Another indictment hangs over the head of former President Donald J. Trump and here to debate the situation: Assemblyman Tom Gibin, Democrat of Essex County and Assemblyman Brian Bergen, Republican of Morris County.

The two elected officials from opposing parties clashed this past Sunday on WMTR’s Julie Briggs Show.

Some context from CNN:

“Former President Donald Trump’s fortunes seem to be moving in opposing directions.

“He is burning cash on an expanding, multipronged legal war with fronts in courtrooms up and down the East Coast: New York, Florida, Georgia and Washington, DC. Trials are already scheduled for March in Manhattan and May in Florida.

“But Trump’s place atop the Republican primary field for the 2024 presidential race has never felt more secure and his chances against President Joe Biden have never felt more competitive.”

For the (FULL!) Giblin v. Bergen episode of this InsiderNJ Radio program, please go HERE.

Retiring this year, Giblin, 76, has had a storied career in Democratic Party politics.

As Essex County Democratic chairman in the 1990s, he secured the line for the late state Senator Ronald L. Rice (D-28) when then-Newark Mayor Sharpe James did not want to support Rice. Giblin also won James’ support in 1997 for James McGreevey, which tilted Essex, and the Democratic Primary vote in the direction of the Woodbridge Mayor.

As state party chairman (1997-2001), Giblin said he sought to transform Ocean and Monmouth counties into places where Democrats could compete. He oversaw 2001 redistricting, which proved helpful to expanding opportunities for Democratic candidates, he said. He presided as the party’s leader at the presidential nominating convention of Vice President Al Gore and participated as an Essex County and state party leader in the rise of an empowered party under the national leadership of President Bill Clinton (1992-2000), who relied critically on New Jersey, a swing state politically prior to Clinton.

A member of the Assembly since 2020, Bergen is a retired U.S. Army Captain. He received a B.S. from the U.S. Military Academy (French, Spanish, Computer Science), and M.S. from the University of Phoenix (Administration of Justice, Security) and an M.B.A. from Rutgers Business School (Entrepreneurship, Strategy).

Bergen is the owner of Bergen Botanicals.

Julie Briggs, award winning television and radio interviewer, hosts “Your New Jersey Connection” and “Ask the Expert” on WMTR. A native of New Jersey, Julie is a political science graduate from Seton Hall University. She broadcast in San Diego and San Francisco and was formerly news anchor and news director of New Jersey Cable TV programs. She writes commercials for national accounts, does voice-overs, and is the mother of three boys.