News : POLITICO New Jersey Playbook: Strange how Kim opponents keep calling him 'not one of us'

Monday, July 26, 2021

POLITICO New Jersey Playbook: Strange how Kim opponents keep calling him 'not one of us'

Jul 26, 2021

Good Monday morning! It's strange that after covering politics for 13 years, Andy Kim is the only congressional candidate I can think of who's faced two attacks that use the words "not one of us."

Can you think of a reason people might use those words to attack Kim, the two-term representative from South Jersey, who was raised in the district he represents? Three years after the Congressional Leadership Fund in 2018 called Kim "not one of us" — an election that also saw an anti-Kim mailer featuring a font sometimes associated with Chinese restaurants — Kim's latest challenger, Tricia Flanagan, is using the exact same phrase.

"He doesn't represent the people in our district. He doesn't represent our interests. He's not one of us. This is MAGA country. We supported our president. Andy Kim voted for impeachment, twice," Flanagan says in the ad.

"Our district"? Here's the thing: Flanagan doesn't live in the 3rd District. She lives in Lawrenceville, in the heavily-Democratic 12th District represented by Democrat Bonnie Watson Coleman. A district a Republican has virtually no chance of winning.

Flanagan says that what she's referring to is the pro-Trump bent of the district . In truth, the former president carried it by one-fifth of one point last time. And Kim won reelection comfortably. Asked if she plans to move to the district, Flanagan didn't answer my question directly (members of Congress aren't required to live in the districts they represent).

Political advertising is focus-grouped to death. The people who write these ads know exactly what they're saying. So when Flanagan uses that phrase, it's not an accident.

Flanagan is not the favorite to get the GOP nod in the district . But her candidacy brings up another interesting thing about the district: It has a history of attracting candidates who don't live there. Former U.S. Rep. Tom MacArthur was a local elected official way up in Randolph when he moved down to run for a then-open seat. Kim, who defeated him, grew up there but moved back from Washington to run in 2018. And Kim's challenger last year, David Richter, not only lived outside the district, in Princeton, but originally intended to run in the nearby 2nd District. It seems that the district is much better at producing cranberries than candidates.

QUOTE OF THE DAY: "Frankly, if we lost in the Superior Court, I don't think there's any desire for anybody to bring this to the Supreme Court." — Roselle Park Mayor/State Senate candidate Joseph Signorello III on his constituent's vulgar pro-Trump signs, which the ACLU is now defending.

WHERE'S MURPHY? — In Trenton for a 1 p.m. coronavirus press conference.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY — State Sen. Steve Oroho, Assemblymember Verlina Reynolds-Jackson

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WHAT TRENTON MADE

DOMESTIC VIOLENCE — "Crisis behind closed doors Domestic violence raged in the shadows: Now, housing insecurity compounds problems for survivors," by NJ Advance Media's Brianna Kudisch and Amanda Hoover: "The state lockdown curbed the number of COVID-19 cases, but created a new crisis by unintentionally trapping domestic violence victims like Maria with abusers. Tensions grew behind closed doors, and abuse became more violent and frequent, experts say. Some victims felt they had no escape, that shelters or hotels weren't safe from the virus, and neither were the homes of friends or family. Calling for help could be too dangerous — abusers sometimes assaulted victims as they spoke on the phone to hotlines. Domestic violence is another pandemic that lives in the shadow of the coronavirus. It's long gone unreported, and crisis professionals face barriers to reach those who are suffering and convince them to leave an abuser. But COVID-19 inflamed the problem, and advocates worry it won't subside as daily coronavirus cases stagnate. 'The pandemic exacerbated domestic violence,' said Julye Myner, executive director of the Center for Hope and Safety. If an abuser wanted to isolate a partner from friends, family and work, they could use COVID-19 as a justification. 'And this isolation allows an abuser to control their victim more,' she said."

