News: POLITICO New Jersey Playbook: The legal weed saga continues

Monday, February 8, 2021

POLITICO New Jersey Playbook: The legal weed saga continues

Feb 08, 2021

Presented by Pre-K Our Way

Good Monday morning!

Today was to be the deadline for weed negotiations , with a quorum forcing Gov. Murphy to take action on the legislation on his desk. But Speaker Coughlin on Friday delayed the quorum, giving the Murphy administration and Legislature more time to quibble over details about how to deal with underage users that continue to delay the implementation of weed legalization, despite the fact that 67 percent of New Jersey voters approved it.

It's quite a contrast from how the state handled gambling over the last few decades. Look at this article by the Star-Ledger's Peter Genovese about how bigwigs are celebrating the legalization of sports betting and how big it is here.

Why is one vice more tolerated than the other? And, really, which one causes more harm? But I've never seen politicians agonize over the details of gambling legislation like this.

The 2011 public question to allow sports betting passed by a landslide, though still a slightly smaller margin than legal weed. A 2016 question to allow casino gambling outside of Atlantic City failed spectacularly. Public opinion isn't the issue here. What is it?

WHERE'S MURPHY? In Hamilton for a brownfields event at 10 a.m., then in Trenton at 1 p.m. for a coronavirus press conference. Media: Harry Hurley on WPG at 8:35 a.m.

CORONAVIRUS TRACKER: 3,938 newly-recorded PCR tests for a total of 645,011. 26 more deaths for a total of 19,802 (and 2,187 probable deaths). 2,937 hospitalized, 571 in intensive care. 179,956 vaccine doses administered, about 2 percent of the population.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY — Kivvit's Hira Shaikh

QUOTE OF THE DAY: "Somerset has had the seat for 100 years. We need an advocate for uniquely Somerset issues, including transportation, one-seat ride, judges the Highlands. Also, we've earned a seat at the table." — Somerset County Democratic Chair Peg Schaffer on looking for a state Senate candidate alternative to Assemblymember Andrew Zwicker (D-Middlesex)

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

HOPELESS HICKS — "N.J. lawmaker pushing to impeach prison leader after 3 officers are charged with misconduct," by NJ Advance Media's Blake Nelson: "A New Jersey lawmaker is pushing to impeach the head of the prison system, a day after three officers were charged in a growing criminal probe into a series of alleged beatings at the state's only women's prison. State Assemblywoman Jean Stanfield, R-Lumberton, said Friday it would be 'dangerous' to keep Corrections Commissioner Marcus Hicks in office. 'People's lives are at stake, and if Governor (Phil) Murphy won't act to remove the man at the top of all of this, I will,' Stanfield said in a statement … Gov. Phil Murphy has appointed an independent investigator but he's stood by the commissioner so far, despite a growing bipartisan chorus demanding his ouster. Every Democrat in the state Senate recently signed a letter saying Hicks should go."

TIME IS MOVING VERY SLOWLY — N.J. assembly delays quorum to allow more time for cannabis talks, by POLITICO's Sam Sutton: The New Jersey Assembly is postponing a quorum call scheduled for Monday to give lawmakers more time to hash out a compromise with the Murphy administration on cannabis legislation. Marijuana legalization and decriminalization bills that were sent to Murphy by the Legislature in December will become law as soon as the Assembly holds its next quorum. The governor's office, however, has said Murphy would conditionally veto both measures over disagreements surrounding provisions related to penalties for underage possession. Speaker Craig Coughlin on Friday pushed the Assembly's next quorum to Feb. 18.

PRESSED — "NJ unemployment snag now resolved, allowing 75K workers to resume collecting payments," by The Record's Scott Fallon: "The 75,000 New Jersey residents who have gone weeks without an unemployment payment because of a snag in the Department of Labor's system will return to their normal payment cycle a week earlier than anticipated, officials said Saturday. Workers will be notified this weekend by email that they can return to certifying for benefits and will receive payments directly to their bank account or via a debit card on their regular schedule. The quick fix comes a day after Gov. Phil Murphy and Labor Commissioner Rob Asaro-Angelo were grilled by the press on why so many New Jersey residents were caught in a bureaucratic limbo that prevented them from receiving extended benefits … Asaro-Angelo said delays in getting the bill signed held up his IT department from reprogramming its antiquated computer system. It created a lapse in benefits to 75,000 workers, who account for 5% of those seeking unemployment payments in New Jersey."

