News: POLITICO New Jersey Playbook: Murphy sticks by Hicks amid Edna Mahan scandal

Thursday, January 28, 2021

POLITICO New Jersey Playbook: Murphy sticks by Hicks amid Edna Mahan scandal

Jan 28, 2021

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By Matt Friedman

Presented by Pre-K Our Way

Good Thursday morning!

We're a day ahead of deadlines for two big events:

Gov. Phil Murphy has set a Friday deadline for a deal on the final form of the weed legalization bills or he will conditionally veto the measures on his desk, Sam Sutton reports.

And Assemblymember Holly Schepisi (R-Bergen) plans to announce her decision on formally challenging her longtime running mate, state Sen. Gerald Cardinale (R-Bergen) — a generational fight between the 49-year-old Gen Xer and the 86-year-old member of the Silent Generation. (Anyone who regularly attends committee meetings or Senate sessions knows this description doesn't fit Cardinale very well.) There's also the ideological component of whether Republicans in North Jersey should stick with a very conservative member like Cardinale or a more moderate Republican woman more responsive to the shift away from the party in that part of the state.

WHERE'S MURPHY? In Perth Amboy for an 11 a.m. solar energy event. Then making a virtual announcement at 1 p.m. on "health care affordability"

CORONAVIRUS TRACKER: 3,950 newly-reported positive PCR tests for a total of 606,492. 107 more deaths for a total of 19,091 (and 2,129 probable deaths). 3,190 hospitalized, 578 in intensive care. 642,613 vaccines administered, or 6.2 percent of the population. 1 percent have gotten both doses.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY — PR person Maria Comella, Bloomberg's Terry Dopp, Camden County Commissioner Al Dyer, Hasbrouck Heights Cuncilmember Chris Hillmann, River Crossing's Tim White

QUOTE OF THE DAY: "I was never a Trumper. I didn't vote for him. I didn't believe in his style and I think he's hurt the Republican Party. I'm proud to be a Republican, but the Republican Party in New Jersey and around the country really needs to redefine ourselves. What happened in Washington was a disgrace." — State Sen. Christopher "Kip" Bateman (R-Somerset), who will retire at the end of his term

A message from Pre-K Our Way:

NJ's pre-k is now in 150+ school districts, with more beginning in early 2021! Despite this remarkable four-year record of achievement, there are 110+ eligible school districts that still wait. Let's reach a total of 200+ districts with NJ's pre-k in 2021. Fund substantial pre-k expansion THIS YEAR! Visit prekourway.org for more info

WHAT TRENTON MADE

EDNA MAHAN — "Murphy orders independent investigation into alleged beatings at N.J. women's prison. 'I am sickened by the horrific reports,'" by NJ Advance Media's Blake Nelson, S.P. Sullivan and Joe Atmonavage: "Gov. Phil Murphy appointed a special investigator Wednesday to review allegations of beatings at the state's only women's prison, NJ Advance Media has learned, as more lawmakers called for the head of the state prison system to step down. The governor appointed A. Matthew Boxer from the firm Lowenstein Sandler LLP to investigate a Jan. 11 incident at the Edna Mahan Correctional Facility, according to a statement sent by a spokesman … While he said he supported the actions Corrections Commissioner Marcus Hicks has taken so far, Murphy said 'we must go further.' … A total of 14 lawmakers from both political parties have now called for the commissioner to at least temporarily step down. The governor said Tuesday he was standing by Hicks and his reform efforts. Boxer, a respected former federal prosecutor and state comptroller, has developed a reputation for deep-dive investigations into allegations of government misconduct. But those inquiries don't always see the light of day."

— "I was beaten, stomped and sexually assaulted. Inmate alleges brutal attack at N.J. women's prison"

— Press release: "Speaker Coughlin announces Assembly committee to investigate horrific allegations of abuse at Edna Mahan"

SENATOR ZWICKER? — " Bateman, recovering from heart surgery, won't seek reelection to state Senate," by POLITICO's Matt Friedman: New Jersey state Sen. Christopher "Kip" Bateman, a moderate Republican who would have likely faced a tough reelection in November, said Wednesday that he will not seek another term. Bateman underwent heart surgery three weeks ago and though the procedure went well, the 63-year-old Somerset County lawmaker said, the recovery is taking time and he has changed his mind about his prior plans to seek reelection.