TRUMP APOLOGISTS BEMOANING 'CANCEL CULTURE' TOTALLY COOL WITH THIS — " Ice cream headache: Will NJ punish Ben & Jerry's over move to boycott Israeli settlements?" by The Record's Hannan Adely : "Israeli leaders are asking states including New Jersey to sanction Ben & Jerry's and its Englewood Cliffs-based parent company after the ice cream maker announced this week that it would no longer do business in occupied Palestinian territory. The July 19 statement on the Ben & Jerry's website set off a national debate over a growing boycott movement and laws that New Jersey and 34 other states have passed to push back. The laws call for divesting and restricting business with companies or individuals that support any boycott aimed at Israel and its West Bank settlements. New Jersey's law, adopted five years ago, requires that state pension funds divest from pro-boycott businesses. 'The Division of Investment is aware of the situation and is working to determine whether any actions must be taken to ensure continued compliance with the state's anti-BDS law,' Jennifer Sciortino, director of communications for the state Treasury, said in an email Friday."

NJ TO CASH IT IN TO PAY FOR 10,300 MASTRO REPORTS — "N.J. public-worker pension fund reports hefty returns. Here's how much it made through May," by NJ Advance Media's Samantha Marcus: "New Jersey's pension fund for public workers returned nearly 25% in the first 11 months of the fiscal year, the state Division of Investment reports. In April, when it reported a 22.6% preliminary return, the Treasury Department said that the pension fund was on track to record its "best fiscal year" since 1998. The fund had $92.7 billion in assets at the end of May, up $2 billion from April, according to the division."

REPUBLICANS DEMAND STUDENTS BE TAUGHT TRUMP IS THE TRUE PRESIDENT — " NJ middle schools will have to teach civics classes starting in 2022," by The Record's Mary Ann Korth: "Gov. Phil Murphy signed the 'Laura Wooton's Law' legislation Friday, which mandates all New Jersey middle schools teach civics classes starting September 2022. 'As a very young child, I used to see my mother leave the house in the middle of the night. When she came back, it was night again,' said Yvonne Hill about her late mother, Laura Wooton, the state's and nation's longest-serving poll worker … Starting September 2022, New Jersey's middle schoolers will be required to take civics courses for two quarters of the academic year, and, taking a page from the life of Laura Wooton, will learn their roles as citizens of the United States. They will also learn of the values and principles that guide the American system of constitutional democracy and the role and limitations of a democratic government."

PREDISTRICTING — In response to Chief Justice Stu Rabner's letter asking Republicans and Democrats to try to find consensus on a redistricting tie-breaker pick rather than leave it up to the court, I'm told Democrats wrote Republicans Sunday saying they'd be willing to consider retired state Supreme Court Chief Justice Deborah Poritz in addition to John Wallace Jr. (both are Democrats). No, I don't see why Republicans would be any more receptive to Poritz than Wallace (see here ), but I'm not going to pretend to know what the strategy is. As I reported last week, there's not all that much optimism about them being able to find a consensus choice. It's also not clear whether the commission can choose outside of the two the two sides have already proposed: Wallace and former Superior Court Judge Marina Corodemus. The Constitution gives them a July 15 deadline to vote on the tie-breaker and then leaves it up to the court to pick between the two. Is there some flexibility in the Constitution? A lawyer I talked to last week thought probably. But this has never been tested.

—"As eviction moratorium nears end, N.J. to begin settlement conferences for renters, landlords"

—Moran: "Ciattarelli has turned hard right since Trump arrived"

—Mulshine: "After canceling the annual hunt, Gov. Murphy needs to bare his plan for controlling bears"

R.I.P. — "Chester Apy, former assemblyman and victim of 1960s redistricting, dies at 89"

—"The Gateway Project costs too much | Opinion"