—"N.J. Labor Dept. says it will double staff at call center to help unemployed people"

THE 'WE SHOULD HAVE GIVEN EVERYONE HCQ' COMMISSION — Senate Republicans announce hearings to examine Murphy's 'flawed' pandemic response, by POLITICO's Katherine Landergan: State Senate Republicans announced Friday that they will conduct independent hearings, beginning next month, into what they say is the Murphy administration's "flawed response" to the pandemic. "Since May, Senate Republicans have sought a bipartisan investigation to understand the policy and management failures of the Murphy Administration that led to preventable deaths, destroyed businesses and jobs, and left millions of New Jerseyans without access to important services and support," Senate Minority leader Tom Kean Jr. said in a statement. Senate Republicans have been clamoring for a select committee to investigate the state's long-term care facilities and veterans homes since last spring. Senate President Steve Sweeney, a Democrat, announced plans to launch a bipartisan committee with Kean to investigate New Jersey's response in May. But the committee ultimately failed to materialize amid reluctance by some Democratic senators.

SEXUAL HARASSMENT BILL — "Sexual Harassment bill needs a well-thought-out do-over," by Koren Frankfort for InsiderNJ: "So to answer the question, Are you excited about what is happening in Trenton to help women in politics? The answer is: not particularly. In the beginning of The Working Group on Campaign Harassment, I had spoken with the members of that group wearing the hat of 'the first woman to come forward publicly about the predations and toxic environment faced by women in this state.' This group was founded two years after I wrote about the League being a hotbed of impropriety and predation… Nevertheless, the reforms being put forth are woefully inadequate and the general treatment of those seeking real change appears to be abusive, misplaced, and counterproductive in NJ and Nationally."

LUNACY — "Bus supervisor fired by NJ Transit months after prior Academy employment revealed," by The Record's Colleen Wilson: "Antonio Luna, a bus supervisor at the Port Authority Bus Terminal for NJ Transit and former Academy bus employee, no longer works at the agency. NJ Transit spokesman Jim Smith said Luna was terminated from his position with the agency Thursday, but could not elaborate on the reason for his firing because it was a personnel matter … Luna was hired by NJ Transit in August 2019, the same month he left Academy Bus LLC where he worked since 2017. His departure from NJ Transit comes about two months after a NorthJersey.com article revealed he was employed by the agency even though he was named as a defendant in a case accusing Academy of defrauding NJ Transit out of at least $15 million in penalties and fees, according to court documents filed by the New Jersey Attorney General's office in November."

—"Friendly Fire: The Biden relief bill, the Montclair kerfuffle, and Dick Zimmer Redux"

—Murphy signs bill to expand outdoor dining

—"Many think weed is already legal in N.J. But cops still make arrests as Murphy, lawmakers haggle over bills"

—"State changes COVID vaccine rules to get NY residents who teach in NJ 'shots in arms'"

THE INDISPENSABLE GUIDE TO CONGRESS: Looking for the latest on the Schumer/McConnell dynamic or the increasing tensions in the House? What are the latest whispers coming out of the Speaker's Lobby? Just leave it to Beavers... New author Olivia Beavers delivers the scoop in Huddle, the morning Capitol Hill must-read with assists from POLITICO's deeply sourced Congress team. Subscribe to Huddle today.

BIDEN TIME

IS STATE THAT HAS LONG BEEN HOME TO IMMIGRANTS FROM EVERY CORNER OF THE WORLD READY? — "Biden pledges big boost in refugee admissions. Is New Jersey ready?" by The Record's Hannan Adely: "The Rev. Seth-Kaper Dale's phone began bursting with messages and emails late Thursday following news that President Joe Biden was officially pledging to revamp the beleaguered U.S. refugee program. Biden had signed an executive order pledging to rebuild the resettlement program that had been gutted during the Trump administration and to raise admissions to 125,000 in the fiscal year starting Oct. 1. 'Hallelujah,' said Kaper-Dale, who runs Interfaith-RISE, a refugee resettlement program based in Highland Park. 'It's nice to be in a space where leadership once again believes in being leaders in service.' Interfaith-RISE is one of several resettlement agencies in New Jersey that have watched years of consecutive cuts to refugee admissions, despite what the United Nations has called record levels of displacement around the world. Advocates welcomed the news that the U.S. would increase admissions, but warned that the Biden administration has a lot of work ahead to restore the program."

