News: POLITICO New Jersey Playbook: Coronavirus killed dark money reform

Friday, February 5, 2021

POLITICO New Jersey Playbook: Coronavirus killed dark money reform

Feb 05, 2021

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By Matt Friedman

Presented by Pre-K Our Way

Good Friday morning!

Remember the dark money disclosure law?

Eleven months ago, as it was clear the law was going to be ruled unconstitutional , the state settled with its challengers and Attorney General Gurbir Grewal issued an injunction.

But its sponsors pledged they would work to find a constitutional way to force shadowy political groups who hide behind non-profit status to disclose who's funding them.

"We will continue to fight to ensure that those organizations that accept anonymous large donations are forced to disclose their sources," Assemblymember Andrew Zwicker (D-Middlesex) and state Sen. Troy Singleton (D-Burlington) said.

That was on March 4. We all know what happened days later. Now, as the gubernatorial contest gears up, New Jersey has no dark money law. And if the past is any indication, the dark money will be flowing.

To the extent that the Legislature has focused on elections, it's been related to the pandemic: Mail-in voting, ballot cure procedures and a push to expand early voting with in-person polling sites. But the effort to cull dark money has, well, gone dark. Read more about it here.

WHERE'S MURPHY? In cyberspace to sign outdoor dining expansion legislation at 10:15 a.m., virtual "briefing" with New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo, per Cuomo's schedule, Trenton at 1 p.m. for a coronavirus press conference.

CORONAVIRUS TRACKER: 2,503 newly-reported positive PCR tests for a total of 633,731. 101 more deaths for a total of 19,606 (and 2,187 probable deaths). 2,971 hospitalized, 531 in intensive care. 1.8 percent of the population is fully vaccinated.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY: Murphy speechwriter Derek Roseman, firefighter Jason Carty, former Bergen County Freeholder Jim Carroll, Carlstadt Director of Public Works Joe Crifasi. Saturday for U.S. Rep. Bonnie Watson Coleman, state Sen. Loretta Weinberg, Humane Society's Brian Hackett, Codey aide Erin Rice, EIG's Chris Slevin. Sunday for Assembly Dem staffer Sherwood Goodenough, Fidelity's Kosi Remy

QUOTE OF THE DAY: "Plaintiffs maintain that the Governor's continued practice of dispensing salami slices of religious liberty at key junctures in this litigation is not supported by 'science' or verified data and cannot survive strict scrutiny." — Attorney Christopher Ferrara, who's representing clerics suing Gov. Murphy over gathering restrictions, in a letter to the judge.

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

SO ABOUT THOSE MANDATORY MINIMUM SENTENCES — 3 officers charged with official misconduct in wake of alleged assault at women's prison, by POLITICO's Carly Sitrin: Three officers at the Edna Mahan Correctional Facility for Women have been charged with official misconduct for their alleged roles in an incident in which inmates were beaten and "seriously injured," the state Attorney General's Office announced Thursday. According to the AG's office, at least six women said that on Jan. 11, more than two dozen officers at the prison forcibly removed them from their cells, beat them, pepper sprayed them and in one case allegedly sexually assaulted an inmate. "Edna Mahan has a long, ugly history — one that has justifiably attracted scrutiny from county, state, and federal investigators," Attorney General Gurbir Grewal said in a statement, vowing to continue the investigation into the January incident. "We must hold the responsible parties accountable, and we must fix the systemic failures that made this incident possible."

NURSING HOMES — "Frail people, deadly care: COVID ravaged N.J. nursing homes. Did neglect from caretakers make things far more deadly?" by NJ Advance Meida's Susan K. Livio: "Family members and advocates say many basic human needs of residents were not met in certain nursing homes. They did not get enough food, or there was no one to feed them. They were not bathed; their teeth were not brushed. In some cases, medication was not given out. There also have been allegations of outright abuse. Many nursing homes, long understaffed, remain woefully short on help, a concern that is widely acknowledge within the industry. The problems were exacerbated by an infectious disease that sickened 20,000 caregivers and took the lives of at least 140 in New Jersey, which industry officials themselves acknowledge affected the quality of care many received. Lockdowns enacted to slow the spread of the coronavirus prevented families from advocating for their loved ones — many of whom sank into deep despair. And in some places, the lockdowns also kept out medical professionals, families say. Inspection reports of dozens of long-term care facilities obtained under public records requests revealed incidents alleging neglect or sub-par care."

