News: POLITICO New Jersey Playbook: Former gov candidate looks to take NJ GOP further right

Monday, September 20, 2021

POLITICO New Jersey Playbook: Former gov candidate looks to take NJ GOP further right

Sep 20, 2021

Presented by A Healthy Future, LLC

Good Monday morning!

Last year, Phil Rizzo's far-right gubernatorial campaign gained traction with the base. He vaulted into second place in the Republican primary. And he might have won if Hirsh Singh's comically Trump-subservient campaign didn't split the MAGA vote.

Rizzo, who said during of the primary he was taking a potentially permanent leave of absence from his job as the pastor of a tiny Hudson County church, didn't say what he planned to do after the election. But now we know of at least one thing: He's begun promoting a PAC called Jersey Rising that plans to recruit candidates who are anti-vaccine, pro-gun rights, anti-abortion and who oppose teaching "children to see the world through the lens of race or sexual orientation."

It's not clear how much a force this PAC will be. On its incorporating papers with ELEC, it said it only planned to raise $20,000 a year. But that could change.

Rizzo may have been a threat in the GOP primary, but that kind of stuff doesn't fly with statewide New Jersey voters. Republican gubernatorial nominee Jack Ciattarelli is now facing the backlash of having to appeal to the MAGA base during the primary (more on that below). What if Republicans at all levels of government have to do it every year? New Jersey would turn into even more of a one-party state.

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

QUOTE OF THE DAY: "By elevating this conversation and creating a debate around it in New Jersey ... we're taking a state that was very safe for kids like mine and families like mine and making it unsafe." — Jamie Bruesehoff, father of a transgender field hockey player, on state Sen. Michael Testa's bill to bar trasngender athletes from playing girls sports, even though there hasn't been a single controversy about it in New Jersey.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY — Administrative Law Judge Jeff Gardner, former Star-Ledger scribe/great last name haver Alexi Friedman, Mercer County Clerk Paula Sollami Covello, Assembly GOP's Natalie Ghaul, Bayonne native George R. R. Martin , Freiman COS Michelle Timon

TIPS? FEEDBACK? HATE MAIL? Email me at mfriedman@politico.com

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WHAT TRENTON MADE

EFFORT DEALT SETBACK WHEN TEAM WORKERS IMMEDIATELY GO ON STRIKE — N.J. to create 'strike teams' to help nursing homes in their fight against COVID," by NJ Advance Media's Susan Livi o: "The Biden Administration will send New Jersey $20.4 million next month to strengthen the state's fight against the pandemic, by training "strike teams" to assist nursing homes and bolster the public health workforce to guard against future disease outbreaks, according to an announcement Friday. More than half of the funds, $11.8 million, will be dedicated to training the strike teams to help staff up long-term care facilities facing a surge of COVID-19 cases, according to the announcement. The teams will also work to prevent and contain outbreaks and assist in vaccination efforts."

— Veterans at nursing homes will have more rights in future emergencies under new N.J. laws

CIATTA REALLY? — "With democracy under attack, Ciattarelli joined the Trump crazies. His excuse is implausible," by The Star-Ledger's Tom Moran: "'I would never have attended a Stop the Steal rally,' 'he says. I don't want to call that a lie, but there are 10 reasons not to believe it. The rally was advertised as 'Stop the Steal' both online and in glossy fliers, with a photo featuring Ciattarelli as one of the speakers. He didn't see that? No one on his staff saw that? The crowd that day was full of posters calling the election fraudulent, including a big "Stop the Steal" sign held just a few feet behind Ciattarelli as he spoke. But he didn't see any of that either, his campaign says. One of the men in the crowd wore a jacket made of a Confederate flag. He was in front of Ciattarelli, not behind. But no, Ciattarelli didn't see that either. And at the time of this rally, Ciattarelli was refusing to acknowledge Biden's win. That didn't come for several more weeks. So, could all his denials be true? In theory, perhaps, but the chances are beyond remote, like finding a speck of dust in the vast universe … To me, the rally is a big deal. Those were scary days for our democracy, and Ciattarelli failed the test of character."

