Free Republic

New Jersey State Assemblyman John McKeon (D-Essex) called on Governor Chris Christie to break ranks with fellow Republicans who are drafting a voter ID law for that state. McKeon says he wants Christie to use his allotted speaking time at the upcoming GOP Convention to denounce voter ID laws. “These voter ID laws are clearly aimed at disenfranchising the illiterate, lazy, and undocumented persons who comprise a significant portion of the Democratic Party’s constituency,” McKeon complained. “These people already have a hard enough life without having to endure the additional effort required to get a photo ID. The state ought...

An Essex County Democratic lawmaker today urged Gov. Chris Christie to break from his party and use his growing national profile to condemn laws that have popped up across the country requiring voters to show identification. “I challenge Gov. Christie,” said Assemblyman John McKeon (D-Essex). “Gov. Christie has now the national spotlight. He’ll be the keynote speaker at the convention. If he is the leader he purports to be, he will renounce this thinly veiled attempt to disenfranchise voters,” said Assemblyman John McKeon (D-Essex) at a press conference in West Orange with two other Democratic assembly members and a liberal...

NJ Mulls Hiking Legal Smoking Age to 21 By Jeff McKay CNSNews.com Correspondent April 25, 2003 (CNSNews.com) - When it comes to tobacco, New Jersey has been a leader at making it harder and costlier to smoke. Now, legislators want to raise the legal age for buying tobacco, a step that would make it the only state in the nation where you must be 21 to smoke. The bill's primary sponsor, Assemblyman John McKeon (D-West Orange) believes this bill would benefit teenagers and be easier to enforce. "The statistics are clear -- 95 percent of all smokers start before they...