News : POLITICO New Jersey Playbook: The Murphy-Sacco official misconduct fight will continue

Tuesday, April 20, 2021

POLITICO New Jersey Playbook: The Murphy-Sacco official misconduct fight will continue

Apr 20, 2021

Presented by Ørsted

Good Tuesday morning! It's the first 4/20 New Jerseyans can celebrate legally.

The Murphy administration didn't just conditionally veto the mandatory minimum bill yesterday. Attorney General Gurbir Grewal issued a directive that should accomplish much of what the bill intended to – well, except for getting rid of mandatory minimums for corruption offenses.

Grewal's directive tells prosecutors to make use of an option they already have that allows them to set aside parole ineligibility for non-violent drug crimes. Now, it's no longer an option — with some exceptions. And unlike the bill the Legislature sent to Murphy on March 1, Grewal's directive is retroactive for those already in prison.

This is politically deft, since it allays some of the concerns of criminal justice advocates who had thrown in with the legislative effort even though some were uneasy about Nick Sacco's amendment to exclude corruption offenses. It doesn't address mandatory minimum sentences for non-violent property crimes, though I'm not sure how many — if any — inmates are currently serving mandatory minimum sentences for those offenses. And it can be overturned by the next administration.

But this raises a question: If that's all Grewal had to do to tackle such a big part of this problem, why did it take this long? Grewal spox Steve Barnes: "Our preference was—and remains—to codify these changes by statute. But as it became clear that the Legislature would not send the Governor a bill that reflected the Commission's recommendations, the Attorney General decided he could wait no longer."

The Legislature doesn't plan to override the veto, but to pass the same bill again. Senate President Sweeney "We have made a lot of progress in achieving criminal justice reforms in New Jersey to do away with the bias that has plagued the justice system for too long. We should continue our efforts to bring meaningful reforms by enacting the legislation that eliminates all mandatory minimums sentences."

So maybe this summer I can recycle this Playbook top. Read more about it here.

WHERE'S MURPHY — No 4/20 events planned. He's in Cyberspace at 11:15 a.m. for a "Garden State Guarantee Initiative" roundtable broadcast on his Facebook page. Media: PIX 11 at 8:05 a.m.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY — Kivvit's Chris Donnelly

QUOTE OF THE DAY: "I believe the power of the line and the popularity of Governor Murphy would make it impossible to compete successfully." — Assemblymember Nicholas Chiaravalloti (D-Hudson) dropping his reelection bid after losing party support, while handing opponents of "the line" a nice line for their lawsuit.

CORONAVIRUS TRACKER — 1,935 newly-reported positive PCR tests for a total of 860,447. 18 more deaths for a total of 25,161 confirmed or probable. 2,062 hospitalized, 435 in intensive care.

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WHAT TRENTON MADE

THE RESERVE SHOULD BE ABLE TO PAY FOR AT LEAST 1,000 MASTRO REPORTS — "NJ set to gain $6 billion, but Murphy wants to draw down emergency fund," by NJ Spotlight's John Reitmeyer: "The COVID-19 pandemic and its economic shocks were unexpected. But those budget cuts and others could have been avoided, at least in part, if New Jersey had done a better job in previous years of socking away enough revenue in an account whose purpose, according to statute, includes 'meeting the costs of any emergency.' Early on during Gov. Phil Murphy's tenure, his administration identified budget reserves as a concern and went out of its way to make the first deposit to the state's emergency account — commonly referred to as the 'rainy day' fund — after that account was completely drained during the 2007-2009 Great Recession. Those funds, totaling more than $400 million, helped to offset at least some of the revenue losses that came last year amid the health crisis … But this year, with the balance of the rainy day fund projected to hit $1.4 billion amid an improving overall fiscal outlook for New Jersey, Murphy appears poised for what many see as a big policy reversal. The nearly $45 billion budget he has proposed for the fiscal year that begins on July 1 calls for drawing down the rainy day fund's entire balance in a single fiscal year."

