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NJ Assembly GOP

Monmouth County Republicans, Assemblywoman Vicky Flynn and Assemblyman Gerry Scharfenberger, are calling for the immediate resignation of Attorney General Matthew Platkin, citing a pattern of political weaponization, failed prosecutions, and misplaced priorities that have undermined public safety and the integrity of the Attorney General’s Office. 

The push for Platkin to resign follows articles of impeachment introduced by Assembly Republican Leaders Thursday.  

“For decades, New Jersey’s attorneys general have upheld the integrity of their office, ensuring justice and public safety. Matthew Platkin, however, has turned it into a tool for political ambition rather than a force for law and order,” said Flynn. “Instead of prioritizing crime reduction, supporting law enforcement, and protecting taxpayers, he has wasted millions of dollars on politically-motivated lawsuits that do nothing to keep New Jersey families safe.”

Platkin’s most recent failed case against George Norcross is just one of many that collapsed under judicial scrutiny, say Flynn and Scharfenberger. They also cited Platkin’s attempt to take down Michael Eisemann, James O’Donnell, and Paterson officials.

“Time and time again, Platkin has shown that his allegiance is to political interests rather than the people of New Jersey,” said Scharfenberger. “His office has wasted taxpayer dollars on failed prosecutions, covered up serious misconduct within Gov. Phil Murphy’s administration, and pushed anti-police policies that make it harder for officers to do their jobs. Public safety is declining, crime is rising, and New Jerseyans deserve better.”

The lawmakers added Platkin has mismanaged taxpayer funds and squandered state resources, including wasting $175 million on a failed offshore wind deal. As the state’s chief law enforcement officer overseeing the state police, he has implemented policies that have further strained New Jersey’s law enforcement crisis. 

“New Jersey needs an attorney general who will fight crime, support law enforcement, and put the interests of the people first,” added Flynn. “Matthew Platkin has failed to do that at every turn. It is time for him to step down.”

Flynn and Scharfenberger stressed the attorney general’s role is to uphold justice, not to serve political agendas or impose ideology by filing lawsuits against the president, gun manufacturers, energy companies and local boards of education. 

“His actions make it clear that he is more focused on advancing his political future than ensuring the safety and well-being of New Jerseyans,” concluded Scharfenberger. “Matthew Platkin must resign immediately.”

New Jersey Globe

Assemblyman Gerry Scharfenberger (R-Middletown) and Assemblywoman Vicky Flynn (R-Holmdel) officially launched their re-election campaign for the Assembly on Wednesday.

The pair are strong favorites to win re-election in the 13th legislative district, a solidly Republican district in Monmouth County. In their campaign announcement, the legislators said they plan to continue their work for affordability and against tax hikes and crime.

“In these challenging times, Monmouth County residents deserve leaders who won’t back down when it comes to protecting our communities,” Flynn said in a release. “We’ve been the voice in Trenton fighting for fair educational funding to ensure our schools and taxpayers aren’t left scrambling due to state aid cuts.”

The pair cruised to re-election in 2023, beating their Democratic opponents about 29%-21% each.

Scharfenberger, a former Middletown mayor, joined the Assembly in 2020 and Flynn, who won a tight 2021 primary, entered the ranks of the lower chamber in 2022. “As Republicans, we understand the values and priorities of Monmouth County,” Scharfenberger said. “We’ve fought against reckless spending, dangerous overdevelopment, and policies that hurt hardworking families. We’ll continue fighting to preserve the quality of life that makes our county a great place to live.”

The pair has already received the endorsements of dozens of Republican officials, including Monmouth County Sheriff Shaun Golden, State Sen. Declan O’Scanlon (R-Little Silver), and Assembly Minority Leader John DiMaio.

No Democrats have yet filed to run in the 13th.

NJ Assembly GOP

Assemblywoman Victoria Flynn’s bill tackling bad behavior at youth sporting events didn’t cross the finish line last session but made a strong comeback on Thursday. Her “Penalty Box Act” upgrading penalties for assaults against sports officials, coaches or staff cleared the Assembly Judiciary Committee. 

The bill (A4176) aims to address the reprehensible conduct of adults behaving violently and eliminate the toxic environment that is prevalent at youth sporting events. 

“I am pleased this legislation is once again moving in the Assembly as the issue of adults behaving badly at youth sporting events is unfortunately still as relevant today as it was last year,” Flynn (R-Monmouth) said. “We know the psychological long-term effects upon children when they observe parents fighting in a home. The harm is no different when children observe toxic behavior among adults at soccer matches, basketball games or at a hockey rink.” 

