New Jersey

We must do more to isolate Iran. This is how New Jersey can help.

Published

1 year ago

July 30, 2024

Press Room

We must do more to isolate Iran. This is how New Jersey can help.

3-minute read

Michael Inganamort
| Special to USA TODAY Network

In early July, the Director of National Intelligence warned that Iran is funding and providing material support to anti-American and anti-Israel protestors across the United States. On July 24, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu cited the DNI report in his address to a joint session of Congress, White House National Security Spokesman John Kirby affirmed it and protesters summarily burned American flags and vandalized statues outside Union Station in Washington, D.C., forcing the shutdown of the train station.

Worse yet, intelligence reports indicate that Iran has been planning to assassinate former President Donald Trump and other former and active senior government officials.

This is, of course, on top of the work Iran does to arm and fund Hamas in Israel, Hezbollah in Lebanon, the Houthis in Yemen, and a cadre of other terrorists in Iraq and Syria.

How does New Jersey fit in?

What does any of this have to do with New Jersey?

To begin, we are not immune or isolated from Iran’s dangerous behavior. In September 2022, the U.S. Attorney for New Jersey charged two Iranian nationals with hacking and attempting to extort a business in Morris County and a municipality in Union County. And there is no telling whether the anti-America protests that have taken place in New Jersey were among those funded by Iran.

Fortunately, there are tools at our disposal to isolate Iran. Under current law, companies competing for public contracts within the state are ineligible if they concurrently do more than $20 million of business with Iran’s energy or finance sectors. Put another way, these companies are eligible if they do a little less than $20 million of business with Iran’s energy or finance sectors. I believe New Jersey can do better than that. And given Iran’s aggressive and potentially deadly agenda inside the United States, I believe we have to do better than that.

In June, I introduced Assembly Bill 4632 to redefine “persons engaging in investment activities in Iran,” cutting the threshold in half, from $20 million to $10 million. This is an important first step in isolating Iran and dramatically reducing any indirect support gained from New Jersey public contracts. My ultimate goal and intention is for this threshold to be reduced to zero.

Under federal law, states have the flexibility to determine their financial posture towards Iran. The federal Comprehensive Iran Sanctions, Accountability, and Investment Act, signed into law in July 2010, empowered state and local governments to prevent or discontinue contracts with companies doing business in Iran. Then-Governor Chris Christie did so in 2012, establishing the $20 million threshold. As of July, New Jersey has 31 companies on its prohibited list. My bill strengthens this law — and would grow the prohibited list — at a critical time.

At least 13 other states have similar bans to New Jersey’s 2012 law, including California, Connecticut, Florida, Indiana, Maryland, Michigan, Mississippi, New York, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina and Tennessee. Some of these states go further, by not just setting a threshold for Iran investment, but also limiting the size of the public contracts themselves. California and Florida ban public contracts of $1 million or more, Tennessee’s threshold is $1,000, and New York bans all contracts.

Notably, the bill does not create any additional work local certified purchasing agents, as the responsibility for certifying compliance rests with the vendors and bidders. The Division of Purchase and Property within the Department of the Treasury maintains its role in monitoring and enforcing the list of prohibited companies, with stiff penalties at its disposal.

By lowering the financial threshold in New Jersey, we ensure more individuals and companies are scrutinized, putting our state at the front of national efforts to isolate Iran. We cannot leave room for ambiguity when it comes to our position on Iran. It is imperative that we send a clear and unequivocal message: New Jersey will not tolerate indirect support of Iran’s dangerous agenda. Our state’s integrity and security depend on such decisive actions.

Michael Inganamort represents New Jersey’s 24th Legislative District, which includes all of Sussex County and parts of Morris and Warren counties, in the State Assembly.

