Good Tuesday morning! Senate Minority Leader Tom Kean Jr. has finally made his decision — or at least half of it. He won't run for state Senate . He hasn't said whether he'll run a rematch for Congress against U.S. Rep. Tom Malinowski in 2022, but barring some huge redistricting move, that seems all but inevitable at this point. Malinowski obviously thinks so. It would be Kean's fourth bid at federal office. This means a lot of things . For one, Assembly Minority Leader Jon Bramnick (R-Union) will run for state Senate with Kean's support. So both the Assembly and Senate minority leader positions will be open for next session, along with Bramnick's Assembly seat. We have almost a year of jockeying to look forward to for those positions. Will Bramnick, who's been more outspoken against former President Donald Trump than almost any other major New Jersey Republican, face a primary for Kean's seat? It certainly wouldn't surprise anyone. It also means Democrats will have a shot at open seats in the state Senate and the Assembly, where the district has been trending in their direction. Roselle Park Mayor Joe Signorello is already running for the Democratic state Senate nomination. And NJ FMBA President Ed Donnelly, at least based on this email, appears to be moving ahead with his all-but-declared candidacy, despite facing a harassment lawsuit. Also, there's snow. WHERE'S MURPHY? In Fords for an 11 a.m. weather press conference CORONAVIRUS TRACKER : 3,114 newly-reported positive PCR tests for a total of 626,645. 34 more deaths for a total of 19,384 (and 2,129 probable deaths). 2,865 hospitalized, 531 in intensive care. 1.4 percent of the population has been given both vaccine doses. HAPPY BIRTHDAY — Former DCA spox Hollie Gilroy. QUOTE OF THE DAY: "...sit on the couch and stay home" — Gov. Phil Murphy with advice I take every day, even though I'm no longer a New Jersey resident.
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SEAN PAUL IS NO SAINT — "Inmates: Boss of N.J. women's prison part of alleged attack. He's been sued before," by NJ Advnce Media's Blake Nelson, Joe Atmonavage and S.P. Sullivan: "An administrator in charge of New Jersey's only women's prison, who inmates and relatives say played a prominent role last month when some women said they were beaten by officers, previously was accused of at least three separate cases of misconduct. Inmates have sued Associate Administrator Sean St. Paul at least three times in the past seven years, according to federal court records. One said St. Paul broke his arm. Two others said he refused to stop officers from abusing other prisoners. St. Paul also was suspended 20 days more than a decade ago for workplace discrimination, but after an appeal that charge was dropped, according to state records. He is one of dozens of staff from the Edna Mahan Correctional Facility on paid administrative leave."
UNEMPLOYMENT — "NJ unemployment: Workers can't reach claims agents, still desperate for help with benefits," by The Record's Ashley Balcerzak: "Be patient and you will get your entitled benefits, labor officials and Gov. Phil Murphy have repeated throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. The overwhelming number of claimants have received at least one payment, they note. New Labor Department staff have been trained to help deal with the unprecedented number of claims and calls coming in, they say. But that is little comfort to the tens of thousands of New Jersey workers who, 11 months into the pandemic and the economic hardship it sparked, continue to have trouble reaching a live person to help them with claim issues. The Labor Department estimates that 96% of eligible claimants have received at least one check. But workers submitted about 1.9 million claims since mid-March, leaving roughly 78,000 workers who have yet to receive a single check. Reasons range from 'a discrepancy over the reason for separation, reporting wages in more than one state or returning to work,' among others, said department spokesperson Angela Delli Santi." JEFF VAN DREW: COMMITTED TO ELECTION INTEGRITY — Van Drew paid Craig Callaway $135K in 2020 for get-out-the-vote efforts, by POLITICO's Matt Friedman : "U.S. Rep.Jeff Van Drew (R-N.J.) paid notorious Democratic operative Craig Callaway a total of $135,000 during the 2020 election for get-out-the-vote efforts, according to his financial disclosures. Van Drew's 2020 year-end financial report, filed with the Federal Election Commission on Jan. 30, shows a $25,000 payment to Callaway's company, G.O.V. LLC. That's on top of $110,000 in previously disclosed payments to Callaway for "GOTV consulting." Context: Callaway has long helped campaigns in Atlantic County and its surroundings, but normally Democratic ones. After switching parties from Democrat to Republican a year ago and pledging his "undying support" to then-President Donald Trump, Van Drew hired Callaway to help him with his reelection when he was facing a tough challenge from Democrat Amy Kennedy. Callaway played a key role in helping Kennedy get the Democratic nomination over primary rival Brigid Harrison, but her campaign finance disclosures don't show payments to his company. MURPHY STILL ALIVE — "Did Murphy do enough for NJ Transit to get your vote? Here's what got done, what's left," by The Record's Colleen Wilson : "If you're an NJ Transit commuter who voted for Murphy in 2017, you're probably starting to wonder if he should get your vote again in November. Murphy made a lofty vow back in 2019: I'll 'fix NJ Transit if it kills me,' he said … No one could have expected the Goldman Sachs executive-turned-politician to turn around an agency that has struggled for years with a range of issues — political patronage, inconsistent funding, capital neglect, little oversight — in one term. And the