NO REDISTRICTING LAWSUIT — Republicans had just about decided to file a lawsuit challenging the constitutional amendment voters approved in November to move the state legislative redistricting process to 2022 if the redistricting data from the U.S. Census Bureau arrives after February 15. But with all indications that it will not just arrive after February 15 but WELL after February, they've decided not to. That's what Al Barlas, who chairs the GOP redistricting commission, told Playbook. "Both [Senate and Assembly GOP] caucuses and the commission members were unified in being aggressive to force redistricting this year," Barlas said. "However, because there is uncertainty about when we're getting this data, we don't know what remedy we would seek. And that's why we decided not do it."' Census officials on Wednesday said that we won't see the first data until April 30, and that data for congressional redistricting won't likely come until July 30. It's not clear when we'll see the state legislative redistricting data, which the Census Bureau typically gets to New Jersey and Virginia early because of our unusual odd-year state legislative elections.

THE LEGISLATIVE ALLITERATIVE CAUCUS HAS A NEW MEMBER — Democrat Sterley Stanley was sworn in to represent the 18th Legislative District on Wednesday, replacing former Assemblymember Nancy Pinkin, who vacated the seat to become Middlesex County Clerk. "I'm tremendously grateful for the opportunity and eager to begin the work of serving all the residents of this diverse district and help build a positive that will benefit our wonderful state," Stanley said after being sworn in by Assembly Speaker Craig Coughlin. The two-term East Brunswick Council member defeated Edison Council Member Joe Coyle in a special election earlier this month to replace Pinkin. Stanley beat Coyle in a 189-136 vote held by the Middlesex County Democratic Organization. Vacancies in the Legislature are typically filled by the county leadership of the lawmaker's party. The 18th Legislative District encompasses a large swath of Middlesex County and is reliably Democratic — the party's registration outstrips the GOP by 40,000. Democrats have held the district's two Assembly seats since 1996. — Daniel Han

HOT AIR? THE CAMPAIGN ADS WRITE THEMSELVES — " Panico joins race for Assembly seat in 16th district," by New Jersey Globe's David Wildstein: "Vincent Panico, the president of the Hunterdon Central Regional Board of Education, will seek the Republican nomination for State Assembly in the 16th district … If he wins, Panico would become the first commercial hot air balloon pilot to serve in the New Jersey Legislature."

WHISTLEBLOWING — " New Jersey has more COVID-19 workplace lawsuits per capita than any other state. Here's why," by The Record's Tom Nobile: "Since the beginning of the coronavirus crisis, no state in the country has seen more COVID-related workplace lawsuits per capita than New Jersey, according to an online litigation tracker by Fisher Phillips, a national labor and employment law firm … Only California, with 316 COVID-19 employment complaints, has outpaced New Jersey's litigation total since March, according to the Fisher Phillips tracker. The Garden State currently stands at 195, but far and away surpasses other states in terms of legal cases per capita … New Jersey's high rate of COVID lawsuits could be traced to its strong worker protections, according to Alan Hyde, a labor and employment professor at Rutgers Law School. Laws unique to the state, like the Conscientious Employee Protection Act, or CEPA, offer employees wide-ranging safeguards from retaliation for objecting to something they reasonably believed violated the law."

THIS DOESN'T BODE WELL FOR JAMEL HOLLEY'S SENATE CAMPAIGN — "N.J. wasn't so sure about the COVID vaccine. But opinion has changed in a huge way," by NJ Advance Media's Alex Napoliello: "Most New Jersey residents now plan on getting the coronavirus vaccine, a new survey shows. A poll conducted by the state Department of Health found 78% of the 2,712 respondents said they will likely get the vaccine when it's available to them. Only 10% said they won't get it, according to the survey, which was conducted from Jan. 17-23. The new numbers reveal growing confidence in the vaccine in the Garden State. A similar survey in late December showed 53% of New Jerseyans said they would definitely get the vaccine, up from 44% earlier that month."

EXPENSUCATION — "Per pupil spending in New Jersey tops $17K," by POLITICO's Carly Sitrin: Education spending in New Jersey rose again last year, topping $17,000 per student, according to new data from the state Department of Education. The state's annual Taxpayers' Guide to Education Spending, published Wednesday, shows that for the 2019-2020 school year, the state budgeted an average of $17,028 to educate each student in New Jersey. That's an increase of $897 from the year before and $1,402 from the 2017-2018 school year. There are around 1.4 million public school students in New Jersey.

