News : POLITICO New Jersey Playbook: Murphy now no. 2 at NGA

Friday, July 9, 2021

POLITICO New Jersey Playbook: Murphy now no. 2 at NGA

Jul 09, 2021

Good Friday morning!

Gov. Phil Murphy has officially assumed a leadership position in another top governors association.

Murphy, the former head of the Democratic Governors Association, was sworn into office yesterday as the vice chair of the National Governors Association. Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson is now chair of the group.

The association is made up of most of the nation's governors, and examines policy and governance issues. The National Governors Association took on a particularly important role during the pandemic, when state and territorial leaders joined together to lobby aggressively — and effectively — for cash and other aid from the federal government.

Why is the vice-chair position important? Besides being a leadership position, the vice chair typically ascends to chair the following year.

Of course, in order to chair the National Governors Association, you have to be a governor. Murphy won't become the first New Jerseyan to lead the 113 year-old association unless he wins reelection in November.

WHERE'S MURPHY?: Joining The Washington Post Live for a conversation on leadership during crisis and New Jersey's handling of the Covid-19 pandemic at 11. He will then sign a clean energy bill package in Seaside Heights at noon.

TWEET OF THE DAY: "The New Jersey Health Department will once again be holding a vaccination event in Lakewood this Saturday - which is nice, but makes it impossible for Orthodox Jews to participate." —The Lakewood Shopper's @OneJerseySchorr.

WHAT TRENTON MADE

MASKING IN SCHOOLS — New Jersey Senate Republicans urge parents with far-right Covid views to run for school board, by POLITICO's Carly Sitrin: Some New Jersey Senate Republicans, a group with limited influence in a deep blue state, are urging parents with far-right views on Covid-19 restrictions to run for seats on their local school boards "to get into power." "It's incredibly easy to get elected to these boards of education," pro-Trump state Sen. Michael Doherty (R-Warren) said Thursday during a virtual hearing the Senate's GOP office billed as an effort to "examine the science and data for unmasking children." "It's a lot easier to get elected than you may imagine," Doherty said. "Any of us on this call will help you and show you the ropes." New Jersey did away with most masking and social distancing requirements in public settings in May. And though face coverings continued to be required in school and child care settings through June — much to the consternation of GOP lawmakers and activists — Democratic Gov. Phil Murphy announced last month that he would be scrapping that requirement for students and staff in the fall. Even without a mask mandate to protest, Thursday's hearing offered a glimpse into who has the ears of Republican lawmakers in New Jersey — and what views the party may back in future school board elections. Five Senate Republicans appeared on the call — Doherty, Kristin Corrado (R-Passaic), Holly Schepisi (R-Bergen), Joe Pennacchio (R-Morris) and Robert Singer (R-Ocean).

WORKER MISCLASSIFICATION — Murphy signs package of worker misclassification bills, by POLITICO's Katherine Landergan: Gov. Phil Murphy on Thursday signed into law a package of bills his office says will further New Jersey's efforts to stop employee misclassification. Misclassification is the practice of improperly classifying an employee as an independent contractor, which the governor's office said prevents workers from being guaranteed things like overtime, worker's compensation and disability. Under the new laws, an Office of Strategic Enforcement and Compliance will be created within the Department of Labor that will track payroll projects to better identify employee misclassification. The governor's office said the bills also simplify the process for identifying misclassified workers and implementing stop-work orders at sites where misclassification has occurred. The New Jersey Business & Industry Association says it is particularly concerned that one of the news laws will allow for "overbroad enforcement by the state Labor Commissioner with little oversight or control by the courts."

DATA DUMP — "Data detailing millions of N.J. State Police traffic stops available online for first time," by NJ Advance Media's Blake Nelson and Riley Yates: "New Jersey has released data detailing millions of State Police traffic stops going back years, the first comprehensive look at who troopers pull over since the federal government stopped monitoring the agency for racial profiling more than a decade ago. Residents can analyze and download information about more than 6 million stops, from the beginning of 2009 through the end of last year. The website does not name individual troopers or drivers, but it does explain why somebody was stopped, the driver's race, if physical force was used and if any criminal charges were issued, among other details released Thursday."

MURPHY WORLD — "Heading into re-election, nearly a third of Murphy's cabinet is unconfirmed or departing," by NJ Globe's Nikita Biryukov: " Nearly a third of Gov. Phil Murphy's cabinet members intend to leave the administration or are in their positions on an acting basis, with some awaiting confirmation and others awaiting the nomination of a permanent agency head. Kevin Walsh has been the acting state comptroller for more than a year. Col. Patrick Callahan, the acting superintendent of the New Jersey State Police, has been awaiting confirmation for years. Acting Education Commissioner Angelica Allen McMillan is also awaiting confirmation after a move into Cedar Grove earlier this year unexpectedly gave State Sen. Kristin Corrado courtesy over her nomination. Senatorial courtesy is an unwritten but immutable rule that allows senators to indefinitely block gubernatorial nominations from their home county. They aren't required to give a reason. Several other agencies have temporary chiefs installed while the administration searches for permanent replacements."

SPORTS BETTING — "Amendment to allow bets on Rutgers, other N.J. college teams unlikely to pass, poll says," by NJ Advance Media's James Kratch: "It sounds like Rutgers and Seton Hall fans who want to wager on their teams will need to keep driving to Delaware or Pennsylvania. A November ballot question proposing a constitutional amendment that would permit New Jersey sportsbooks to take bets on in-state college teams and events is unlikely to pass, according to a recent poll conducted by Fairleigh Dickinson University-Madison. Only 25% of registered voters surveyed are in favor of the amendment, according to the poll, with 49% opposed and 26% either undecided or declining to answer the question."