BECAUSE USING NON-TRANS GAY PEOPLE AS A SCAPEGOAT IS NO LONGER EN VOGUE — " Banning transgender athletes has no shot in liberal N.J. So why is this politician pushing for it?" by NJ Advance Media's Matt Stanmyre: "State Sen. Mike Testa, a Republican from South Jersey, proposed a bill in March to ban transgender athletes from participating in girls sports in the state. In announcing the legislation, Testa — an ambitious 45-year-old politician who recently emerged as a Donald Trump-backed rising star of the party — declared that 'allowing transgender athletes to compete against genetic females flies in the face of fairness.' The move sparked fierce debate about sports equality throughout New Jersey and landed headlines for the first-term senator. But it also came with a heaping dose of irony. No one, Testa included, could point to a single controversy involving a transgender athlete in the state. It had, quite literally, never been an issue in New Jersey, according to numerous experts. Why, then, would Testa propose a bill addressing a problem that seemingly doesn't exist? The reason, some political experts and advocates claim, is simple: GOP politics in 2021."

IDA — "He was swept down a sewer pipe: 'I just let the water take me'," by The New York Times' Tracey Tully: "As the most densely populated state, New Jersey has set ambitious goals for reducing the greenhouse gas emissions proven to contribute to global warming and has been buying back homes prone to flooding during hurricanes. But grappling with flash flooding from the more frequent storms that a warming climate unleashes — in a state with a higher percentage of impervious, hard-to-drain surfaces than anywhere else in the country — is in some ways more complicated. 'Are we seeing flooding in areas where we haven't seen it before?' Shawn M. LaTourette, commissioner of New Jersey's Department of Environmental Protection, said in an interview. 'The answer is a resounding yes.' 'Ida was a remnant of a tropical depression," he added. 'A really bad thunderstorm wiped out communities. This is the new reality.'"

TWO HORSE STABLES AND A MICROPHONE — "Beck is possible candidate for state racing commission," by New Jersey Globe's David Wildstein: "Former State Sen. Jennifer Beck (R-Red Bank) is eyeing a seat on the New Jersey State Racing Commission, the prestigious panel regulates the state's horseracing industry, the New Jersey Globe has learned. The former three-term Republican senator from Monmouth County has the backing of the Standardbred Breeders & Owners Association of New Jersey. She also has the support of Senate Majority Conference Leader Vin Gopal (D-Long Branch), a Democrat who unseated Beck in 2017."

—" Ida's NJ rampage shows what storms will look like if climate change goes unchecked | Opinion"

—"N.J.'s weed commission will miss deadline to start accepting new business applications"

—" Friendly Fire: Milley's maelstrom, Jack's pals, and home grow"

—"NJ nursing homes make headway with staff vaccinations as mandates begin amid COVID rise"

—" Bramnick on the race for governor: It's always an uphill battle for Republicans"

STEP INSIDE THE WEST WING: What's really happening in West Wing offices? Find out who's up, who's down, and who really has the president's ear in our West Wing Playbook newsletter, the insider's guide to the Biden White House and Cabinet. For buzzy nuggets and details that you won't find anywhere else, subscribe today.

BIDEN TIME

POLITICIANS AND MOUTHPIECES WHO TALK OF TALIBAN'S BRUTALITY PREPARE TO DEMONIZE — "NJ prepares to house 535 Afghan refugees among first wave of resettlement," by The Record's Hannan Adely: "New Jersey refugee resettlement agencies are preparing to house more than 500 people who were part of the mass evacuation as the U.S. ended its 20-year war in Afghanistan, the Biden administration said on Friday. The refugees are part of an initial group of 37,000 Afghans to be resettled across 46 states, according to news reports. Refugees are currently being housed at seven military bases around the country, including the Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst in Burlington County."

