Eulner to Assembly: "You haven't seen the last of me."
Eulner to Assembly: "You haven't seen the last of me."
Her fiery speech about Democrat fear tactics was met with a reply from the Majority Leader deemed chauvinist
Trenton - The Assembly session today was highlighted by farewell speeches from outgoing members reflecting on their time in Trenton and wishing their colleagues well. Despite the general glad-handing one would expect in the lame duck session, Assemblywoman Kim Eulner (R-11th) elected to make her farewell speech a final haymaker to the Democratic majority.
A brief speech by Minority Leader John DiMaio (R-23rd) praised Eulner for bringing her Wall Street background to the Assembly while also highlighting her being “a mom, a wife, [and] running a household.”
”Hopefully, you’ve found this journey a good one,” he remarked.
For Assemblywoman Eulner, that journey may not be over.
“I yearn for this state to be as great as it can be, and I do hope, in the minority, that we continue to fight back,” began the Assemblywoman before launching into a forceful rebuke of Democrats’ fear campaign waged against her and her colleague, Marilyn Piperno (R-11th).
“I don't know whether to be flattered or appalled that over $8 million was spent to unseat two freshman legislators,” she lamented, saying that money could have been used to feed or house veterans.
“The sin of it is that the lobby money was taken away from us. They were told not to donate to us because we were in the crosshairs from Day One.”
Eulner then reflected on being painted as an “extremist” by 11th District Senator Vin Gopal and incoming Assemblywomen Dr. Margie Donlon and Luanne Peterpaul.
”I am a proud mother of two sons…I believe in women’s rights to their own health. I believe women have a right to choose what happens to their bodies,” said Eulner, saying that her nephews “were practically in tears” after seeing an attack ad from the Gopal team.
She then delivered the same lesson she gave to her nephews:
“Know who you’re voting for. Know who is representing YOU…and not their own interests. It’s so important that our citizens get back into paying attention on who they’re voting for. Shame on the New Jersey citizens for not showing up this past Election Day…I will never forget this.”
She ended her fiery speech with an ominous warning: “You haven’t seen the last of me.”
Her speech was responded to by none other than Majority Leader Louis Greenwald (D-6th) who added insult to injury, saying: ”You don’t need to be in this house to serve others…you don’t need to be one of the one hundred and twenty to serve in the state legislature.”
Hoping Piperno and Eulner “stay involved in [the] community…in issues statewide,” Greenwald offered them the opportunity reach out and call him “if there is something that [they] feel passionate about.”
Greenwald’s comments were seen as more chauvinist as opposed to attempting a peace offering.
”He has a woman problem,” said one Assembly staffer who offered their comment under the condition of anonymity. “He was one of the chief architects of the campaign to defame these women and now he hopes they ‘stay involved,” but not in ‘his Assembly?’ That seems like another way of saying women stay in the kitchen.”
Greenwald is known for an annual speech where he emphasizes bipartisanship in lawmaking, the staffer noted, “but it seems like if you’re a pro-choice woman with an ‘R’ next to your name, you are the enemy.”
Want more CJN? Make sure to follow us on our respective social media platforms. If you’re interested in joining the team, have questions about advertising, or want to send hate mail (totally fine too), please message us at press@centralnjwire.com.