“The Voice of New Jersey Law Enforcement”

Where there’s Phil, there’s a way

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n BY MITCHELL KRUGELn PHOTOS BY ED CARATTINI, JR.

Before a room packed to capacity with NJ State PBA and FMBA members on Oct. 23 at the Deutscher Club in Clark, Phil Murphy really got after his speech. He moved side to side in front of the pulpit. He bent his towering frame at the knees with his hands up and active, perhaps recalling some basketball-playing days from his youth. Clearly, on this night, the PBA- and FMBA-endorsed candidate for governor came to play.

Prior to Murphy’s address, his running mate Sheila Oliver choked up a bit when extolling the fearlessness of New Jersey first responders and reminding them that they should never have to worry about, or apologize for, what they get paid to serve and protect. The Democratic candidate for lieutenant governor apparently was intent on letting her pride in public safety flow.

The fundraising event for the Murphy-Oliver ticket took place with just 15 days until the election that can finally lift law enforcement officers and firefighters out from the rock they have been under the past eight years – as FMBA President Ed Donnelly has stated and PBA President Pat Colligan has reiter-ated so many times. Murphy and Oliver knew the importance of confirming their commitment to labor and public safety, so they came to meet the members and confirm why their votes will matter so much on Nov. 7.

At the same time, PBA and FMBA members confirmed their voice and impact on the political process is are all-in by pack-ing the place. Colligan always hopes PBA members will come out for events like this one, but on this night, he knew the room would be filled, and he knew the messages being sent to and from Ambassador Murphy and Assemblywoman Oliver were loud and clear.

“As usual, the men and women in blue and red exceeded my expectations by filling this place,” President Colligan not-ed as members filed past him afterward on their way out of the Deutscher Club. They stopped to thank him apparently for the illustrious conclusion they shared and which Colligan empha-sized by saying, “He’s fulfilling the labor end of what we need for pension, pay and benefits. Now we have the opportunity to elect somebody who is going to help us out of these doldrums, this ditch this (Christie-Guadagno) administration put us in. And that’s Phil Murphy and Sheila Oliver.”De-Votees

This was not a night for pats on the back. Rather, it was a reinforcement of the we’ve-got-your-back approach to gov-erning Murphy and Oliver have pledged. In fact, Murphy cre-scendoed his remarks to members by calling for backup.

“There’s one pesky detail before I leave,” the ambassador charged. “We have to get elected. We can’t do any of that unless we get elected. So we need you. There’s a lot of complacency out there. A lot of folks haven’t made their mind up. We have to

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Vote of ConfidenceAs Election Day 2017 approaches, NJ State PBA and FMBA members come out in force at campaign event to confirm Murphy-Oliver is their choice

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bottle up this extraordinary energy we have here tonight and turn it into a result on Nov. 7. Whether it’s phone-banking, knocking on doors, social media, emails, you’ve got our back and we can’t thank you enough for that. But we can’t take our foot off the gas.”

Donnelly recognized how the energy in the room indicat-ed that members of New Jersey’s biggest public safety unions are ready to put the Murphy-Oliver ticket on their backs and carry it to the finish line. In joining with Colligan, PBA Execu-tive Vice President Marc Kovar and FMBA Vice President Rich Mikutsky, Donnelly specified the order for the run to Election Day and how it can be carried out.

“We’re ready for change,” he cheered. “We’re going to be there to make sure that we provide the voice, that we provide the feet on the street, that we provide the polls at those ballot stations to get Phil elected governor.”

By coming out en masse for the event, sisters and brothers in blue and red did more than demonstrate how they are fed up with the past eight years and how not engaging in politics has crushed them, their paychecks, their pensions and their benefits. If anything, the mass response indicated a flicker of hope, a light of where public safety labor can head with Mur-phy and Oliver.

“I can’t even count how many times this is that I have seen Phil speak in person, and it moves me every time,” shared Howell Local 228 State Delegate Ryan Hurley, who came im-peccably dressed in a three-piece suit that aptly accessorized the significance of this evening. “The only naysayers I ever hear are the ones who haven’t met this gentleman and hav-en’t spoken to him and gotten a feel for his personality. He is a genuine guy. There’s a reason why everybody has backed him. They are voting for Murphy and Oliver because of what he’s come out and told us and guaranteed us from day one.”

A time to PhilBefore stepping up to the microphone, Murphy and Oliver

offered some pre-game observations about how walking into a packed house reminded them that law enforcement officers and firefighters want a front office in the state that will treat them fairly and with respect. Murphy went on to say later in the evening that he has not forgotten where he has come from and that his campaign promise to strengthen the middle class is pointed at public safety. Prior to that, he accentuated that he has never forgotten where his campaign has come from, a reference to how the support of cops and firefighters was a game-changer that scored him a big win in the June primary.

Oliver then backed up the ambassador by submitting the words that members have been wanting to hear. Over and over again.

“The ambassador is looking forward to have his adminis-tration working closely with you in terms of adjusting some of the experiences you have had with Guadagno and Christie,” Oliver asserted. “It’s been a long haul, we understand. The am-bassador is committed to working with everyone to make sure public safety is taken care of. There should never be any de-bate about what public safety personnel should earn. Because whoever would say this is what you should earn should strap up and go do your job.”