GOOD FRACKING LUCK — "Fracking ban for Delaware River basin heads to a showdown in federal court," by The Philadelphia Inquirer's Andrew Maykuth: "More than a decade after environmentalists and landowners first formed battle lines over natural gas drilling in the Delaware River basin, the prolonged fight over fracking is finally heading to a resolution in a Scranton courtroom. U.S. District Judge Robert D. Mariani last month set an October trial date to hear a challenge to the drilling moratorium imposed in 2010 by the Delaware River Basin Commission, the interstate agency that manages water use in the vast Delaware watershed. A Wayne County landowner group alleges that the DRBC doesn't have jurisdiction over gas drilling ... The lawsuits could potentially rein in the interstate agency, which Congress created in 1961 to manage water resources in the Delaware basin. The 13,539-square-mile basin encompasses parts of Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Delaware, and New York. The governors of the four states comprise the voting members of the commission, along with a federal representative."

"George P. Shultz, counsel and Cabinet member for two Republican presidents, dies at 100," by The Washington Post's Michael Abramowitiz: "The Hoover Institution at Stanford University, where Dr. Shultz was long affiliated after stepping down as secretary of state in 1989, announced the death but did not give a cause. Dr. Shultz's prodigious inside knowledge of the U.S. government was rivaled by few figures in recent memory, and his soft-spoken, cerebral manner obscured his strong conservative views about the wisdom of keeping spending under control, limiting government regulation and vigorously confronting terrorists … George Pratt Shultz was born in Manhattan on Dec. 13, 1920. An only child, he was raised in Englewood, N.J., and attended the private Loomis School in Windsor, Conn."

WITH SO MUCH DRAMA IN THE CDC IT'S KINDA HARD BEING JOSH D-O-DOUBLE T — "NJ lawmakers to CDC: Teachers should be priority for COVID vaccine. Here's their argument," by Th Record's Hannan Adely: "Vaccinations for teachers must be a priority to help schools reopen and prevent further learning loss among students, two North Jersey lawmakers wrote in a letter to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on Thursday. The letter from Reps. Josh Gottheimer, D-Wyckoff, and Tom Malinowski, D-Ringoes, was sent a day after the director of the CDC, Rochelle Walensky, suggested that schools could safely reopen without teacher vaccines. 'We know that every parent, including ourselves, wants their child to be able to return to a safe and stable school environment where they can see their friends and receive the best education possible,' the congressmen wrote in a letter to Walensky."

—Judge hears arguments on New Jersey's restrictions on religious gatherings

—"Rutgers President discusses his new book -- and how Black Americans saved democracy | Moran"

LOCAL

THE WAY THE COOKIE CRUMBLES — "New Jersey's Nabisco factory to close by summer, 600 workers laid off," by Fairlawn-Glen Rock Daily Voice's Cecilia Levine : "The New Jersey Nabisco factory that has been pumping sweet cookie aromas into the air along Route 208 for years will shutter by the summer, leaving 600 workers without jobs. The Fair Lawn factory and another in Atlanta, Georgia will close in late August or early September, Borough Mayor Kurt Peluso and Nabisco's parent company, Mondelez International, said Thursday. The reason for the closure was a geographical one, Peluso said. While the snack company has one plant each serving the Central U.S. and West Coast, there were three serving the East Coast."

— Jack Ciattarelli: "Governor Murphy, this is on you. 600 NJ families have lost a paycheck tonight because your incompetence has made this state the very WORST in which to do business."

—@TomSullivanNJ : "Look at the next runner-up for Gov @Jack4NJ exploiting news that the @nabisco plant is closing and jobs will be lost. Pointing fingers at anyone other than @MDLZ is a sign of desperation, and desperation this early (not even officially the GOP nominee yet) proves his irrelevance"

AS MORRIS GETS MORE BIG D DEMOCRATIC, MORRIS GOP GETS LESS SMALL D DEMOCRATIC —"Morris GOP approves organization line," by New Jersey Globe's David Wildstein: "Morris County Republicans voted overwhelmingly to establish an organization line for the June 2021 primary election. After weeks of legal battles, county committee members voted 305-143 to end the decades-old system of an open primary and create an organization line. The GOP will award the line at an open convention. The vote is a big win for Republican County Chair Laura Marie Ali, who campaign hard for bylaws amendment. Ali and State Sen. Joe Pennacchio (R-Montville), among others, want the party to adopt an organizational line to ensure strong candidates win primaries as Democratic strength in the county grows."

