I’ve had 3 briefings with White House, FBI and DHS on drones this week, and multiple calls with law enforcement across NJ. I’m hearing from everyone that detection resources are heightened, reported sightings are down, no confirmed threat/concern. Let me go into detail. THREAD DHS detailed to me the array of tools they have in NJ for drone detection including thermal sensors, drone-specific radar, radio frequency kits, and visual monitors. There have been no drone detections using any of these tools since tools have been active earlier this month. 2/20

After going out with police to observe reports of possible drones, I was with the help of civilian pilots and others able to do deeper analysis and concluded that most of the possible drone sightings that were pointed out to me were almost certainly planes. Let me explain: THREAD While not receiving any feedback/info from federal officials, I reached out to civilian aviators/others for analysis. I used public flight tracking tools to recreate the conditions of my time out. For instance I was at Round Valley Reservoir at 9:20pm and shot this video. 2/9

Last night I went out with local police to spot drone flying over New Jersey, here’s what I saw. We drove to Round Valley Reservoir and the officer pointed to lights moving low over the tree line. Sometimes they were solid white light, others flashed of red and green.THREAD We oriented ourselves with a flight tracker app to help us distinguish from airplanes. We often saw about 5-7 lights at a time that were low and not associated with aircraft we could see on the tracker app. Some hovered while others moved across the horizon. 2/11

Today was my final vote in the House. As I walk out of the chamber for last time, I wanted to share something almost no one notices. The center aisle, the one the President walks down for SOTU, the aisle that divides the R and D sides, ends at an inscription of “Tolerance.”THREAD It caught my eye the very first time I stepped into the House chamber when first elected. There is a desk in front of it so you can’t see it on TV. I thought it was a curious choice for such a central location. I’ve thought about it for a long time. Why “tolerance?” 2/11

If we’re only having comfortable conversations in politics, it means we aren’t talking to all the people we need to be talking to. What comes next will be hard but needed. Here are my lessons learned for having effective “uncomfortable conversations” in district Trump won. THREAD THE POWER OF RESPECT:
One of most profound moments of my time in politics happened after finishing a town hall in a deep Trump area. An older man waited 45 min to talk to me. He said “I want you to know I didn’t vote for you…and was very hesitant to come to this town hall.” 2/12

In 2020 I was one of 7 dems that won a district that Trump won, so I held a series of listening sessions with people who voted for Trump and voted for me to understand their actions. I reread the transcripts yesterday and much of it felt like it could have been said today. THREAD Across the board the conversations began with expressions of what I can only describe as deep disgust in politics. Severe distrust in politicians and the status quo. And this wasn’t about the specifics of the moment, but instead deep seated long-term dissatisfaction. 2/12

Last night a Republican delegate from NJ accused me of wearing a North Korea flag on my tie and questioned my allegiance to America. This is a disgusting attack and I urge NJ Republican leaders including @BobHugin and @CurtisBashaw to condemn this xenophobia. THREAD When I first ran for Congress, mailers sent out with my name in Chinese take out font. TV ads with the phrase “Andy Kim He’s Not One of Us.” I tried to ignore it but I realized that I should have done more to stand up. Unfortunately we see hate growing in our country… 2/12

I heard about vandalism of the United Synagogue of Hoboken and it pains me to see the way some people are acting on their deep disagreements and prejudices in ways that intentionally seek to intimidate and strike fear in others…THREAD I walked past the defaced statues at Union Station yesterday as the park service power washed the disgusting “Hamas is Coming” threat from the marble. No matter how deeply one disagrees, that is no justification for threats or antisemitism. 2/

When Lincoln was shot he wore a coat embroidered with “One Country, One Destiny.” I’ve turned to those 4 words to help me process this moment. This assassination attempt was one of the worst events I’ve seen in our democracy. It feels like we are a country unmoored…THREAD I’ve never experienced a time more unpredictable yet with such generational consequence. So what does this particular moment mean? I remembered a passage in a book I read. “Power and violence are opposites; where the one rules absolutely, the other is absent.”  2/10

This month is 20 yrs since I started serving the country, first as an intern and now today I’m on the ballot to be the Dem nominee for Senate. I’ve been blessed to serve, working my way up from a desk in the photocopy room. But I always remembered my 1st lesson in service. THREAD 20 yrs ago, arriving at Union Station, I realized I didn’t know anyone else in the entire city of DC. I didn’t come from a political family or had any previous experience in DC except for a family trip or two. I was nervous. I felt out of place. I felt like I didn’t belong. 2/11

I first met @YaelBromberg, @bmpugach and Flavio Komuves just 5 months ago. While we talked, the gravity of what we were considering hit me. I asked them point blank, what’s our chance of winning a lawsuit against the political machine? Is this a Hail Mary or do we have a shot?🧵

https://twitter.com/danadifilippo/status/1784910412149825546

The three of them didn’t flinch. They each took turns telling me why this was real. They embodied confidence yet humility. They were pragmatic and tactical while maintaining the hopefulness and courage one needs to take on NJ politics. 2/6

