So by now most of you know that in New Jersey the state Senate voted against the gay marriage bill by a tally of 14-20. There were 37 senators present at the start of session; that means 3 senators chose not to vote.
You know, when you are a politician, you are supposed to look after the affairs of the “poli”, or city. At the very least, you are expected to have an opinion and vote. Now, we would much rather that our politicians vote supporting the ideals of our country, but if they do not, they at least voted. What kind of wimp do you have to be to abstain or worst not even show up? These 5 senators at a very minimum should receive phone calls and emails from us telling them how unhappy we are.
They are:
Sen. Steve Sweeney, the incoming senate president, said he saw no good reason to stick out his neck for a lost cause.
Sen. Paul Sarlo voted against the bill in committee. But he seemed to think supporters would forget that if he abstained on the floor.
And Sen. James Beach skedaddled away so fast we don’t know what he thought.
Sweeney, at least, saw how slippery that behavior was.
“I regret it,” he said later. “This is a civil rights issue, and they made a good case. Sometimes, you just make mistakes.”
DID NOT ATTEND SESSION (2)
Sen. Diane B. Allen (R-Burlington)
Sen. Andrew Ciesla (R-Ocean)
Senators that Voted NO and should receive a phone call from each one of us telling them how unhappy we are with their vote:
VOTED NO (20)
Sen. Jeff Van Drew (D-Cape May)
Sen. Ronald L. Rice (D- Essex)
Sen. John A. Girgenti (D-Passaic
Sen. Nicholas Sacco (D-Hudson)
Sen. Fred H. Madden (D-Gloucester)
Sen. Shirley K. Turner (D-Mercer)
Sen. Robert W. Singer (R-Ocean)
Sen. Joseph Pennacchio (R-Morris)
Sen. Christopher Bateman, (R-Somerset)
Sen. Tom Kean Jr. (R -Union)
Sen. Jennifer Beck (R-Monmouth )
Sen. Joseph M. Kyrillos (R-Monmouth)
Sen. Gerald Cardinale (R-Bergen)
Sen. Michael Doherty (R-Hunterdon)
Sen. Kevin J. O’Toole (R-Essex)
Sen. Philip E. Haines (R-Burlington)
Sen. Christopher J. Connors (R-Ocean)
Sen. Anthony R. Bucco (R-Morris)
Sen. Steven V. Oroho (R-Sussex)
Sen. Sean T. Kean (R-Monmouth)
Senators that Voted YES and should be thanked!
VOTED YES (14)
Sen. Jim Whelan (D-Atlantic)
Sen. Bob Smith (D-Middlesex)
Sen. Barbara Buono (D-Middlesex),
Sen. Raymond J. Lesniak (D-Union), co-sponsor
Senate President Richard Codey (D-Essex)
Sen. Teresa M. Ruiz (D-Essex)
Sen. Sandra B. Cunningham (D-Hudson)
Sen. Brian P. Stack (D-Hudson)
Sen. Nia H. Gill (D-Essex)
Sen. Loretta Weinberg (D-Bergen), co-sponsor
Sen. Robert M. Gordon (D-Bergen)
Sen. Nicholas P. Scutari (D-Union)
Sen. Joseph F.Vitale (D-Middlesex)
Sen. Bill Baroni (R-Mercer)
There is a republican Senator that voted YES, the ONLY republican senator that voted yes, Senator Bill Baroni. His phone number is (609) 631-9988. We should also call him and congratulate him and thank him for his vote!