PERHAPS ATTENDING THAT 'STOP THE STEAL' RALLY WAS A MISTAKE — " Double trouble for Jack Ciattarelli: GOP hopeful shadowed by Christie, Trump," by The Record's Charles Stile: "Through the years, New Jersey Democrats have relentlessly attacked their Republican opponents by casting them as clones of the GOP's most noxious leader of the national moment. Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich was fused at the hip with Republican Senate candidates and legislative candidates in the 1990s. Unpopular George W. Bush was summoned on the stump of House races in the 2000s. And Dick Cheney was so radioactive in 2006 that U.S. Senate candidate Thomas H. Kean Jr. deliberately arrived late to a Newark fundraiser with the former vice president — by taking Route 1 rather than the turnpike. But former Somerset County Assemblyman Jack Ciattarelli, the presumptive GOP front-runner for governor, is facing an unprecedented guilt-by-association challenge. He is being cast as the immediate descendant of two unpopular Republicans with national profiles: former President Donald Trump, the anti-immigrant champion of conspiracy theories and peddler of the 'Big Lie' over the 2020 election; and Chris Christie, the Bridgegate-battered ex-New Jersey governor, whose Nero-in-a-beach-chair photo during the 2016 budget shutdown is seared into the state's consciousness."

ALSO FOR THOSE BORN FROM 1965 TO 1979 — " New Jersey adds 'X' as gender option on MVC driver's licenses," by The Record's Katie Sobk: "The New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission said Monday that an additional gender option will be available on driver licenses and non-driver identification cards: an 'X' to indicate unspecified. It will be offered alongside the existing male and female options for residents who identify as non-binary or prefer not to specify a gender, according to a statement released by the agency."

I HOPE HE DIDN'T SAY 'FULL STOP' — "Murphy has 'heart-heart' chat with Chiaravalloti," by InsiderNJ's Fred Snowflack: "Gov. Phil Murphy, not surprisingly, bypassed a chance today to comment on the Hudson County battle that is pushing Assemblyman Nick Chiaravalloti out of the Legislature. Asked about it at his briefing, the governor said he had a heart-to-heart private chat with Chiaravalloti this morning."

TIME FOR SOME GAMBLING PROBLEMS IN FORT LEE — "New Jersey border towns surpass Las Vegas as sports gambling hotspot," by Basketball News' Chris Sheridan: "[New Yorkers] are flocking to Fort Lee, N.J. every single day with so much gambling gusto that they have made the border town of approximately 40,000 people — the first exit in New Jersey after crossing the George Washington Bridge from New York — one of the top gambling hotspots in the entire United States. Sportsbook insiders say Fort Lee is often pulling in more money on any given day than the entire state of Nevada, as the U.S. legalized sports gambling marketplace continues to boom."

—" After months of emotional testimony from women, new laws expand rape victims' rights"

—Murphy vetoes bill allowing medical cannabis prescriptions through telehealth

—Hennelly: " Are there limits to Murphy's soft shoe charm? Immigrant groups think so"

—"He's 84 and battled COVID. Should NJ inmate convicted in trooper's killing get out of prison?"

—" N.J. police officers, firefighters can retire early under bill signed by Murphy"

—"Murphy names new State Ethics Commission members"

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BIDEN TIME

R.I.P. — Officer Brian Sicknick died of strokes after the insurrection, D.C. medical examiner rules, by POLITICO's Benjamin Din: Capitol Police Officer Brian Sicknick died from strokes a day after the Jan. 6 Capitol insurrection, the D.C. Medical Examiner's Office ruled on Monday. His death was the result of natural causes, not a homicide, and was not hastened by an injury, according to the report. Two men were charged last month with assaulting Sicknick with bear spray, although no homicide charges were filed. The latest report will likely make it more difficult for federal prosecutors to pursue such charges related to Sicknick's death.

MUY MALINOWSKI — " Amid complaint, Malinowski keeps buying and selling," by Business Insider's Dave Levinthal: "Following Insider's reporting in March, two nonprofit watchdog groups filed separate complaints against Rep. Tom Malinowski, a Democrat from New Jersey, for failing to properly disclose dozens of stock trades during 2020. Malinowski has since begun disclosing his stock trades per federal rules, and he earlier this month revealed several new purchases and sales. Among them, Malinowski bought up to $50,000 worth of stock each in artificial intelligence software company C3.ai, organ transplant company CareDx, and emergency management information company Everbridge. Malinowski sold stock investments in food delivery company DoorDash Inc. and Hologic Inc."

