News: POLITICO New Jersey Playbook: Polls are open for the post-Trump primary that's all about Trump

Tuesday, June 8, 2021

POLITICO New Jersey Playbook: Polls are open for the post-Trump primary that's all about Trump

Jun 08, 2021

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By Matt Friedman

Presented by Pre-K Our Way

Good Tuesday morning and happy Primary Day!

Polls are open and, no, Donald Trump did not endorse Hirsh Singh in the Republican primary for governor.

Or did he? On the one hand, Trump adviser Jason Miller tweeted that a quote purporting to be a Trump endorsement of Singh is fabricated. On the other hand, what is truth?

Did Trump's 2016 inauguration have the biggest crowd ever? Was Ted Cruz's dad a conspirator in the JFK assassination? Was the 2020 election stolen from Trump?

It appears Singh's campaign — if it is responsible for that fake endorsement — didn't just write a good imitation of a Trump statement, right down to the typos. It captured the spirit of distorting reality and lying way beyond the usual political spin in order to capture and keep power or, to put it more diplomatically, offering "alternative facts." Why should someone who did so much to create this political environment be offended?

With that out of the way, here are five things I think you should look out for in today's primary.

WHERE'S MURPHY — Voting at 8 a.m. in Middletown, then attending state Sen. Joe Cryan's election night party in Kenilworth (which is in the 21st District) at 8:15 p.m. Media: Sirius XM at 7:30 p.m.

QUOTE OF THE DAY #1 : "No news to make on leadership but I'm very disturbed by the report. I'll just leave it at that." — Gov. Phil Murphy when asked about the future of Corrections Commissioner Marcus Hicks after the Matt Boxer report on Edna Mahan

QUOTE OF THE DAY #2: "The building didn't fail these women, the Murphy administration did." — State Sen. Kristin Corrado on Edna Mahan

HAPPY BIRTHDAY — DHS spox Tom Hester, Fanwood Mayor Colleen Mahr

A message from Pre-K Our Way:

Thanks, Governor and Legislature! Pre-k expansion funding's been in every recent state budget! Working families in 150+ school districts have pre-k expansion – but families in 110+ districts still wait. They're waiting in rural, suburban and suburban communities – from east to west, north to south. Continue substantial pre-k expansion THIS YEAR! Visit prekourway.org

WHAT TRENTON MADE

EDNA MAHAN — Murphy says he'll close scandal-ridden Edna Mahan women's prison, by POLITICO's Daniel Han: Gov. Phil Murphy on Monday announced he intends to close the Edna Mahan Correctional Facility in Hunterdon County, bringing an end to New Jersey's only women's prison which has been mired in abuse and scandal for years. "Edna Mahan Correctional Facility for Women has a long history of abusive incidents predating our administration, and we must now commit ourselves to completely breaking this pattern of misconduct to better serve incarcerated women entrusted to the state's care," Murphy said in a statement. " … I have decided that the only path forward is to responsibly close the facility."

—"N.J. women's prison was in chaos. The shocking takeaways from damning Edna Mahan report," by NJ Advance Media's Blake Nelson and Joe Atmonavage: "Corrections Commissioner Marcus Hicks thought Erica Stem had taken over as the top official in November. She hadn't, the report said. Personnel records showed that Stem had been transferred to the facility but only as an associate administrator, not the acting administrator, investigators wrote. The commissioner also believed another associate administrator, Sean St. Paul, reported to Stem. He didn't, the report said. Furthermore, Stem went on leave soon after New Year's Day, leaving decision-making to St. Paul — who has been repeatedly sued for alleged physical abuse or refusing to stop officers from hurting prisoners."

—"Corrections commissioner should step down or get fired over abuse at N.J. prison for women, lawmakers say"

—"Murphy wants to shut down Edna Mahan, state's troubled women's prison. What happens next?"

TRANSPARENCY — State Supreme Court rules names of officers disciplined for misconduct can be released, by POLITICO's Sam Sutton: The New Jersey Supreme Court on Monday ruled that police officers whose conduct merited "major discipline" could see their records made public, a major victory for criminal justice reformers who have been pushing for greater transparency of law enforcement misconduct. The unanimous ruling upholds a directive issued last year by state Attorney General Gurbir Grewal in the aftermath of George Floyd's murder requiring the release of the names of law enforcement officers whose misconduct led to their termination, demotion or suspensions of five days or more over the past 20 years.