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BIDEN TIME

STATE TOURISM CAMPAIGN: 'RECREATING ON THE HACKENSACK IS SUPER FUN!' —"Gov. Murphy backs Superfund status for polluted Hackensack River after years of delay," by The Record's Scott Fallon: "Plans for a large-scale cleanup of the heavily contaminated sediment lining the Hackensack River took a leap forward Friday when the Murphy administration announced it would support placing the polluted waterway on the federal Superfund list of toxic sites. Shawn LaTourette, commissioner of the state Department of Environmental Protection, gave the state's endorsement — a necessary step to achieve Superfund status — at a news conference on the banks of the Hackensack at Laurel Hill Park in Secaucus. The lower Hackensack's riverbed is strewn with contaminants for 22 miles from Newark Bay to the Oradell Reservoir, according to a 2017 report by contractors for the federal Environmental Protection Agency."

NJ NATIONAL GUARD TO BLOCKADE STATUE OF LIBERTY FROM NY-BASED BOATS — "Give us the money we're owed, N.J. congressmen say to NYC on federal transit funding grab," by NJ Advance Media's Larry Higgs: "The bi-partisan letter signed by 12 members of the New jersey congressional delegation urges Nuria Fernandez, Federal Transit Administration administrator to tell Empire state officials to stick to the same formula that was used to distribute CARES act funding to transit agencies in the three states. That formula is based on population and is used to distribute other federal transit funding. 'New York is attempting to buck long-standing conventional fund sharing standards to short change its neighboring states,' the delegation wrote in the July 22 letter. 'The ongoing impasse described here threatens the availability of much-needed transit agency funding and could force reductions in NJ Transit service.'"

—"Town hall participant confronts Malinowski over stock trading"

LOCAL

DOG WASTE BAG TAX TO FUND POMPI-DOO CENTER — "Jersey City looks to suspend controversial 'garbage tax'," by The Jersey Journal's Margaret Schmidt: "After complaints from residents, the Jersey City mayor and council are calling for a halt to the controversial solid waste fee that was tacked onto residents' water and sewage bills this year, Mayor Steve Fulop said in a news release … The solid waste fee for trash and recycling pickup, based on residents' water usage, was enacted as a way to spread the costs associated with it more fairly to all property owners since so many buildings in the city are tax-abated, officials said earlier this year. Once bills from the city's Municipal Utilities Authority went out, though, the fee quickly became viewed by critics as a new garbage tax, a way to keep the municipal portion of the property tax bill artificially low by charging new fees elsewhere. Fulop, however, says the problem is that the fees charged have been mistakenly high. 'That is simply a mistake from the MUA and Suez,' the city's water operator, Fulop said."

—"After public outcry, Fulop calls on Jersey City MUA & Suez to halt solid waste disposal fees"

—"Fulop & council slate combine for $1.8M cash on hand, Zuppa tops challengers with $47k"

—"With elections 3 months away, is Jersey City's city council looking to pick a fight with school board?"

NO CURE-TON IN SIGHT — "N.J. jail plagued by abuse, 'deplorable' conditions, detainees claim in complaint," by NJ Advance Media's Rodrigo Torrejon : "Fifteen immigrants detained at the Bergen County Jail filed a complaint with the Department of Homeland Security this month, alleging a dangerous environment rife with 'deplorable' and inhumane conditions at the facility. The joint complaint — filed by Freedom for Immigrants, the Center for Constitutional Rights and UnLocal Inc. on behalf of the immigrants detained at the Hackensack facility — called for a thorough investigation into the jail's treatment of those detained, the termination of the jail's contract with Immigrations and Customs Enforcement and the release all the immigrants detained."

