Rep. Rob Menendez Responds To Jersey City Mayor Steve Fulop's Dis

HUDSON COUNTY, NJ — After Jersey City Mayor (and 2025 New Jersey gubernatorial candidate) Steve Fulop said Monday that he wouldn't support Rep Rob Menendez's re-election bid next year, the latter released a statement with some harsh criticism to match Fulop's own.

The war of words began this past Friday, when Hudson County's longtime Democratic machine — known as the Hudson County Democratic Organization — sent out a statement announcing it would support the re-election bid in 2024 of Rep. Rob Menendez, the son of recently indicted Sen. Bob Menendez Sr.

Last month, Hoboken Mayor Ravi Bhalla had confirmed he will challenge the congressman for the Democratic nomination next June.

Fulop — who's running for New Jersey governor in 2025 — made it clear on Monday that he disagrees with the HCDO about their support of Menendez Jr.

Fulop said in a statement, "It’s not a secret that Rob got to Congress only because of his dad's influence...." And added that the senior Menendez threatens people "privately and publicly."

(Menendez Jr., incidentally, has not been named in the indictment of his father, Sen. Robert Menendez Sr. Read the federal indictment here).

Later on Monday, the young Menendez responded with this statement:

Statement by Congressman Rob Menendez

“I’m honored to have the support of the Hudson County Democratic Organization and Chair Vainieri, County Executive-Elect Guy, Senators Stack and Sacco, and the vast majority of Hudson County mayors, all of whom are dedicated to the residents they serve.

With respect to Steve, he has been running for governor unsuccessfully since he was elected mayor in 2013, always at the expense of Jersey City residents.

Steve’s absence from the city — whether spending time at his Rhode Island mansion preventing people from accessing the beach or traveling the state for his own political ambition — has led to a housing affordability crisis, a broken budget and 911 calls that go unanswered.

Steve Fulop is right that it’s time to move on - time to move on from his failed leadership in Jersey City.”

Menendez's statement referred to some criticisms of Fulop that have been documented in the press, including a beleagured 911 system.

And Then It Went Downhill

On the social media platform formerly known as Twitter, Fulop responded to the statement, and then Menendez Jr. responded to Fulop.

Fulop wrote, "I'm sure Dad wrote this response for Rob and he just hit send so I'll address the Senator directly in my response. Senator — I'm not mad at this silly statement from you. If I was headed to spend the rest of my life in prison I too would prob do and say desperate things."

Menendez Jr. replied, "It seems like someone calling you out on your policy failures makes you more mad than the surfers outside your RI estate."

Fulop had 70 likes and only 11 responses to his Tweet, while Menendez had 23 likes and 25 responses. Thus, ratio wise, Fulop won the battle.

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See also:

• Fulop Says It's 'Time To Move On' From Both Menendezes
• Hudson County Democratic Organization Announces Endorsement Of Rep. Menendez
• Hoboken Mayor Bhalla Hopes To Take On Rob Menendez For Congress In 2024