44.4 MASTROS — "NJ Transit to get hundreds of millions in flood insurance from Sandy damage after court win," by The Record's Colleen Wilson : "Seven New Jersey Supreme Court judges affirmed a lower court decision that ruled NJ Transit is owed $400 million in flood insurance for damages from Superstorm Sandy. The decision, which came down Wednesday after being argued in the state's highest court earlier this month, follows a yearslong court battle between the transit agency and insurance groups that argued NJ Transit was only entitled to $100 million after sustaining damage from the 2012 storm."

— " NJEA defends teachers opposed to in-person school reopenings for safety reasons"

— "Port Authority to oppose $105 million in Goethals Bridge costs"

R.I.P. — " 'A life of hard work and adventure': Space Farms Zoo patriarch Fred Space dies at age 92"

— "N.J. teachers 'next up to bat' for COVID vaccine eligibility, Murphy says. He hasn't said when"

— " An increase in COVID vaccine doses coming to NJ, but demand still far outpaces supply"

TRACK THE FIRST 100 DAYS OF THE BIDEN ADMINISTRATION: A new president occupies the White House and he is already making changes. What are some of the key moments from Biden's first week in office? Find out in Transition Playbook, our scoop-filled newsletter tracking the appointments, people, and emerging power centers of the first 100 days of the new administration. Subscribe today.

BIDEN TIME

— "NJ House delegation renews call for elimination of SALT tax hike. What homeowners can expect"

— New Jersey's Bill Pascrell quarantining after potential coronavirus exposure

— "QAnon, militias, and pick-up artists: A look at NY & NJ's alleged Capitol insurrectionists"

— Steve Rothman: " Run. Get away from the Capitol!' Recalling Sept. 11 after Jan. 6"

LOCAL

QUORUN'T — "No quorum again at Atlantic City school board meeting," by The Press of Atlantic City's Claire Lowe: "For the third time this month, the local school board had to cancel a meeting due to lack of a quorum. The board could not begin its regular meeting Tuesday because not enough members were present. Board President Shay Steele, Vice President Patricia Bailey, Ruth Byard and Walter Johnson were the only members present for Tuesday's meeting, where regular business was set to be conducted. Steele opened Tuesday's meeting for a roll call at 6 p.m. and waited 15 minutes for more members to arrive, but they did not. Last week, a special meeting intended for board members to discuss the disputed residency of one of its members, Farook Hossain, could not start because there was no quorum."

'I INSURE DEAD PEOPLE.' THIS SIXTH SENSE SEQUEL IS BORING — "N.J. borough paid $611K to suspended clerk, improperly gave healthcare to council members, insured dead people," by NJ Advance Media's Samantha Marcus: "The Borough of Roselle spent a quarter of a million dollars on health insurance premiums and opt-out incentives for its mayor and six-member council, none of whom were eligible to receive insurance benefits, according to state comptroller audit released Wednesday. The investigation found a lack of oversight and controls resulting in $1.4 million in 'improper and wasteful spending,' including $611,000 in wages for a borough employee suspended with pay for more than six years."

ASBURY PARK — " Asbury Park rent control will head to voters in April unless deal is reached soon," by The Asbury Park Press' Susanna Cervenka: "The redevelopment boom made Asbury Park the place to be, creating the bustle on Cookman Avenue and the city's beachfront that never really seems to end. But that resurgence has come with a price: Ever-increasing rents that push out some of Asbury Park's long-term residents who can't afford housing in the city. Now a rent control measure that could stabilize the city's rents appears to be headed to voters in April unless a compromise is reached before March 11. Housing advocates say adopting a rent control will protect long-time residents, some of whom live in poverty, from escalating rents that have pushed others out of Asbury Park over the past decade. Opponents, however, say the ordinance is overly broad, offering rent protections to rich people who don't need help while devaluing rental properties and shifting tax burdens to other property owners."

