Lonegan bashes Booker's 'record of miserable failure' - August 22nd, 2013 - “He’s a far left liberal extremist,” the former mayor of Bogota said of Booker, decrying the Democrat’s effort to wear the pragmatist tag. “His is a record of miserable failure,” said Lonegan, citing 15% unemployment in Newark and crushing tax burdens on local business while big corporate names enjoy tax abatements. “Cory Booker has never created a job in his life,” the Republican added. “He worships big government. Fifteen percent unemployment isn’t pragmatic. It’s called failure.”