POLLING DATA DETERMINES DATES — " Murphy reverses on Super Bowl curfew. Will relaxed COVID rules pay off for reelection?" by The Record's Charles Stile: "Murphy's decision to relax the indoor standards by expanding the indoor limit from 25% to 35% occupancy comes just a little more than a week after his administration dismissed a plea by state Republicans to do roughly the same thing. Relaxing restrictions for Super Bowl crowds was too risky a move for a second-wave surge, Murphy officials scoffed at the time … For one thing, Murphy is in reelection mode. While he managed to emerge from the pandemic's first year as a well-regarded crisis manager, there are several tributaries of discontent about his administration's management flowing beneath his gleaming campaign facade. … As a result, Murphy's order defused the negative static — at least for a few news cycles — with a jolt of positive news."

OXYCONSULTANT — "Opioid settlement reached with McKinsey: What New Jersey will get, and its ties to the company," by The Record's Dustin Racioppi: "New Jersey will receive about $16 million in an opioid legal settlement with the consulting titan McKinsey & Company, the go-to firm of the Murphy administration that is advising it on the state's COVID-19 response and other policy matters. The settlement announced Thursday morning by the Attorney General's Office means that New Jersey will recoup nearly half of the $35 million in contracts it has committed to the firm over four years … McKinsey's alleged role in the opioid crisis, which hit New Jersey particularly hard, was wide-ranging, and it sold its ideas to Purdue from 2004 through 2019, according to Grewal's office … In 2013, McKinsey planned on 'significantly increasing' the frequency of Purdue's sales visits to high-volume OxyContin prescribers and focusing Purdue's market messaging on higher, more lucrative dosages, the Attorney General's Office said."

VACCINES — "Only 146K New Jerseyans are fully vaccinated. Can the state reach its 4.7M goal by June?" by The Record's Scott Fallon: "The lack of doses and a stumbling rollout on the national and state levels have led people … to question whether Gov. Phil Murphy's goal to vaccinate 4.7 million New Jerseyans within six months and usher in a return-to-normalcy is achievable … A big hope among many in public health is that Johnson & Johnson's vaccine will unclog the bottleneck by offering a single dose that is more easily transported and stored because it does not require low temperatures, unlike the two-shot Pfizer and Moderna vaccines … That pace will accelerate with Johnson & Johnson, but it still may not be enough to meet Murphy's goal, said Corey Basch, chair of William Paterson University's Department of Public Health."

MAGAMNESIA — "New Jersey's Republican candidate for governor is keeping his distance from Trump," by The Philadelphia Inquirer's Allison Steele: "Ciattarelli has the luxury of ignoring Trump, at least for now, because he's seen as the only viable Republican in the race. Two other candidates are running with little party support. In a state where Biden won all but five counties, some GOP strongholds remain: Ocean County went for Trump by close to 30 percentage points, and in South Jersey's 2nd Congressional District Rep. Jeff Van Drew was reelected as a Republican after the longtime Democrat switched parties. 'New Jersey is a blue state, and it appears to be remaining a blue state,' Palatucci said. 'That's the starting point that most Republicans have to recognize and acknowledge. To run as a Trump candidate in a state like New Jersey would be suicidal.'"

AMOUNT LIMITED TO A SINGLE TON — "Letting you grow medical weed at home advanced by N.J. lawmaker," by NJ Advance Media's Amanda Hoover: "Sen. Troy Singleton, D-Burlington, introduced a home grow bill Thursday that would allow medical marijuana patients or their caregivers to register as home cultivators. They could then grow up to four mature marijuana plants and four immature plants. The Democratic senator's bill is more restrictive than a measure by a more conservative lawmaker, Sen. Gerald Cardinale, R-Bergen. He introduced a bill last week that would legalize growing up to six marijuana plants for medical or personal use, pending the passage of a bill to legalize marijuana for those 21 and older."

