Mark Levin Keynote Speaker

Mark Levin Keynote at Defending the Dream Conference

Americans for Prosperity put the event together.

Victory over ObamaCare!

Let us give credit where it is due. AFP Applauds Gov. Christie for Vetoing Health Care Exchange Act. We had recently stated that we don't want ChristieCa​re and so be it, Gov. Christie used his veto.

AFP’s Grassroots Efforts Critical in Dealing Government Takeover of Health Care a Major Setback in New Jersey!

BOGOTA, NJ – Americans for Prosperity, the state’s leading free-market, grassroots organization, is praising Gov. Chris Christie for his absolute veto today of the “New Jersey Health Benefit Exchange Act”, a central pillar of establishing the federal takeover in the Garden State.

AFP state director Steve Lonegan has issued the following statement in reaction to the governor’s absolute veto.

“Today, after a determined and relentless grassroots effort on the part of Americans for Prosperity, the unpopular and unconstitutional federal takeover of our health care was dealt another blow with the wise decision of Gov. Christie to veto the ‘New Jersey Health Benefit Exchange Act’.

“This bill aimed at setting up ObamaCare’s costly and bureaucratic health care exchange in New Jersey would have limited choice for consumers, driven up costs, made our state less competitive and levied massive new taxes on every New Jerseyan.

“On behalf of the many thousands of Americans for Prosperity citizen activists and millions more opponents of this unprecedented federal assault on our liberties, I applaud Gov. Christie for using his veto pen today to thwart the federal takeover of our health care in New Jersey.

“And in the days ahead, regardless of how the Supreme Court decides the ObamaCare’s fate, Americans for Prosperity looks forward to the governor continuing to stand up against this federal overreach and protecting the health care freedom of every New Jerseyan.”

Americans for Prosperity (AFP) is a nationwide organization of citizen-leaders committed to advancing every individual’s right to economic freedom and opportunity. AFP believes reducing the size and intrusiveness of government is the best way to promote individual productivity and prosperity for all Americans. AFP educates and engages citizens to support restraining state and federal government growth and returning government to its constitutional limits. AFP is more than 2 million activists strong, with activists in all 50 states. AFP has 34 state chapters and affiliates. More than 85,000 Americans in all 50 states have made a financial contribution to AFP or AFP Foundation. For more information, visit www.americansforprosperity.org

Americans for Prosperity does not support or oppose candidates for public office.

New Jersey Does Not Need ChristieCa​re

Americans for Prosperity​: Is ChristieCa​re Coming to New Jersey?

Will Gov. Christie Issue Absolute Veto on Obamacare Exchange Bill or Will He Impose Government-Run Health Care on New Jersey?

BOGOTA, NJ – Americans for Prosperity, the state’s leading grassroots voice for free-market policy, demands nothing less than an absolute veto of the “New Jersey Health Benefit Exchange Act” from Gov. Chris Christie. Governor Christie’s veto is the only roadblock to Obamacare coming to New Jersey.

“First, we had RomneyCare. Next, we had ObamaCare. If the governor does not veto the health care exchange bill on his desk we might as well call it ChristieCare in New Jersey,” said AFP state director Steve Lonegan.

“Obviously, if the governor does not veto this legislation, which is a central pillar of the government takeover of our health care, then the governor would be sending a strong signal to the people of New Jersey and across the country that he favors a government-run system.

“The governor can no longer duck and dodge this issue. The jig is up. It’s time to let the people of New Jersey know if he stands with Barack Obama, Harry Reid and Nancy Pelosi or with the millions of Americans who value their constitutional rights and their health care freedom.”

As per the state constitution, the governor must act within 45 days of a bill passing the Legislature. The “New Jersey Health Benefit Exchange Act” passed both chambers in mid-March leaving Gov. Christie only until Thursday, May 10, to act on the bill. A failure to do so would result in the bill becoming law.



Americans for Prosperity (AFP) is a nationwide organization of citizen-leaders committed to advancing every individual’s right to economic freedom and opportunity. AFP believes reducing the size and intrusiveness of government is the best way to promote individual productivity and prosperity for all Americans. AFP educates and engages citizens to support restraining state and federal government growth and returning government to its constitutional limits. AFP is more than 2 million activists strong, with activists in all 50 states. AFP has 34 state chapters and affiliates. More than 85,000 Americans in all 50 states have made a financial contribution to AFP or AFP Foundation. For more information, visit www.americansforprosperity.org

Americans for Prosperity does not support or oppose candidates for public office.