The bill upgrades penalties for assaults against sports officials, coaches or staff from a disorderly persons offense to a fourth-degree aggravated assault if there are no injuries. That crime carries up to 18 months in prison and a fine up to $10,000. If the official is injured, it becomes a third-degree crime punishable by imprisonment of three to five years, a fine of up to $15,000, or both.  

“The goal of the Penalty Box Act is to restore civility to youth sports and deter bad behavior before it escalates,” Flynn said. 

According to a National Association of Sports survey last year, more than half of sporting officials felt unsafe or feared for their safety because of a coach’s, player’s or spectator’s bad behavior. In 2022, Jim Neely, a 72-year-old umpire, made headlines for being attacked by a coach during a youth baseball game in Branchburg. He suffered a broken jaw and a concussion. 

“Losing is part of the game, but violence has no place on the field. Modeling good sportsmanship starts with adults,” Flynn said. “I want to return the joy of sports to players, parents, coaches and other officials.”  

NJ Assembly GOP

The number of affordable housing units that need to be rehabilitated and built in each town was released by the state late Friday afternoon. Many towns that were identified as not having the land capacity to build are still obligated to build.

“Two simple questions can pinpoint the problem with the law: How does it make sense and where is it possible to build?” said Assemblywoman Victoria Flynn (R-Monmouth). “The report finds that there isn’t any land to develop but still mandates massive development throughout our state. This is not realistic.”

Affordable housing is typically only 20% of any new development project. For instance, Monmouth Beach, a community represented by Flynn that is considered at risk for flooding with state projections of a five-foot sea level rise by 2100, is still obligated to build 47 new affordable housing units, which would require a 235-unit development. The state Dept. of Environmental Protection’s newly proposed flood rules, known as NJPACT, restricts new development of that scale in Monmouth Beach.

Nearby Colts Neck Township also does not have any land to build according to the report, but has a 101 affordable housing unit obligation.

“Making New Jersey more affordable for everyone is my number one goal in the legislature,” said Flynn. 

“This law makes New Jersey less affordable because it is a logistical nightmare.

“Democrats in New Jersey have been struggling to manage a myriad of very expensive problems in the state that the new affordable housing obligations will exacerbate,” Flynn added.

“There isn’t enough land in New Jersey to meet these development goals. The state’s electrical and water infrastructure cannot afford to absorb additional development. Our roads and bridges are in constant disrepair, and public transportation is insufficient or nearly non-existent in most of the state. The high-density development proposed will cause irreparable and irreversible harm to the environment,” said Flynn. “We had an opportunity to engage in a more meaningful conversation on how to address making housing more affordable to our residents, but the solution offered by the Democrats missed the mark and made the state less affordable for everybody.”

New Jersey Monitor

A bill that would overhaul New Jersey’s affordable housing system cleared another hurdle Monday when the Assembly’s housing committee advanced it along party lines.

Committee members heard about 90 minutes of testimony from affordable housing advocates who called the measure overdue and mayors and other critics who warned that unwanted housing units would burden schools, municipal infrastructure, and environmentally fragile areas.

The bill, which has a $16 million appropriation, now must go before legislative budget and appropriations committees before the full Assembly and Senate can vote on it.

The state Department of Community Affairs would get $4 million of that allocation to establish a process to calculate a municipality’s affordable housing obligations under a formula meant to minimize litigation and reduce a 224,000-unit shortage of affordable housing in New Jersey. The rest would fund an affordable housing dispute resolution program, where municipalities can challenge their obligations.

The panel’s Republican members — Assembly members Vicky Flynn and Gerry Scharfenberger, who represent Monmouth County — voted against the bill, citing concerns about how further development would worsen flooding and overwhelm schools, utilities, and other infrastructure.

Most of those who testified Monday supported the legislation.

Staci Berger, president and CEO of the Housing & Community Development Network of New Jersey, told lawmakers housing stability helps build generational wealth and is a critical social determinant of health.

“For the better part of the last 20 years, recalcitrant public officials used every tactic they could to delay the creation of homes that people need, to keep their communities exclusive, and not ‘change the character’ of their towns,” Berger said.

New Jersey has a “moral obligation … to build homes in every community because people in New Jersey, whether they are from here or they come here, deserve to live in a safe, stable and affordable home,” she added.

Beverly Brown Ruggia of New Jersey Citizen Action said housing unaffordability drives the financial struggles of scores of New Jersey residents.

“Housing costs create the widest gaps in kitchen table budgeting for working families,” she said.

