News : POLITICO New Jersey Playbook: The toleration of extremists

Monday, January 25, 2021

POLITICO New Jersey Playbook: The toleration of extremists

Jan 25, 2021

Presented by Pre-K Our Way

After the Capitol riot, it's time for New Jersey politicians — even some considered moderate — to take stock of the extremism they have allowed to fester.

An article from the Philadelphia Inquirer's Amy Rosenberg offers cause for reflection. Officials in Cape May County have allowed the historic court house to be used by the extremist Oath Keepers, a group that has since been tied to the riot. Letting them use the facilities is one thing, and there are probably legal questions about who you can and can't deny. But it's an entirely different thing when mainstream politicians speak at their meetings — in this case, the article cites a Republican and a Democrat in 2014.

Granted, in 2014, the Oath Keepers weren't as well-known as they are now. A contemporaneous Cape May County Herald article about that gathering doesn't hint at the extremism. But even after the group became more well known, some mainstream New Jersey Republicans didn't have any qualms about associating with them.

This kind of thing isn't new. In 2012, Republicans in Morris County invited birther conspiracy theorist Jerome Corsi to speak. Corsi later helped perpetuate the voter fraud lie. Fast forward to late 2020, when Morris County surrogate Heather Darling organized a rally in support of small business where a man flying a confederate flag looked perfectly welcome. In 2018, Republicans in South Jersey not only tolerated but in some cases helped the congressional candidacy of Seth Grossman — who's quoted as an Oath Keepers apologist in the Inquirer piece — despite years of racist and anti-Muslim social media posts.

And even Republican U.S. Rep. Chris Smith, in office 40 years and never known as a firebrand, aired demonstrably false conspiracy theories that Antifa was behind the Capitol riot, and has since deleted his Twitter account and refused to correct his false "speculation."

Occasionally, Democrats go down the path of conspiracy theories and extremism, and yes, there exist left-wing radicals who commit violence. But let's resist the temptation to "both sides" this issue, because there are few if any mainstream Democrats coddling it. Some Republicans are troubled by the direction the GOP base has taken, but only a few have been willing to speak out about it because they know it could end their political careers. But the press needs to be frank about what's going on in national, state and even the most local politics.

WHERE'S MURPHY ? In Trenton for a 1 p.m. coronavirus press conference

CORONAVIRUS TRACKER: 4,613 newly-reported positive PCR tests for a total of 595,002. 17 more deaths for a total of 18,830 (and 2,121 probable deaths). 3,186 hospitalized, 590 in intensive care. 452,042 vaccine shots administered of 989,900 distributed, or 55.7 percent.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY — Archer & Greiner's Bill Caruso, NJ League of Muni's Mike Cerra, NJ Food Council's Linda Doherty

QUOTE OF THE DAY: "(He) has a lifelong history that is well-documented of supporting law enforcement agencies throughout this country." — Harley Breite , attorney for Stockholm man Scott Fairlamb, who allegedly punched a cop at the Capitol riot. More below.

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

THE WEBBERS WE WEAVE — Murphy: Trip to Biden's inauguration was essential, work-related travel, by POLITICO's Sam Sutton: New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy on Friday defended his decision to forego quarantine after attending President Joe Biden's inauguration, saying his trip to Washington, D.C., was exempt from his administration's Covid-19 guidance because it was essential travel. Speaking at his regular Covid-19 briefing, the Democratic governor said he strongly disagreed Republican Assemblyman Jay Webber's assertion that Murphy had skirted his own travel advisory. "He should look carefully at what the rules of the road are," Murphy said, adding that he'd been tested twice in the two days leading up to Wednesday's inauguration and that his attendance fell under a "carveout" for essential, work-related travel … Murphy spokesperson Alexandra Altman said the governor and First Lady Tammy Murphy had been in Washington for less than 24 hours, which would also exempt them from the advised quarantine period.

EDUCATION — "N.J. quietly tweaks COVID guidance on when schools should close. Here's what's changed," by NJ Advance Media's Payton Guion and Kelly Heyboer: "State officials released new health guidelines this week that loosened some of the rules on whether schools should close when students or teachers are showing symptoms of COVID-19. School administrators and parents had criticized the state's previous guidance, which called for schools in areas with high virus levels to quarantine entire classrooms or even close schools if multiple students or teachers were coughing or showing other COVID-19 symptoms — when they hadn't yet tested positive … The revised guidelines appear to address some of those concerns, giving more clarity on when specifically schools should quarantine or close, as the coronavirus continues its toll on the state."

