Blue state governor roasted as ‘arsonist’ putting out her own fire as she blames outside agitators at 'siege'
As New Jersey Gov. Mikie Sherrill blamed out-of-state agitators for unrest outside Newark's Delaney Hall detention facility, critics pointed to the limited police presence around the site in the days leading up to the clashes.
During Fox News Digital’s time on scene at Delaney Hall through Thursday of last week, there were few, if any, visits by marked New Jersey State Police vehicles — an agency under Sherrill’s control. Likewise, Newark Mayor Ras J. Baraka’s hands-off sanctuary city policies were evident in the scarcity of Newark police cruisers around the facility.
Nonetheless, on Saturday, Sherrill said five of six people arrested Friday were from Pennsylvania and New York – the latter just a few miles from the protest.
That was not enough for critics, as the leading Republican seeking to challenge Delaney Hall critic Sen. Cory Booker in November called out Sherrill for trying to take credit for fixing a problem that should not have existed to begin with.
"Governor Sherrill, you are an arsonist complaining about the fire you helped start. Delaney Hall is under siege," investigative journalist Alex Zdan said of the Democrat in a statement.
Zdan, who lists border security and better oversight of Big Pharma as his top issues, is considered the frontrunner in Tuesday’s Republican Senate primary to take on Booker — who notably preceded Baraka as mayor.
"Our brave state troopers are in harm's way, and all you can do is complain to the media about outside agitators? Who asked them to go there, Governor?" Zdan went on.
"Who was told it was a moral duty to descend on Delaney Hall and assault our brave ICE agents and troopers? You, Andy Kim, and Cory Booker. This is your mess. Own it. Restore order now."
The Department of Justice announced charges against a 27-year-old accused of shouting epithets at ICE personnel and threatening to murder an officer and his family after allegedly obtaining the officer's identity, telling him he "ha[d] your face."
Nicholas Matthew Scelfo appears to have ties to both New Jersey and New York. The FBI said agents raided his Morristown home, while a DOJ charging document described him as being "of Brooklyn."
Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Newark Special Agent in Charge Spiros Karabinas said the incident was not an example of protected protest, as "calling for murder of a federal law enforcement officer and his family is not speech safeguarded by the Constitution; it is a grave criminal offense that will not be tolerated."
As Fox News Digital departed Delaney Hall on Thursday night, the first visible pair of New Jersey State Police cruisers appeared in the area — one conducting a checkpoint near Roanoke Avenue under the Pulaski Skyway and the other near New Jersey Transit’s Ironbound bus garage, which lies just south of Delaney Hall on then-agitator-ridden Doremus Avenue.
By the weekend, however, Sherrill’s police were out in force with riot gear, including mounted officers among their ranks. A video shared on social media Monday showed one man approaching officers outside the Ironbound garage and taking a seat on the curb while mouthing off to police, who let him vent for a moment before quickly detaining him and pulling him behind the line of riot-shielded officers.
Outside agitators were, however, among those who converged nightly on Delaney Hall, as one young man videotaped by Fox News Digital screaming at ICE was later interviewed by an independent news outlet and at one point recounted experiences "in Minnesota" — an apparent reference to similar riotous displays there.
New Jersey Attorney General Jennifer Davenport has suggested most agitators had been peaceful until now while condemning a group wearing gas masks and helmets that "deliberately refused to comply with orders" and put the public "at risk."
However, in another statement over the weekend, she characterized the group as "overwhelmingly peaceful protesters who have been shining a light on the troubling conditions at Delaney Hall."
"We will continue to protect the constitutional right to peaceably protest, and we denounce any violent conduct that interferes with peaceful protesting," Davenport said.
Efforts to reach Baraka and Essex County Sheriff Amir Jones prior to state police arrival were unsuccessful.
Sherrill’s office did not immediately return a request for comment.
A DHS spokesperson told Fox News Digital that as of Monday, the perimeter around the center is "fully closed" and that federal authorities will continue to prosecute suspects who obstruct proceedings, as ICE had to repeatedly rebuff angry agitators who leaped into action every time a federal vehicle or transport van appeared on Doremus Avenue.