Adam Gordon of the Fair Share Housing Center applauded the expanded transparency the bill would bring. It would require regulatory updates on how affordable homes are built and occupied and how funds that nonprofit developers can use to create and rehabilitate affordable housing are spent — information that hasn’t been updated in almost 20 years, according to the Fair Share Housing Center.

Local officials who testified largely said they endorse the idea of affordable housing, but their communities can’t handle it.

Timothy C. McDonough, mayor of Hope Township in Warren County, warned lawmakers not to apply a one-size-fits-all model to affordable housing.

“In Warren County, we have virtually no infrastructure at all. We have no mass transit, no water and sewer systems — everything is well and septic systems. A lot of towns up in that area are the same way,” McDonough said.

Stacey Fox of Mercer County Defense League, an open space preservation group, complained that development is destroying the garden part of the Garden State.

“We are quickly losing our identity,” she said.

NJ Assembly GOP

Legislation authored by Assemblywoman Victoria Flynn increasing the competitive advantage of New Jersey-based insurance companies nationally while potentially reducing policy costs for Garden State residents, passed the Assembly on Thursday.  

Flynn’s bill (A4785/S3409) would allow for higher foreign investment limitations, thus allowing New Jersey insurance companies to greater diversify portfolios overall. The legislation would level the playing field for New Jersey insurers as companies in 36 other states across the nation have already been granted the same opportunities.  

“Limiting foreign investments for insurers only increases the cost of insurance for policyholders here in New Jersey and contributes negatively to the cost of running and building an insurance business.  I am pleased to join my colleague Assemblyman McKeon across the aisle to take this step towards making New Jersey more affordable for its residents and more business friendly for the insurance industry,” Flynn (R-Monmouth) said.  

Flynn’s bill would allow insurance companies to invest up to 30% of assets in foreign countries that have received a high rating from an independent, nationally recognized American rating agency. Companies could invest no more than 10% in any one country. 

“Any time we can allow insurance companies to meet their obligations to policyholders in a more cost-effective way is a win for New Jersey,” Flynn explained.  

The largest foreign markets for U.S. insurance companies are the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, the Netherlands and France. The most common investments for insurers include debt securities, such as bonds, and equity securities, such as stocks and mutual funds. 

“Expanding opportunities for more diversified strategic investments serves the interests of both New Jersey insurance companies and policyholders,” Flynn said.

Patch.com

MIDDLETOWN, NJ — Immediately after Danish company Orsted made the surprise 3 a.m. announcement Tuesday they are canceling all plans to build offshore wind turbines off the Jersey Shore, the three Republican lawmakers who represent Middletown had just four words:

“We told you so.”

“Tonight’s announcement by Orsted is not a surprise to those who have been relentless in questioning the Governor’s overzealous ‘green’ energy mandates,” said state Senator Declan O’Scanlon, Assemblywoman Victoria Flynn and Assemblyman Gerry Scharfenberger, who represent the Middletown area in Trenton (Scharfenberger is the former Middletown mayor). “For those of us who simply asked reasonable questions about the long-term, practicable and financial viability of the proposed offshore projects, this is an ‘I told you so’ moment.”

As Patch was one of the first media outlets to report two years ago, Orsted was planning to build two massive wind farms off Atlantic City; the turbines would have started at about 15 miles out and they would have been visible from Atlantic City beaches on clear days. In 2021, the company released these renderings of how the turbines would look from the beach.

However, in a 3 a.m. Europe time earnings phone call Orsted led from its Copenhagen headquarters Tuesday, Orsted CEO Mads Nipper announced his company is completely abandoning Ocean Wind One and Ocean Wind Two, citing supply chain problems.

Minutes later, Gov. Phil Murphy released a furious statement, saying: “Today’s decision by Orsted to abandon its commitments to New Jersey is outrageous and calls into question the company’s credibility and competence. As recently as several weeks ago, the company made public statements regarding the viability and progress of the Ocean Wind 1 project.”

This summer, Orsted asked for millions of dollars in tax breaks to build the wind farms, which Murphy gave them.

Gov. Murphy is now even pursuing litigation against Orsted:

“My administration insisted upon important protections that ensure New Jersey will receive $300 million to support the offshore wind sector should Orsted’s New Jersey projects fail to proceed,” said Murphy Tuesday night. “I have directed my administration to review all legal rights and remedies and to take all necessary steps to ensure that Orsted fully and immediately honors its obligations.”

