Has anyone seen my congressman, Chris Smith? He has been representing District 4 since 1980 and has rarely been seen here in his “home” state.
He maintains an apartment and visits monthly; his primary residence is Virginia and has been for most of his term. Mr. Smith has not held a town hall meeting for his constituents since 1992 and recent requests go unanswered.
This begs the question: How does Mr. Smith keep in touch with and understand the needs of his constituents? He does not reside here and he does not have meetings. How does he keep his finger on the pulse of his district? Simple answer: he doesn’t.
In the nearly 40 years since his election, the district has grown substantially with the addition of several hundred thousand new citizens and Mr. Smith has not reached out in 25 years to meet them.
Mr. Smith, I challenge you to come “home” to New Jersey and face your constituents. It is the least you can do for a community that has elected you to office for 19 terms.
Joan Leimbach
Freehold Township