RARITAN – While professional football players chose the playing of the National Anthem this weekend as that time to kneel and defiantly make a statement against President Donald J. Trump, Somerset County GOP Chairman Al Gaburo made a statement of his own: against Somerset Democratic Chair Peg Schaffer and her candidates for office.

“Since Peg likes to ask me and my candidates to denounce people, here’s one: I completely denounce the reprehensible actions of NFL players taking a knee during the National Anthem [Sunday] morning in London and then standing for God Saves the Queen. Our anthem stands for our country and for the men and women who gave the ultimate sacrifice so these spoiled, coddled athletes can be free.”

The national controversy played out even as residents of Raritan Borough prepared for their town’s annual big event: the parade commemorating Marine Corps hero John Basilone, where Republicans fielded a big cross-section of their own, including U.S. Rep. Leonard Lance (R-7), state Senators Kip Bateman and Mike Doherty, Somerset County Freeholders Mark Caliguire (a candidate for the Assembly) and Brian Levine, and retiring Assemblyman Jack Ciattarelli (R-16).

“As a son of Raritan Borough, my father the godson of John Basilone, this country’s first WWII Congressional Medal of Honor winner, on the very day of John Basilone’s Parade, this is offensive and reprehensible. What say you, Peg and your candidates? Zwicker? Crickets. Not surprised, as he’s the guy who when inaugurated took the phrase ‘so help me God’ out of his oath of office.”

Gaburo made his comments as he attempts again to put down an aggressive countywide push by Schaffer. The Democratic chair, at the very least, wants to snipe a freeholder seat, where Gaburo now exerts full control.