Results for: Josh Gottheimer

Rep. Josh Gottheimer (D-NJ) held a press conference outside MTA headquarters in Manhattan to demand transparency and accountability regarding the transit agency’s decision to impose a $15 base toll for motorists entering Midtown and lower Manhattan. Gottheimer expressed concerns that the toll would exceed the MTA’s revenue goal of $1 billion per year, potentially leading to an unfair burden on New Jersey residents. The congressman also slammed the MTA for failing to respond to a freedom-of-information request for the data behind the toll calculation.

Columbia University is facing protests from hundreds of students over the Biden administration’s response to the Israel-Hamas war. The protesters are demanding that Columbia divest from companies with ties to Israel, increase financial transparency, and stop sending military aid to Israel. More than 100 protesters were arrested on Friday, but demonstrations have only expanded since then. Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) has announced that he will visit Columbia University on Wednesday to meet with Jewish students and discuss the rise of antisemitism on college campuses. A group of four Jewish Democrats, including Rep. Josh Gottheimer (D-N.J.), also visited the campus and threatened that university President Minouche Shafik must quickly act to quell protests or face consequences from Congress. New York Gov. Kathy Hochul (D) also visited campus and denounced the protests. A White House statement called the demonstrations “unacceptable and counterproductive.”

New Jersey Democratic Representative Josh Gottheimer recently expressed concern about sending his children to Columbia University due to ongoing pro-Palestinian protests on campus. Gottheimer cited recent incidents of harassment and threats against Jewish students, including a protest during which a student allegedly exclaimed, “never forget October 7, it’ll happen not one more time, not happen a thousand more times, but 10,000 more times.” The protests come amid the ongoing conflict between Israel and Gaza, which has escalated tensions over the past six months and resulted in the deaths of over 1,200 people. Columbia University has responded by moving classes online to de-escalate tensions and has been urged by Jewish representatives like Gottheimer to take further action to protect Jewish students.