The Left's Dangerous and Destructive Foreclosure Scheme

Americans for Prosperity Blasts Trenton’s “Dangerous and Destructive” Foreclosure Scheme, Launches Effort to Defeat Bill

Pro-Taxpayer Groups Says NJ Towns, Property Values Across State Will Be Decimated by “New Jersey Foreclosure Transformation Act”

BOGOTA, NJ – Americans for Prosperity’s New Jersey chapter is calling on Trenton legislators to put a stop to what it calls a “dangerous and destructive” foreclosure bill now making its way through the Legislature.

The bill (A2168/S1566), entitled the “New Jersey Foreclosure Transformation Act”, would empower the State to borrow as much as a billion dollars, or more, without voter approval in order to turn foreclosed homes into taxpayer-subsidized “affordable housing” units; a move the pro-taxpayer group says would increase crime, drive up property taxes and further decimate the value of homes already battered by the burst housing bubble.

Americans for Prosperity state director, Steve Lonegan, launched the first salvo against the bill in an open letter sent to legislators earlier today. The pro-taxpayer group also unveiled a hard-hitting television and radio ad (see above) while calling on its 64,000-plus army of citizen activists to sign a petition letter pressuring lawmakers to oppose the bill.

“The New Jersey Foreclosure Transformation Act is one of the most dangerous and destructive schemes I’ve ever seen come out of Trenton,” said AFP state director Steve Lonegan. “This would put Fannie and Freddie to shame and further decimate already battered property values in New Jersey.”

“On top of borrowing billions more on the backs of taxpayers, this crazy scheme would deliver former homeowners who have lost their job and lost their home to foreclosure the additional indignity of seeing their former residence turned into a low income housing unit with their own tax dollars,” continued Lonegan. “And to make matters worse the home will then be handed over to an ex-con, a sex offender, a homeless person, a drug addict or a possibly a juvenile delinquent all at taxpayer expense.

“People who have worked hard, striven to achieve the American Dream and improve the quality of life for their families would see their property further devalued and their neighborhoods deteriorate overnight.

“It’s crazy schemes likes this that are driving our friends and neighbors out of this state and continuing to make New Jersey a hostile place for people to live,” continued Lonegan. “Why would anyone want to buy a home here when property values are being driven into the ground, the quality of life in our towns is under assault and our property taxes remain nearly the highest in the nation?”

“This is just outrageous. This bill needs to be stopped now before it’s too late and Americans for Prosperity will be doing everything possible to see that it is,” Lonegan concluded.

Americans for Prosperity (AFP) is a nationwide organization of citizen-leaders committed to advancing every individual’s right to economic freedom and opportunity. AFP believes reducing the size and intrusiveness of government is the best way to promote individual productivity and prosperity for all Americans.

Spain Green Jobs Failure

Commissioner Putnam claims renewable energy subsidies create jobs…I beg to differ.

The Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services released a report today claiming that the subsidies in H.B. 7117 will generate new tax revenue, put millions back in the pockets of Floridians and support 3,850 jobs over the next five years. However, reality tells a different story than the colorful image painted by this report.

Spain, which has been used as an example of renewable subsidy success by President Obama and is lauded as a renewable energy pioneer, has recently halted all renewable energy production. A 2009 study showed that Spain’s renewable energy subsidies in fact created job losses, not increases, and that for every new “green” job created by government subsidies, 2.2 jobs in other sectors were lost – this at a cost equal to approximately $746,880 per job! Based on Spain’s outcome, if the US was successful at meeting President Obama’s goal of creating 3-5 million “green” jobs, we could expect to lose 6.5-11 million jobs in return. That’s an interesting return on investment don’t you think?

In addition, a 2011 American Enterprise Institute report showed that Spain’s renewable subsidies resulted in corruption including solar energy being magically produced at night and energy sold as solar power that was actually created by diesel generators. A government inspection revealed that out of 30 solar plants only 13 were actually putting electricity onto the grid.

A German Think Tank’s analysis of Germany’s renewable energy subsidies found that each solar power job cost the taxpayers $240,000 and that the country’s renewable subsidies overall resulted in higher energy prices, lost jobs and reduced consumer purchasing power.