TOTALLY FINE WITH IT UNTIL... — "Serena DiMaso bill targets Monmouth GOP boss, Sheriff Shaun Golden," by The Asbury Park Press' Susanne Cervenka: "Assemblywoman Serena DiMaso rolled out legislation that would prevent her one-time running mate and now political foe Shaun Golden from serving as Monmouth County sheriff and GOP party leader. DiMaso's bill, announced Monday morning, the day before a primary vote that threatens to boot her from office, would prevent county constitutional officers from serving as chairperson of a county political party. Golden has served as both Monmouth County's sheriff and the chairman of the Monmouth County Republican Organization since 2014. Golden also used his clout as the GOP chairman to push the county party to drop DiMaso as its endorsed candidate in the District 13 Assembly race … 'We need only look towards the mess happening this election cycle to see that people who are vocal in their support of me are seemingly being punished for no reason other than sheer vindictiveness,' DiMaso said."

COPS — "'We are now the devil': With COVID and Floyd aftermath, NJ cops say they're burned out," by The Record's Steve Janoski : "Something's changed since the world-shaking murder of George Floyd by a Minneapolis police officer last spring and the global protests against police brutality that followed — public sentiment has turned against them, some officers say. It doesn't matter that New Jersey has stayed relatively free from the controversial shootings and use of force that have inflamed other parts of the country. Police recruiting is down. Retirements are up. And those who remain work with the constant fear that they'll be the next officer featured on cable news after a video of one of their arrests goes viral. Add to that maelstrom the greatest public health emergency in generations and the recipe for comprehensive burnout is complete. 'I've never seen cops as stressed as we are right now,' said Police Chief Keith Germain, leader of the Barnegat Police Department and public affairs chair for the New Jersey State Association of Chiefs of Police. 'And I've been around for a while.' To break this rising tide, state officials are leaning on the mental health programs recently established by the attorney general's office to find and help officers who may be wilting beneath the pressures. But conversations with the rank-and-file show there's a long way to go as law enforcement copes with both the remnants of the COVID pandemic and intense public scrutiny following several high-profile deaths of Black people in police custody over the past year."

THE DUPES OF HAZARD — "Ineligible nursing home managers received Covid-19 bonuses," by The Wall Street Journal's Christopher Weaver: "Eight of the nine senior managers who earned too much to qualify for Covid-19-related hazard pay at New Jersey's state-run veterans nursing homes received it anyway, according to records obtained by The Wall Street Journal. The records show that the state veterans affairs agency misappropriated federal Covid-19-relief funds more widely than it has acknowledged. Agency emails reviewed by the Journal also show that nursing-home managers procured the payments after being repeatedly told that they were ineligible."

23 YEARS LATER, A SEQUEL TO THE HORSE WHISPERER: 'THE DOG WHISTLER' — "The LD26 Republican primary's descent into open warfare," by InsiderNJ's Fred Snowflack : "An Assembly primary in Morris County will decide if incumbent BettyLou DeCroce supports black militants overthrowing the U.S. government. That's a bit of an exaggeration, but not by much … Webber and Barranco have seized on what really was a symbolic Assembly vote last June to designate July 13 as Black Lives Matter Day in New Jersey. The resolution talks about the need for solidarity among people and the importance of recognizing past injustices. Some Republicans voted for it. Nobody voted against it, although some legislators, Webber among them, abstained ... These caveats notwithstanding, Webber is accusing DeCroce of supporting all purported elements of the BLM movement, among them defunding police, abolishing prisons and even eliminating capitalism. And by using an endorsement Donald Trump gave him during his 2018 congressional campaign, Webber has positioned himself with the former president against DeCroce. In case you miss the point, one of his campaign pieces features the black power salute – the clenched fist."

CAMDEN COUNTY TO ANNEX ENGLEWOOD — Independent spending reaches nearly $2M in New Jersey legislative races , by POLITICO's Matt Friedman: A super PAC run by allies of Democratic power broker George Norcross is the biggest single "independent" spender in New Jersey politics for this year's primary elections, shelling out nearly $700,000 to boost Assemblymember Gordon Johnson's state Senate campaign. But the race that has seen the most independent spending is the Republican primary in North Jersey's 26th Legislative District, where four candidates are vying for two Assembly seats. Five independent groups have spent money there. The figures released Monday by the state Election Law Enforcement Commission cover the period ending May 25 and are the latest reminder of how campaign finance in competitive elections is often dominated by special interest groups that can raise and spend unlimited sums.