— "Affordability, new school funding formula, backing police among governor goals for Jack Ciattarelli"

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BIDEN TIME

VAN DREW — "Jeff Van Drew was always a 'confounding figure' in New Jersey politics. Switching parties hasn't changed that," by the Philadelphia Inquirer's Allison Steele and Jonathan Tamari: "When Jeff Van Drew opposed an infrastructure bill last week that included millions for his South Jersey district, the Democratic-turned-Republican congressman was the state's only lawmaker in either party to vote no. For Democrats, it was just the latest sign that their party-switching colleague has abandoned his reputation as a work-across-the-aisle moderate since he defected in 2019 and pledged his 'undying support' to Donald Trump. Since winning reelection last year, Van Drew has voted to overturn the 2020 presidential race and opposed forming a commission to investigate the Jan. 6 Capitol insurrection. But like many times in his long political career, the Jeff Van Drew of 2021 defies easy characterization. He has voted for lower-profile bills opposed by many Republicans, including one to remove Confederate statues from the Capitol and another expanding birth-control access for veterans. Several times, he's been one of few Republicans to cross party lines. And while Democrats paint him as an extremist, independent analysts, Republicans, and even some Democrats acknowledge he likely enters his reelection campaign in as strong a political position as ever in his moderate district. With congressional lines being redrawn next year, he could be further cemented in the rare slice of New Jersey that has trended toward the GOP."

KEAN KICKOFF — "McCarthy Invited to Kean Campaign Kickoff as 'Special Guest,'" by InsiderNJ: "Moderate Republicans are abuzz behind the scenes and some of them irritated by a Kean Campaign decision to invite House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy as a special guest to Tom Kean's scheduled kickoff. Three sources described receiving invitations with the inclusion of special guest McCarthy. 'Outrageous,' fumed a Kean, Sr. era ally of the successful New Jersey political family, speaking on condition of anonymity."

— " Ties between Kean, Malinowski families goes back to Lincoln administration"

— "Biden nominates Kean University admin for federal position"

LOCAL

WHAT THE HAIL — "N.J. weather: Tennis ball-size hail pelts North Jersey during intense thunderstorms," by NJ Advance Media's Len Melisurgo: "Huge hail stones — some of the largest ones seen in New Jersey in recent years — fell from the sky during intense thunderstorms that rolled across Bergen County Thursday afternoon. The National Weather Service said it received reports of hail as big as golf balls and tennis balls. And if you don't believe it, there was plenty of proof in photos posted on social media. 'We've had reports of hail up to 1 to 2 inches in diameter, even 2 1/2 inches,' said James Tomasini, a meteorologist at the weather service's regional forecast office in New York, which covers northeastern New Jersey."

YIKES — "Court ruling could shut down 2 multi-million-dollar no-bid projects in N.J.," by NJ Advance Media's Ted Sherman: "A state appellate court threw a wrench into two multi-million-dollar county redevelopment projects Thursday, in a ruling that found one of those projects had improperly skirted New Jersey public bidding requirements. The decision is expected to bring a sudden halt to a major $80 million renovation of the historic Bergen County Justice Center, but is also likely to stop Union County's $145 million plans to build a new $145 million county government complex in Elizabeth."

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EVERYTHING ELSE

IF YOU WANT TO QUESTION YOUR LIFE ACCOMPLISHMENTS WATCH THIS — "12-year-old Abhimanyu Mishra of NJ is youngest chess grandmaster," by NJ Spotlight News' Briana Vanozzi: "At just 12 years, four months and 25 days, Abhimanyu Mishra of New Jersey is the youngest chess grandmaster in history, breaking a record that stood for 19 years. From Englishtown, Mishra earned the title at a tournament in Budapest, Hungary where he has been playing around-the-clock with his dad at his side since April. He earned two out of the three scores he needed to clinch the title in less than two months. In just a few days, Mishra will head to Sochi, Russia for the Chess World Cup. 'My dad started teaching me how pieces move and the rules when I was two and a half; by the age of 5 I was able to start playing tournaments,' said Mishra, whose typical day includes 12 hours of practice at a minimum; his long-term goal, he says, is to become world champion."

IMMIGRATION — "They wanted ICE contracts stopped. Now detainees are being shipped to other states," by NJ Spotlight News' Monsy Alvarado: "Advocates have long called for agreements that allowed federal immigration detainees to be held in New Jersey to end. In recent months, their efforts seemed to be paying off. The Bergen County jail has limited how many U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement detainees it receives and housed only 38 on Wednesday. Over in Hudson County, some officials have said they want to get out of their ICE agreement and have capped the number of detainees at the Kearny jail at 50. And Essex County will end its practice of housing ICE detainees at the Newark jail next month. State lawmakers have also approved a bill that would bar any future agreements, or the renewal or expansion of existing ones. That bill awaits Gov. Phil Murphy's signature. But a consequence of those efforts has been the transfer of ICE detainees held in Essex County to other states where they are far from their attorneys and families. Last week, around 50 were transferred from the Essex County jail to Georgia, Massachusetts and Nevada."

— " One Atlanta victim's family got $3M, another $6,600. Is bias to blame? | Mary Chao"

— "Aggressive swan to be euthanized, feds say. Residents blame boaters that are provoking it"

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