—"N.J. education community supports Biden's school reopening plan, but with some conditions"

—"Officials in South Jersey say educators should be vaccinated sooner"

VICARI RAN TO MAKE STEINHARDT'S CANDIDACY SEEM LONGER — "Vicari drops out of governor's race," by New Jersey Globe's David Wildstein : "Ocean County Commissioner Joseph Vicari has ended his bid for the Republican nomination for governor just one week after he launched a favorite-son campaign. 'My reasons for entering the governor's race was based entirely on helping our local residents. Ocean County's political support is critical to any Republican candidate running for governor,' Vicari said. 'By entering the race, I wanted to draw attention to the special needs and concerns of our citizens.' Vicari, who has served in county government since his first election as a freeholder in 1981, filed his letter of intent to seek the support of the Ocean County GOP last week, said he would support the candidate who wins the organization's screening committee on February 6."

—"New Jersey Governor Joe Vicari? Toms River GOP endorses bid"

—"Make law NJ enforcement disciplinary records accessible to the public | Opinion"

—New Jersey confirms first 2 cases of new Covid strain originally found in U.K.

—Murphy: New Jersey has administered more than 500,000 doses of Covid vaccine

—"N.J. immigrant communities were hard hit by COVID. Now, they may not have ready access to vaccines, experts fear"

—"Teaneck Democratic chair will seek Assembly seat"

—"State offers glimpse at potential active recreation amenities in Liberty State Park"

—S&P: Some states could lose billions if lawsuit challenging remote work succeeds

—Murphy: New Jersey has administered more than 500,000 doses of Covid vaccine

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.

TRUMP ERA

STOCKHOLM SYNDROME — "Stockholm man arrested for role in Capitol riot supports police, had 'peaceful intent,' attorney says," by The New Jersey Herald's Lori Comstock: "Police patches, banners and flags line the shelves inside Fairlamb Fit in Pompton Lakes, a nod to those who serve and protect. Among those, support for the New Jersey State Police, where several of Scott Fairlamb's family members are employed … So why did the 43-year-old resident of the Stockholm section of Hardyston allegedly shove and punch a federal officer during the Jan. 6 insurrection of the U.S. Capitol, an event a federal prosecutor said Friday was the 'most troubling in American history?' Fairlamb was arrested Friday at his home after authorities say four people tipped the Federal Bureau of Investigation to videos from the Capitol where the former Butler resident allegedly punched an officer's helmet with a bare hand, climbed scaffolding and wielded a baton."

TOP ANTIFA PROFESSION: JAIL GUARD — "Court record: Jail officer took holiday to take part in Capitol riot," by The Courier-Post's Jim Walsh: "A corrections officer from Central Jersey took an 'emergency holiday' to travel to the nation's capital and participate in a riot that sought to overturn results of the presidential election, a court record alleges. Marissa Suarez, and a friend, Patricia Todisco, were part of a mob that invaded the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, according to an affidavit posted online Saturday by federal prosecutors. Videos and photos taken during the riot show the women entering the Capitol after now-former President Donald Trump made baseless claims of election fraud at a nearby rally, the affidavit says. Suarez resigned her position at Monmouth County Jail after she and Todisco were charged Friday."

—"Giuliani and Bill O'Reilly Still Have a Major Platform in New York"

—"Friendly Fire Saturday: Biden's olive branch, the GOP liar caucus, and Steinhardt's exit"

—"Covid-19 vaccine sign-ups irk many tri-state area seniors"

LOCAL

ACCOUNTABILITY — "N.J. police chief put witness' life in danger, got a $177K payout, documents reveal," by NJ Advance Media's S.P. Sullivan: "A New Jersey police chief who outed a witness to members of a 'violent street gang' was allowed to retire in good standing with a $177,000 payout and other benefits, NJ Advance Media has learned. Penns Grove Police Chief Patrick Riley, 54, was suspended but ultimately faced no discipline for the July 2020 incident, in which he tried to call a witness to see if they had information on the location of a fugitive wanted on gun charges, but inadvertently left a voicemail message on another person's phone. Word got out in the neighborhood, and the witness' son received a message that their parent was a 'snitch,' according to documents detailing an internal affairs probe by the Salem County Prosecutor's Office."

WANTAGE — "Judge voids Wantage land deal, finds ex-mayor, Land Use Board chair 'tainted' process," by The New Jersey Herald's Eric Obernauer: "The township Land Use Board's approval for one of its members to operate a soil processing facility on Route 565 has been voided by a judge who said the process was tainted by conflicts of interest and attempts to influence by then-Mayor Ron Bassani and the board's former chairman. Superior Court Judge Stuart Minkowitz has ordered a new hearing. Board member Chuck Meissner, who owns Tri-State Bulk Garden Supply, recused himself from the board's proceedings, which resulted in a 7-0 vote in April 2019 to approve a variance and site plan for a 7.4-acre parcel he owns on Route 565 that partly includes wetlands. Bassani, who is now deputy mayor, and Michael Cecchini, who was Land Use Board chairman at the time of the vote, both recused themselves from deliberations and the vote due to a conflict of interest. However, Minkowitz found both later improperly attempted to sway the vote despite their recusal."

