Marine’s stance on Mattis draws fire. A member of

Congress who served as a Marine in Iraq said he has been called “everything you can under the sun” by fellow veterans for his decision to oppose retired Marine Gen. James Mattis becoming defense secretary, but he stands by his choice.

Rep. Ruben Gallego, D.-Ariz., who became a congressman last year, said he has been insulted repeatedly by fellow combat veterans, with some inaccurately calling him “POG,” a derisive acronym that stands for “person other than grunt” and implies he did not serve in the infantry. Others called him a “Blue Falcon,” a term describing someone who turns on a friend for their own personal gain.

“Marines in general are the harshest critics of other Marines,” Gallego said, adding that he doesn’t take it personally. “I’ve been told what I can do with different parts of my body orifices to myself.”

Gallego, whose district includes Phoenix, announced Monday that he was opposing President-elect Donald Trump’s nomination of Mattis as defense secretary because he believes “strongly in the principle of civilian leadership of the military.” He is one of the only members of Congress to come out openly against Mattis running the Pentagon.

new brunswick, n.j. » Joe Piscopo’s Frank Sinatra impression, made famous from his days on “Saturday Night Live,” has gotten an update.

It’s no longer “New York, New York” but “N.J., N.J.” that the actor, standup comic and potential 2017 Republican candidate for governor is now crooning.

Piscopo performed the updated song — lyrics included “my New York and Philly blues are melting away” — at a recent charity event for the Boys and Girls Club in New Jersey, where his flirtation with running for governor to succeed incumbent Republican Chris Christie when his term ends in 2018 is out in the open.

Piscopo, 65, gained fame as a member of the “SNL” cast, impersonating fellow Jersey native Sinatra as well as latenight host Dave Letterman.