According to the Florida Energy Office's 2011 report, Florida has spent more than $40 million subsidizing biofuels since 2006 but we have no operational biofuel plants and are importing our ethanol from the mid-west. The US Federal government subsidized renewable energy to the tune of $14.7 billion just in 2010. However, renewable power accounts for two-percent of Florida’s electric generation and is unlikely to be competitive with traditional energy resources like natural gas or coal within generations. In 2009, Florida handed out millions in renewable technology grants, including $2.5 million to an Ohio company that has never established a Florida presence and laid off half its Ohio workforce in January, and another $2.5 million to a wind-turbine company that filed for bankruptcy last month.

All this aside the Florida legislature and Commissioner Putnam want you to believe that adding more subsidies for renewable energy will encourage renewable energy growth and bring jobs to Florida. Sorry, I’m not buying it.

Abigail MacIver is Americans for Prosperity's Director of Policy for Florida.

Calls on Gov. Christie to Veto Obamacare Health Care Exchange Act

Americans for Prosperity Calls on Gov. Christie to Veto Obamacare Health Care Exchange Act

Conservative Group Says It’s Time for Governor to Take “Principled Stand” Against Government Health Care Takeover

BOGOTA, NJ – Americans for Prosperity, the state’s leading free-market, grassroots organization, is calling on Gov. Chris Christie to veto legislation that would establish Obamacare’s so-called health care exchanges in the state.

The legislation aimed at complying with the unconstitutional federal health care takeover, the “New Jersey Health Benefit Exchange Act”, passed the state Legislature in mid-March and awaits action by the governor within the next several weeks well before the much-anticipated Supreme Court decision expected by the end of June.

Mike Proto, communications director for Americans for Prosperity’s New Jersey chapter said, “Our organization respects much of the work the governor has done to try to turn New Jersey around and has stood with him on numerous issues, but on the issue of the government takeover of our health care he has disappointed.”

“The governor’s administration has already accepted federal funds for the exchange and for Obamacare’s high risk pools. The administration also failed to join the multi-state constitutional legal challenge now pending before the Supreme Court,” continued Proto. “The time has come for the governor to take a principled stand against Obamacare and to protect the rights of every New Jersey citizen to make their own health care choices.”

“Furthermore, the governor has an obligation to protect our state’s sovereignty against this federal power grab. The state’s created the federal government, not the other way around. When the federal government exceeds its enumerated powers and infringes on state’s rights, the governor has an obligation to say ‘no’,” added Proto.

“The governor needs to act. By law, this cannot wait until the Supreme Court hands down its decision two months from now. The governor must veto this bill now and let the people of New Jersey know once and for all where he stands on Obamacare.”

As part of Americans for Prosperity’s effort, the group is urging its more than 64,000 citizen activists across the state to sign onto a petition letter to the governor urging him to veto the bill.

Americans for Prosperity has been at the forefront of opposing the government health care takeover since 2009. Most recently, the New Jersey chapter delivered over a 1,000 citizen activists to Washington, D.C. to rally against the government takeover as the Supreme Court heard oral argument on the historic multi-state legal challenge.

Americans for Prosperity (AFP) is a nationwide organization of citizen-leaders committed to advancing every individual’s right to economic freedom and opportunity. AFP believes reducing the size and intrusiveness of government is the best way to promote individual productivity and prosperity for all Americans.

Americans for Prosperity’s Freedom Reception Dinner

Americans for Prosperity’s Freedom Reception Dinner to Be Headlined by Lead Obamacare Attorney – Friday, April 20

Mr. Greg Katsas, Partner at Jones Day, Will Give First Public Address since Delivering Oral Arguments on Historic Supreme Court Case

BOGOTA, NJ – Americans for Prosperity, the state’s leading free-market, grassroots organization, will hold a special fundraising event this Friday, April 20, to be headlined by the lead attorney on the historic Obamacare Supreme Court case, Mr. Greg Katsas, Esq.

Mr. Katsas, a partner at the esteemed Jones Day law firm based in Washington, D.C., delivered oral argument before the Supreme Court on behalf of the twenty-six states this past March. This event will mark the first time Mr. Katsas has spoken publicly about the most historic Supreme Court case in a generation.

