| | | | | |  | | By Matt Friedman | Presented by AARP New Jersey | Good Wednesday morning! It looks like Gov. Murphy is getting ready to deliver the sharpest rebuke yet to the anti-Norcross crowd. Two years after Camden officials told the governor to stay out of the city, local bigwigs stood with him as he used Camden as a backdrop to mark the effective date of the law requiring all patrol police officers to wear body cameras. And he praised Interim Mayor Vic Carstarphen for the energy of the city's birds, which tweeted loudly during the outdoor press conference. So does that mean the governor is about to formally endorse Carstarphen , with whom he shares "the line" in next week's primary? "I would suspect something is likely forthcoming," Murphy told reporters. "I just think Vic is doing an outstanding job." (Also, the Camden County Democratic Committee tweeted that Murphy had endorsed Carstparhen along with a photo of the two from the event, then deleted it). Carstarphen already has a huge advantage, aside from the money and boots on the ground that the Camden County Democratic machine will deliver. Take a look at this ballot and try to find his challengers. I asked Murphy if he thought the ballot structure was fair. And he gave what is perhaps the most typical politician answer to a politically difficult question: He said he hadn't seen it. Read more about it here. WHERE'S MURPHY?: Bergenfield High School at 8:45 a.m. for an event with U.S. Education Secretary Miguel Cardona to "highlight importance of in-person education." Then in cyberspace for a 1 p.m. coronavirus press conference QUOTE OF THE DAY: "It's like a wound in the body. If you don't put anything on it to heal it, it will fester. We don't have answers surrounding what happened. We don't know the most important details. There should be no delay, because the wound is deep." — Former Gov. Tom Kean, who co-chaired the 9/11 Commission, on the need for a 1/6 commission CORONAVIRUS TRACKER: 137 newly-reported positive PCR tests for a total of 887,834. 7 more deaths for a total of 26,219 confirmed or probable deaths. 530 hospitalized, 111 in intensive care. 4,235,201 fully-vaccinated, or about 45.6 percent of the population. HAPPY BIRTHDAY: "Labor goon" Chris Aikin,, CPA Ken Deitz, former Passaic GOP Chair John Traier, Pleasantville Council President Judy Ward | | | | A message from AARP New Jersey: Tell NJ Lawmakers to Lower Prescription Drug Prices! New Jerseyans shouldn't have to choose between filling life-saving prescription medications or affording food or rent. It is wrong that even in the midst of a pandemic and financial crisis, drug companies increased the prices of more than 1,000 drugs last year. Drugs don't work if people can't afford them. Make your voice heard and tell NJ lawmakers to lower prescription drug prices now! Take action. | | |
|  | WHAT TRENTON MADE | |
LINEAR THINKING — Ballot advantage to be tested in key legislative primaries, by POLITICO's Daniel Han : The strength of New Jersey's "party line" balloting system will be tested in the June 8 primary, when several incumbents in the state Legislature find themselves occupying spots on the ballot that would normally be held by long-shot challengers. It's an unusually active primary for the Legislature — all 120 seats are up for reelection this year — where incumbents typically sail to reelection with nominal challenges. That's in part due to the "party line" system, which favorably places party-backed candidates on the ballot by bracketing them under big ticket names, in this case Democratic Gov. Phil Murphy or GOP gubernatorial front runner Jack Ciattarelli. This year, some candidates have mounted off-the-line challenges somewhat voluntarily, while others have been booted by party bosses or bad luck. Some have lost party line support in counties that make up only a sliver of their legislative districts while others face steeper odds.
