New jersey councilman blames governor for memorial day mayhem at the jersey shore — Seaside Heights NJ USA -- August 21 2017 -- People are walking along the Seaside Heights boardwalk on a hot summer day. Editorial Use Only.

JACKSON, NJ—Councilman Steve Chisolm of Jackson addressed concerns surrounding Memorial Day weekend activities at the Jersey Shore.

Jackson, often referred to as the “Gateway to the Jersey Shore” also relies heavily on the summer season as the Interstate 195 corridor runs through the township as well as Route 571 and Route 528, all access roads to the Jersey Shore.

He blamed low voter turnout and voter apathy that allowed New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy’s 2021 re-election.

He attributed that lower voter turnout to negative consequences witnessed over the holiday weekend. Instead of participating in traditional Memorial Day tributes, many people flocked to the boardwalks, enjoying good weather but also contributing to disorder.

“You will see stuff like what we saw this weekend, while instead of out celebrating and honoring the veterans and those that have given their lives for us, people were out there taking advantage of that nice weather,” he explained.

Chisolm reported incidents of crime across at least three different boardwalks, criticizing the inability of police to address these issues due to recent legislation adequately.

He routinely refers to New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy as “King Philip”.

“King Philip said no, it’s going to be perfectly fine, and what happened is it not perfectly fine that the police officers cannot go up to a 15-year-old and arrest them or hold them when they are breaking and entering, when they are looting, when they are stabbing people having fist fights,” he said.

Further, he spoke of the erosion of family oversight and discipline that previously deterred such behavior.

“Back in the day, it wasn’t what the police were going to do to you, it was what your parents were going to do to you when you got home that would have been the real threat,” Chisolm reminisced.

In concluding his remarks, Chisolm warned against complacency in elections beyond the primaries, implicitly criticizing policies endorsed by “King Philip” and his administration. He emphasized the long-term consequences of such governance on youth behavior and community safety.

Shore News Network Latest posts

Phil Stilton is the Editor and Publisher of Shore News Network, an independent digital newsroom providing original reporting on New Jersey, national news, government, public policy, public safety, courts, and community affairs.

As founder of the publication, Stilton leads editorial strategy, investigative reporting, and daily newsroom operations while overseeing coverage that reaches millions of readers annually.

With extensive experience covering municipal government, county government, state legislatures, elections, law enforcement, emergency management, and public records, Stilton specializes in translating complex government actions into clear, factual reporting. His work frequently relies on primary source documents, including court filings, legislation, public meeting records, election finance disclosures, government databases, police reports, and Freedom of Information and Open Public Records Act (OPRA) requests. He has reported extensively on local government accountability, taxpayer spending, campaign finance, public corruption investigations, infrastructure, public safety, and the policies affecting New Jersey residents.

Under Stilton's editorial leadership, Shore News Network has grown into one of New Jersey's largest independent digital news organizations, publishing thousands of original news articles each year while providing breaking news coverage, investigative reporting, and analysis across state and local government. The publication's reporting is routinely sourced from official government agencies, public officials, court records, and firsthand documentation, with a commitment to transparency, attribution, corrections when warranted, and clearly distinguishing factual reporting from opinion.

Stilton's journalism follows established newsroom standards emphasizing accuracy, verification, fairness, and accountability. Every effort is made to verify information through official records and multiple reliable sources before publication. His reporting is intended to provide readers with timely, well-documented information that helps them understand the issues affecting their communities, while maintaining editorial independence from political parties, government agencies, advocacy organizations, and commercial interests.

Readers can submit story tips, corrections, public records, or media inquiries through the official Shore News Network website or its verified social media channels. Shore News Network welcomes corrections and updates when new information becomes available as part of its ongoing commitment to accurate and transparent journalism.