David Richter Slams Kate Gibbs and ELEC 825

Over Support for Toll Increases in Time of Crisis

Toms River, NJ – April 17, 2020 – David Richter, Republican candidate for Congress in New Jersey’s Third Congressional District, today  criticized Kate Gibbs and her employer, the Engineers Labor-Employer Cooperative (ELEC) 825, an affiliate of the International Union of Operating Engineers, for their support of increasing costs on New Jerseys drivers during the COVID-19 crisis.

Earlier this week, ELEC 825 publicly advocated for immediate increases in tolls of 36% on the New Jersey Turnpike and 27% on the Garden State Parkway.

“There is no way that the Turnpike Authority should be considering toll hikes right now.  First, the public has not had a fair chance to have their voices heard on this issue.  Second, this is absolutely the wrong time to be increasing costs for New Jersey’s drivers,” Richter said.

Kate Gibbs is the Deputy-Director at ELEC 825 and the interests of her union and the interests of New Jersey’s citizens are often in conflict.  “If she is going to run for public office, she needs to begin putting the interests of New Jerseyans ahead of those of her union bosses,” added Richter.

The Operating Engineers were one of the leading voices in advocating for a 23-cents-per-gallon increase in New Jersey’s gas tax.  In addition, the union endorsed Hillary Clinton for President in 2016 and contributed more than $3 million to her campaign.

Richter is the former CEO of global construction management firm Hill International.  During his time at the company, Hill grew from a struggling family business with less than 300 employees into a successful public company with more than 4,300 employees.  A lifelong Republican, Richter grew up in and has spent most of his life living and working in the Third District.  He earned two bachelor’s degrees and a law degree from Penn as well as master’s degrees from Oxford and Harvard.  Richter and his wife Michelle, who have been married for 20 years, are the parents of four daughters.

For more information on the David Richter for Congress campaign, please visit our website at www.Richter2020.com.