SON OF 100 MAGA-IACS — "Ciattarelli's long, treacherous road to Trenton winds through Trumpland," by The Record's Charles Stile: "The ex-president is haunting the campaign trail the way Freddy Krueger ruined the sleep of residents on Elm Street. It has galvanized MAGA diehards with cult-like devotion. Republicans who dare discredit the Donald — and who accept President Joe Biden's victory last November as legitimate — are viewed as traitors … He now faces a relatively smooth glide to the GOP nomination, free to pounce on Murphy, his likely general-election rival. His two MAGA-gadfly rivals for the nomination — Hirsh Singh, an engineer in the aerospace industry from Atlantic County and a perennial candidate in recent years, and Phil Rizzo, a real estate developer who leads a small Baptist church in Hudson County — can largely be ignored. That was the theory. But as the race rounds into the home stretch, Ciattarelli is now treating the gadflies — Singh in particular — as existential threats. Instead of floating above the fray, he has gone for Singh's jugular in cable ads and mail pieces. One mailer notes that Singh 'wants to be governor, but still lives at home with his parents!'" —Pro-Ciattarelli super PAC emerges with ad buy on Fox News, by POLITICO's Matt Friedman: A new super PAC has emerged to aid Republican gubernatorial candidate Jack Ciattarelli, who hopes to take on Democratic Gov. Phil Murphy in November. Fix NJ Now registered with the state in February, but did not report any fundraising or spending activity until this week, when it made a $23,494 ad buy on Fox News to run from June 2 through June 8 — the day of the Republican primary. The group also runs a website that promotes Ciattarelli. Its address is in Ciattarelli's native Somerset County. MYSTERIOUS DEVELOPER NAMED NORGE GEORCROSS IS FIRST TO APPLY — "After 2 years offline, NJ reopens applications for real estate incentives," by NJBIz's Daniel J. Munoz: "After being shuttered for nearly two years, the New Jersey Economic Development Authority opened applications June 1 for a state incentive for residential developers, under one of a dozen programs meant to lift the state out of the COVID-19 recession. The program is known formally as the Economic Redevelopment and Growth program, which initially expired in July 2019 amid intense public scrutiny and political fighting over ERG and the Grow New Jersey corporate tax breaks. But the state Legislature authorized $50 million toward the program under the newly minted 'New Jersey Economic Recovery Act of 2020,' which Gov. Phil Murphy signed in January after the bill was fast-tracked to his desk … For much larger real estate and redevelopment projects, the broader-reaching commercial ERG will be replaced by NJ Aspire under the ERA, capped at $1.1 billion a year." VACCINES — Vaccine hesitancy declining among Black New Jerseyans, new poll finds, by POLITICO's Sam Sutton: A growing number of Black and Hispanic New Jerseyans now say they are willing to get vaccinated against Covid-19, even as vaccination rates among minority communities lag that of the overall population, according to a new poll commissioned by the Newark-based nonprofit Project Ready. The poll, in which Change Research surveyed 1,215 New Jersey voters of all ethnic backgrounds between May 15 and May 20 — with an oversample of 343 Newark voters — found that 69 percent of Blacks questioned are now willing to get a dose, compared to just over 60 percent in polls taken in November 2020 and February of this year. —"N.J. towns face tight deadline on banning weed, tell commission they need more details" —"NJ Primary Election: These races are making this year's election unusually competitive" —"New Jersey's LGBTQ-inclusive curriculum a 'mindset shift' to help center diverse voices" —"N.J. bill would help people with criminal records find housing" —"A tax break for veterans waits for Murphy's signature" —"N.J. cops must have body cams starting today. Here's when they can turn them on and off" —" NJ spends $445K a year to lock a kid up. We've got a better idea. | Opinion" —"Clean-car rebate program gets second shot" —" What's next for outgoing Monmouth County prosecutor? Gramiccioni & Gramiccioni? Not exactly" | | | | SUBSCRIBE TO WEST WING PLAYBOOK: Add West Wing Playbook to keep up with the power players, latest policy developments and intriguing whispers percolating inside the West Wing and across the highest levels of the Cabinet. For buzzy nuggets and details you won't find anywhere else, subscribe today. | | | | |
| | BIDEN TIME | |
THE POWER BROOKER — How Cory Booker is wielding newfound Senate power, by POLITICO's Marianne Levine: Cory Booker can still vividly recall the first time a police officer drew a gun on him. He describes his college years in the wealthy and mostly white Northern California enclave of Palo Alto as the period where "the fear was at its highest in my life." In one terrifying moment, Booker said the police stopped him and accused him of stealing his own car. Booker said the "incidents just started racking up" after his parents bought him a car when he was a Stanford University sophomore. "You have these humiliating experiences, where you just feel helpless, and like a razor edge of the wrong move could get you shot." Thirty years later, the Democrat has those memories in mind as he leads police reform negotiations alongside Sen. Tim Scott (R-S.C.) and Rep. Karen Bass (D-Calif.). It's a daunting task that, if it ends in a workable deal, could help deter police brutality toward people of color after years of tragic killings. It's also a new chapter for the genial 52-year-old, whose presidential run on a message of love and unity ran aground but who now finds himself positioned to wield power with a new audience — his own colleagues. Booker has come a long way from the partisan combatant he's occasionally played for his party, particularly during the bitter fight to confirm Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh in 2018. These days he looks like a budding dealmaker in the mode of the sitting president, in whose administration many of Booker's former staffers hold prominent posts.