—"Biden picks Livingston native as ambassador to Bahrain"

—"Menendez uses Bloomfield to Make national infrastructure case"

A message from Ørsted:

LOCAL

THERE ARE NO RED OR BLUE COUNTIES. ONLY GREEN COUNTIES — "NJ legal weed was overwhelmingly backed by voters; so why are towns banning it?" by The Asbury Park Press' Mike Davis: "Marijuana legalization won the support of voters in 562 of the 565 municipalities in New Jersey, according to the analysis, the most detailed review of the vote undertaken to date. And of the three towns where voters rejected the ballot question, two are among the smallest towns in the state with less than 15 registered voters each. The review, with scant exception, showed the pro-legalization vote prevailed north, central and south, in 'red' and 'blue' swaths of the state, and in rural and urban areas alike … Nonetheless, since Gov. Phil Murphy signed enabling marijuana legalization into law Feb. 22, dozens of towns in New Jersey have passed ordinances opting out of the cannabis industry — essentially banning all legal weed dispensaries, grow facilities and manufacturers … the local ordinances opposing marijuana businesses set up a clear disconnect between town governments opposing the legal weed industry, even when a majority of residents support it. 'I guarantee that, if you put a question saying, 'Point Pleasant Beach, do you want a marijuana grow or storefront here, it would fail overwhelmingly – Republicans, Democrats, independents,' said Point Pleasant Beach Mayor Paul Kanitra, whose borough council has already introduced an opt-out ordinance."

CAMDEN — Camden schools reopen for in-person learning — but just for youngest students, by POLITICO's Carly Sitrin: The youngest students at the H.B. Wilson Family School were welcomed back for in-person learning Monday morning with clean versions of hit pop songs, celebratory fire trucks and a flashing three-wheel, two-seat police vehicle called a Slingshot. Devine Burton, a 7-year-old first grader, was one of the first to arrive and got to sit in the Slingshot and blast the horn, enthusiastically greeting his classmates as they returned to the school for the first time since buildings were ordered closed in March 2020. Districtwide, around 900 pre-K through second graders, along with some students with special needs, reported back to their buildings on Monday, part of the phased-in approach the Camden City School District is taking for reopening. Superintendent Katrina McCombs said that by the end of the school year, the district is hoping to have all students in pre-K through 12th grade back in class in some form, though she has not yet set a date for when the higher grades will return.

—"Jersey City Public Schools won't resume in-person learning until September, supt. say"

SIMS' CITY — "Hackensack council candidates have spotty record voting in local elections," by The Record's Terrence T. McDonald: "In Hackensack, where five City Council seats are up for grabs next month, 15 candidates want voters to cast their ballots on May 11. But many of the candidates have failed to show up to the polls on Election Day. Eleven of the 15 council hopefuls have not voted in at least one city election in the last three cycles, and four of them have missed two of the last three rounds of municipal balloting, according to voting records reviewed by NorthJersey.com and The Record. The candidates' reasons vary. One forgot to vote, another had recently moved to Hackensack and said they hadn't yet begun to focus on local issues. Incumbent Councilman David Sims declined to say why candidates on his ticket did not vote and called NorthJersey.com's inquiry 'offensive and ridiculous.' 'Not a single resident with whom we have spoken has asked us about our voting histories,' Sims wrote in an email. Sims voted in two of the last three rounds of city elections, missing the 2009 race, voting records show."

R.I.P. — "Former two-term Hoboken Mayor Anthony Russo, father of councilman, passes away," by Hudson County View's John Heini: "Former two-term Hoboken Mayor Anthony Russo, the father of 3rd Ward Councilman Mike Russo, passed away this morning at 74 years old. Russo was first elected mayor in 1993 and then re-elected in 1997. He sought a third term in 2001, but was bested by then-Councilman Dave Roberts. He was diagnosed with brain cancer in 2000 and while surgery to remove a tumor was successful, he was again diagnosed with cancer in 2001 and 2003."

