STATEMENT FROM MADELYN HOFFMAN, Green Party of NJ’s candidate for US Senate in 2018 re: Senator Robert Menendez.

My name is Madelyn Hoffman. In 2018, I was the Green Party of NJ ‘s candidate for US Senate against Senator Bob Menendez. I came in 3rd, highest vote getter of the independents.

I ran against the Senator primarily on the issues even though I could have spoken out against his alleged corruption scandal at the time. He faced possible jail time then, as now.

But I focused on his opposition to the Iran deal, his unwavering support for Israel’s apartheid state, his support for the terrible on-going economic blockade of Cuba and the treatment of South América as a US colony, instead of as a group of independent sovereign states. Latin America has enough resources to sustain themselves and many others if allowed to establish and run their own economies. Menendez never opposed economic sanctions unilaterally imposed by the US on countries like Venezuela and Nicaragua. His policies went so much against my own position that I felt it was more productive to challenge him on them and not his alleged corruption.

Domestically, Menendez was opposed to improved and expanded Medicare for All, and was very weak on the issues of the terrible treatment of immigrants held in ICE detention centers. There were certainly enough real issues to campaign upon.

But even though everyone knew that Menendez was politically vulnerable and many had shown a desire for a new US Senator, Menendez didn’t resign or give way to a new Democratic Party candidate.

Many of my colleagues and allies on the issues described above sharply criticized me for daring to run against a Democrat, even saying that the only “ethical” choice for US Senate in 2018 was Bob Menendez because at least he wasn’t a Republican. Now here it is, almost 6 years later, and Menéndez hasn’t changed his policy preferences, and, to top it off, more charges of corruption have surfaced along with the 4 gold bars stored in his house.

The Green Party prides itself on being independent of big monied interests and thus more representative of the people than the entrenched political parties. Greens want to present an alternative to the bought and paid for Democrat/Republican duopoly because if we don’t, we know that we’ll be waiting a long time for change. As long as we continue to vote for the “lesser of two evils,” and continue to put into power those who use their power to line their own pockets instead of passing policies that will improve our standard of living and quality of life, we’re doomed.

I may have moved to Colombia to speak out against US policy in Latin America, but I still care about those in power in the US. I am glad that Christina Khalil is the Green Party of NJ’s 2024 candidate for US Senate against Senator Menendez. I support her every step of the way. It’s way past time to vote Green!

Sincerely,

Madelyn Hoffman

Parque residencial guaduales Manzana 1 CS 1

Cordoba, Quindio

Colombia