Bill Text: NJ AR22 | 2016-2017 | Regular Session | Introduced
Bill Title: Expresses profound disagreement with President's decision to restore full diplomatic relations with Cuba; urges extradition to the United States of Joanne Chesimard.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Republican 1-0)
Status: (N/A - Dead) 2016-01-27 - INT 1RA REF ARO [AR22 Detail]
Download: New_Jersey-2016-AR22-Introduced.html
STATE OF NEW JERSEY
217th LEGISLATURE
PRE-FILED FOR INTRODUCTION IN THE 2016 SESSION
Sponsored by:
Assemblyman SEAN T. KEAN
District 30 (Monmouth and Ocean)
SYNOPSIS
Expresses profound disagreement with President's decision to restore full diplomatic relations with Cuba; urges extradition to the United States of Joanne Chesimard.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
Introduced Pending Technical Review by Legislative Counsel.
An Assembly Resolution expressing profound disagreement with the decision of the President of the United States to restore full diplomatic relations with Cuba and urging the extradition to the United States of Joanne Chesimard.
Whereas, On December 17, 2014, the President of the United States announced that this country would restore full diplomatic relations with the nation of Cuba after more than 50 years of unconcealed hostility; and
Whereas, Cuba has been under the crushing yoke of a brutal communist dictatorship since 1959, led first by Fidel Castro and more recently by his brother Raul; and
Whereas, The actions of the Castro brothers have resulted in the impoverishment of the Cuban people, and the complete and blatant disregard of human rights and democratic principles by the government of that Caribbean nation; and
Whereas, Cuba under the Castros has been an active and ominous threat to the vital interests of this nation and all peace-loving countries, as members of Cuba's military and diplomatic corps have worked assiduously through the years to promote violent, anti-democratic revolutions in different parts of the world; and
Whereas, The diplomatic initiative announced by the President involved the release of U.S. government subcontractor Alan Gross by Cuba after five years of detention due to the absurd and unfounded allegation of being a spy, and the release by the United States of three convicted Cuban spies linked to terroristic activities in this country; and
Whereas, Numerous respected public federal and State officials, both Democratic and Republican, have denounced this move by President Obama and believe strongly that it will do nothing to free the Cuban people from the poverty and injustice they have suffered for more than half a century and that it will only serve to support a tottering and bankrupt dictatorship; and
Whereas, Residents of New Jersey are very familiar with the viciousness of the Castro regime because the State has become the home of thousands of Cuban-born men and women who fled from a regime intent on stealing their property and putting them at the service of a brutal military government, and who know first-hand how the Castro brothers have destroyed the culture and economic vitality of their homeland; and
Whereas, Joanne Chesimard, also known as Assata Shakur, was convicted in 1977 of the May 2, 1973 murder of New Jersey State Trooper Werner Foerster and wounding of New Jersey State Trooper James Harper during a shoot-out on the New Jersey Turnpike, and fled to Cuba after escaping from prison; and
Whereas, In light of the re-establishment of diplomatic relations between the nations, Cuba is urged to extradite Joanne Chesimard to the United States so that she may be brought to justice for the murder of a dedicated law enforcement officer; and
Whereas, It is fitting and proper for this House to express profound disagreement with the decision of the President of the United States to restore full diplomatic relations with Cuba and to urge the extradition to the United States of Joanne Chesimard; now, therefore,
Be It Resolved by the General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. This House expresses profound disagreement with the decision of the President of the United States to restore full diplomatic relations with Cuba, and urges the extradition to the United States of Joanne Chesimard.
2. Copies of this resolution, as filed with the Secretary of State, shall be transmitted by the Clerk of the General Assembly to the President of the United States, the Majority Leader of the United States Senate, the Speaker of the United States House of Representatives and to every member of Congress elected thereto from this State.
STATEMENT
This Assembly Resolution expresses profound disagreement with the decision of the President of the United States to restore full diplomatic relations with Cuba, and urges the extradition to the United States of Joanne Chesimard.
