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new jersey
Menendez Sentenced to 11 Years in Prison for Bribery
"Bob Menendez's blatant corruption made a mockery of the Senate and was one more piece of the shattering of Americans' trust in our government in recent years," said the head of one government watchdog.
Jan 29, 2025
"Americans can feel secure in the knowledge that, in at least some cases, corruption does not go unpunished," said one government watchdog on Wednesday after a federal district court judge in New York sentenced former Sen. Robert Menendez to 11 years in prison for bribery, extortion, and other crimes.
Menendez, who represented New Jersey as a Democrat in the Senate for 18 years, was convicted last year of trading his political influence, including as former chair of the powerful Senate Foreign Relations Committee, for gifts including cash, gold bricks, and a luxury car.
A jury found him guilty of accepting bribes from three businessmen and acting as a foreign agent on behalf of Egypt.
He resigned from the Senate soon after his conviction, as his colleagues began considering an expulsion. U.S. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) led the call for his resignation, saying Menendez should step down to "maintain the integrity" of his Senate seat.
He was convicted of using his political clout to intervene in criminal cases on behalf of his associates, two of whom were also sentenced on Wednesday.
"It is critical that we hold our elected leaders to the highest professional and ethical standards."
Noah Bookbinder, president of Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW) said the sentence was "in line with these very serious offenses."
"Bob Menendez's blatant corruption made a mockery of the Senate and was one more piece of the shattering of Americans' trust in our government in recent years," said Bookbinder. "By sending Menendez to prison, the judge has shown that the system can work."
New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy, also a Democrat, said that although Menendez "accomplished many things in behalf of our state and our residents... sadly he will be remembered for putting his own interests and financial gain ahead of the public interest."
"At a time when our country is deeply divided," said Murphy, "it is critical that we hold our elected leaders to the highest professional and ethical standards."
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New Jersey Governor Signs Freedom to Read Act Barring Book Bans
The law, said the Democrat, "cements New Jersey's role on the forefront of preventing book bans and protecting the intellectual freedom of our educators and students."
Dec 09, 2024
Democratic New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy on Monday signed legislation protecting librarians and prohibiting public schools and libraries from banning books—a move that came as Republican state lawmakers are proscribing a record number of titles, many of them works addressing sexual orientation, gender identity, and racial injustice.
Flanked by educators, librarians, and other advocates, Murphy signed
A.3446/S.2421—known as the Freedom to Read Act—in the Princeton Public Library.
"The Freedom to Read Act cements New Jersey's role on the forefront of preventing book bans and protecting the intellectual freedom of our educators and students," said Murphy. "Across the nation, we have seen attempts to suppress and censor the stories and experiences of others. I'm proud to amplify the voices of our past and present, as there is no better way for our children to prepare for the future than to read freely."
According to a statement from Murphy's office:
Under the law, boards of education and governing boards of public libraries are barred from excluding books because of the origin, background, or views of the material or of its authors. Further, boards of education and governing boards of public libraries are prevented from censoring library material based on a disagreement with a viewpoint, idea, or concept, or solely because an individual finds certain content offensive, unless they are restricting access to developmentally inappropriate material for certain age groups.
The legislation "also provides protections for library staff members against civil and criminal lawsuits related to complying with this law."
New Jersey Association of School Librarians President Karen Grant said that "the Freedom to Read Act recognizes the professionalism, honor, work ethics, and performance of school and public library staff" and "promotes libraries as trusted sources of information and recognizes the many roles that libraries play in students' lives."
"The bill will protect the intellectual freedom of students as well as acknowledge that school libraries are centers for voluntary inquiry, fostering students' growth and development," Grant added. "Additionally, we are grateful for the broad coalition of support from so many organizations for this legislation."
The leader of one of those groups—Garden State Equality executive director Christian Fuscarino—said, "Gov. Murphy just made it clear: In New Jersey, censorship loses, and freedom wins."