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New Jersey

Isolated snow showers, wind gusts up to 35 mph in N.J. forecast for Sunday

Published

5 hours ago

January 10, 2026

Press Room

Isolated snow showers, wind gusts up to 35 mph in N.J. forecast for Sunday

Rain will continue through tonight across New Jersey before a cold front passes through Sunday morning, followed by wind gusts up to 35 mph and the chance of isolated snow showers.

The heaviest rain tonight is expected along the southern portions of the state where 1 and 1.5 inches rainfall totals are possible, according to the National Weather Service.

Most other areas of New Jersey should receive around 1 inch of rain, with the northwest portions of the state picking up 0.5 to 0.75 inches.

Heavy rain is expected to soak New Jersey through most of Saturday with rainfall totals up to 1.5 inches expected in the southern half of the state.National Weather Service

Once the rain ends between 6 and 9 a.m. Sunday, conditions should remain cloudy and foggy until a cold front passes through late Sunday morning into early Sunday afternoon.

Temperatures will drop into the upper 30s to low 40s Sunday morning as cold air moves in behind the first cold front.

A secondary cold front will cross New Jersey late Sunday afternoon accompanied by a period of rain and snow showers.

The isolated snow showers are possible mainly from 7 to 11 p.m., the weather service said. Snow accumulations are not expected in New Jersey.

Winds of 15 to 20 mph on Sunday afternoon are expected to increase to 25 to 35 mph by sunset.

Monday’s forecast calls for mainly clear skies with temperatures in the upper 30s to low 40s and winds gradually diminishing.

Tuesday will be milder with above-normal temperatures and mainly clear to partly cloudy skies, with a slight chance of some rain showers possible.

Wednesday’s temperatures will remain above normal with partly cloudy skies and a slight chance of rain showers as a cold front approaches from the west.

N.J. weather: Snow from costal winter storm possible next week — Forecasters are tracking the potential for a coastal storm that could bring snow to New Jersey late next week, or veer out to sea.AccuWeather.com

A potential coastal storm could impact New Jersey with snow on Thursday and Friday, though significant uncertainty remains regarding the exact track and timing of the system, the weather service said.

Some forecast models suggest a significant winter storm while others indicate the system will remain offshore.

A colder air mass is forecast to move into New Jersey by late next week and into the following weekend.

Current weather radar

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New Jersey

NJ officers surprised with Eagles playoffs tickets for saving boy who fell through ice

Published

17 hours ago

January 10, 2026

Press Room

NJ officers surprised with Eagles playoffs tickets for saving boy who fell through ice

Officers in Gloucester County, New Jersey, got a big surprise on Friday morning.

A representative from Dunkin’ gave them free tickets to this weekend’s Eagles playoff game as a huge thank you for their courageous actions last weekend.

It was a tense scene in Woolwich Township when officers used ropes and went into a frozen body of water to save a child who had fallen through the ice.

“As soon as he started screaming that he couldn’t feel his hands, I just went out there and tried to go get him,” Sgt. Joseph Rieger said. “Immediately thought of my own son and what I would have done with my own son- just go out and get him as soon as I could.”

The boy was screaming and was not able to grab onto the rope that the officers had thrown to him.

“I try to get him the rescue rope but he can’t hold it because his hands aren’t working. So I go to grab him out of the awter and we both go into the water. So I was able to stand up and throw him on top of the ice and start breaking my way back,” Rieger explained.

The team was able to get the 13-year-old out of the frozen water with no one getting hurt.

Then, Dunkin’ showed up to the police department for Law Enforcement Appreciation Day and praised their actions by giving them tickets to Sunday’s Eagles playoff game against the 49ers.

“This is my job. It was what I signed up to do so getting this kind of attention, I’m not used to it. I’m very appreciative and very excited,” Rieger said.

The officers said that if there’s anything to take away from this story, it’s to stay off of the ice.

Thankfully, the boy they saved is doing just fine and stopped by the police department earlier this week to thank them.

“It was awesome. It was nice to see that he was safe. He learned his lesson. He was very appreciative,” Rieger said.

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