“Americans for Prosperity is honored to have Mr. Katsas keynote our Freedom Reception Dinner,” said AFP state director Steve Lonegan. “Whatever the outcome of the Supreme Court case, we owe a debt of gratitude to Mr. Katsas for leading the fight against the government takeover of our health care and being a warrior for liberty. We couldn’t be more pleased to have him headline our event and be able to share with our activists his experience in arguing this most historic case before the Supreme Court on our behalf.”

The Freedom Reception Dinner will be held at the Shackamaxon Country Club in Scotch Plains this Friday, April 20 at 7:30 p.m.

Media are invited to attend this special event. Please contact Mike Proto, AFP Communications Director, via e-mail at mproto@afphq.org or call Americans for Prosperity’s Bogota office at 201-487-8844.

What: Americans for Prosperity Freedom Reception Dinner

Who: Mr. Greg Katsas, Esq.-Partner at Jones Day Steven Lonegan-State Director, Americans for Prosperity-New Jersey

When: 7:30 p.m.-10:00 p.m., Friday, April 20, 2012 Media are invited to attend. Please contact Mike Proto at mproto@afphq.org or (201) 487-8844/(201) 281-2700.

Americans for Prosperity (AFP) is a nationwide organization of citizen-leaders committed to advancing every individual’s right to economic freedom and opportunity. AFP believes reducing the size and intrusiveness of government is the best way to promote individual productivity and prosperity for all Americans.

Job-Killing Cap-and-Trade Schemes

Americans for Prosperity: Environment New Jersey Spews More RGGI Lies into Atmosphere

Another Bogus “Study” Belies the Facts about Job-Killing Cap-and-Trade Scheme

BOGOTA, NJ – Americans for Prosperity, the state’s leading grassroots, free-market organization, is blasting the radical environmental group Environment New Jersey for blatant lies and misleading statements about the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI) Cap-and-Trade scheme.

In response, AFP state director Steve Lonegan issued the following statement:

“The eco-zealots at Environment New Jersey continue to repeat a number of debunked claims about the failed RGGI scheme, including the absurd notion that this hidden tax on electricity somehow fuels economic growth.

“Given that RGGI’s emissions targets have already been met, one can only conclude that the only ‘green’ the radical environmentalists at Environment New Jersey care about is the green in our wallets and pocketbooks.

“Environment New Jersey’s real desire is to keep in place a slush fund that will use ratepayer dollars to fund their pet projects and other ‘green’ rip-offs in order to keep alive their utopian environmental dreams. Meanwhile the rest of us are left to suffer the consequences in the way of lost jobs and by being socked with higher rates.

“No amount of bogus studies they foist upon is will alter this reality.” ENVIRONMENT NJ CLAIM:

“According to ‘A Record of Leadership: How Northeastern States are Cutting Global Warming Pollution and Building a Clean Economy,’

New Jersey and the 9 other states that participate in the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI) have cut per capita carbon dioxide emissions 20 percent faster than the rest of the nation, even as the region’s gross product per capita grew 87 percent faster than the rest of the United States.”

FACT: According to RGGI’s own consultants, the cap-and-trade program is unlikely to have any impact on reducing carbon emissions until the Year 2030 (Source: New Jersey Watchdog)

FACT: Falling natural gas prices and reduced demand have been the primary factors in reduced carbon emissions; not RGGI (Source: New Jersey Watchdog)

FACT: There is no proof that RGGI has created net jobs or increased economic growth; such claims are based on a ‘hypothetical simulation’ and “modeling’ forecast with no basis in reality (Source: Institute for Energy Research)

Americans for Prosperity (AFP) is a nationwide organization of citizen-leaders committed to advancing every individual’s right to economic freedom and opportunity.

Patriots for Freedom - Repeal Obamacare

We have some relevant information from the Americans for Prosperity Group. We need Groups like this as well as the Tea Party to repeal the disastrous Obamacare. Smaller Government and getting our Freedom back, we must Reclaim America!


Dear Patriots,

Yesterday, I looked out at the thousands upon thousands of faces and the sea of “Hands Off My Health Care” and “I Am AFP” signs, and I knew our movement was stronger than ever!

Yesterday, your voices, the voices of the American people, were heard over the pundits and politicians from both sides of the aisle. According to one speaker, our voices “rattled the windows of the Supreme Court.” Together, we sent a crystal clear message to the Supreme Court: do the right thing...overturn this disastrous, unconstitutional government takeover of our health care.