"At a time when access to diverse and inclusive materials is under attack across the nation, this legislation sends a powerful message that New Jersey will stand firm in protecting intellectual freedom and fostering a culture of understanding and inclusion," Fuscarino added.
The New Jersey law comes amid a near-tripling in the number of books banned or challenged by Republican state lawmakers and right-wing organizations over the past year, with PEN America counting over 10,000 such titles during the 2023-24 academic year—up from 3,362 titles during the previous scholastic year.
With Murphy's signature, New Jersey joins Minnesota and Illinois in passing state legislation to counter GOP book-banning efforts.
As the Chicago Tribunereported Sunday, "a number of school districts, many of them in deeply conservative areas of south and central Illinois," are giving up state grants rather than adopting principles against book-banning."Keep ReadingShow Less
The Best Bill Pascrell Takedowns of 'Lowlife' Trump and His 'Soulless Goons'
The feisty Democratic congressman from New Jersey died August 21.
Aug 21, 2024
U.S. Rep. Bill Pascrell, a longtime congressman from New Jersey and unflinching critic of former President Donald Trump, died at 87 years old on Wednesday, his family announced.
Pascrell (D-N.J.), a former public school teacher, state assemblyman, and mayor of Paterson, was first elected to Congress in 1996 and served 14 terms.
His death led to an outpouring of tributes from dignitaries in New Jersey and across the country. Rep. Pramila Jayapal (D-Wash.), chair of the Congressional Progressive Caucus, called him "a constant fighter for what is right and just."
Pascrell, not one to hold back for fear of impropriety, was known for memorable one-liners. After he arrived in Washington, he put a bumper sticker on his door that said "NAFTA is Shafta," expressing his opposition to free trade agreements.
"The joy of Bill Pascrell is you never walked away from Bill Pascrell saying he was undecided," Rep. Richard Neal (D-Mass.), his colleague on the powerful House Ways and Means Committee, said in 2020.
As he advanced in age, Pascrell became something of an ally to younger colleagues, endorsing a Green New Deal, for example. In 2019, he tweeted a satirical article from The Onion titled "82-Year-Old New Jersey Congressman Bill Pascrell Quietly Asks Ilhan Omar If He Can Be Part Of The Squad."
"Well. How 'bout it," he jokingly asked the the small, left-wing band of lawmakers, getting an immediate "You're in, Bill Pascrell!" in response from Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.).
Mostly, Pascrell was known in his later years for his no-holds-barred criticism of Trump—whose tax returns he pursued vigorously, in his role on the Ways and Means Committee—and other Republicans, and the comedy he produced at their expense.
Pascrell took seeming delight in Trump's recent felony conviction in the New York hush money trial.
Good morning. Republican donald trump is a convicted criminal. pic.twitter.com/YxrRcIJSDG
— Bill Pascrell, Jr. 🇺🇸🇺🇦 (@BillPascrell) July 13, 2024
A few days earlier, Pascrell took aim at U.S. Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas, who's been mired in controversy for unreported gifts he accepted from Republican megadonors in the past. Pascrell posted an artistic rendering, based on a real scene from five years ago, of Thomas smoking a cigar while he sits beside megadonor Harlan Crow, his main benefactor, and right-wing legal influencer Leonard Leo, among others.
Corrupt republican supreme court judges are taking bribes from billionaires while attacking your rights and crushing democracy pic.twitter.com/UaQgkfLPIO
— Bill Pascrell, Jr. 🇺🇸🇺🇦 (@BillPascrell) July 9, 2024
Pascrell communicated with a directness that many Democratic officeholders are reluctant to employ, drawing praise—and smiles—from left-leaning followers of his social media account.
The republican party’s record is a disgrace and all Americans should see it for themselves. Please share. pic.twitter.com/FpTgtfo4Dd
— Bill Pascrell, Jr. 🇺🇸🇺🇦 (@BillPascrell) July 23, 2023
In 2018, when Trump remarked that immigrants were coming to the U.S. from "shithole" countries, Pascrell invoked a racist character from the 1970s sitcom All in the Family.
