At Public Hearings Yesterday, Not a Single Person Testified in Support

Following a massive display of opposition to a proposed constitutional amendment at public hearings yesterday, Senate Republican Leader Tom Kean and Assembly Republican Leader Jon Bramnick urged the Democratic legislative leadership to remove the partisan gerrymandering scheme from the voting agendas of the Senate and General Assembly on Monday.

Sen. Tom Kean and Asm. Jon Bramnick urged the Democratic legislative leadership to stop planned votes on a partisan gerrymandering scheme following unanimous opposition at public hearings yesterday. (SenateNJ.com)

“It would be an act of utter hubris for the Democratic majorities to forge ahead with the constitutional amendment in defiance of such clear public opposition,” said Kean (R-Union). “They should demonstrate that they’ve heard the massive outcry and do the right thing by cancelling Monday’s planned votes on this partisan gerrymandering scheme.”

At simultaneous hearings in the Senate State Government Committee and Assembly Judiciary Committee, more than 140 people testified in opposition to SCR-43/SCR-152 and ACR-205. Not a single person testified in support of the proposal at either hearing.

Bramnick urged the Senate President and Assembly Speaker to demonstrate they have heard the concerns of the people by cancelling the votes planned for Monday in both chambers.

“When progressive groups and Republicans come together to oppose a bill, you know it must be a bad concept,” said Bramnick (R-Union). “The majority just wants to keep power for the rest of the century in New Jersey, but that is not how democracy works.”