pandemic certainly did not help. His administration has overcome some big hurdles in the last three years and has tried to lay the groundwork to rebuild the nation's largest statewide agency into the pioneering model it once was, but not all of his commitments have panned out. Or at least not yet." STATE POLICE — "A NJ State Police recruit died after boxing at the academy. Why is it still being taught?" by The Asbury Park Press' Andrew J. Goudsward: "The boxing exercise at the New Jersey State Police Academy here, which led to the death of a recruit in December, was reviewed four years ago by state authorities and an outside attorney after another recruit was hospitalized, officials said. Following the review, the State Police made a litany of changes, including mandating concussion training for all academy staff, teaching recruits about concussion symptoms and protocols, reducing the number of days boxing is taught, cutting the number of individual bouts and requiring recruits to familiarize themselves with the exercise as part of their preparation for the academy, State Police spokesman Lt. Jeffrey Flynn said. But boxing remained a part of the academy and the changes instituted after 2017 were not enough to prevent the death of recruit Lucas Homeijer, 27, on Dec. 1, six days after he lost consciousness while fighting a fellow classmate in the ring." WASN'T IT LIKE THIS ALREADY? — "How the pandemic has changed NJ governance, limiting public access and input," by NJ Spotlight's John Reitmeyer: " Important bills fast-tracked with key amendments inserted at the last minute. Hearings that start late but stick to tight time limits for public testimony. Consequential policies issued via executive order, first announced on social media, and not made available to the public until hours later. Governing practices like these have become commonplace in New Jersey, fostering concerns about the effectiveness of new laws and other important public policies enacted amid the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. Airing those concerns recently were two influential state policy advocates who rarely are on the same side of any debate in New Jersey." LAWSUIT: HE DID — "Union leader looking at Senate bid says he won't tolerate workplace harassment, misogyny," by New Jersey Globe's David Wildstein: " A powerful union leader who is mulling a run for State Senate in the 21st district has pushed back claims that he didn't stop another union official form treating a female employee aggressively before firing her. 'First and foremost, it is important for my position to be clear: sexual assault, harassment, misogyny and discrimination of any kind are not ever tolerated by me personally or at the NJ FMBA,' said Eddie Donnelly, the president of the New Jersey Firefighters Mutual Benevolent Association. Donnelly is exploring a Senate bid for the seat six-term incumbent Tom Kean, Jr. (R-Westfield) said he would give up at the end of the year. 'These abhorrent behaviors have dominated workplaces for far too long and it is of critical importance that we continue to work to ensure women are safe and supported whether they work in union halls or in the halls of the Statehouse,' Donnelly said." THE EARLY 90S CALLED. THEY WANT THEIR SANE GOP POLITICS BACK — "Zimmer, former GOP congressman who endorsed Biden, will seek State Senate seat," by New Jersey Globe's David Wildstein: "Dick Zimmer, a 76-year-old former Republican congressman who endorsed Joe Biden for president against Donald Trump, will run for the open State Senate seat in the 16th district, the New Jersey Globe has learned. Republican leaders confirmed that Zimmer filed a letter of intent to run for the open seat of Christopher Bateman (R-Branchburg). Bateman announced his retirement last week. Biden carried the 16th district by 28,165 votes, 61%-38%, but Republican county committee members in Hunterdon, Mercer, Middlesex and Somerset counties might be challenged to pick an prominent anti-Trump Republican who is 76 to be their Senate candidate. Zimmer has also asked to be considered for one of the two Assembly seats in the 16th, if they go in a different direction for the Senate." ABBOT V. THE WORLD — "Battle over NJ funding for schools in poorest districts is back in court. Yet again," by NJ Spotlight's Ian T. Shearn: "A four-decade legal battle over public school funding has landed back in the New Jersey Supreme Court, with a prominent watchdog group accusing state officials of again ignoring a constitutional mandate to repair and replace aging and shoddy school buildings in many of the state's poorest communities. The motion filed by the Education Law Center (ELC) on Friday claims that since 2014, neither the governor nor the Legislature has provided any additional money toward the court-required funding. That has left the Schools Development Authority (SDA), the state agency tasked with compliance in this matter, virtually broke and unable to initiate any of the dozens of 'urgently needed' construction projects it identified in 2019." —New Jersey closes vaccine megasites for second day amid storm —"N.J. vaccine hotline still not scheduling second dose appointments, users say" —"'There's got to be people to step forth': Weinberg wants Trenton reformers to keep at it" —"Double toll increase on table for Delaware River bridges in 2021 and 2024" —"Auto insurers raise rates based on your job, education, credit score. N.J. Senate says it's discrimination" —"Hackensack deputy mayor off upcoming election ticket, replacement named after COVID lapse" —Edelstein: "It is becoming increasingly clear that schools can safely open" —"Average NJ property tax bill now $9,111 — How your town compares" MEDIA MOVES – NJTV's Michael Hill is moving to WNYC. |
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