Albio Sires

The National Republican Congressional Committee (NRCC) issued a release today taunting Linda Stender, candidate for New Jersey's 7th Congressional District, on the issue of Congress’ re-authorization of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA).

The GOP suggests that the Democratic candidate is pretzeled by campaign contributions she has taken from trial lawyers. Stender, the NRCC contends, "has yet to say where she stands on the recent actions by the Democrats in Washington to play political games instead of protecting America’s security.

U.S. Rep. Albio Sires today responded to the news that Cuban President Fidel Castro has stepped down from power.

"It makes it perfectly clear that he’s very ill, and he’s not competent enough to run the country, otherwise he would not have given up the reins of 50 years," said Sires. "All the speculation of the last months that he’s coming back, I think we can put that to rest."

Sires, who was born in Cuba and immigrated to West New York as a child, said he hopes the end of the Castro era leads to democracy and free elections.

The Hudson County peace agreement was meant to be formalized in Jersey City today, with virtually every major elected official in the county coming together the put the Hudson County Democratic Organization (HCDO) together again.

This morning, citing scheduling conflicts among several officials, the HCDO postponed the event to an unscheduled time next week. But multiple sources say that the real reason the presser was cancelled was because the most important player – Union City Mayor and State Sen. Brian Stack – refused to attend.

Hudson County Democratic Organization Executive Director Craig Guy said, however, that Stack did not refuse to attend the press conference.

Mild trepidation turned to jubilance tonight at the Skylark Diner in Edison, where Hillary Clinton’s most high profile New Jersey supporters turned out to watch her win the New Jersey primary.

Edison was a virtual who’s who of New Jersey’s Democratic establishment, with Gov. Corzine and almost half of the Democratic congressional delegation in attendance along with several dozen other political insiders and a few rank-and-file Clinton supporters. And if there was one phrase that would characterize the attitude of those present when exit polls showed Obama beating Clinton, it was “Remember New Hampshire.”

“I really don’t put a lot of faith in the exit polls one way or the other. New Hampshire I think showed everybody,” said Assembly Speaker Joe Roberts. “Primaries are extraordinarily tough to poll – you have such a fluid electorate and samples are tough to make accurate.”

There are no plans to get Hillary Clinton back in New Jersey for Super Tuesday, but her campaign made the best of their New Jersey resources to start their final push towards the primary.

With the Barack Obama campaign gaining momentum in the state, Clinton's New Jersey all stars began their statewide bus tour this morning at the Brownstone Diner and Pancake Factor in downtown Jersey City - deep in the territory of Mayor Jerramiah Healy, one of Obama's chief backers. 

The rally was not completely without reminders of who the mayor of the town supports.  Just before the rally began, a white van sat out front with a sign on its side reading "Save America, vote Obama."  But before most of the Clinton-backing politicians arrived, the van drove off and its parking spot was filled by the SUV of the local congressman, Albio Sires.

A big whoop rose from the mostly Latino crowd when a woman held aloft a doll of Sen. Hillary Clinton in Schuetzen Park in North Bergen on Wednesday night. But that was low-key compared to the raise-the-roof response elicited a few minutes later when the New York senator and Democratic presidential candidate actually appeared on stage.

"I know how incredibly important family is to the Latino community," Clinton told several hundred cheering supporters. "Let’s take care of families with real resources."

News from Congressman Albio Sires 1024 Longworth, Washington, D.C. 20515 For immediate release January 14, 2008

Erica Daughtrey

Communication Director

Congressman Albio Sires

13th Congressional District

CONGRESSMAN SIRES RECEIVES OUTSTANDING AMERICAN BY CHOICE REGOGNITION FROM USCIS Washington, D.C. – Today, Jan. 16th, Congressman Sires will receive the Outstanding American by Choice Award from Director Emilio González, of U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS).

Governor Jon Corzine met with New Jersey’s Democratic congressional delegation this morning at his Newark office to stress the importance of his financial restricting and debt reduction plan.  The only no-shows at the meeting were the two Congressmen from Newark: Donald Payne and Albio Sires.

In the Statehouse today for the goU.S. Rep. Frank Pallonevernor’s state of the state address, three Democratic congressman, two in the Sen. Hillary Clinton camp and one undecided, had three different takes on today’s developing New Hampshire primary.

U.S. Rep Frank Pallone said he believes Clinton is firmly in the fight despite her loss in Iowa and likely loss in New Hampshire.

"New Hampshire is a small state," said Pallone. "The real battle is on Feb. 5th (when New Jersey and 21 other states are holding primaries), and I believe she’s going to win the nomination. She will continue to compete before then in Nevada and South Carolina."

U.S. Rep. Albio Sires isn’t so sure.

West New York Mayor/outgoing Assemblyman Silverio "Sal" Vega, who lost a bloody state senate primary campaign against Union City Mayor Brian Stack, appears ready to bury the hatchet.

Tomorrow, Vega and Weehawken Mayor Richard Turner will hold a press conference in 56th Street and Blvd East in West New York to call for unity in the 33rd legislative district. Vega said that Turner will appear on behalf of Stack, U.S. Rep. Albio Sires and the rest of the rival Democrats for Hudson County.