Written for Philly.com

Phillies fans have been in love with Cliff Lee from the start, but he really sealed the deal when he turned down a $148 million contract from the Yankees and opted for a smaller contract with the Phillies. In fact, the first time I drew Lee in a cartoon, it featured him being covered with female fan’s panties, Tom Jones style.

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Written for WHYY/Newsworks

After Rutgers men’s basketball coach Mike Rice was fired over his abusive actions towards his players, I spoke to a lot of friends and colleagues to get their take on how it all went down. 

Opinions about the firing, which occurred after a video showcasing Rice dishing out tons of physical and verbal abuse made its way online, seem to diverge into two camps.

On the one hand, some think it was absolutely inexcusable that it took so long for Athletic Director Tim Pernetti to fire Rice, who saw the video five months ago and decided the appropriate punishment was to suspend the coach for three games and fine him $75,000. Remember, Rice’s homophobic outbursts came in the aftermath of the tragic suicide of Tyler Clementi, who jumped from the George Washington Bridge after his roommate and a fellow hall-mate shared webcam video of Clementi kissing another man.

Their view seems to be substantiated by the resignation of Pernetti, who threw himself on his sword over what university president Robert Barchi called a “failure of process” during a press conference on Friday.

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Written for WHYY/Newsworks

It’s that time again. All across the region, girls have begun peddling their delicious cookies, dutifully stationed outside of Wawas and grocery stores and going door-to-door with Thin Mints, Tagalongs and the rest of your resolution-destroying favorites.

I bet when you bent over to give that little girl your $20 for those delectable treats, the last thing on your mind was, “I wonder if she’s gay.” Like most Americans, you were probably more focused on helping fund a great scouting organization that has helped mold millions of young girls into upstanding citizens than the sexuality of the children in question. (more…)

Written for Newsworks.org

People are thankful for many different things by the time Thanksgiving rolls around. Some are thankful for their health. Others are happy they have close friends and a loving family.

I’m thankful for politicians. (more…)

Written for Newsworks New Jersey

“We are not enemies, but friends. We must not be enemies. Though passion may have strained, it must not break our bonds of affection.”

These are the words of Abraham Lincoln, as he closed his First Inaugural with an appeal to patriotism in his opposition of the secession of the southern states. That day, Lincoln made three legal arguments against the south’s desire to secede from the union, which obviously fell on deaf ears to a majority of southerners intent on forming their own country. (more…)

Written for Newsworks New Jersey

Sometimes, political cartooning is an exercise in venting my frustrations.

Written for Newsworks New Jersey

New Jersey Governor Chris Christie hasn’t been bashful about bestowing unbridled praise on to President Obama for his handing of Hurricane Sandy. But if he hasn’t already, the Governor should heap the same amount of praise in the direction of the many electric linemen working tirelessly to restore power to hard-hit areas of New Jersey. (more…)

Written for Newsworks New Jersey

For days, New Jersey Republican Governor Chris Christie has gone out of his way to praise President Obama at every turn – on local radio, on CBS, even in an appearance on Fox News.

Today, Christie lumped more praise on the President during a tour of the storm-ravaged New Jersey coast, saying Obama “sprang into action immediately,” and has exhibited “concern and compassion” for residents effected by the storm.

“It’s been a great working relationship,” Christie added.

Keep in mind this is the same man who delivered the keynote address at Mitt Romney’s Republican nominating party, and who reportedly turned down Romney’s offer of the Vice President slot (more…)

Written for Newsworks New Jersey

Every election cycle, politicians and pundits seem prepared for an October surprise – a news event that has the ability to influence or even change the outcome of an election.
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Written for Newsworks New Jersey

Back in March, John Ray Wilson was sentenced to five-years in prison for growing pot in the backyard of his Somerset home. At his trial, he wasn’t permitted to tell the jury he grew the pot to relieve the symptoms that came from having multiple sclerosis, even though New Jersey approved the legalization of medical marijuana in January of 2010.

Now, almost three years later, the first marijuana dispensary in New Jersey, Greenleaf Compassion Center in Montclair, has finally been cleared to begin selling pot to patients who have registered with the state’s Department of Health. This will be a giant relief for patients who suffer from horrible diseases like multiple sclerosis, terminal cancer and AIDS.

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