Oliver went on to empathize about the rhetoric coming from Trenton the past eight years and requested that public safety personnel move past the rhetoric. Clearly, there was no rhetoric being dropped on this night, but rather hope, with declarations like “Backward, never; forward ever,” as Oliver sent up in quoting Newark Mayor Ras Baraka.

Murphy’s follow-up caveat drew from his middle-class

“The only naysayers I ever hear are the ones who haven’t met this gentleman and haven’t spoken to him and gotten a feel for his personality. He is a genuine guy. There’s a reason why everybody has backed him.”

~ Howell Local 228 State Delegate Ryan Hurley

“We’ve been hanging together for years and years and years. And you all have had my back. So I don’t want to be the guy who is just here when I need you. I’m going to be here when you need me. Period.”

~ Phil Murphy

“He is willing to listen to us. He is willing to address those needs. We hope we can get there with Phil Murphy.”

~ Livingston Local 263 State Delegate Jose Antunes

roots, a value that truly expresses the change his administra-tion will bring to public safety: You are known by the company you keep. Turns out, that company was in this room, and he’s been keeping it for nearly a dozen years. And it might have been when he first joined that company, chairing the state’s original commission on pension and healthcare benefits un-der Governor Codey that inspired Murphy to run for this of-fice.

“That’s really when I first did the deep dive on the policy issues that are hanging over all of you,” he announced. “This is not a new relationship. We’ve been hanging together for years and years and years. And you all have had my back. So I don’t want to be the guy who is just here when I need you. I’m going to be here when you need me. Period.”

Finishing LinesMurphy had just a couple of campaign promises he want-

ed to resonate here. Most important to him appeared to be his pledge not only to recognize organized labor with his ad-ministration but to celebrate it and to bring a full stop to the name-calling and that vilification law enforcement officers have heard from the governor the past eight years.

Still, nobody in the room was naive enough to let the eve-ning go by without thinking that they have heard some of this before. Going around the room, however, found cautious op-timism from members who gave Murphy a final vetting and a zeal of approval.

“Phil has come out and supported the fact that our pension needs to be funded properly, that Chapter 78 is bad legisla-tion, that changes need to be made and he is willing to look at those changes,” Livingston Local 263 State Delegate Jose Antunes appraised. “He is willing to listen to us. He is willing to address those needs. We hope we can get there with Phil Murphy.”

West Essex Local 81 State Delegate Brett Keepers witnessed the difference between politician and sincere leadership watching Oliver well up at the podium when thanking first re-sponders for their bravery. What could have been a subliminal moment became a seminal moment.

“It seemed like she really cared about the best interest of law enforcement,” Keepers submitted. “We’d be naive to think everything is going to go in our favor, but it’s nice to know we have somebody we can talk to.”

To put it all in perspective, it might be best to hear from somebody who has seen it all before. Fran O’Rourke has seen a lot in his 18 years serving as Lyndhurst Local 202 State Del-egate, and his analysis of Murphy heading into the home stretch was simple.

“He knows the PBA needs a chance,” O’Rourke stated. “Hopefully, if Phil Murphy gets in, he sticks to his word and we move forward. It will be a good four years and if everything works out, and a great four years after that.”

Before reminding everybody to vote, Murphy presented a parting shot, an emphatic message about the opposing ticket. He warned about the maladies of extending the Christie di-saster with another four years of Kim Guadagno; another four years of leaving the middle class behind, leaving those who had dreams and aspirations to get into the middle class be-hind and leaving the truth behind.

“They’re putting politics ahead of public safety. They have no credible track record to run on, so what are they doing? They’re making stuff up. They are throwing rocks,” the ambas-sador enunciated. “We will not stand for that. They want to scare people into voting for them. We want to inspire them.”

The round of applause that ensued and may last until Elec-tion Day, validated a coalition with public safety and the exec-utive branch to get the state of New Jersey back to the way it used to be. A state that grew, according to Murphy. A state that was fair, that was respected and trusted, that did big things and was known for smart government. A state that celebrat-ed and respected organized labor and the middle class with a leadership that is inclusive and cares about everybody.

“It won’t be overnight, but we will get back on our feet,” Murphy promised. “Let me close by saying thank you for your support, for your solidarity, for your friendship and for your heroism you exhibit every day. Your help means more than you know. We’ve got your backs, and we know you’ve got ours.” d

NJ State PBA President Pat Colligan welcomes Assemblywoman Sheila Oli-ver, the Democratic candidate for lieutenant governor, to speak to PBA and FMBA members.

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“There should never be any debate about what public safety per-sonnel should earn. Because whoever would say this is what you should earn should strap up and go do your job.”

~ Sheila Oliver

“He’s fulfilling the labor end of what we need for pension, pay and benefits. Now we have the opportunity to elect somebody who is going to help us out this ditch this (Christie-Guadagno) adminis-tration put us in.”

~ NJ State PBA President Pat Colligan

“We have to bottle up this extraordinary energy we have here tonight and turn it into a result on Nov. 7.”

~ Phil Murphy