Virtual Forum: ‘Big Money Shuts Out NJ Candidates and Voters’

NEW JERSEY — Is the toxic influence of “big money” shutting New Jersey candidates and voters out of the political process? That’s the allegation that a panel of experts and candidates in the Garden State plan to explore during a virtual forum on Tuesday, March 22.

The cross-partisan forum – titled “Big Money Shuts Out NJ Candidates and Voters” – will take place from 7 to 8:30 p.m. Register to receive a Zoom link here. Learn more about this event here.

Panelists will include:

• Madelyn Hoffman, Green Party candidate for New Jersey Governor 2021, and US Senate 2020
• Gregg Mele, Republican candidate for US House of Representatives (NJ-6) in 2022, and Libertarian candidate New Jersey Governor 2021
• Peter Jacob, Democratic Party candidate for US House of Representatives (NJ-7) in 2016 and 2018
• Paul Dilks, Republican Party candidate for NJ General Assembly LD 4 in 2019 and candidate for US House of Representatives (NJ-1) in 2018

The guest speaker will be Dr. Julia Sass-Rubin, director of the Public Policy Program at the Edward J. Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy at Rutgers University.

According to a news release from nonprofit American Promise New Jersey, which is hosting the forum, the panelists will discuss the “toxic influence of unlimited money in our elections,” which are a “huge impediment to the successful election of new candidates with fresh ideas and to the successful enactment of policy in the interest of the majority of citizens.”

During the forum, the nonprofit will present a plan to pass a constitutional amendment to “re-balance our politics and government” and “put the rights of individual citizens before the privileges of concentrated money, corporations, unions, political parties and superPACs.”

• See related article: 'Big Money' Rules NJ Governor Debates, Third-Party Candidates Say
• See related article: NJ Primary Ballots Bamboozle Voters With 'The Line,' Experts Say

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