—"[Cumberland] Corrections officers say staff 'shortage' a fake, director says PBA stirring dissension"

SAVING SOMEONE'S LIFE? THAT'S A PADDLIN' — "'I wouldn't be here otherwise.' Andover EMT reunites with the woman he saved two years ago," by The New Jersey Herald's Kyle Morel: "Mike Lensak and Pat McCulloch, separated by about 20 years in age and 900 miles in residence, may not seem likely candidates to form a close friendship. But the two were forever connected almost two years ago when Lensak's quick thinking saved McCulloch's life. Earlier this month, they reunited for the first time since that day ,.. The couples spent more than an hour together talking and trading stories about their lives before and after Oct. 29, 2019. That day McCulloch went into cardiac arrest at Nashville's Gaylord Opryland Resort & Convention Center … Lensak, the current deputy mayor of Andover Township … happened upon the scene on his way to the charging station and stepped in to help. A security guard brought over an automated external defibrillator, and as the only person present who was familiar with the device, Lensak put it to use. 'He and those little paddles, and his training in being able to use those paddles, were what brought me back to life,' McCulloch said."

CLIFTON — "Clifton City Council censures one of its own for 'improper' behavior," by The Record's Matt Fagan: "Members of the Clifton City Council voted to censure Councilwoman Mary Sadrakula after an investigation found she was 'improper' when dealing with a municipal employee. A Clifton municipal hall employee accused the councilwoman of harassment and discrimination last year. The city hired retired Superior Court Judge Ralph DeLuccia to investigate the matter. His investigation found Sadrakula's actions did not fall within the city's non-discrimination and anti-harassment policy, the resolution states. It found, however, that Sadrakula's behavior was "improper," the council's resolution of censure reads."

—"For baseball fans in Trenton, a bittersweet feeling as Triple-A Jays head home to Buffalo"

—"Butler unanimously approves retail cannabis sales"

—" Profane pro-Trump signs likely to stay if court battle gets too expensive, N.J. mayor says"

—"'Graffiti Cliffs' MAGA tag in Rockaway Township to be removed"

—" Paterson Mayor Andre Sayegh is seeking reelection next year. He's already raised $200K"

EVERYTHING ELSE

0.11 MASTROS — "New Jersey pays $1M each to Paterson men freed after 24 years in prison," by The Paterson Press' Joe Malinconico: " The state has paid $1 million apiece to two Paterson men who spent more than 24 years in prison on murder convictions that eventually were dismissed after the Innocence Project brought to light new DNA evidence in the case. The men, both in their late 50s, received their checks in May without any public announcement as part of the settlement of their Superior Court lawsuit against the state. The settlement also covers any allegations the men had against the Passaic County Prosecutor's Office. But the two men, Eric Kelley and Ralph Lee Jr., still have federal civil rights lawsuits pending against Paterson, its police department and the individual police officers who handled their case."

LEGISLATURE TO RESPOND WITH LAW GIVING MORE TAX BREAKS TO COMPANIES THAT DISINGENUOUSLY THREATEN TO LEAVE — "Is $72,000 a year enough to survive in New Jersey?" by The Philadelphia Inquirer's Alfred Lubrando: " Just to survive in Camden County, a family of four — two adults, one preschooler, and one school-age child — had to take in as much as $72,000 annually to meet basic needs in 2019. And similar sticker-shock numbers were recorded in other counties as well: $74,000 in Burlington County; $72,000 in Gloucester County; $79,000 in Ocean County. The highest survival salary was $98,000 in Somerset County; the lowest was $64,000 in Cumberland County. Below those thresholds, families would be almost certain to be experiencing significant deprivation, according to a report released earlier this month by the Poverty Research Institute of Legal Services of New Jersey, headquartered in Edison, Middlesex County."

FORCIBLE INFLUENCERS — "Instagram star Jay Mazini's wife charged as kidnapping plot unfolds," by The Record's Nicholas Katzban : "The wife of Instagram influencer Jay Mazini has been charged in the kidnapping that sent the internet star to jail on accusations he and a group of accomplices abducted a 'rival' of Mazini's, allegedly driving the victim around Bergen and Passaic counties, beating him and threatening him with a machete, according to an affidavit filed in the case. Bergen County prosecutors have charged Joumana Danoun, of Paterson, who is married to Mazini, with conspiring to commit the abduction, as well as witness tampering and bribery."

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