NJ congressman demands apology from NY governor for ‘slap in the face’ comments

New Jersey Congressman Josh Gottheimer, D-5th District, is taking aim at New York Gov. Kathy Hochul, demanding she apologize for her latest comments on the fight over congestion pricing.

In a Wednesday press conference, Hochul remarked "New Jersey residents, come, you are welcome. But you’re not forced to come here." Her words about New Jersey stemmed from the reasoning given by the Trump administration for revoking their federal approval of congestion pricing, which gave New Jersey's objections as one rationale.

Gottheimer, also a New Jersey gubernatorial candidate, responded in a statement by saying his fellow Democrat "owes an apology to hardworking Jersey commuters" for her words. He added that her comments "are a slap in the face to the cops, firefighters, nurses, teachers, and countless other professionals who commute to New York every day."

Gottheimer further blasted the decision by New York officials to maintain the congestion pricing program, even after the Trump administration made clear their plans to terminate it. He said if that continued to be the case, then New York "should be prepared to reimburse every Jersey commuter for the tolls they’re paying."

Long one of congestion pricing's fiercest critics, Gottheimer has labeled the toll to drive into parts of Manhattan a "Congestion Tax." He's also one of many prominent Democrats and Republicans in New York and New Jersey to have been consistently hostile to the plan.

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