From our event, a CNN correspondent reported to Wolf Blitzer, “I want to give you a sense of what the crowd looks like here; it goes on and on and on!”

Over 4,000 activists joined Americans for Prosperity and our 20+ coalition groups for the incredible Hands Off My Health Care Rally across the street from the U.S. Supreme Court. We heard from great speakers like Sen. Rand Paul, Sen. Jim DeMint, Sen. Ron Johnson, Sen. Pat Toomey, Rep. Michele Bachmann, Rep. Paul Ryan, Rep. Alan West. We heard from breast cancer survivor, Tracy Walsh, who told her personal story of survival due in part to choices and access provided by our health care system. We heard from Canadian, Shona Holmes, who told how she faced waiting lists and denied treatments for her brain tumor in her home country thanks to their socialized health care system but thankfully she drove south to the United States for the treatments that saved her life.

This fight is far from over, but our fellow Americans are with us. Every poll shows they want to see the health care takeover law repealed. But we've got to keep taking our message of freedom to the American people.

If you have not done so already, make your voice heard by signing AFP's Statement to the Court. We displayed the many thousands of signatures we've collected so far at the Rally, and we're continuing to gather more! Be sure to forward this message to your friends and family, and ask them to sign AFP's Statement to the Court.

We can't let up now. We have to keep pushing hard, and make sure that the President's health care takeover is struck down in its entirety. Until that day comes, Americans for Prosperity will keep fighting with help from activists like you.

Sincerely,

Tim Phillips
President, Americans for Prosperity

Hands Off My Health Care Barry!

Americans for Prosperity to Hold Historic “Hands Off My Health Care” Rally in DC as Supreme Court Takes Up Legal Challenge to Obamacare

The rally will be on Tuesday, March 27, 2012 at 1:00 PM (ET) in Washington, DC

AFP Citizen Activists, Including Nearly 1,000 from New York and New Jersey, Will Descend on DC and Call on Supreme Court to Strike Down Unconstitutional Government Takeover of Health Care

BOGOTA, NJ – Americans for Prosperity, the state’s leading free-market, grassroots organization will deliver close to a thousand citizen activists from the New York/New Jersey area to Washington, D.C. this coming Tuesday, March 27, for the group’s “Hands Off My Health Care” rally.

The rally will take place in Upper Senate Park, near the Supreme Court Building, as the nation’s highest court takes up the most important case in a generation: the multi-state challenge to the constitutionality of the government health care takeover.

The “Hands Off My Health Care” rally is expected to draw thousands of citizen activists from across the country and will be headlined by numerous congressional leaders, including Rep. Paul Ryan of Wisconsin, Rep. Michelle Bachmann of Minnesota, Sen. Pat Toomey of Pennsylvania, Sen. Rand Paul of Kentucky and Sen. Jim DeMint of South Carolina.

Americans for Prosperity state director Steve Lonegan has issued the following statement in advance of next week’s momentous rally.

“Two years ago, despite months of public opposition and outcry, Barack Obama, Nancy Pelosi, Harry Reid and the Democratic Congress rammed through their government health care takeover, trampling on the Constitution and violating the right of American citizens to make their own health care choices.

“The burden now falls on the Supreme Court to preserve, protect and defend those precious freedoms bequeathed to us by the framers. The Court must rule the individual mandate, compelling American citizens to purchase health insurance against their will, to be unconstitutional, inseverable from the rest of the law and, thus, strike down this vicious assault on our rights in toto.

“On Tuesday, thousands of patriots from across the country will gather in Washington, D.C. to deliver this very message to the nine Supreme Court justices and to the nation at large: We will not stand for our Constitutional rights and liberties to be infringed. We demand that this law be overturned”

Coalition Co-sponsors include:

60 Plus Association
American Doctors for Truth
Americans for Tax Reform
Concerned Women for America
Doctor Patient Medical Association
Eagle Forum
Family Research Council
Hagerstown Tea Party
Heartland Institute
Institute for Liberty
Let Freedom Ring
Restore America's Voice Now
Smart Girl Politics
Students for Life
The Richmond Patriots
TeaParty.net
Tea Party Express
Tea Party Patriots
Tea Party WDC
The Mommy Lobby
---

Obamacare Will Have Tax Hikes on Young Adults and Children

The jobs-killing Obamacare law contains 20 new or higher taxes on American families and employers. Many of these tax increases fall on families making less than $250,000 — a direct violation of candidate Obama’s promise not to raise “any form” of taxes on these families.