Once again, @POTUS has made a fool of himself & our nation on a worldwide stage. He’s showing his bigoted tendencies in ways that would make Archie Bunker blush. White House statement makes it even more obvious that this president needs some help - what a national disgrace! https://t.co/j0N4K4c495
— Bill Pascrell, Jr. 🇺🇸🇺🇦 (@BillPascrell) January 11, 2018
Pascrell, who was an advocate for veterans who'd suffered brain injuries in Iraq and Afghanistan, objected to Trump's disrespect for those who'd given their lives for the country.
Trump wouldn’t visit a cemetery for US soldiers who gave their lives in battle because he said it was “filled with losers.”
What more can be said about this lowlife? He is beneath contempt. Republicans keep him in office bc they value their power more than America’s honor. https://t.co/koxOz6kkHm
— Bill Pascrell, Jr. 🇺🇸🇺🇦 (@BillPascrell) September 3, 2020
During the pandemic, Pascrell warned that Trump's approach to dealing with Covid-19 could be deadly for Americans.
🚨 Trump and his soulless goons are trying to reduce covid testing to lower the number of reported positive cases.
Responsible for countless dead Americans, trump is willing to kill even more to make himself look better.
The republican party is a direct threat to your life. https://t.co/2ujI9odmrd
— Bill Pascrell, Jr. 🇺🇸🇺🇦 (@BillPascrell) August 26, 2020
Trump's attorney general, William "Bill" Barr, was a frequent target of Pascrell's wrath: The congressman called him the "worst most corrupt despicable attorney general in U.S. history." So when Barr made claims about the Kenosha, Wisconsin, riots of 2020, Pascrell proved skeptical.
Bill barr is a lying disgrace whose word isn’t worth a nickel. Barr should be impeached and then stripped of his personal law licenses for life. #ImpeachBarr #DisbarBarr https://t.co/TG9FqL03q1
— Bill Pascrell, Jr. 🇺🇸🇺🇦 (@BillPascrell) September 1, 2020
In a 2020 debate, when Trump interrupted President Joe Biden while the then-Democratic nominee spoke about the military service of his son Beau Biden, who'd died of cancer five years earlier, Pascrell was unimpressed.
Trump smearing Beau Biden. There is no low for this lowlife piece of impeached garbage. #Debate2020
— Bill Pascrell, Jr. (@PascrellforNJ) September 30, 2020
Pascrell was an indefatigable critic of Postmaster General Louis DeJoy, whom he said had tried to sabotage—that is, slow down—the work of the U.S. Postal Service as a way of helping Trump's elections chances in 2020. (Most mail-in votes were for Democrats.) Pascrell blamed not just DeJoy but also the service's Board of Governors who had appointed the Republican businessman as their head.
Good question. On Jan 25 I was the first member of Congress calling for @POTUS to fire the entire USPS Board of Governors. They’re complicit in dejoy’s destruction. Americans are fed up. Time to clean house at USPS. https://t.co/wTGmjL9Ws4 pic.twitter.com/YZjJPU7oDs
— Bill Pascrell, Jr. 🇺🇸🇺🇦 (@BillPascrell) February 7, 2021
Pascrell kept beating the drum against DeJoy, unsuccessfully, until he died. (DeJoy is still the postmaster general.) The congressman also regularly used social media as a platform to argue that Republicans posed a threat to democracy.
Tapping the sign as republicans today again try to destroy your voting rights pic.twitter.com/a4gIgZ9ZgJ
— Bill Pascrell, Jr. 🇺🇸🇺🇦 (@BillPascrell) July 10, 2024
Pascrell, who was the second-oldest member of the House, will likely be replaced by another Democrat, as his district leans solidly blue.
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