Republican Congressman Chris Smith, who represents the southern portion of Middletown, said he “welcomed” the news that Orsted is backing out.

“Turns out that despite huge taxpayer subsidies and credible predictions of big increases to ratepayers, Orsted has concluded they will still lose money,” said Rep. Smith Wednesday morning. “Orsted’s decision was a first step in exposing the economic unsustainability and environmental dangerousness of ocean wind turbines — each the size of the Chrysler building in New York City — and Orsted’s pulling out of the deal may help slow and eventually halt similar projects off New Jersey’s coast.”

“The wind projects backed by the Governor and Trenton Democrats never seemed to add up – financially or environmentally,” said the Middletown lawmakers. “What is a surprise is the feigned outrage by the Governor in response to Orsted’s announcement that it is abandoning these projects. It was quite obvious in June that these projects were unsustainable without substantial financial backing by taxpayer dollars. The Governor and the Democratic-led legislature knew this, and yet rammed a billion-dollar bailout bill through Trenton for Orsted without any regard for N.J. taxpayers.”

“We strongly disagree with the Governor’s position to use litigation to resurrect what is ultimately a horrific deal for our state,” they continued. “Rather than spend more N.J. taxpayer funds to make Orsted ‘honor their commitment,’ as the Governor suggested in his statement, New Jersey should instead take legislative action to prevent any further ill-conceived corporate bailouts for foreign companies immediately.”

The three Republican lawmakers are continuing to call for a moratorium for all offshore wind projects off the Jersey Shore.

Orsted’s wind farm would have been New Jersey’s first offshore wind project. However, plans are still moving forward on other wind farms off the Jersey Shore: Another Norwegian company called StatOil is working with British Petroleum (BP) to build Empire Wind 1 and 2 off Long Branch. Empire Wind 1 and 2 will be the largest wind farms to date, with 174 monopiles. 

Orsted is also still moving forward to build Revolution Wind, and another wind farm called South Fork Wind off Long Island.

SenateNJ.com

Holmdel, N.J. –Senator Declan O’Scanlon, Assemblywoman Victoria Flynn and Assemblyman Gerry
Scharfenberger (Monmouth – R’s) are calling for an emergency session and subsequent independent committee hearings to discuss the horrific treatment of Veterans in care homes by New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy’s Administration during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The report released yesterday by the United States Department of Justice and the United States District Attorney’s Office of New Jersey outlined in graphic detail how the Murphy Administration’s failures led to devastation, subjecting over 7,900 Veterans to cruelty and ultimately culminated in our heroes losing their lives in vain.

O’Scanlon, Flynn, and Scharfenberger release the following statement:

“The conclusions offered by the District Attorney’s Office and the U.S. Department of Justice are, at a bare minimum, horrific. In all our years, we have never seen such a scathing report, detailing complete failures and lock of compassion for human life by State officials. It is almost inconceivable that this occurred – we owe it to those Veterans as well as their families to find recourse and impose consequences on all those involved. There must be accountability for those who failed to protect our must vulnerable residents.

It is a sad day in New Jersey history to have an administration placed on notice for neglecting to protect our Veterans, heroes who sacrificed so much to protect and preserve liberty of our Country. It is disgraceful that our Veterans could be treated with complete disdain by officials and bureaucrats. Making matters worse is the cavalier attitude by those responsible for this, essentially expressing feigned shock by the findings as if they were not already aware of the havoc they imposed.

As members of the New Jersey Legislature, we will not stand idly by after having been made aware of the findings. We call on our leaders and colleagues in the Legislature to come back into session immediately so that we can hold hearings to review this report and attempt to bring justice for those who lost their lives as well as for their families who were rendered helpless as they were banned from visiting and robbed of sharing final moments with their loved ones.

We must also seek justice for those Veterans who today continue to live in substandard conditions due to the State’s neglect. We can ill afford to wait any longer for reports and a determination from our own State Attorney General, we must act now.

In the same vein, we must ensure this never happens again. We must enact stronger laws to prevent one person and unelected administrators from ever being able to impart unilateral control over the lives of citizens. Never again should the authority of the New Jersey Legislature be usurped by one individual lest we suffer the same failures in the future.”

InsiderNJ

Union Beach, N.J. – Assemblyman Gerry Scharfenberger and Assemblywoman Victoria Flynn (Monmouth – R’s) have introduced new legislation (A5566) which seeks to regulate the use of acoustic sonar surveying and subsequently pause current testing while a new permitting structure is developed by the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (NJDEP) which would offer greater protection of marine life off the Jersey Shore.