Out of the 20 new or higher taxes in Obamacare, there are four that most hurt young adults and children. Every single one of these taxes violates President Obama’s “firm pledge” not to raise any form of taxes on families making less than $250,000.

The first is the “individual mandate” excise tax. Under Obamacare, all young adults must purchase “qualifying health insurance” (defined by unelected federal bureaucrats) or face an excise tax penalty of at least 2.5 percent of adjusted gross income. For many people in their late 20s or early 30s, health insurance may not fit into a budget that includes paying back student loans, starting a family or finding a job. Others might want to obtain health insurance, but find their preferred plan is no longer “qualified” by President Obama’s HHS bureaucrats. Raising taxes on young people is the wrong way to get them to buy health insurance.

The second Obamacare tax hike on young adults and kids is the “medicine cabinet tax.” This tax increase is already in effect. Since January of 2011, young people have not been able to purchase non-prescription, over-the-counter medicines from their flex-spending accounts (FSAs) or health savings accounts (HSAs). Since many young people require only light use of medical providers and can treat many illnesses over the counter, this tax increase falls on a large percentage of their actual out-of-pocket health expenditures.

The third Obamacare tax hike on young adults and kids is on FSAs. Many young people and parents of young children participate in flex accounts (FSAs) at work. Obamacare imposes a new cap of $2,500 per year on these accounts, which currently face no limits from the tax code. This will, again, fall largely on parents with young children. Consider braces, for example. A parent needing to buy a $4,000 pair of braces might want to run that cost through their flex account to make it pre-tax. A $2,500 cap makes that impossible for the whole cost.

Cap and Trade is Cap and TAX

Americans for Prosperity: Pro-RGGI Cap-and-Trade Study Full of Hot Air

As Institute for Energy Research Debunks Fatally Flawed Analysis Group “Study”, AFP Calls on State Legislature to Defeat RGGI Bill

LINK: Study of the Impacts of the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative Deeply Flawed

BOGOTA, NJ – With a vote looming in the New Jersey Legislature on Thursday aimed at forcing New Jersey back into the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative, aka RGGI, Cap-and-Trade scheme, a report claiming that RGGI has been a boon to participating states has been thoroughly debunked by energy experts.

The study, released late last year by the Analysis Group, contends that the RGGI Cap-and-Trade scheme has turned $1.6 billion in tax revenue collected via sales of carbon allowances into a $1.6 billion in net economic benefits. Liberal politicians and environmentalists, desperate to keep the failing cap-and-trade program alive, along with the multi-billion slush fund it provides, have used the Analysis Group’s faulty and misleading report as the basis for convincing lawmakers to re-enter New Jersey into the program.

Today, the Analysis Group’s findings were publicly discredited by the Institute for Energy Research (IER), the research arm of the American Energy Alliance (AEA), after a meticulous review of the study’s results.

During a press call this afternoon, Dr. Robert Murphy, Senior Fellow and Economist for the Institute for Energy Research, highlighted the major defects of the Analysis Group report.

“The Analysis Group study is based on modeling and not fact,” said Murphy. “The alleged future savings are based on mapping what’s happening over time, over the long haul. The results are all completely hypothetical.”

“The Analysis Group report admits that electricity bills are higher,” noted Murphy. “This has nothing to do with climate change, per se. There is no claimed environmental benefit in the report.”

Murphy added that the Analysis Group’s claims of thousands of “green jobs” created are likewise false and based on a “hypothetical simulation” and “modeling” forecast with no basis in reality.

Dan Simmons, AEA’s Director of State and Regulatory Affairs, described the Analysis Group’s claim of $1.6 billion in “economic value added” as “highly implausible” and “absurd,” while noting that RGGI’s targeted emission reduction goals have already been met.

“The study contains nothing about what the point of RGGI is,” said Simmons. “There has been a 30% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions [since RGGI began]. The goal of RGGI has been achieved three times over.”

