By APP Staff Writer Bob Jordan

There’s been a wave of prominent members of Congress deciding not to run for reelection, but U.S. Rep. Chris Smith, R-N.J., said there was no chance he’d get swept up.

Smith on Friday said that he’s looking forward to competing in the midterm elections and serving another term in New Jersey’s 4th Congressional District, which includes parts of Monmouth and Ocean counties, and he doubled down on his refusal to host in-person town halls.

“I love this job. There was a false rumor spread that I was looking to retire. Never. I pour myself into it every day,’’ said Smith, 64, who is in his 19th term and 38th year as a member of the House of Representatives.

What Smith said he doesn’t like is being pressed by critics to meet them at a town hall event. An online petition with 1,593 supporters claims Smith hasn’t held a town hall since 1993.

His staff says Smith’s last town hall was actually in 2010, but that event, according to a news release at the time, was a “Lyme and Tick-Borne Diseases Forum for the public, health officials and medical professionals.’’ It took place at the Wall Township Municipal Building and over 300 people attended.

Nevertheless, Smith says he’s reluctant to “meet with people who continually are acting in a totally uncivil way,’’ and he noted that a number of his colleagues in Congress have paused or stopped their town halls.

Smith said he frequently meets with constituents.

“I have forum after forum. I speak in schools – I was in two schools in the past three weeks, open-ended (forums). The one in Neptune went overtime because they had so many good questions. I’m always taking questions. That’s part of this job,’’ he said. “I will have more forums, like I always do. I used to do (town halls) all the time.’’

Congressman Chris Smith (R-NJ 4th District) is interviewed by Randy Bergmann, editorial page editor, and Bob Jordon, NJ Politics reporter, during a live editorial board meeting in the studio of the Asbury Park Press in Neptune, NJ on Friday, February 23, 2018.  Photo: Tonya Breen

Smith made the comments in a meeting with the Asbury Park Press editorial board carried on Facebook Live. Here’s some else of what he had to say:

Gun control

Smith said the Florida school shooting underscores the need for gun law reforms.

“I do believe in the Second Amendment, but just like the First Amendment, it’s not absolute. We have libel and slander laws that don’t stop freedom of speech but says there are some reasonable guidelines in effect,’’ he said. “We need to ensure that protection trumps everything else. That’s why the AR-15 was outlawed previously and other assault weapon-type guns. I think we ought to do the same thing. It would be a different law than (the expired 2004 ban) because there has been a proliferation of facsimiles that look similar. Certainly limiting the … ammunition clip for example would be a step in the right direction. But it needs to be comprehensive approach.’’

Though President Donald Trump has argued that arming some teachers will make the nation's schools "a much harder target," Smith said having armed guards is a better idea. “It’s worth the investment to get police officers and retired police officers into our schools, armed but well-trained,’’ he said.

The environment

Smith said he also disagrees with the Trump administration’s proposed offshore oil exploration near New Jersey's coasts.

“Making sure there is offshore drilling. This is an area where it is totally bipartisan (among New Jersey’s congressional delegation). We’re all united at the hip and saying, ‘no way.’ President Obama tried to do it. He failed. President Trump is trying to do it. We’ve got to stop that as well,’’ Smith said.

Lakewood low-income housing controversy

Smith said he’s made inquiries to the Department of Housing and Urban Development since the Asbury Park Press published an investigation that found that Rabbi Meir Hertz, the head of the nonprofit group that runs Lakewood’s low-income housing program, was paid $469,000 last year and is a convicted tax evader.

“I hope that’s resolved and a new leader emerges,’’ Smith said.

“We’ve checked with HUD several times to find out where is this, what’s the oversight. He makes more money, according to your reporting, than the president of the United States. That money should be going back into the community,’’ he said. “That’s very troubling in and of itself.’’

Abortion rights

Smith, who co-chairs the Congressional Pro-Life Caucus and has a 100 percent voting record on the National Right to Life Committee's scorecard, said his position on the issue is best described by what he noticed in a recent meeting with a constituent – “a big picture of an unborn child’’ among family photos.

“That’s what first baby pictures are today, the ultrasound picture. These are children. They deserve our love and our respect, and the mothers need our support in absolute terms,’’ Smith said.

This story was published online on Friday, Feb. 23, 2018 and can be found at:
https://www.app.com/story/news/politics/new-jersey/2018/02/22/congressman-chris-smith-fields-questions-watch-live/341828002/