CAMERA READY FOR THE MEATBALLS REBOOT — New Jersey to lift outdoor mask requirement for summer camps, by POLITICO's Sam Sutton: New Jersey will soon lift outdoor masking requirements for summer camps to align with Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines, Gov. Phil Murphy said Monday. The state Department of Health will publish the new rules on Wednesday, the governor said during his regular briefing in Trenton. While masks will no longer be required outdoors for campers and staff, "unvaccinated individuals are still strongly encouraged to mask up," he said.

— "NJ youngsters allowed to ditch masks at school during heat wave and at summer camp, Murphy says"

—Stile: "NJ primary: Strong currents of anxiety run through a low-voltage, post-Trump vote"

—" GOP candidates for governor talk Trump in last full day to campaign"

—Murphy's approval rating sits at 55 percent, new poll finds

—"Drivers are still seeing long lines at MVC agencies and they want to know why"

—"$10 million funding bill to aid lakes affected by harmful algae passed by NJ Senate"

—"Another push for local governments to share work and cut costs"

—[NY] Senate advances nomination of ex-Cuomo staffer to Port Authority

JOIN THURSDAY FOR A TALK ON RESETTING INTERNET PRIVACY: Calls for some type of national privacy law have gained traction in recent years. The U.S. has no overarching national law governing data collection and privacy. Instead, it has a patchwork of federal laws that protect specific data types, such as consumer health and financial information and the personal data generated by children. Join POLITICO for a conversation on tech, data and the future of user privacy, and the most viable path forward. REGISTER HERE.

BIDEN TIME

—Pascrell: "We must demand accountability for Jan. 6 U.S. Capitol riots"

—" As COVID wanes, state legislatures are limiting governors' emergency powers. Why it matters"

A message from Pre-K Our Way:

LOCAL

EVERYONE HAS A RIGHT TO FREE SPEECH — "N.J. homeowner with F-bomb, anti-Biden flags ticketed, given court date," by NJ Advance Media's Avalon Zoppo: "Roselle Park officials have given a court date to a homeowner who has profanity-laced anti-President Joe Biden flags outside her residence … The maximum fine for breaking the ordinance is $500 per violation for every day that the violations continue to exist … Dick has said the borough's ordinance 'pertains to nudity' and she does not believe the signs are obscene. The borough's ordinance defines 'obscene' as any material that 'lacks serious literary, artistic, political or scientific value,' appeals to prurient interests or depicts sexual conduct in an offensive way … An attorney with the American Civil Liberties Union of New Jersey weighed in on the debate, telling NJ Advance Media the flags are political speech protected under the Constitution."

THE FALL OF FAHL — "Lambertville Democratic primary nears, two candidates primed for changes ahead," by TAPIntoFlemington/Raritan's Steve Chernoski: "June 5 marked the beginning of the last weekend of get-out-the-vote measures for the two candidates seeking the Democratic nomination for mayor of Lambertville. David Del Vecchio, the former mayor of 27 years, is running once again against newcomer Andrew Nowick. Current mayor Julia Fahl, who defeated Del Vecchio in the June 2018 Democratic primary, declared she would not be seeking re-election in her January 2021 State of the City address. That admission has opened the door for a non-incumbent to become mayor in January 2022. Del Vecchio has appeared to not take anything for granted this time around, sending out eight waves of mailers and emphasizing his recent endorsements by New Jersey Junior Sen. Cory Booker, as well as the New Jersey Chapter of the Sierra Club."

GALLAGHER WANTS TO SMASH DUCEY LIKE A WATERMELON — "Brick Republicans to try and grab control from Democrats," by The Asbury Park Press' Amanda Oglesby: "Democrats are preparing to defend their hold on the mayor's seat and Township Council this fall, as Brick Republicans plan to try and win control from this Democrat-held stronghold in Ocean County. Republican Theresa Gallagher, 61, will take on Mayor John G. Ducey, an attorney and Democrat who has held the position since 2014. Gallagher works as a principal for an online municipal bond trading company."

