Chris Smith is a conservative Republican who has represented New Jersey for 28 years. For most of that time, he has owned a house in Virginia, paid property taxes in Virginia but maintained an apartment in New Jersey. Both Smith and his wife vote in New Jersey and pay New Jersey income taxes. Under New Jersey law, Smith must be domiciled in New Jersey to run for Congress.
So why does Smith get in-state tuition for his daughter at the University of Virginia? Virginia law only allows residents to get in-state tuition when Virginia is their domicile and the resident has given up any other state as its domicile. In other words, by filing the application for in-state tuition, Smith voluntarily gave up his New Jersey domicile.
So how can Smith be a New Jersey Congressman and pay in-state tuition in Virginia? The simple answer is he can't. He is defrauding the University of Virginia and stealing money from them. This is just another example of a long-term politician who became immune from common sense and decency. Rather, he believes he is entitled to a privilege that no other New Jersey resident would be entitled to simply because he is a Congressman.
It is time to tell Chris Smith that this sort of arrogance and corruption is unacceptable. It is time to send this right-wing Republican off to his lucrative retirement in the private sector. Support Smith's opponent, Josh Zeitz, a progressive Democrat, by contributing at joshzeitz.com.
(disclosure. I am a volunteer with the Zeitz campaign)