GOT-IT-WRONG-HEIMER — "SALT cap confounds doomsayers as fears of exodus prove overblown," by Bloomberg's Jonathan Levin: "Contrary to the dire predictions at the time, the massive overhaul of the nation's tax code during Donald Trump's presidency had a negligible initial impact on the nation's domestic migration patterns, new data from the Internal Revenue Service show. The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017 capped the deduction on state-and-local taxes at $10,000, further increasing — at least for top earners — the overall tax savings of states such as Florida and Texas over New York or California. The change prompted concerns that there would be a wealth exodus from traditional finance and technology hubs and an accompanying windfall for the nine states without a wage tax, which include the Sunshine and Lone Star states. The data is finally in, and it didn't happen." THE BLEWISH COALITION — "Recent spate of anti-Semitic attacks leads Booker to help form Black-Jewish Senate coalition," by NJ Advance Media's Jonathan D. Salant: "Now, in the wake of a surge in anti-Semitic attacks U.S. Sen. Cory Booker is looking toward that long-term alliance as he takes on a major role in establishing a Black-Jewish coalition in the Senate. The move has precedence. 'There's been a long history of Black people and Jewish sisters and brothers working together on a whole range of concerns,' said U.S. Sen. Raphael Warnock, D-Ga. 'We've been coming together,' Booker said. He said U.S. Sen. Tim Scott, R-S.C., the only Black Republican in the chamber, has joined as well. So has U.S. Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn." | | | |   | | |
| | LOCAL | |
OFFICIALS IN TOWN FULL OF ALCOHOL-INDUCED FIGHTS WARY OF DRUG THAT MAKES YOU MORE REFLECTIVE AND LAID BACK — "Hoboken lawmakers are considering five-store limit, other cannabis regulations," by The Jersey Journal's Teri West: "A slurry of ordinances are pending before the City Council, and Councilmember Mike Russo, who is sponsoring them, said they may be carried at Wednesday's meeting. Several of the ordinances simply lay the groundwork for license applications and approval processes. One, for example, establishes a $15,000 annual licensing fee. Another would broaden the focus of the city's Medical Cannabis Review Board to all cannabis facilities, medical and recreational. Others, however, may still be up for debate. The five-facility limit was one Russo said may welcome discussion. Under that ordinance, there would be a maximum of five cannabis retail facilities citywide, regardless of whether they sell medical cannabis, recreational cannabis or both. Prohibiting any non-retail licenses, which would include cultivators, manufacturers, wholesalers, distributers and deliverers, was first proposed at the City Council's May 19 meeting."
THEY'RE SETTING UP PHIL MURPHY FOR MAYOR IN 2026 — "Middletown activists aim to ditch the township government. What's their plan?," by The Asbury Park Press' Alex N. Gecan: "A group of politically active citizens wants to throw out the township's system of government and replace it with a more powerful mayor and a larger governing body. They say the township is too large for the prevailing five-member Township Committee, which they contend is unresponsive and leaves many effectively unrepresented ... All five members of the Committee are elected at large, and at present, all five are Republicans. Rather than having a separate mayor acting as chief executive, the Committee members select the mayor and deputy mayor from amongst themselves. Middletown Democrats, occasionally joined by the odd Republican or independent, have pushed such measures in the past, but they have gone nowhere. But the organizers say their proposal will give residents, including both Democrats and Republicans, more say in a more efficient government." DON'T HANG WITH THIS MR. COOPER — "He joined a man-boy love group. He also took photos at Bergen Catholic games for decades," by The Record's Abbott Koloff: "James E. Cooper said he'd been taking photos at Bergen Catholic High School soccer games since the late 1980s, offering prints to parents and getting to know coaches and athletic officials at the school, who thanked him for his efforts. That was years after his conviction on a sex offense had been overturned. He said there was no reason for the school to check on his background. 'I don't see any reason' for a check, said Cooper, whose web site offered photos of Bergen Catholic soccer matches through the 2018 fall season. 