— "Judge puts Montclair rent control statute on hold until Feb. 19"

— " Rookie cop in Byram fired after getting into it with Facebook commenters, lawsuit says"

— "Law firm recommends discipline for Trenton clerk Matthew Conlon"

— " Attorneys square off over impact of affordable housing in Saddle River"

— "BPU approves PSE&G electric vehicle program"

—" Paramus councilman sues, says mayor's son isn't eligible to become police officer"

— "Newark plainclothes officers must now wear body cameras"

— " Want to apply to Newark charter schools? New policy requires proof you're a resident"

— "Camden superintendent says the plan to close four schools is 'painful but necessary'"

— " Paterson mayor working to encourage Black residents to get COVID-19 vaccine"

— "AG: Ex-Jersey City Rec Dept. clerk pleads guilty to stealing $80k by inflating payroll"

— " In Hoboken, Cohen files ELEC complaint against Fisher for late council filing"

GET THE SCOOP ON CONGRESS IN 2021 : Get the inside scoop on the Schumer/McConnell dynamic, the new Senate Bipartisan Group, and what is really happening inside the House Democratic Caucus and Republican Conference. From Schumer to Pelosi, McConnell to McCarthy and everyone in between, our new Huddle author Olivia Beavers brings the latest from Capitol Hill with assists from POLITICO's deeply sourced Congress team. Subscribe to Huddle, the indispensable guide to Congress.

EVERYTHING ELSE

HOSPITALITY — "NJ hospital gave vaccine to wealthy donors, ineligible relatives in December," by NJ 101.5's Erin Vogt: "Weeks before the state began opening eligibility to the general public, a hospital in Hunterdon County was handing out the coveted COVID-19 vaccine to deep-pocketed donors and the relatives of its executives. And while vulnerable senior citizens wondered when it would be their turn, recipients of the vaccine at Hunterdon Medical Center included officials' young-adult children who were able to get the shot at a time when only front-line healthcare workers and long-term care residents could. The line-cutting at the hospital was revealed by vaccine registry information that a whistleblower provided to New Jersey 101.5, demonstrating that despite the state's plan for an 'equitable' distribution of the vaccine, those with privilege are managing to get it anyway … A hospital spokesman on Tuesday said that the organization followed all state regulations and that the vaccine was offered to otherwise ineligible people such as employees, retired staff, relatives and volunteers only when there was a risk of virus supply going to waste."

— "Murphy: Hospitals that allow VIPs to jump the line will see vaccine allotments slashed"

E-COMMERCE — "Warehouse 'sprawl' spreads in NJ as pandemic accelerates e-commerce surgew," by NJ Spotlight's Jon Hurdle: "Developers justify the warehouse building trend as a response to strong market demand, and local officials welcome the creation of jobs and new tax revenue at a time of COVID-19-ravaged budgets. But residents and environmentalists say the giant projects swell truck traffic on local roads, increase the runoff of contaminated stormwater from newly impervious surfaces, and threaten to turn the remaining rural corners of the nation's most densely populated state into industrial parks. Emissions from commercial trucks have eclipsed the greenhouse gases from power plants, adding to the concern over increased traffic. New Jersey, under Gov. Phil Murphy, has been pushing for an increase in electric trucks to cut greenhouse gas emissions."

STUDY FROM THE SACK — "Hydroxychloroquine may have some use to treat COVID after all, NJ study shows," by The Record's Abbott Koloff: "A new Hackensack Meridian Health study shows that people with mild symptoms of COVID-19 may be helped by a controversial drug that had been widely used in the early days of the pandemic before several studies questioned its benefits and safety. The recently published study looked at a group of people treated as outpatients last year and found that those who received an anti-inflammatory drug, hydroxychloroquine, which is often used for malaria, were significantly less likely to end up in the hospital. Doctors who conducted the study say the findings suggest that it should be tested further."

R.I.P. — "Rutgers professor who helped create coronavirus saliva test dies"

— "After vaccine pledge, ShopRite shutters 23 pharmacy locations in NJ"

— " COVID changed how we work. Experts say commuting in N.J. must now change, too"

A message from Pre-K Our Way:

In four years, there has been statewide, bipartisan support for funding pre-k expansion. NJ's pre-k is now in 150+ school districts, with more beginning in early 2021! Despite this remarkable record of achievement, there are 110+ eligible school districts that still wait.

There are eligible districts in every county. They're in rural, suburban and urban communities, and they're located across New Jersey, from east to west – and north to south. You either live in an eligible school district or you live near at least one. There are 3- and 4-year-olds still waiting for NJ's pre-k in each of these 110+ communities.

Substantial funding for NJ's pre-k will provide a strong start to a lifetime of learning for more of our children – and immediate support for their working families.

Let's reach a total of 200+ districts with NJ's pre-k – there are 110+ communities waiting. Fund substantial pre-k expansion THIS YEAR!

Visit prekourway.org for more info