Issue Position: Homeland Security

Issue Position

Issue Position: Homeland Security

"Zero Tolerance for Politicizing our Security"

On September 11, 2001, our country was attacked and thrust into a war against terror. The victims of September 11th were not Republicans or Democrats. They were Americans. It is sad that an issue that should have united us all has become an issue that New Jersey Democrats have used to score political points.

The Democrat leadership in New Jersey did not speak out against Governor McGreevy's appointment of his unqualified boyfriend, Golan Cipel, a foreign national with no security clearance, to head of New Jersey's homeland security -- this, only four months after the attacks on 9/11.

The Democrat leadership in New Jersey did not protest when state homeland security dollars were allocated based on party affiliation, not risk or need. In on example, Camden received $1 million while Atlantic City was allocated nothing. The Star Ledger reported that 94% of homeland security dollars went to Democrat districts.

The Democrat leadership in New Jersey did not protest when the City of Newark purchased air-conditioned garbage trucks with federal homeland security dollars because, according to former Mayor Sharpe James, those trucks could cart away the dead. Americans do not put their dead in garbage trucks, Mr. Mayor, even air-conditioned ones!

While I support bipartisan efforts to obtain the necessary federal funds to protect our state, I also believe it should be based on risk and need, NOT politics. Unfortunately, past abuse by New Jersey, coupled with the Democrat leadership's silence on the misappropriation of funds, have diminished our credibility with Washington on so vital an issue. I would work to reestablish our credibility in Washington to ensure that our own homeland security right here in New Jersey is a priority for national funding.

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