Rep. Garrett was the special guest speaker at a Ridgewood Chamber of Commerce Networking event a week and a half ago at a local bank. It was supposed to be a pleasant meet and greet where citizens of Ridgewood and the surrounding area would sip wine, sample fine cheeses, and get to ask their Congressman about the noble endeavors he’s been up in Washington. No controversy expected here – no sir, just good times with a Congressman actively involved in the worst economic crisis since the Great Depression.

At the event Garrett addressed 50 or so businessmen and women for about 30 minutes. Rather than letting Garrett make a public appearance without being challenged on his dubious voting record, RetireGarrett.com demanded to hold Garrett accountable for his opposition to President Obama’s stimulus package and his questionable beliefs for rebuilding the American economy. Fortunately for you we recorded what happened when a contributor to RetireGarrett.com, Adam Lambert, as well as another supporter of our website “interrogated” Garrett during his question and answer session. Listen below to hear how it all went down:

Garrett’s voice is somewhat muffled, so you’ll have to turn up your volume. Also of note: At the final minute mark or so the Deputy Mayor of Ridgewood loudly denounces Adam for daring to question Garrett’s Conservative economic agenda, which draws loud applause from the partisan audience.

There was another bill passed last week, HR 1145, the National Water Research and Development Initiative of 2009, which passed the House by a stunning 403 vote margin, leaving Garrett as one of only 10 Congressmen/Congresswomen to vote against assuring that the US has adequate water supplies and clean drinking water, and to streamline the 20+ agencies responsible for US water policy. Even for someone who claims to be against government spending (notwithstanding his consistent votes for hundreds of billions to Iraq with no oversight, despite widespread reports of waste and fraud), this Bill would actually reduce duplicate activities, efforts and resources, and therefore save money.

When this country has been faced with natural disasters like Hurricane Katrina, tornadoes across the Midwest, droughts in the south and west, wildfires in California and toxic spills contaminating our water supply around the region and country, it is absolutely baffling why this would be something to vote against. At a time when our food and water supplies are at risk – when there are shortages around the country and when we hear of chemicals infiltrating the water supply what does this say about the priorities of someone who doesn’t think protecting our nation’s water supply from contamination is important?

Consider the following:

• The water supply in Ridgewood just tested for levels of arsenic that were in violation of acceptable levels;
• Water test results for towns in Warren and Sussex counties were falsified over a number of years, leading to jail time; and
• This has been a documented problem in NJ with over 50,000 homes being noted as having potentially contaminated drinking water over the past few years, including a hundreds in Bergen, Sussex and Warren counties.

I may not see eye to eye with Garrett on most issues. But there are times where I can understand why he is voting the way he votes.

When it comes to protecting our water – a homeland security issue, I am at a loss for words.