Two Congressional New Jersey Democrats who are vying to succeed Democrat Governor Phil Murphy did not vote on the Laken Riley Act that passed this week in the House.
Reps. Mikie Sherrill of Essex and Josh Gottheimer of Bergen County were recorded as “not voting” on the bill, which would require illegal immigrants convicted of theft to be detained by municipal and state authorities.
“We’ve been very focused on border security; the Laken Riley Act makes it clear, if you’re committing crimes in America against people, it’s not going to be tolerated,” House Majority Leader Steve Scalise (R-LA) stated.
Every Republican voted for the bill; only 438 Democrats did the same.
“This is Cowardly – @MikieSherrill + @Josh4Jersey are the same again. If you don’t have the courage to vote for a bill then what does that say about your courage to lead as Governor. What does it say about your willingness to stand up to political bosses and charge NJ? If you can’t vote what does it say about your willingness to demonstrate any core convictions… it’s cowardly,” Jersey City mayor Steven Fulop, another Democrat running for governor, charged.
This is Cowardly – @MikieSherrill + @Josh4Jersey are the same again. If you don’t have the courage to vote for a bill then what does that say about your courage to lead as Governor. What does it say about your willingness to stand up to political bosses and charge NJ? If you… https://t.co/T7JRbUveMt
— Steven Fulop (@StevenFulop) January 8, 2025
“We lose elections when we don’t have any core convictions… when we can’t explain why we have a view and why we believe in it. Hiding is not an answer that wins elections,” he added.
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We lose elections when we don’t have any core convictions… when we can’t explain why we have a view and why we believe in it. Hiding is not an answer that wins elections pic.twitter.com/q1ft9KRorH
— Steven Fulop (@StevenFulop) January 8, 2025
Former Republican Assemblyman Jack Ciattarelli, who narrowly lost a gubernatorial election to Murphy in 2021, chimed in, “Shame on [Josh and Mikie] for gutlessly ducking a vote on the Laken Riley Act today.”
Shame on @Josh4Jersey & @MikieSherrill for gutlessly ducking a vote on the Laken Riley Act today. This brave young woman fought till her last breath against a murderous illegal immigrant, but Josh/Mikie didn't have the courage to stand up to their extreme far left base.
— Jack Ciattarelli (@Jack4NJ) January 7, 2025
GOP State Senator Jon Brannick, who has announced his gubernatorial campaign, echoed, “I think you have to have campaign activities come secondary to your responsibility. … The key question is — if you’re going to run — campaign activities must be secondary to your voting.”
On February 24, 2024, Georgia nursing student Laken Riley was murdered while she was jogging near the University of Georgia. Her murderer, José Antonio Ibarra, 26, “was arrested in 2022 after entering the US illegally and was ‘paroled and released for further processing,’ according to a statement from ICE,” CNN reported on February 26, 2024. “He was also arrested last September by New York City police and charged with ‘acting in a manner to injure a child less than 17 and a motor vehicle license violation,’ but police released him ‘before a detainer could be issued,’ ICE said.”
