STATEMENT BY SOMERSET COUNTY DEMOCRATIC CHAIR PEG SCHAFFER ON CHARLOTTESVILLE AND THE LACK OF RESPONSE BY SOMERSET COUNTY REPUBLICANS

As with most Americans, I was appalled at the images of Nazi flags and white supremacist rhetoric this weekend in Charlottesville, VA.  The United States of America’s two bloodiest wars were fought against the hate and bigotry espoused by these protesters, and for many years the symbols we saw on our television sets were considered vile and unAmerican. We cannot allow that to change.

I was also repulsed by the response of President Donald Trump, who was unwilling to condemn white supremacist groups for days even after a woman rallying against racism was killed by a racist terrorist using a car as a weapon. President Trump didn’t provide a real condemnation until days after the attack when he read his staff’s prepared statement, a statement he walked back the next day.

We deserve better from the people we elect to office, but sadly those expectations are not being met by a President who is an embarrassment to the country and his party.  Although some federal legislators have called him out and decried his lack of moral leadership, Somerset County’s Republican legislators and county officials have been deafeningly silent.

We call on each of the following Republicans representing the residents of Somerset County at the county and state level to denounce President Trump’s response to hate and bigotry.

·         Senator Kip Bateman, LD16

·         Senator Tom Kean, Jr., LD21

·         Senator Michael Doherty, LD23

·         Senator Anthony Bucco, LD25

·         Assemblyman Jack Ciatarrelli, LD16

·         Assemblyman John Bramnick, LD21

·         Assemblywoman Nancy Munoz, LD21

·         Assemblyman John DiMaio, LD23

·         Assemblyman Eric Peterson, LD23

·         Assemblyman Anthony Bucco, LD25

·         Assemblyman Michael Patrick Carroll, LD25

·         Somerset County Clerk Brett Radi

·         Somerset County Freeholder Mark Caliguire

·         Somerset County Freeholder Brian D. Levine

·         Somerset County Freeholder Peter S. Palmer

·         Somerset County Freeholder Patrick Scaglione 

·         Somerset County Freeholder Patricia L. Walsh

·         Somerset County Sheriff Frank Provenzano

·         Somerset County Surrogate Frank Bruno 

·         Somerset County Republican Party Chair Al Gaburo