ANOTHER SPORTS AND EXPOSITION EXPERT — "Murphy picks Schaffer for Sports Authority post," by New Jersey Globe's David Wildstein: "Gov. Phil Murphy will nominate Peg Schaffer, the Somerset County Democratic Chair, and the vice chair of the Democratic State Committee, for a seat on the Sports and Exposition Authority. She will replace Bob Yudin, a former Bergen County Republican Chairman."

—" N.J. public worker pension fund and taxpayers hit hard by workers' comp 'loophole,' report says"

—"McGuckin, Catalano will face challenge for Ocean GOP support"

—" Murphy says NJ Transit has improved, commuters say not so fast. Where is the disconnect?"

—"NJ's new action plan for dealing with childhood adversities"

—" New Jersey can give children of color a true chance to succeed. Here's how | Opinion"

—"Judicial conduct panel recommends removal for Union County judge"

TUNE IN TO NEW EPISODE OF GLOBAL TRANSLATIONS: Our Global Translations podcast, presented by Citi, examines the long-term costs of the short-term thinking that drives many political and business decisions. The world has long been beset by big problems that defy political boundaries, and these issues have exploded over the past year amid a global pandemic. This podcast helps to identify and understand the impediments to smart policymaking. Subscribe for Season Two, available now.

BIDEN TIME

A TALE OF TWO MEMBERS — I've given Rep. Chris Smith some flack on here for airing false theories about antifa being responsible for the Capitol Riot. So I should acknowledge that the 40-year incumbent was one of just 11 House Republicans to vote to strip Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene of her committee assignments. Apparently calling for the deaths of her soon-to-be colleagues and promulgating theories of George Soros space lasers causing California wildfires crossed a line. Rep. Jeff Van Drew (D to R-2nd Dist), however, backed Greene. You know, he's the guy who said he left the Democratic Party because it had gotten too radical for him.

BABY BONDS — Booker reintroduces 'baby bonds' bill to give all newborns a $1K savings account, by POLITICO'S Katherine Landergan: Sen. Cory Booker introduced legislation Thursday that would create a federally funded savings account for every newborn in the United States, an idea he first proposed several years ago and promoted during his unsuccessful run for president in 2020. Under the so-called baby bonds program, the federal government would open a $1,000 savings account for every American child at birth, with additional deposits of up to $2,000 a year based on household income. Recipients could begin making withdrawals when they turn 18. The program is designed to narrow the racial wealth gap, Booker (D-N.J.) said… Booker said Thursday there's been growing momentum for the proposal, as more senators — albeit all Democrats — have signed on as co-sponsors. He said he's hopeful the measure can be passed by a Democrat-controlled Congress and signed by President Joe Biden.

ATTEMPTING TO DISENFRANCHISE MILLIONS? NOT SO BAD. BUT TWITTER… — "'Nothing good can come of it', Van Drew says of Twitter," by The Press of Atlantic City's Ahmad Austin and Michelle Brunetti Post: "U.S. Representative Jeff Van Drew, R-2nd, said Thursday he deleted his Twitter account this week because the platform had become so negative. 'You know when you are a kid and your parents tell you, 'Nothing good can come of it?' Van Drew said. 'Well nothing good can come of that (Twitter).' His decision had nothing to do with Twitter banning former President Donald Trump, Van Drew said. Facebook also did so, but he is not dropping his Facebook account, he said."

DIX MOVE — " Ex-Warden of prison where Jeffrey Epstein committed suicide tapped to lead N.J. federal prison," by NJ Advance Media's Joe Atmonavage : "The former warden of the prison where Jeffrey Epstein committed suicide is now overseeing a New Jersey correctional facility that has been ravaged by the coronavirus pandemic, NJ Advance Media has learned. Lamine N'Diaye, the former warden at the Metropolitan Correctional Center in Manhattan, started on the job at Fort Dix federal prison on Feb. 1, a Bureau of Prisons (BOP) spokesman confirmed, adding it is a 'temporary assignment.' N'Diaye came under intense scrutiny in August 2019 when Epstein, who was facing federal charges for sex-trafficking, was found unresponsive in his jail cell. N'Diaye was subsequently removed as warden and placed on desk duty at the BOP's regional office in Pennsylvania as authorities investigated Epstein's death."

