By Barbara Devlin
I have grown so weary of talking heads, pundits, radio personalities, etc. who deliberately spread disinformation to rile up the public in order to reinforce their particular political bias. Fox News, CNN, MSNBC, are all guilty of this and, even more distressing, our local broadcasters engage in this practice. I’ll cite a case in point: Recently Harry Hurley went on a rant to smear our District 2 Assemblymen Vince Mazzeo and John Armato. Hurley accused the Assemblymen of voting for “massive” tax and fee increases. A simple check of their voting records will show that is not the case. They have both taken a position inconsistent with their party to vote against increases. Hurley even accused them of “taxing rain”. In fact the record will show that both Assemblymen voted against the rain tax. Look it up Harry: the bill number is S-1073.
Mr. Hurley also accused the two Assemblymen of taking funding from our veterans and giving it to “illegals”. Again, a simple check of the facts will show that no vote or bill to remove veteran funding or provide money to “illegals” was included in the 2018/2019 legislative budget, hence that statement is false. It is my understanding that Assemblymen Mazzeo and Armato introduced a bill this year to replace the veteran funding.
In another falsehood, easily debunked, Mr. Hurley accused Assemblyman Mazzeo of voting for legalized gambling in North Jersey. Anyone wishing to check the votes of their legislators can go to www.njleg.state.nj.us, where they’ll find under session 2016-2017, the complete vote on bill number SCR-1. Assemblyman Mazzeo is a definite “no” vote.
Disinformation is a dangerous tool and it is helping to fuel the uber partisan atmosphere in our country which is threatening to tear communities apart. Shame on you, Harry Hurley, for participating in it.