BY CALLING IT A 'POP-UP' SITE, PATERSON RISKS ATTRACTING THOUSANDS OF WHITE HIPSTERS — "Paterson plans 'pop-up' site to make COVID vaccine accessible to Black residents," by The Paterson Press' Joe Malinconico: "In an effort to increase the number of Black Paterson residents getting the COVID-19 vaccine, the mayor wants to open a "pop-up" inoculation site at one of the city's African American churches. Mayor Andre Sayegh said his goal is to open the site by the end of this month, but details of its operations have not yet been determined. In making his announcement, Sayegh said the city doesn't have precise statistics but estimates that African American residents have made up about 1% to 2% of the people getting vaccines at Paterson's inoculation center. The disparity mirrors the low vaccine numbers among Black residents for New Jersey as well as the country."

0.2 MASTROS — "Newark moves on $2M commitment to build 100 units of housing for homeless," by NJ Advance Media's Rebecca Panico : "The City of Newark has selected five developers to build 100 units of housing with supportive services for homeless residents after advertising a $2 million commitment to finance the projects. The funding, which comes from the city's own coffers, would ultimately save Newark more than $1 million in sheltering annually, officials previously said. 'It has long been my vision to provide our residents without addresses with decent, livable, and supportive housing, so that they can gain personal independence,' said Mayor Ras Baraka on Friday."

ROCK, ROCK, ROCKAWAY ETHICAL BREACH — "Rockaway Twp. Councilman files suit for information against town officials," by The Daily Rdcord's Gene Myers: "Councilman Tucker Kelley is suing the township and the municipal clerk's office in an effort to find out if the town is being overcharged by its lawyers, states the lawsuit. The issue goes back to a June 23 Council meeting. Kelley said the township's lawyers, the firm of Iaciofano and Perrone, erroneously overcharged the town by submitting a bill claiming both attorneys had attend the public portion of the meeting. Kelley said only Perrone was present on the Webex virtual meeting. . Councilman Tucker Kelley This suit brings the number of open suits against the town filed by Kelley to four. This suit states only one lawyer from the firm Iaciofano and Perrone attended the June 23 Webex meeting, yet Township Council agreed to pay for both."

—"Atlantic County resolution condemning Capitol invasion may move forward"

—"Parking director Kim Jackson retiring from Princeton University amid Trenton ethics probe"

TRACK THE FIRST 100 DAYS OF THE BIDEN ADMINISTRATION: President Biden's cabinet is getting confirmed, bringing change to agencies and departments across the Executive Branch. From the West Wing to Foggy Bottom, track the first 100 days of the Biden administration with Transition Playbook, our scoop-filled newsletter that chronicles the policies, people, and emerging power centers of the new administration. Subscribe today.

EVERYTHING ELSE

BUSES — "Channeling Rosa Parks, N.J. activists want better bus service for people of color," by NJ Advance Media's Larry Higgs: "On what would be the 108th birthday of Rosa Parks, who refused to move to the back of a segregated bus in Montgomery, Alabama in 1955, riders and activists in New Jersey said people of color need a bus riders bill of rights to address issues highlighted by the coronavirus pandemic. Disadvantaged neighborhoods also need electric buses to reduce health problems from diesel fumes, and better service to get them to work, school and the grocery store, said riders, community activists and groups speaking as part of an annual Transit Equity Day forum Thursday."

AIRBORN — "Airlines have strict mask policies. This NJ man got kicked off a United flight for wearing one," by The Record's Colleen Wlson: "Mahwah native Rob Joseph said that's what happened when he and his brother tried to board a United Airlines flight out of Newark Liberty International Airport wearing a Narwall Mask — a full face shield that filters air in and out using a design inspired by scuba diving gear — they were told to replace the devices with cloth coverings or they wouldn't be allowed to fly. A United spokesman said it was out of compliance with their mask policy."

—" Montclair State University executive accused of verbal abuse"

—"NJ company that paid $640K for N95 masks in April is suing the supplier. Here's why"

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