FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

732-682-8923

10/18/2022                                                       

MOORESTOWN, NJ – Burlington County business owner and Republican candidate for Congress Bob Healey today issued the following statement:

“Last year, over 14,000 vehicles were reported stolen in New Jersey, a 22% increase compared to 2020, which also saw a rise over the previous year, according to State Police data. This year, the state has already seen more than 9,000 and could see as many as 17,000 by year’s end according to N.J. law enforcement.[1]

Suburban crime continues to rise while our representative can’t admit he was wrong in failing to denounce the destructive ‘defund the police’ idea when his Progressive Caucus colleagues took aim at law enforcement.

Now we are seeing the impact not just in urban America, but across suburbia and here in Monmouth, Mercer and Burlington counties. Andy is still AWOL in the public safety debate.

Our congressman can find time to tweet about National Oyster Day —but has nothing to say when catalytic converters are stolen from school buses at Moorestown High School—part of national epidemic.[2] According to the National Insurance Crime Bureau, claims for stolen catalytic converters have ‘soared over the past two years nationwide. The number of claims in 2021 is 15 times higher compared with 2019.’

Two weeks ago, the U.S. Marshals Service ‘Operation Rodeo’ announced 65 Arrests Including 33 Suspected Gang Members in Southern New Jersey and Around the Nation.[3] “Operation Rodeo” was the work of a regional task force that arrested fugitives wanted on charges including homicide, sex assault, aggravated assault, robbery, carjacking, weapons violations, felony narcotics distribution, burglary, arson, and other felonies. Congressman Kim had no comment on this major anti-crime effort, but two days later was on Twitter bragging about winning an award![4]

Some may say words don’t matter, but the trashing of the men and women in blue has been a catalyst for police retirements and has made the recruitment of new officers much more difficult. The commander of U.S. Marshals Service task force pointed this out, ‘At every police department and sheriff’s department I go to in this state, the first thing they tell me is how undermanned they are and how they’re short 15 people, they’re short 12 people, they’re short 30 people…’[5]

While Andy’s constituents fear crime is rising in their neighborhoods, Rep. Kim tweets about everything but public safety.

Last month, Andy’s Democrats — seeing the damage that’s been done from their two year assault on law enforcement — passed a police funding measure, but his Progressive Caucus colleagues still objected.

Just this past Friday, Andy’s NJ colleague Rep. Sherrill introduced bipartisan legislation to combat auto theft in the Garden State.[6] If Andy Kim was focused on issues that matter to his constituents, that would have been our congressman taking the lead.”

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[1] “Car theft rings are recruiting kids as number of stolen vehicles skyrockets in N.J., authorities say,” – https://www.nj.com/politics/2022/08/car-theft-rings-are-recruiting-kids-as-number-of-stolen-vehicles-skyrocket-in-nj-authorities-said-vowing-crackdown.html

[2] “Catalytic converters stolen from school buses at Moorestown High School” – https://6abc.com/catalytic-converter-theft-moorestown-high-school-burlington-county-nj-moorsetown/12240472/

[3] “U.S. Marshals Service ‘Operation Rodeo’ Leads to 65 Arrests Including 33 Suspected Gang Members in Southern New Jersey and Around the Nation” – https://www.usmarshals.gov/news/press-release/us-marshals-service-operation-rodeo-leads-65-arrests-including-33-suspected-gang, 09/30/2022.

[4] Office of Rep. Andy Kim, Official Twitter Account, https://twitter.com/RepAndyKimNJ/status/1576612335359119360, 10/02/2022.

[5] “U.S. Marshals Service ‘Operation Rodeo’ Leads to 65 Arrests Including 33 Suspected Gang Members in Southern New Jersey and Around the Nation” – https://www.usmarshals.gov/news/press-release/us-marshals-service-operation-rodeo-leads-65-arrests-including-33-suspected-gang, 09/30/2022.

[6] Office of Rep. Mikie Sherill, https://sherrill.house.gov/media/press-releases/rep-sherrill-introduces-bipartisan-legislation-to-combat-auto-thefts-in-nj-11, 10/14/2022.