Assemblyman Ryan Peters Calls on Richter to Stop Lying About Burlington County’s Immigration Policies

Peters: “He’s not just lying about Kate, he’s lying about me, and I take that seriously.”

THIRD CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT, NJ – State Assemblyman and U.S. Navy SEAL Ryan Peters released the following statement on Friday condemning David Richter and his campaign for lying about his and Kate Gibbs’ record on the Burlington County Board of Chosen Freeholders:

“David Richter’s attacks on Kate Gibbs and – by extension on me – are lies. Burlington County was never a Sanctuary County on my watch or Kate’s,” said Assemblyman Peters. “I don’t take kindly to people who lie about me or my friends, and I could no longer sit by silently and let David get away with this garbage. Republican voters across the Third Congressional District need to know that character counts, and David Richter’s is increasingly in question as far as I am concerned.”

Peters pointed to several facts to back up his assertion:

• Burlington County’s initial policy on detainees pre-dates Gibbs and Peters serving on the board. The policy was created in 2014. Gibbs and Peters did not join the board until January 1, 2016.
• An article in the Burlington County Times from February 8, 2017 shows the action Gibbs and Peters helped initiate to make sure the county was working proactively with ICE.
• Thanks to those actions, the Center for Immigration Studies (CIS) – which is a conservative, pro-Trump think tank on immigration – does NOT list Burlington a Sanctuary County.
• Ocean County – also not a Sanctuary County – faced similar criticism around the same time in 2017. Today, Ocean also does NOT appear on the CIS list for Sanctuary Counties.

“I am really disappointed in how David has conducted himself,” said Peters. “In the world I come from, character and honesty counts. By the way David conducted himself in business and now in this campaign, I am not sure it’s part of his DNA.”