Dogged by Super PAC Salvo, Republican Grenier Goes After Sweeney’s ‘Side by Side’ with Christie Pensions and Benefits Record
An irritated Fran Grenier this evening swung back at what he fingered as the super PAC peddling “false claims” about his less than robust support for first responders as it meddles in his longshot, public sector union in-part thumbed up effort to depose Senate President Steve Sweeney (D-3).
“The Steve Sweeney Machine is so desperate to keep their special interest owned Senate seat that they have stooped to politicizing one of our nations most horrific tragedies, 9/11,” Grenier said. “This latest smear campaign is absurd and, of course, totally false. This shows how vulnerable these guys must be feeling that they are willing to go this low.”
The chairman of the Salem County Republican Party showed some significant fundraising totals – at least in the coffers of the county party organization he helms – as he attempts to pull the well-heeled Sweeney into a dogfight, in part with the help of an amped New Jersey Education Association (NJEA).
“The fact is, first responders will always be able to count on me, and Steve Sweeney can’t come close to saying the same,” said Grenier. “He stood side by side with Governor Christie and crafted pension and health benefit reductions for police and firemen. As a Navy veteran, I worked closely with many first responders and I have the utmost respect for the job they do and I will always be there to support them.
I will never forget 9/11 and South Jersey’s police and fire should not forget what Sweeney and Christie did to them.”
The people of the 3rd District understand that this guy Greiner is nothing more than a warm body put up by the vengeful NJEA leadership group in Trenton. Grenier has never been involved in 3rd District issues and is only a prop for the NJEA leaders.
Now that his inadequate record is getting checked he is all upset.
The 3rd District does not need a puppet on a string ,it needs to continue sending a strong,independent, person who knows how to listen to people . That is why they see through this NJEA leadership charade ( by the way the NJEA leadership could not pick Grenier out of a police lineup!) and continue to support the State senate president.
Why are you all glossing over the fact that Sweeney has been Christie’s mouthpiece and Senate errand boy? Sweeney sold out his Democratic base when Christie’s numbers were sky high. Sweeney hitched himself to the Christie wagon and now that Christie is in the political toilet, Sweeney is trying to regain his progressive image.
Public servants should never forget how Sweeney abandoned them. Sweeney raids Public Employees paychecks every two weeks,effectively stealing their money with the broken promise that the State would fully fund the pensions in accordance with the LAW.
It’s time for Democrats to weed out the Christiecrats, even if it takes electing a Republican to accomplish the task.
When Christie took office he had an agenda . It was a plan that would have privatized many government workers.It was a plan to turn your pension into a 401 . What would have happened if Sweeney was not there? The Office of Governor of New Jersey is the most powerful in the country. Sweeney PREVENTED Christie from stacking the Supreme Court with right wingers. He PREVENTED the pension reform from being gutted. He PREVENTED permanent changes in the Health Benefit system by placing a negotiating ” sunset” clause which now allows Unions to talk to the next Governor.
Unfortunately there are many public employees who only read the rhetoric of NJEA leadership. It was not Sweeney who stopped pension payments but it WAS Sweeney who got Christie to put more money in the pension system than any other Governor ,EVER.
Sweeney’s biggest ” problem” was that he did not kiss the ring of NJEA leadership and they are now lashing out.
Sweeney never abandoned public servants. He had their back for 7 1/2 years and prevented a right wing agenda from being implemented.
Hate him if you want but know your facts !
So you think the Officer of Governor in NJ is the most powerful in the country?
That pretty much shoots down your theory that you have your facts straight.
What about NY, California, Michigan?
Anyway, with a Democratic majority in both the Senate and the Assembly, Christie COULD NOT have privatized the pension system without the support of the Democrats. So what Sweeney did was to cave to his pal Christie and he shafted Public Employees. He did not have to compromise, but he did. He could have taken a hard line and Christie couldn’t have done a thing about it. But what happened is that Sweeney made some deals, got some funding for his buddies in the construction trades and sold out public employees. Those are the facts. I suggest you get your facts straight.
It is widely known that the Office of Governor in the State of New Jersey is the most powerful. The State Constitution gives that Office enormous powers.
Christie, not the Legislature ,has the power of the purse. Christie could have held up all vital spending if he decided to privatize the pension system. Sweeney was able to talk him off many right wing ideas and get a compromise. Sweeney did that with many,many other issues.
But it is fine if you continue to drink the NJEA Kool Aide and blame Sweeney for everything. The power of the purse is everything. The person who controls the money ,controls the agenda. Christie, left on his own,would have done a lot of damage. Give Sweeney a good amount of credit from preventing that from happening.
One last thing on the NJEA leadership ( not the actual teachers) support of this right winger Grenier. The NJEA leadership could not pick Grenier out of a police lineup. He is a puppet on a string who does not care about public education and has supported the Trump agenda as his southern New Jersey campaign chief. The NJEA leadership does not care about this guys politics because it is a personal fight for them. They do not like Sweeney because he does not treat them in a reverential fashion and their egos can’t take that! NJEA members will be outraged when they examine the decision to financially support the Trump right winger Grenier. This is a guy who was negatively blasted by his own Union!
Sweeney will get the majority of 3rd District teachers votes in November. They know how he has supported them. The NJEA will get exposed for wasting money on a personal vendetta.
NJEA is wasting their money and will look even weaker after Sweeney kicks their candidate’s butt in November. And payback will be a b$%@!
Many NJEA members who reside in the 3rd District are outraged at their vindictive leadership. They know that the new education funding bill is helping the overwhelming majority of school districts in the 3rd Legislative District. They know that it was Sweeney ,not the NJEA leadership who attained that money!
Grenier is simply a tool of the NJEA leadership. They act as Gippetto and he is their Pinocchio.It is sad how they are using him.