2.2 MASTROS OF SAVINGS — " Paterson police and firefighters lose health insurance ruling," by The Paterson Press' Joe Malinconico : "A state appellate court on Monday gave Mayor Andre Sayegh's administration a legal victory in a multimillion-dollar battle over the medical benefits the city provides its police officers and firefighters. The decision will affect the health care for more than 1,000 municipal public safety workers and retirees. At issue was the Sayegh administration's 2018 decision to switch all municipal workers from a costly self-insurance program for employee health coverage to the state benefits plan, a move city officials said saved about $20 million per year. Monday's appeals court decision negated previous rulings by a state arbitrator and lower courts. The lower courts had said the city had to resume the self-insurance system because Paterson violated its police and fire employment contracts by making the change without union consent."

CASH RULES EVERYTHING AROUND ME. CREAM GET MONEY. NEW JERSEY FILM & DIGITAL MEDIA TAX CREDIT, Y'ALL — "'Wu-Tang: An American Saga' Hulu series films in Elmwood Park," by The Record's Joshua Jongsma Tariq Zehawi NorthJersey.com: "Elmwood Park became the center of some '90s nostalgia Monday as a Hulu series about the Wu-Tang Clan filmed in the borough. 'Wu-Tang: An American Saga' filmed on Broadway near Elizabeth Avenue and Florence Terrace. Michael Foligno, Elmwood Park's borough manager and police chief, confirmed that the series was filming in town."

— "Morris County has 10 Superfund sites. One threatens the Great Swamp"

—"Ferries look to lure COVID-cautious commuters backN.J. principal who reported bullying of a family member was suspended from his job, lawyers say"

—"Hughes administration was 'very cryptic' with commissioners about $660K theft"

—"Police shut down Atco Dragway car show over crowd size"

—"Blue line erased, but Ocean County to raise 100 flags to support cops"

—"Merck builds in Rahway ahead of global headquarters relocation"

—"Vineland joins lawsuit to make hospitals other facilities pay property taxes"

—" Freshly to open 234K sq. ft. facility in East Greenwich, bring 340 jobs to Gloucester County"

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EVERYTHING ELSE

ANOTHER SUMMER LIKE NO OTHER EXCEPT THE SUMMER IT WAS LIKE — "Another summer like no other," by NJBIZ's Daniel Munoz: "Business leaders and local officials up and down the state's 141-mile Jersey Shore say they expect summer tourism to explode this year. They cite ramped up and steady COVID-19 vaccination efforts, the ability amid warmer weather to conduct more business outside where public health experts say the risk of viral transmission is much lower, and a general familiarity with the virus that was not present during the summer 2020 season while the state was still reeling from the first wave and a practical statewide shutdown … But that surge poses its own set of problems. Local businesses and municipal governments have spent years, sometimes decades, to fine-tune how they gear up for the summer season. Losses in revenue from reduced capacity, combined with waves of tourists, uncertain COVID-19 restriction prospects, and increased expenses from sanitization, have upended that model."

BLOW OUT SALE — "Bomb squad called after hand grenade found at North Cape May yard sale," by The Press of Atlantic City's Claire Lowe: "The Atlantic City Bomb Squad responded to a home in North Cape May Saturday after the property owners discovered a hand grenade in an old garage while preparing for a yard sale. Lower Township Police responded immediately and shut down Shore Drive between Racetrack and Folsom drives around 9 a.m. after receiving the initial report, according to a press release .. The latest device was discovered by a couple who were cleaning out a garage that no one had looked through in more than 30 years. They had inherited the property from an uncle and were renting it out. 'Needless to say they were surprised when they opened the box,' Corcoran said."

—"N.J. fishing groups worry offshore wind will adversely affect their industry: 'This is our farmland"

—"Ferries look to lure COVID-cautious commuters back with a breezy ride"

—"Atlantic City's Ocean Casino plowing $15M into renovations"

—"NJ gas utility unveils 'clean energy plan' to counter anti-fossil fuel sentiment"

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