Page 32 - Pierce County Lawyer - January February 2025

US congressman Jeff Van Drew, New Jersey State Legislator
Dawn Fantasia and Orange County New Jersey Sheriff Michael
G. Mastronardy, are three of the many state and local officials
who expressed frustration with the federal government’s
perceived failure to satisfactorily explain what is going on in the
night skies of New Jersey causing confusion, fear and distrust.12
Congressman Van Drew got way out over his skis, however, in
the early stages of the crisis when he reported on high authority
that the drones were originating from an Iranian “mothership”
skulking off the New Jersey coast. This was one rumor the
Pentagon moved to squash right away with support from
internet sleuths who proved that Iran indeed had a floating
drone mothership but publicly available satellite reconnaissance
photos confirmed that it had never left its homeport many
thousands of miles away.
US congressman Jeff Van Drew, New Jersey State Legislator Dawn
Fantasia, and Orange County Sheriff Michael Mastronardy. Images are
public domain.
NJ mayor rips “dismissive” FBI,
White House drone briefing
The House Homeland Security Committee held a hearing on
Unmanned Aerial Systems in Washington DC on December
10, 2024. Robert Wheeler Jr., assistant director of the Critical
Incident Response Group for the FBI, testified that the
FBI, DHS, FAA and DOD were unable to identify who was
controlling the drones or where they came from but there was
no reason to suspect a foreign adversary or threat to public
safety. A widely circulated video clip of his testimony, however,
focused on his confusing and contradictory answer when asked
if there was any risk to public safety or national security:
“there is nothing that is known that would lead me
to to say that but we just don't know and that's the
concerning part.”
U.S. Representaive Tony Gonzalez from Texas sought
clarification: "You're telling me we don't know what the hell
these drones in New Jersey are?" FBI assistant director Wheeler
said, "that's correct" prompting Gonzalez to shake his head in
disbelief while concluding "that's crazy, that's madness."
12 Drone sightings in New Jersey and elsewhere dropped substantially in the third
week of December 2024.
3 2 P I E R C E C O U N T Y L A W Y E R | J a n u a r y / F e b r u a r y 2 0 2 5
Screen shot Metro Source News, public broadcast of House Homeland
Security Committee Hearing on Unmanned Aerial Systems. December
10, 2024. Image is public domain and use made is fair comment.
John F. Kirby is a retired United States Navy rear admiral who
has served as White House National Security Communications
Advisor since 2022. Kirby’s press conference statements
regarding the drones have been graciously accepted by some
but perceived as condescending and duplicitous by others:
"We have not identified anything anomalous or
any national security or public safety risk over the
civilian airspace in New Jersey or other states in the
Northeast."
Kirby offerred his theory that many people have not looked up
at the night sky much until recently when they finally noticed
the significant increase in regular aviation traffic in November
and December 2023. New Jersey resident Mary Dorschner,
tweeted what a lot of her neighbors were likely thinking:
THE PRESIDENT ELECT
COMMENTS ON THE DRONES
On December 16, 2024, the President-elect gave his take on the
drones at a press conference:
“the government knows what is happening. Look our
military knows where they took off from…they know
where it came from and where it went and for some
reason they don't want to comment. I think they'd be
better off saying what it is our military knows and our
president knows and for some reason they want to
keep people in suspense…”
A reporter asked whether he had received any classified
briefings on the drones and the President-elect declined to
comment.