XPost: alt.fan.rush-limbaugh, nj.politics, alt.politics.republicans   
   XPost: sac.politics, talk.politics.guns   
   From: 09uiwre@psamf.ppl   
      
   TRENTON, New Jersey — In Washington, Sen. Andy Kim is known as a   
   reliable vote against the Trump administration’s agenda.   
      
   In Trenton, at least one Democrat is questioning that commitment — but   
   only after Kim raised concerns that New Jersey lawmakers are trying to   
   weaken a key state watchdog agency that has prioritized anti-corruption   
   efforts.   
      
   A legislative showdown is brewing in the New Jersey Statehouse, with   
   state Senate Democrats trying to take away investigative powers from the   
   state comptroller, while at the same time giving a separate government   
   watchdog — the State Commission of Investigation — additional   
   responsibilities. And on Monday, a debate over the bill devolved into a   
   raucous hearing with petty moves and political cheap shots against some   
   of the state’s top officials.   
      
   It comes a month after Gov.-elect Mikie Sherrill won a landslide victory   
   for governor, and the bill could hamstring her pledges on government   
   transparency before she takes the oath. She has publicly said she will   
   not comment on the bill.   
      
   The proposal from state lawmakers to weaken the comptroller has become a   
   cause célèbre for the state’s progressive Democratic base — while also   
   drawing comparisons to the Trump administration’s efforts to fire   
   inspectors general and take control of independent agencies.   
      
   “How can we legitimately criticize the lawlessness that we see and the   
   disregard of transparency and accountability down in D.C., if we are   
   taking actions in our own state capital that will weaken safeguards here   
   at home?” Kim told members of the State Government, Wagering, Tourism &   
   Historic Preservation Committee on Monday.   
      
   After Kim expressed his opposition to the comptroller bill, State Sen.   
   James Beach, who chairs the committee, suggested that Kim was not   
   sufficiently opposing the president’s agenda.   
      
   “I do not respect the President of the United States and why did you   
   vote with him so many times?” Beach asked Kim, prompting grumblings from   
   the crowd which ironically was mostly comprised of Democratic activists.   
   Beach cited Kim voting to support two of Trump’s cabinet officials,   
   Kristi Noem and Marco Rubio.   
      
   Kim responded: “I will stand up against Trump in the same way that I   
   will stand up against corruption here in New Jersey.”   
      
   https://www.politico.com/news/2025/12/01/new-jersey-hearing-petty-attacks   
   -00671993   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)