If the smooth transition of power is supposed to be a hallmark of democracy, Sussex County’s outgoing Congressman, Republican Scott Garrett, is doing his best to thwart democracy.

According to reports in the The Record, Garrett has not responded to phone calls and even a certified letter from incoming Democrat Josh Gottheimer in order to discuss the transition, and particularly open issues affecting the district’s constituents.

“I called him," Gottheimer told The Record Thursday. "I sent him a letter before Thanksgiving both thanking him for his service as well as asking him to meet to discuss the transition. My chief also reached out to his chief of staff. We just haven’t heard back.”

Traditionally, outgoing legislators, or at least their staffs, meet with their incoming replacements to discuss such matters as arrangements for office space and, more important, open cases involving constituents. The transfer of files is especially important if they contain the constituent’s original documents (such as, for example, military service or immigration records.”

The national political blog Talking Points Memo (TPM) took it a step further, reporting on this with the headline "Sore Loser Alert".