NOSHIVAS — "Two Lakewood yeshivas, one built and the other on the way, face legal challenges," by The Asbury Park Press' Gustavo Martinez Contreras: "Two township private schools, one up and running and the other approved and under construction, are the subject of lawsuits alleging that their backers aren't following the law. Both claims fault township officials. In the first lawsuit, plaintiff 1650 Corporate Road West LLC claims that the private girls grammar school Bnos Brocha Inc., at 1665 Corporate Road West, has been using the school 'in a manner that is contrary to the resolutions, permits and approvals previously obtained for the school property.' The plaintiff, represented by real estate attorney Robert C. Shea, out of Toms River, claims that a linen company is operating right next to the pool, which itself has received several notices that it is unsafe, an imminent hazard, and for failing to obtain the proper certificate of approval, the suit contends."

—"2 administrators sue Trenton Public Schools for alleged 'hostile work environment'"

—" Outspoken Paterson teacher loses appeals court ruling, could lose tenure"

—"Sayegh says $1,000 campaign donation from censured judge's husband won't impact her case"

—" Phillipsburg eyes industrial uses along Delaware River, instead of homes"

—"Ex-Bordentown chief convicted of lying to FBI gets new sentencing date"

—" Protesters brave cold, march to 'save Noe Pond' in Chatham Township"

—"We can't get enough teachers to open school on Monday, [Montclair] district says"

—" In feat of endurance, these women have sewn 18,000 masks in Paramus"

—"Trentonians face tax increase for 3rd straight year under Mayor Reed Gusciora"

R.I.P. — " Howell ex-mayor dies of COVID-19"

R.I.P. — "Dave Sparks, longtime Salem freeholder, dies at 74"

R.I.P. — " Clifford Burtoft, ex-Gloucester freeholder, Washington mayor, dies at 92"

HAPPENING TUESDAY - DRAWING THE ETHICAL LINE ON ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE: As AI becomes increasingly ingrained in our everyday lives, there are concerns about biases in these systems and ethical standards to guide their fair use. Without an international framework or set of principles governing AI, the ethical guidelines for its use vary across countries and cities and sometimes even come down to individual policymakers, elected leaders, the private sector, and grassroots advocates' work. Join POLITICO for a conversation to explore the pace of global AI innovation and development and what it means for the future of ethical standards in this space. The virtual program features an executive conversation between POLITICO CEO Patrick Steel and Workday EVP of corporate affairs Jim Shaughnessy. REGISTER HERE.

EVERYTHING ELSE

R.I.P. — "N.J. man dies suddenly after winning decades-long fight to clear his name and help wrongfully convicted," by NJ Advance Media's S.P. Sullivan: "Dion Harrell never had much in this world, but when New Jersey's justice system took his freedom and left him with a scarlet letter, he fought like hell to get his life back. He died suddenly Jan. 15 … He was 53. Harrell was wrongly convicted of raping a 17-year-old girl in 1988, a case of mistaken identity. He served four years in prison and spent more than two decades on a sex offender registry, trying to clear his name … His first victory came in 2016, when the Innocence Project obtained DNA testing showing Harrell was not the rapist state prosecutors made him out to be. 'He was such a dedicated advocate,' said Michelle Feldman, the state campaigns director at the Innocence Project"

DID BUND MEMBERS IN CUMBERLAND COUNTY CALL THEMSELVES THE CUMBERBUND? — "N.J.'s forgotten history of hate," by Arlene Stein for The Star-Ledger: "At a summer camp in northwest New Jersey, cabins surround a lake. A photograph from 1937 shows hundreds of teenage boys dressed in light brown shirts and shorts, and girls in white blouses and black skirts carrying flags. At first, it looks like a typical summer camp of that era. But on a closer look, one sees pressed uniforms, lockstep marching, and flags with swastikas, alongside stars and stripes. On 205 acres, Camp Nordland was the largest of more than 20 camps established by the German-American Bund, 'America's Brownshirts,' in the 1930s … Today, as thousands of Americans openly espouse violent racist and anti-Semitic beliefs and our now former president mobilizes them to wield power, this history has largely been forgotten. Yet our shock is made possible by this collective forgetting … Today, Camp Nordland is used as recreational fields for Sussex County. The huge swastika emblazoned on the ceiling of the original clubhouse is gone, but the building still stands."

R.I.P. — "WWII vet who helped save popular N.J. trail 'loved it right until the end'"

—"How to become a horror movie auteur: All you need is $300, a cellphone camera, and a familiarity with the Jersey Devil"

—"New WBGO president takes reins amid racial reckoning at historic jazz station"

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