navesink River, a tradition dating back to the late 19th century.  After an ice inspection Sunday morning, the North Shrewsbury…

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The Zimmer Fibber Timeline

By Matt Rooney, SaveJersey.com

Having trouble keeping track of the Bridgegate sideshow going on in Hoboken, Save Jerseyans?

Fear not; we’ve put together a streamlined timeline for you to consult/post/share and, once you’ve reviewed it from beginning to end, I don’t think you’ll conclude that the chronology is flattering for Hoboken’s Mayor:

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Winter 2010 to Fall 2012

Mayor Dawn Zimmer is only one year into her new job when she decides to endorse the Governor’s property tax cap. She’s backed other major initiatives since then.

October 2012

Hurricane Sandy strikes New Jersey and floods much of Hoboken.

November 2012

Over the next year and change, Zimmer repeatedly — both online and in the real world, too — praises Chris Christie for his Sandy aftermath assistance without qualification:

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Warren Chamberlain Fills Keyport Council Seat

Warren Chamberlain, center, takes the oath of office as a Keyport Councilman. Borough Clerk Valerie Valerie Heilweil, left, and Keyport GOP Chairman Bob Burlew, right.

Warren Chamberlain, 63, was sworn in as a councilman in Keyport on Friday.  He was selected by the Keyport Republican Committee on Thursday to fill the seat of Clemente Toglia, the reelected council member who died suddenly on December 31, the day before his new term was to start.

“I’m happy to be working with the rest of the council and the mayor, for the people of Keyport,” Chamberlain said, “but I’m very sad about the circumstances. Clemente will be greatly missed.  This council is a great group, Republicans and Democrats.  We will work together well.”

Chamberlain is starting his second stint on the Keyport council.  In 2011 he was selected to fill a vacancy on the board and then lost the election to complete the term he was appointed to to Kenneth McPeek to by 4 votes.  He will be serving with McPeek this year.

The new councilman was a Monmouth County Sheriff’s Officer from 1982 through 1996. He retired with a disability pension after suffering back injuries in an altercation with inmates in the jail. From 1986 through 1990, he was president of PBA Local 240.

In 1992, Chamberlain was the Democratic nominee for Monmouth County Sheriff, losing to incumbent Republican William Lanzaro by 2700 votes.

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Robert Menendez says he’s fighting a smear campaign against ‘ridiculous’ allegations

Robert Menendez says he’s fighting a smear campaign against ‘ridiculous’ allegations (via NJ.com)

JERSEY CITY — Saying he was the target of a yearlong “false smear campaign,” U.S. Sen. Robert Menendez yesterday blasted a television news report that said he allegedly used his office to help campaign contributors. At events in his native Hudson…

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Zimmer testified that she does not keep a diary

HudsonCountyTV.com is reporting that attorney Louis Zayas of North Bergen claims that Hoboken Mayor Dawn Zimmer testified under oath during a deposition that she does not keep a diary, calendar or memo pad to help her remember events that occur in the city she governs.

Zimmer claimed on MSNBC’s Up with Steve Kornacki last Saturday that Lt. Governor Kim Guadagno told her that Sandy Relief money was contingent on the approval of a proposed Rockefeller Group development.  Zimmer offered Kornacki her diary to support her claims against Guadagno and says she has since turned the diary over to the U.S. Attorney.

Zayas, the attorney who won a $440,000 award discrimination lawsuit against Hoboken last month said at the time that the jury in that case did not believe Zimmer’s testimony. Zayas is currently suing Zimmer and her husband, Stan Grossbard, on behalf of Carmelo Garcia, the head of the Hoboken Housing Authority and a New Jersey State Assemblyman representing Hoboken, for alleged  racial discrimination and “ethnic cleansing.”

Zayas keeps a framed photograph of himself and Governor Chris Christie on prominent display in his law office, as can be seen in this HudsonCountyTV video.

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Christie bridge scandal: Port Authority won’t pay Wildstein’s bills

Christie bridge scandal: Port Authority won’t pay Wildstein’s bills (via NJ.com)

TRENTON — The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey said Friday it won’t pay the legal bills of the former official — and ally of Gov. Chris Christie — who ordered the controversial lane closures at the George Washington Bridge last year…

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Will New Storm Brew Over Hiring and Firing of Shore Rebuilding Contractor?

Will New Storm Brew Over Hiring and Firing of Shore Rebuilding Contractor? (via NJSpotlight)

Rebuilding of the Jersey Shore in the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy has been touted as Gov. Chris Christie’s signature accomplishment in his first term. But the administration recently fired — with no public announcement other than a posting on a state…

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NBC 4 NY: New, expanding criminal investigation into Menendez

FEDERAL PROBE INTO MENENDEZ IS WIDENING

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