The bill by the 13^th District Legislators comes as reports of another deceased humpback whale in the Raritan Bay have been confirmed, adding to the unprecedented and growing death toll of marine mammals along New Jersey’s coast since December of 2022:

“If a picture is worth a thousand words, then the photos and carcasses of marine mammals all along the Jersey Coastline would be enough to fill an encyclopedia,” said Assemblyman Gerry Scharfenberger. “We already have been calling for an immediate halt of sonar testing, but since that has fallen on deaf ears, we are moving to the next step and seeking to make NJDEP more accountable in the process that they’ve fumbled since the onset of this “green” initiative by the President and Governor.”

“It is unmistakably clear; the controversy surrounding these whale and dolphin deaths would have been avoided if the State had initially done its due diligence in researching the impact of sonar technology on marine mammals and not haphazardly ceding the future of New Jersey’s ecosystems to the whims of the federal government,” stated Assemblywoman Victoria Flynn. “Since the State and NJDEP have failed in their obligation to ensure our environment is protected, we are going back to the drawing board and strictly mandating their regulatory processes to implement a change of course. When our legislation is passed, it will offer peace of mind to residents who want to know that the beaches and oceans they love and rely on for tourism dollars are being safeguarded from unwarranted harm.”

Within the legislation, the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection would need to create a new, in-depth permitting process and monitoring system before any sonar or seismic surveying is allowed to take place. Further, NJDEP would have the authority to immediately suspend a sonar testing permit if a marine mammal is found injured or deceased, and the cause of injury or death is potentially related to the use of sonar testing.

NJDEP would also be compelled to investigate the cause of any marine mammal injury or death and determine if the use of sonar testing by the permittee contributed.  Any sonar testing would remain suspended until an investigation is conducted, and conclusions published:

“The power should be restored to the NJDEP as well as return oversight to municipalities which was egregiously taken in 2021 while everyone was concerned with the COVID-19 pandemic,” Scharfenberger continued. “In a ‘Home-Rule’ state, where residents pay the highest property taxes in the nation, the right for municipalities to decide their own development destiny is paramount.  Local planning boards should be the arbiters of any permits having to do with development or infrastructure in a given municipality.”

“Listen, I am a proponent of exploring alternative and green energy sources, but not at the risk of our oceans and marine life. Every time a whale or dolphin is located deceased off our shorelines, we receive countless demands by concerned residents for legislative actions. This is not a partisan issue. This is an environmental issue that I think all who love our Jersey Shore can support,” commented Assemblywoman Victoria Flynn. “I think it is reasonable to temporarily pause acoustic sonar testing occurring off our shorelines for wind turbine projects until an independent investigation is undertaken to prove there is no direct or indirect correlation between testing and marine mammal deaths. I also think it is reasonable to give the State greater control over what occurs off our shorelines. The bills Gerry and I proposed are responsive to the concerns of our residents. I do not think it is wise for government leaders to continue to ignore the calls by our residents to protect our shores, our environment, and marine life. We are not going to relent until their voices are heard and concerns eased.”

InsiderNJ

Scharfenberger & Flynn: NJDOE’s School Funding Numbers Spells Disaster for a Generation of Students

Middletown, N.J. – Assemblymembers Victoria Flynn and Gerry Scharfenberger (Monmouth – R’s) offer the following statement regarding the New Jersey Department of Education’s (NJDOE) “State Aid Summaries” which will cause massive cuts for school within the 13^th Legislative District (-$6.5 million) as well as across Monmouth County (-$19.9 million) for the upcoming 2023-24 school year:

“It is appalling to see that school districts in Monmouth County will continue to suffer cuts in State Aid for next school year. This flies in the face of all the promises made by Governor Murphy during his budget proposal that residents will see property tax relief – they absolutely will not according to the information just shared by the NJDOE.

Some schools will receive up to 20% less in state aid to fund their budgets.  Even if some of our schools receive more in this year, it will disappear due to the skyrocketing increase in health benefits costs issued by the State.

This is not a plan for success. The State is sitting on historic surpluses which are not being utilized to provide the support needed in our educational system to allow students to recover from the years of interrupted learning. Learning losses due to COVID-19 forced closures have been ignored by the NJDOE. School Districts are already struggling to compensate especially with a lack of actionable plan from Trenton. If these funding amounts go unchanged, an entire generation of students will face life altering effects, damaging their futures.

We are going to fight this and do everything within our power to see that our students and school districts receive the funding and education they deserve.”

Information on the individual schools within the 13^th Legislative District can be seen below.