Democratic State Chairman John Wisniewski
Wisniewski says Goldstein and GSE 'throwing baby out with the bath water'
By Max Pizarro | February 8th, 2010 - 7:40pmConfronted with Garden State Equality's decision to close the fundraising gates on the Democratic Party, State Party Chairman John Wisniewski tonight said he believes the organization is being unfair.
"Some very good Democrats stood up and supported this issue on the floor of the senate," said Wisniewski. "To hurl a broadside against the one party that stood up for this and say the effort wasn't good enough is throwing the baby out with the bath water."
Wisniewski wouldn't reveal whether he intends to try to corral Garden State Equality or encourage a cooling off period. The organization's executive director Steven Goldstein told PolitickerNJ.com earlier today that the group's members are steamed over the Democratic majority's failure last year to advance marriage equality.
"They certainly run their politics anyway they see fit, but the Democratic Party historically has supported issues important to Steve Goldstein," Wisniewski said.
Asked if the organization's timing was wrong given the dominance of the economy and jobs, the party chairman said, "It's not a case of choosing 'A' or 'B.' It was a complicated set of factors that came into why it didn't pass, but the Democratic Party has a big tent. Not all of our members will agree with other members. Instead of a litmus test party like the Republicans where you have to adhere to all their orthodoxies, we understand there are members who can't be with us all the time."
For the record, Wisniewski said he would have personally supported marriage equality if he had the opportunity to vote on the bill.
Wake-Up Call
Morning News Digest: July 30, 2010
Follow PolitickerNJ updates on Twitter and on Facebook Task force begins look at prosecutors A task force examining an Essex-backed bill usurping county crime prosecution duties and throwing them to the state kicked off their study today. Essex County Executive Joe DiVincenzo, a Democrat whose longtime friendship...
The Back Room
Trenton makes the world takes
Check out the familiar face gracing the cover of the most recent copy of The National Review.
Read More >Op-Ed
Starting the Dialogue of Shared Services in Passaic County
Sharing services between local communities is an obvious and pragmatic approach to stabilizing our taxes and maintaining a high level of municipal services our residents have come to expect. As a result of decreasing tax revenues, a new... Read More >
Contributors
Resources
Visit the PolitickerNJ.com/resources page for links to the best collection of information on New Jersey state government.
- Polls
- The best blogs
- Columnists
- State election results
- Assembly election results
- Local party websites
- And more.
Most Active Stories
Latest from Twitter
Quote of the Day
Quote of the day
“The court’s ruling has now cleared Mr. Ferriero of all charges in the indictment returned against him two years ago,” attorney Joseph A. Hayden Jr.
- The Bergen RecordPoll
Recent Press Releases
Press releases are submitted by PolitickerNJ users, not by staff. They do not represent the viewpoint of PolitickerNJ.com.
Hey, John, did you actually read our new policy?
Chairman Wisniewski, your reaction misses the point completely. Per our new policy - it's right in the statement we released today - Garden State Equality will still contribute money to pro-equality individual candidates of whatever party. We will not contribute to political parties and their affiliated committees. How is that throwing the baby out with the bathwater? Just the opposite.
Best, Steven (PS return a call, will ya?)
The Dem Party & You: Imperfect Together
I agree. I will stop contributing to the state committee and any town or county committees, and send money directly to those candidates who pledge support for my values and ideas.
They will have a tough time come November 2010...hope the Congressional delegation is watching.
The Pro Abortion Gays
Threw the Babies out with the bathwater
years ago. Keep your stinkin money to wipe
your stinkin A$$ets.
Paul Sarlo will be walking the halls of Trenton with his back against the wall from now on.
Wisniewski is a joke.
John Wisniewski is a Democrat with no agenda.
He wants to be state chairman to ensure he has a seat to run for in two years! Middlesex County is prime real estate for the GOP! Sayreville is slowly becoming Christie Country and Wisniewski so desperately wants to remain relevant.
After redistricting is complete, he'll either have drawn himself a safe seat or a seat in the senate.
Goldstein must be the politically naive person in the state to think these moderate to conservative leaning Democrats like Wisniewski, Sarlo and others care about his agenda.
They have no interest in his money or his views. With the exception of Weinberg (who's seat could be sliced up in redistricting), who is really an ally?
If Christie is smart, he'll target Pallone, DiVincenzo, and Middlesex County as the places the GOP can win in November.
There going to make the critical error than McNerney is vulnerable and the Democrats will survive in Bergen County.
John Wisniewski Doesn't Get It.....
It's obvious that commitments were made and then broken.
It's also obvious that the "leadership" of the Senate Democrats was more interested in currying favor with the incoming governor than in honoring their commitment to common human decency.
This really is NOT an issue of just "gay" rights, it's about HUMAN rights....and that reality is understood by most New Jerseyans......and with each passing year that the old die off and the young become eligible to vote; that majority becomes larger and larger. Marriage equality will become the law of the land, it's just a matter of when.
Kowtowing to bigotry is not only immoral policy; but it's also bad politics for Democrats!
The new GSE policy of reserving support for INDIVIDUALS who actually support their aims is simple
common sense at this point.
How Wisniewski can fault them for redirecting their support in a more focused and intelligent manner is beyond me
His latest crack about bathwater and babies shows how out of touch he is with the progressive base of our party and adds insult to injury.
I have news for all the Democrats who are trying to become fake Republicans; it ain't gonna work.