“Yet, instead of declaring victory, they want to keep the program in place.” Subsequent to today’s call, Americans for Prosperity state director Steve Lonegan issued the following statement: “The Institute for Energy Research’s airtight critique of the phony and flawed Analysis Group study puts to bed once and for all the lie that the RGGI Cap-and-Trade tax, or any tax for that matter, grows jobs and creates wealth and prosperity -- and exposes just how far the liberal left and the radical environmentalist movement will go to bamboozle the public and policy makers to advance their extremist agenda.

“The RGGI Cap-and-Trade scheme has always been about one thing and one thing only: bilking taxpayers through their electricity bills in order to provide liberal politicians and radical environmentalists a slush fund to subsidize their failed ‘green energy’ schemes.

“Enough is enough. It’s time for Trenton lawmakers to start standing up for hard-working New Jersey families rather than saddling them with skyrocketing electricity rates to pay for their pet projects and to enrich the politically well-connected.

“The bill to force New Jersey back into RGGI needs to be defeated and legislators ought to get back to work at trying to improve, rather than further damage, New Jersey’s economy.”

For more information, visit www.americansforprosperity.org

Americans for Prosperity does not support or oppose candidates for public office.

Conservative Group to Oppose Nominations by Gov. Christie

Americans for Prosperity Urges Gov. Christie to Rescind Supreme Court Picks


Conservative Group to Oppose Nominations of Mayor Bruce Harris and First Assistant Attorney General Phillip Kwon

BOGOTA, NJ – Americans for Prosperity, the state’s leading free-market, grassroots organization is announcing today its opposition to the nominations of both Chatham Borough Mayor Bruce Harris and First Assistant Attorney General Phillip Kwon to the state Supreme Court.

“After careful review and consideration of these nominees, Americans for Prosperity cannot endorse their confirmation to the state’s highest court and will work to see that they are not confirmed by the state Senate,” said AFP state director Steve Lonegan.

“The governor was elected on the promise to change the makeup of the court by replacing activist justices with originalists who will interpret the law, not make law from the bench,” continued Lonegan, “and Americans for Prosperity was fully prepared to support him in achieving this goal.

“However, there is nothing in the backgrounds of either of these nominees to assure us that Mayor Harris or Mr. Kwon will practice judicial restraint and put a stop to this court’s endless usurpations of the powers of the other branches of government if seated on the Supreme Court.”

Lonegan expressed particular concern with the nomination of Mayor Harris.

“Mayor Harris’ résumé is bereft of any experience in dealing with the Supreme Court on any level. His history is in real estate closings. He has never even written a legal brief or argued a case before the court.

“In addition, some very troubling statements made by Mayor Harris have come to light which demonstrate acceptance of prior activist court rulings, as well as a flawed view of the U.S. Constitution, that cast in severe doubt whether he would be an objective jurist.”

“Americans for Prosperity urges the governor to rescind both of these nominees, restart the vetting process and nominate individuals to the court with a proven record of practicing judicial restraint and understanding the limited role of the court in the democratic process.”

Hearings for Mr. Harris and Mr. Kwon are on the docket of the Senate Judiciary Committee for Thursday, March 22. Americans for Prosperity representatives expect to testify at the hearings and the conservative group will be mobilizing its army of more than 60,000 citizen activists as part of its efforts to have impartial, originalist justices confirmed to the state’s highest court.

Americans for Prosperity (AFP) is a nationwide organization of citizen-leaders committed to advancing every individual’s right to economic freedom and opportunity. AFP believes reducing the size and intrusiveness of government is the best way to promote individual productivity and prosperity for all Americans. AFP educates and engages citizens to support restraining state and federal government growth and returning government to its constitutional limits. AFP is more than 1.9 million activists strong, with activists in all 50 states. AFP has 34 state chapters and affiliates. More than 85,000 Americans in all 50 states have made a financial contribution to AFP or AFP Foundation.

For more information, visit www.americansforprosperity.org

Americans for Prosperity does not support or oppose candidates for public office.


Americans for Prosperity (AFP) is committed to educating citizens about economic policy and mobilizing those citizens as advocates in the public policy process. AFP is an organization of grassroots leaders who engage citizens in the name of limited government and free markets on the local, state, and federal levels. The grassroots activists of AFP advocate for public policies that champion the principles of entrepreneurship and fiscal and regulatory restraint.