PoliticsNJ.com, the site most frequented by New Jersey's political junkies, reported on August 5th that a high-level Assembly Republican staffer said, "Gays in Asbury Park don't vote," during a campaign strategy summit, analyzing projected voter turnout in the 11th state legislative district.

For those of you not from the New Jersey area, Asbury Park is a depressed urban area that has begun to see a revitalization in recent years, in part, because it is attractive to the LGBTI community.  Last year the city even began issuing marriage licenses to gay and lesbian couples.

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The factual idiocy of this statement is rivaled only by its strategic idiocy, because now lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender voters in the 11th district will be twice as motivated to vote for Matt Doherty and Jim Reilly.  As a matter of fact, our community intends to vote twice:  One at the ballot and once with campaign contributions, which we intend to step up now.  In fact, what a perfect quote to include in a direct mail piece.  Thank you, Republican staffer, whoever you are.

The report also elicited a response from the Democratic Assembly candidates in the 11th District, Matt Doherty and Jim Reilly:

"I am furious beyond words that this kind of hate speech has such open expression and credibility within New Jersey's Republican Party," said 11th District Democratic Assembly candidate Jim Reilly.  "It is a short walk from hate filled rhetoric like this to open hate crimes against gays and no one, especially the Republicans, with their history of intolerance, should be allowed to get away with it."

"If Assemblymen Corodemus and Kean have an ounce of integrity, they will join us in publicly condemning this hate mongering within their own ranks," said 11th District Democratic Assembly candidate Matt Doherty.  "And if they have an ounce of decency, they will reveal who made these terrible remarks and force their immediate termination."

For a slow summer day, the story definitely piqued the interest of everyone working in the State House, with rumors flying everywhere about who in the Assembly Republican office was stupid enough to say those words out loud and then who was the person that ratted him or her out.  Towards the end of the day, the Republican incumbent Assemblymen, Sean Kean and Steve Corodemus, released their half-hearted response to the report:

"We do not need to know whether this report is accurate to state unequivocally that it does not represent our thinking as representatives of the Eleventh Legislative District. Our goal, and our responsibility, as legislators is to represent the best interests of every resident of our district regardless of race, religion, ethnicity, gender or sexual orientation. Every policy we pursue as representatives of this district has been with the best interests of all of our constituents in mind.

"In seeking re-election, we aim to reach out to all members of our community, including members of the gay community, and to seek their support. We do not know the accuracy of this report, but we do know that the comment as reported does not reflect our beliefs or the way we approach our duties."

I don't know about anyone else, but I don't see an apology in there.  Or a statement saying that whoever made that comment was dead wrong.  Or that whoever said it should immediate resign and apologize to the LGBTI community and anyone else who was offended.  But I guess it's hard to stand up to your bigoted friends and tell them they're wrong, especially when they are the ones funding your campaign.

Of course, the State House was still trying to figure out who made the statement early the next week when psuedonymed PoliticsNJ reporter and editor Wally Edge revealed that several sources confirmed that it was made by their party's top staffer, Assembly Republican Executive Director Rick Wright.  This guy has more authority that most of the Assembly Republican Caucus.  It was shocking to see how high up the hatred in the NJGOP started.

Doherty and Reilly continued to show their strong support for the gay community and against prejudice in their statement released following the revelation of the staffer's name:

The malignant cancer of intolerance is festering within the Republican Party and Wright's comments serve as an ominous sign of things to come.

Republicans cannot have it both ways.  Either immediately fire Richard E. Wright or stand behind his comments and admit supporting and endorsing his bigoted behavior.

If our opponents, Assemblymen Sean Kean and Steve Corodemus are truly serious about representing the interests of every voter in the district, then they have a responsibility to the public to demand the immediate termination of Wright.  Anything less is a dereliction of their duty and an insult to the intelligence of the voting public.

This morning, this story final made a dent into the local press, with an article in the Asbury Park Press.  In the article, Wright is quoted as saying:

"They probably do vote, they just don't vote in Asbury Park because Asbury Park tends to be seasonal," Wright explained.

Sounds like someone's doing the Backstep Shuffle with a little extra spin for good measure. Asbury is "seasonal"?  That's news to me.  If anyone out there believes what Rick is claiming here, I have a bridge to sell you.

How about an apology?  Maybe a "That was a boneheaded thing for me to say" or a "I'm sorry if my callous comment marginalized an entire group of people"?  Sadly, that's not the GOP's M.O. - never admit fault, never apologize - just change the story and say you were misunderstood.

Seven days have passed since Rick Wright's identity has been exposed as the NJGOP's top homophobe and the rest of the Republican Party has remained silent.  Kean and Corodemus have not joined in calling for Wright's resignation and their hasn't been so much as an apology from anyone in the party.

Quite simply, no one who holds such prejudiced feelings towards any minority group should have a state-funded job.  Please help those of us in New Jersey who want equality and tolerance for the gay community right this wrong.  You can e-mail or call the following Assemblymen and demand that Rick Wright be immediately terminated.

• Steve Corodemus (R-11) - (732) 708-0900


• Sean Kean (R-11) - (732) 974-0400


• Minority Leader Alex DeCroce (R-26) - (973) 984-0922


• Republican Conference Leader Guy Gregg (R-24) - (973) 584-5422


• Minority Whip Frank Blee (R-2) - (609) 407-0407

You can also call the Assembly Republican Office and ask Rick Wright himself to apologize and resign for his disgusting remarks.  The number for that office is 609-292-5339.

Also, if you want to fight this sort of bigotry at its root and show the NJ Republican Party that this sort of prejudice is unacceptable in any state, you can join the countless others who have begun to spontaneously contribute to Doherty and Reilly's Assembly campaign.  Their website is www.dohertyreilly2005.com.

I had always hoped that New Jersey would be the kind of state where people didn't make remarks like this and if they did, they would be extremely embarrassed if they did.  I guess even the bluest of state's has some way to go before reaching that ideal.