—"Attorneys demand release of ICE detainees in NJ and NY citing Biden administration memo"

—"Wantage school board president announces run against Gottheimer"

—"Analilia Mejia named to U.S. Department of Labor post"

LOCAL

THE RACIAL GAP — "Fighting racial gap, NJ towns promote COVID vaccine to Black, Asian, Latino communities," by The Record's Monsy Alvarado: "As of Wednesday, New Jersey had distributed nearly 838,000 doses of vaccine, according to figures released by the state. So far, 48% have been given to white residents, 6% to Asians, 5% to Hispanics and 3% to Black recipients. Those numbers may not give a complete picture, however: 38% of the shots were classified as 'other' or 'unknown.' … The disparities are not unique to New Jersey … State, county and local officials say they're battling language barriers, inadequate access to vaccines in minority neighborhoods and a digital divide that can prevent some people from receiving critical information. There's also mistrust among some groups based on past discrimination by the medical establishment, while some immigrants who lack legal status fear the government."

0.056 MASTROS — "Bergen County ex-employee wins $495K settlement, then gets arrested on sewerage bribery charges," by The Record's Steve Janoski: "Bergen County paid $495,000 to settle a whistleblower lawsuit brought by a former department head in the Bergen County Sheriff's Office who was later arrested on bribery charges. The April settlement awarded Omid Bayati, 39, of Hillsdale a direct payment of more than $175,000 and another $45,000 in pension and insurance benefits, according to documents obtained by The Record and NorthJersey.com through a public records request. It also sent more than $179,000 to Steven Varano, Bayati's Little Falls attorney, to cover legal expenses. The rest went to state and federal taxes."

—"Paterson council eyes 'drastic' action to repeal Mayor Andre Sayegh's sewer fee program"

—"Asbury Park church leaders: Civilian board needed to fire abusive cops"

—"After lengthy public portion, Hoboken council OKs latest Monarch project settlement"

—"Ex-Lakewood district official claims ouster was for bucking school board, going to FBI"

—"Scarinci Hollenbeck partner, two Jersey City judges, nominated for Hudson County judgeships"

—"After developer reportedly didn't pay, Lavarro calls for audit of Jersey City's payroll tax collection"

—"Ringwood, I hardly know you: Andrew Burgoyne must go | Opinion"

KEEP UP WITH CONGRESS IN 2021: Get the inside scoop on the Schumer/McConnell dynamic, the debate over the filibuster and increasing tensions in the House. From Schumer to McConnell, Pelosi to McCarthy and everyone in between, 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

OH, THE HUMANITY! — "Clover shares tumble after Hindenburg's attack on tech healthcare company," by Yahoo Finance's Ines Ferré and Alexis Keenan : "Clover Health Investments (CLOV) and the special purpose acquisition company (SPAC) led by Chamath Palihapitiya that took the tech-focused healthcare company public in January came under attack on Thursday based on claims by Hindenburg Research. The report claims that Clover unfairly lured retail investors into purchasing shares while failing to disclose that it was under active investigation by the Department of Justice. Shares of Clover were down over 10% in early trading following the report … Clover, which sells Medicare insurance, has a mission of serving 'low-income and often overlooked communities.' According to Hindenburg, a civil investigative demand letter shows that the Department of Justice is investigating 12 issues related to Clover, including its software 'Clover Assistant,' as well as kickbacks, marketing practices, and undisclosed third-party deals."

FLASHBACK — Clover's co-founder is Vivek Garipalli, who famously set up a shell company that hid his identity as a $1 million donor to a super PAC that was supposed to help Steve Fulop's planned 2017 gubernatorial run. Garipalli also founded Carepoint, which you may remember from this.

—"N.J. prison officer accused of pepper spraying an inmate, falsifying reports, state says"

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