'If they did a criminal background check, there's nothing there.' Had anyone checked, they would have found that Cooper was arrested in 1982 for allegedly having sex with a 15-year-old boy. His attorney argued at trial that the boy was actually 16 years old — the age of consent in New Jersey — before Cooper had a sexual relationship with him. The conviction was overturned on appeal, and the case was later dismissed. Court records also show that Cooper, who lives across the street from Bergen Catholic's Oradell campus, had for many years been a member of a group that wanted to change the law to allow men to have sex with boys. He acknowledged in recent interviews — at his home and by telephone — that he had been a member of the North American Man-Boy Love Association, known as NAMBLA, years ago, but said he has never broken the law." TENAFLY WAS HAVING TROUBLE WHAT A SAD SAD STORY — "NJ district announces results of investigation into student's Hitler report. What they found," by The Record's Stephanie Noda: " The school board announced the results of its investigation into a student report on Adolf Hitler that has outraged the community, saying it is 'unfair to judge any student or teacher in this matter' since the lesson was within the context of social justice … Tenafly residents expressed shock over the weekend about a student-written biography of Adolf Hitler that hung in the Maugham Elementary School for weeks. ... The statement from the Tenafly Board of Education describes the assignment as discussing 'social norms and historical figures who personify good and evil.' The board statement said the assignment has been taken out of context, resulting in 'understandable anger and concern.' 'The assignment (which was given by a teacher who happens to be Jewish) asked students to speak from the perspective of one of these individuals and how they might have perceived and rationalized their actions,' it read. 'When people saw the students' projects, which were displayed in the school, they did not understand the assignment, resulting in justifiable concerns.'" PRISONS — "Ex-N.J. councilman who died in prison received inadequate medical care, lawsuit says ," by NJ Advance Medila's Joe Atmonagvage: "The family of the former Bloomfield councilman who died of COVID-19 while serving a state prison sentence for bribery has filed a lawsuit against the state alleging he did not receive 'proper and prompt medical attention' in custody during the pandemic. The wife of Elias Chalet filed a lawsuit in state Superior Court last week against the New Jersey Department of Corrections (DOC), DOC Commissioner Marcus Hicks and others responsible for him while in custody, alleging the 58-year-old received inadequate medical care and that 'proper preventative measures in light of the COVID-19 Pandemic' were not in place in the state's prison system." —"Court ruling could put Jersey City on the hook for thousands, if not millions, of dollars in double-time payments" — "NJ shore town postpones resident-only parking near beach" —"92-year-old ex-mayor mounts primary challenge to Bergen County clerk" —"Meet the candidates for mayor of Plainfield, and learn where they stand on the issues" —" Edison mayor, Woodbridge council highlight primary races in Middlesex County" —"'His name was Hasani Best': Asbury Park confronts another police-involved killing" —" Trenton clerk faces 4th suit, 2nd for denying records from Bethea arrest" —"Rumson-Sea Bright Bridge getting $107.5M replacement" | | | | SUBSCRIBE TO "THE RECAST" TODAY: Power is shifting in Washington and in communities across the country. More people are demanding a seat at the table, insisting that politics is personal and not all policy is equitable. The Recast is a twice-weekly newsletter that explores the changing power dynamics in Washington and breaks down how race and identity are recasting politics and policy in America. Get fresh insights, scoops and dispatches on this crucial intersection from across the country and hear critical new voices that challenge business as usual. Don't miss out, SUBSCRIBE . Thank you to our sponsor, Intel. | | | | |
| | EVERYTHING ELSE | |
TALC OF THE TOWN — "Johnson & Johnson appeal of $2B talc verdict rejected by justices," by The AP: "The U.S. Supreme Court is leaving in place a $2 billion verdict in favor of women who claim they developed ovarian cancer from using Johnson & Johnson talc products. The justices did not comment Tuesday in rejecting Johnson & Johnson's appeal. The company argued that it was not treated fairly in facing one trial involving 22 cancer sufferers who came from 12 states and different backgrounds. A Missouri jury initially awarded the women $4.7 billion, but a state appeals court dropped two women from the suit and reduced the award to $2 billion. The jury found that the company's talc products contain asbestos and asbestos-laced talc can cause ovarian cancer. The company disputes both points."
—"Homeowners associations keep clubhouses, pools locked over COVID lawsuit fears" —"Sabrin retiring to Florida" —"Meet the man who is building N.J.'s cannabis grow facilities and retail shops" | | | | A message from AARP New Jersey: Tell NJ Lawmakers to Lower Prescription Drug Prices! New Jerseyans shouldn't have to choose between filling life-saving prescription medications or affording food or rent. It is wrong that even in the midst of a pandemic and financial crisis, drug companies increased the prices of more than 1,000 drugs last year. Drugs don't work if people can't afford them. Make your voice heard and tell NJ lawmakers to lower prescription drug prices now! Take action. | | | | | | | Follow us on Twitter | | | | Subscribe to the POLITICO Playbook family Playbook | Playbook PM | California Playbook | Florida Playbook | Illinois Playbook | Massachusetts Playbook | New Jersey Playbook | New York Playbook | Brussels Playbook | London Playbook View all our political and policy newsletters | | Follow us | | | | |
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