Politics in NJ is facing a real crossroads right now between elite control and power of people. The same leaders who gain political control through the county line on ballots are flexing to ram through a bill gutting OPRA and transparency. These problems are interconnected THREAD Of all the things to fast track...leaders are spending time and capital reducing transparency. We have affordability, environmental, infrastructure challenges. It's a real prioritization problem to have a politics more interested in preserving/expanding their own control. 2/10

The broken politics in New Jersey needs to end once and for all. Today I am filing suit and seeking an injunction to stop the corrupt county line system for this June 4 primary and to abolish it permanently going forward. 49 states use fair ballots; it’s time NJ does too. THREAD Right now NJ allows a handful of party elites to give their handpicked candidates preferential placement on the ballot. This is a deeply unfair advantage that disenfranchises voters by applying undue influence and suppressing choice of candidates.

Last week I was proud to be endorsed by College Democrats of NJ, but I found out the terrible backstory that shows how Jersey politics is broken. The college students were pressured and threatened to not endorse me. Good thing they recorded the call. Here’s what happened…THREAD Prior to the endorsement announcement, someone who works for the state Democratic Party told student leaders that endorsing me could affect their future job prospects and their org’s funding. The student leaders felt threatened and recorded the call. 2/9
nytimes.com/2024/01/14/nyr…

With today being Korean American Day I’m asked what it means to be Korean American. When I look at my boys wearing traditional Hanbok and besides the fact that they are unbelievably cute, it raises a lot of complex emotions that I’ve struggled with over my life…THREAD My parents moved here 50 yrs ago. They didn’t know anyone else in the entire western hemisphere of Earth. My sister and I were born here with no other relatives living within about 7000 miles of us. 2/16

After the photo of me cleaning the Capitol went viral, people kept saying to me the phrase “Look For The Helpers.” I grew up with Mister Rogers and felt comfort in those words. But now, 3 yrs after Jan 6, I have come to learn an entirely different lesson from this phrase… THREAD

This photo is 1st night I got home to my family after Jan 6. My 5 yr old asked me how I was doing and if something bad happened at work. My wife and I hadn’t told them anything yet but he must have heard something at school. So I turned to Mister Rogers: Look for the Helpers.2/11

I just heard about a NJ family grieving the loss of multiple family members in Gaza. I heard a woman at a vigil recount the pain of losing relatives in a kibbutz. Hamas’ attack set off a war and humanitarian crisis that will have decades-long ramifications. THREAD The human toll breaks my heart. As we wait for the President to address the nation tonight, we mourn every innocent life lost in Israel, Gaza and West Bank. Hamas must face the consequences of their brutality; murdering Israeli families and repressing Palestinians in Gaza. 2/18

SHARE INFO: I’m getting many calls from US citizens visiting Israel trying to get home. Here is what we know so far.

1.Any US citizen in need of help please fill this out:

2.This is best place I’ve found for flight info:

More…cacms.state.gov/s/crisis-intake
flightradar24.com/airport/tlv/de… EL AL airline has most number of flights in and out of Tel Aviv

They set up crisis hotline — Phone: +972-3-9404040. or via Facebook, Facebook Messenger and WhatsApp: +972-3-9771111

The more we learn about the attacks in Israel, the more we see the extent to the horror. It is vitally important to unequivocally condemn Hamas for this brutal violence that has taken the lives of over a hundred people with that number likely to rise much higher. THREAD I’m getting updates from people on the ground. People who were preparing to celebrate Simchat Torah but instead they are in hiding, uncertain whether their loved ones are safe or not. The scope of this tragedy is immense and we mourn for those lost. 2/6

I feel overwhelmed by emotion right now as I wake up after celebrating lunar new years with my family only to learn of this mass shooting in California where at least 10 were killed at lunar new year celebration. I woke to a flurry of calls/texts…THREAD. cnbc.com/amp/2023/01/22… AAPI communities around nation were planning festivities today and have been planning for months. They are now are waking up feeling shattered and scared. I’m getting frantic texts from people all over the nation. Common phrase I hear is “I don’t know how to process this” 2/5

On Jan6 anniversary as we gather in the House chamber to elect a speaker, let’s remember what Kevin McCarthy said during and immediately after the attack. I kept track:

“President bears responsibility for Wednesday’s attack on Congress by mob rioters” (Jan 13) THREAD McCarthy (Jan 6): “The violence, destruction, and chaos we saw earlier was unacceptable undemocratic and unamerican. It was the saddest day I’ve ever had as serving as a member of this institution…We saw the worst of America this afternoon…” 2/14