R.I.P. — " Maplewood, NJ high school student is shot and killed on athletic field"

DON'T MISS THE MILKEN INSTITUTE FUTURE OF HEALTH SUMMIT: POLITICO will feature a special edition of our Future Pulse newsletter at the 2021 Milken Institute Future of Health Summit. The newsletter takes readers inside one of the most influential gatherings of global health industry leaders and innovators who are turning lessons learned from the past year into a healthier, more resilient and more equitable future. Covid-19 threatened our health and well-being, while simultaneously leading to extraordinary coordination to improve pandemic preparedness, disease prevention, diversity in clinical trials, mental health resources, food access and more. SUBSCRIBE TODAY to receive exclusive coverage from June 22-23.

EVERYTHING ELSE

TWO TEQUILA SHOT MINIMUM — "Bruce Springsteen will return to Broadway in June," by The New York Times' Ben Sisario: "'Springsteen on Broadway,' the rock legend's autobiographical show, which ran for 236 performances, including seven previews, in 2017 and 2018, will open on June 26 at the St. James Theater, at 246 W. 44th Street, and have additional performances through Sept. 4, according to an announcement. As of now, the show will be the first to open on Broadway since the pandemic shut down performances in March 2020. While some Broadway productions have set return dates as early as Aug. 4, most have targeted mid-September for their reopenings. Tickets go on sale Thursday at noon … According to the show's announcement, audience members will be required to show proof of full Covid-19 vaccination along with their tickets to enter the theater. Entry times will be staggered, and attendees will be required to fill out a Covid-19 health screening within 24 hours of the show."

LOOK WHAT LEGAL CANNABIS HAS DONE — "Fight at N.J. anti-drug carnival sends crowd running for cover, cops say," by NJ Advance Media's Anthony G. Attrino: "A fight and report of a shooting sent people running for cover Sunday night at an anti-drug carnival held at the Westfield Garden State Plaza in Bergen County, authorities said. An argument erupted and punches were thrown shortly after 8 p.m. when two men who were with their families got into a dispute near a ride, according to police and witnesses … A 'super-buff muscular guy without hesitation approached a (man) and punched him twice in the face,' the woman said. The man who was punched then 'pulled out a gun and pointed it at the (other man),' the woman said. "Chaos ensued. Everyone began running.' … The carnival, which runs through June 20, is held to raise money for police to fight drug use. The event, called 'L.E.A.D. Fest,' for Law Enforcement Against Drugs & Violence, is one of several held throughout the state … The carnival, which runs through June 20, is held to raise money for police to fight drug use. The event, called 'L.E.A.D. Fest,' for Law Enforcement Against Drugs & Violence, is one of several held throughout the state."

FROM THE RADIO STATION FULL OF ANTI-VACCINE 'PERSONALITIES' — " COVID-19 spreading among unvaccinated NJ residents, experts say," by NJ 101.5's David Mathau: "Dr. Redel stressed the key to keeping COVID at bay is to increase vaccination rates. 'People over 30 or 40, I'm seeing them in the hospital right now and most of them either hadn't gotten vaccinated yet or were not planning to. That's where the risk comes in,' he said. Dr. Blaser agrees. "Essentially all the illness now is happening in unvaccinated people," he said. 'People are beginning to understand this isn't some trick or political thing; it's a matter of their health and their safety.' He said there's a good chance those who have been vaccinated will need a booster shot by next winter. Dr. Redel said if there is a resurgence of the virus in October or November it won't overwhelm the healthcare system because the most vulnerable groups in our population, the older New Jerseyans, have very high rates of vaccination."

—"Look inside Philip Roth's personal library"

A message from Pre-K Our Way:

Thanks to the Governor and Legislature, there's been pre-k expansion funding in every recent state budget! That's enabled NJ to expand pre-k for working families into 150+ school districts.

However, families in 110+ eligible districts still wait in rural, suburban and urban communities, and from east to west – and north to south.

The proposed FY2022 budget would continue to recognize pre-k expansion as a priority for now, and for our future. We agree with former Governor Tom Kean, "There are a few priority reforms we need to make to improve education in our state. One of our highest priorities should be the availability of quality pre-k programs for all of our children. These programs offer our best hope for future success in school and life."

Let's maintain pre-k expansion as a statewide priority. Continue substantial pre-k expansion in the coming year for New Jersey, and especially for its working families.

Visit prekourway.org