BEHIND THE CURTAIN: THE NEW JERSEY PROJECT PLAYBOOK OF HARASSMENT & ANTI-SEMITISM
It’s crucial to be mindful of the organizations we turn to for information about our children's education. While we all care deeply about protecting and advocating for our kids, many groups use misleading names to appear trustworthy while promoting harmful agendas. These organizations often rely on propaganda, fear-mongering, and intimidation tactics to lure in concerned parents and push their narrative. By staying informed and critically evaluating the sources of our information, we can protect ourselves and our children from being manipulated by those who seek to distort the truth for their own purposes. A local NJ group who call themselves The New Jersey Project is a group such as this.
In this blog post, I will take you on a take a deep dive into the troubling practices and ideologies of The New Jersey Project, an organization labeled as an anti-government hate group by the Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC). Operating in New Jersey, the group has been exposed for promoting harmful conspiracy theories and engaging in tactics aimed at harassing and intimidating those who oppose their extremist views. You can read more about their classification by the SPLC here: NJ.com Article.
According to the SPLC, The New Jersey Project falls under the "Antigovernment General" category, a faction of the broader anti-democratic hard-right movement.
“Antigovernment groups are part of the antidemocratic hard-right movement. They believe the federal government is tyrannical, and they traffic in conspiracy theories about an illegitimate government of leftist elites seeking a “New World Order.” In addition to groups that generally espouse these ideas, the movement is composed of sovereign citizens, militias, overt conspiracy propagandists and constitutional sheriff groups. In the past, this movement was referred to as the “Patriot” movement by adherents and critics.” (Southern Poverty Law Center)
I and other members of the New Jersey Public Education Coalition, have witnessed firsthand how this group operates. We were instrumental in providing the SPLC with key information that led to the formal classification of The New Jersey Project as a hate group. This exposure has led to personal retaliation—most notably a smear campaign aimed at discrediting my work. However, I see this as a badge of honor, as it confirms that our efforts to shine a light on their extremist agenda have them feeling threatened.
This is because we are making an impact by exposing the New Jersey Project and its collaborators (NJ Schools, Team PYC & Moms for Liberty) for what they truly are - extremist groups that promote conspiracy theories and rely on harassment, intimidation and bullying to silence those who oppose them.
In this post, you’ll get an inside look at the tactics the New Jersey Project employs, with yours truly as their target. We’ll provide screenshots from their social media pages—"New Jersey Project" on Facebook, their news outlet (New Jersey Project - News), and their "X" (formerly Twitter) account "@fight4newjersey." Through these snapshots, you'll see how they spread misinformation and target individuals who speak out against them.
When Evidence is Lacking, Character Assassination Prevails
It should be clear from the screenshots shared on their Facebook and "X" pages the type of defamation tactics the New Jersey Project employs. In their campaign against me, they resort to spreading false information and malicious name-calling. They have labeled me a pedophile and used other offensive terms in their posts. This is not new behavior from them—previously, they have falsely accused me of being a groomer, a pornographer, mentally unstable, and a disbarred attorney.
It is important to note that co-founder of the New Jersey Project, Kristen M. Sinclair, actively participates in and endorses the defamation by making light of it.
Pandering to Extremes: How Contradictions Expose Their True Agenda
In recent days, Kristin Sinclair, one of the organization's founders, along with other followers, has begun to reveal their true colors through anti-Semitic comments posted on their Facebook and “X” accounts (@fight4newjersey). These disturbing comments are shown in the following screenshots.
The Admins of these pages and accounts have allowed these comments to stand without any challenge from the leaders of the group proving that the group has no problem with anti-Semitism of their members.
And even more concerning is the fact that the NJ GOP Assembly Facebook page is a members of the New Jersey Project Facebook page, as are many other Republican members of our legislature including Assemblywoman Dawn Fantasia.
However, this behavior is surprising given that moderators of the New Jersey Project Facebook group have also been posting in support of Israel in its fight against Hamas, along with messages wishing their Jewish members “L’shanah tovah tikatev ve'techatem l’alter l'chayim tovim.” It's no secret that far-right ultraconservative groups often harbor deep-seated antisemitism, while also perpetuating anti-Islamic rhetoric. So, which is it? It seems this group may be trying to pander to the prejudices of their supporters while simultaneously attempting to clean up their "hate group" image.
Confusing?
This should come as no surprise, as it's long been part of the New Jersey Project's playbook. Their strategy includes using disinformation and lies to confuse New Jersey residents in a bid to gain control of local Boards of Education. A prime example is their aptly named blog, "Chaos & Control," written under the pseudonym "Math Goddess"—a cover for co-founders Kristin Sinclair and Nicole Stouffer.
Chaos and Confusion = Control: The True Agenda Behind New Jersey Project's Endorsements
What does this mean for the Board of Education candidates vetted and "recommended" by the New Jersey Project? This link provided shows a list of candidates who were endorsed by the group, but it’s important to note how this vetting process works. As described by the ever outspoken co-founder Nicole Stouffer, candidates are reviewed and then endorsed based on their alignment with the group's agenda.
However, in typical New Jersey Project fashion, they have also been known to include candidates on their list without consent, even those who disagree with their policies. This tactic is meant to sow confusion and chaos, giving them greater control over Board of Education elections. It’s part of their larger strategy to destabilize local governance and mislead voters.
As more of the New Jersey Project’s true intentions come to light, many candidates who once sought their endorsement may try to distance themselves from the group. This is why it is crucial for voters to dig deeper and investigate candidates independently. Don’t rely on endorsements from groups with hidden agendas—seek out the facts and understand where each candidate truly stands.
NJPEC can assist in this process. If you have questions or need more information about a candidate, reach out to research@njpecoalition.org. Additionally, if you have information about any candidates that may help others make informed decisions, feel free to share it with us.
It’s your responsibility to educate yourself about Board of Education candidates. Don’t go to the voting booth without being informed, or cast votes based on guesswork. Protecting our public schools and ensuring that diversity, inclusion, and student safety remain priorities is a shared duty. Every student deserves a learning environment free from harassment and intimidation, and it's up to us to make sure that happens.
Check to see if your BOE candidates are endorsed by this hate group!
Visit there list HERE.
Written by MICHAEL "MIKE" GOTTESMAN (he/him)
Founder, New Jersey Public Education Coalition
PO Box 4451, Wayne, NJ 07474973-715-0986
Email: info@njpecoalition.org
Website: www.njpecoalition.org
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