Matteson​ ​&​ ​Trish​ ​Respond​ ​to​ ​Space’s​ ​Lewd​ ​Comments

Newton,​ ​NJ​ ​-​ ​9/20/2017

Kate​ ​Matteson: For​ ​a​ ​state​ ​legislator​ ​to​ ​speak​ ​this​ ​way​ ​about​ ​any​ ​woman​ ​in​ ​public​ ​shows​ ​a​ ​lack​ ​of​ ​character and​ ​bad​ ​judgment.​ ​​ ​Assemblyman​ ​Space​ ​chose​ ​to​ ​vulgarly​ ​lash​ ​out​ ​at​ ​me​ ​in​ ​a​ ​public​ ​setting dedicated​ ​to​ ​victims​ ​of​ ​drug​ ​overdoses.​ ​​ ​I​ ​was​ ​not​ ​present​ ​and​ ​therefore​ ​could​ ​not​ ​speak​ ​for myself.​ ​Make​ ​no​ ​mistake​ ​that​ ​these​ ​actions​ ​reflect​ ​his​ ​callous​ ​and​ ​ineffective​ ​voting​ ​record​ ​that gets​ ​us​ ​nowhere​ ​in​ ​Trenton.​ ​​ ​A​ ​fitting​ ​example​ ​of​ ​this​ ​is​ ​his​ ​abstention​ ​from​ ​a​ ​vote​ ​which “​Requires​ ​health​ ​insurance​ ​coverage​ ​for​ ​treatment​ ​of​ ​substance​ ​use​ ​disorders;”​. How​ ​ironic​ ​he​ ​is​ ​against​ ​drug​ ​treatment​ ​for​ ​those​ ​who​ ​need​ ​it​ ​considering​ ​the​ ​venue​ ​he​ ​was​ ​at. But​ ​this​ ​is​ ​why​ ​I​ ​chose​ ​to​ ​run​ ​for​ ​office.​ ​​ ​The​ ​people​ ​of​ ​our​ ​area​ ​deserve​ ​smart,​ ​effective representation,​ ​yet​ ​we​ ​are​ ​lagging​ ​in​ ​almost​ ​every​ ​area​ ​compared​ ​to​ ​the​ ​rest​ ​of​ ​our​ ​state​ ​exactly because​ ​we​ ​have​ ​an​ ​Assemblyman​ ​who​ ​is​ ​unqualified​ ​for​ ​his​ ​position.

Gina​ ​Trish: Kate​ ​and​ ​I​ ​made​ ​the​ ​choice​ ​to​ ​run​ ​for​ ​office​ ​with​ ​a​ ​shared​ ​vision​ ​to​ ​advocate​ ​for​ ​our​ ​hard working​ ​people.​ ​​ ​In​ ​response,​ ​Assemblyman​ ​Space​ ​has​ ​chosen​ ​to​ ​publicly​ ​call​ ​my​ ​running​ ​mate derogatory​ ​names,​ ​making​ ​us​ ​the​ ​target​ ​of​ ​his​ ​own​ ​poor​ ​conduct​ ​once​ ​again.​ ​​ ​Kate​ ​is​ ​a​ ​hard working​ ​mother​ ​of​ ​four​ ​who​ ​cares​ ​about​ ​this​ ​place​ ​we​ ​both​ ​grew​ ​up.​ ​​ ​We​ ​believe​ ​this​ ​childish behavior​ ​shows​ ​a​ ​lack​ ​of​ ​ability​ ​to​ ​lead​ ​and​ ​benefits​ ​no​ ​one.​ ​​ ​Is​ ​there​ ​really​ ​any​ ​question​ ​why​ ​we lag​ ​behind​ ​the​ ​rest​ ​of​ ​the​ ​state​ ​in​ ​economic​ ​recovery​ ​and​ ​jobs​ ​when​ ​we​ ​are​ ​sending​ ​an Assemblyman​ ​to​ ​Trenton​ ​that​ ​speaks​ ​and​ ​acts​ ​this​ ​way?​ ​​ ​We​ ​can​ ​do​ ​better,​ ​we​ ​will​ ​respectably lead​ ​with​ ​vision​ ​and​ ​genuine​ ​concern​ ​for​ ​people.