—" SALT needs to be part of budget reconciliation, say NJ reps"

—Mulshine: "New Jersey should put its infrastructure money into the sewer"

—" GOP calls for lawmakers to return to Trenton are met with silence"

LOCAL

BAD MITZVAH — "Mendham school closes after Christie event linked to Covid cases," by New Jersey Globe's David Wildstein: "The Mendham Township Middle School has gone virtual after a Covid outbreak traced to a Bar Mitzvah last weekend where several hundred people were largely unmasked indoors, the New Jersey Globe has confirmed from three separate sources. 'Oh what a night,' is how Todd J. Christie, the brother of the former governor of New Jersey, described his party at Avenue A in Newark on Facebook. The event, held on September 11, led school officials to announce that they closed the local school on Friday and returned to virtual learning … The school will reopen on Monday, the Superintendent, Dr. Salvatore M. Constantino confirmed. 'Thanks to your brother Todd's super spreader event for his son, Mendham Twp MS is already going virtual,' said Richard Smith in a tweet targeting Chris Christie. 'Letting people continue to make their own personal decisions while putting others at risk doesn't work. You can't even convince your immediate family.'"

FULOP: BUT MY OPPONENT WAS ONCE A REPUBLICAN — "In Jersey City, federal rental aid slowly trickles out the door," by The Huffington Post's Amanda Terkel: "According to the latest Treasury Department data of emergency rental assistance funds, 89% of the $46.5 billion available to states, cities and counties had not been distributed through the end of July … Jersey City was one of the cities that had not yet sent out any money. Its program did not get up and running until Aug. 17, far later than the program in the county and state. And even now, in mid-September, money is just trickling out the door. Jersey City offers a case study in why so much of the federal aid is still not getting to the people who need it. Jersey City's holdup is not necessarily too much paperwork, but rather an unusual requirement: The program is restricting rental aid to people who live in owner-occupied buildings (where the landlord or owner lives in the building) with two to four units."

GRATEFUL DEBT — "Atlantic City about halfway to easing debt burden," by The Press of Atlantic City's Michelle Brunetti Post: "About five years into a state takeover, the city is about halfway to getting some relief from paying off past mistakes, state documents show. Almost 20% of the city's 2021 budget is going to debt payments, or about $38 million of the $200 million budgeted. The debt payment will hit a high of $41.1 million next year. In 2027, however, the city should get a break. The payments will drop to about $23.5 million, as shorter-term debt is paid off, and six years after that will drop again to about $15 million a year."

ELIZABETH — " Elizabeth mayor says city cannot agree to White House request to accept Afghan refugees due to lack of resources after Ida," by NJ Advance Media's Rebecca Panico: "Elizabeth Mayor J. Christian Bollwage tweeted Friday that his city could not accept Afghan refugees due to a lack of resources after Tropical Storm Ida displaced hundreds of city residents. Bollwage, a Democrat, said he received a call from the White House about a nonprofit looking to settle Afghan refugees in Elizabeth after the Taliban regained control of the country. The mayor tweeted that he contacted the nonprofit, the International Rescue Committee (IRC), and asked them to find neighboring towns to place them.'We currently have approx 400 residents displaced & while everyone currently has housing, its been difficult maintaining short-term housing,' Bollwage tweeted … 'The demand for essential resources & immerse cost from the storm remains & though we would like to welcome them, now is not the best choice.'"

THEY GAVE MORE PEOPLE SHOTS — "Newark nearly doubled its youth vaccination rate in 2 months. Here's how," by Chalbeat's Patrick Wall: "As of mid-July, only 30% of eligible Newark children had received at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine — a full 14 percentage points below the statewide rate … Then something remarkable happened. The city and its partners embarked on a shot-giving spree that drove up Newark's youth vaccination rate by 25 percentage points in just two months. Now, 55% of 12 to 17 year olds have gotten at least one shot — nearly erasing the city-state gap … How did Newark do it? The key, said Dr. Mark Wade, director of the city health department, has been meeting residents where they are. That has meant not only setting up vaccination clinics in schools and neighborhoods across the city, but also patiently listening and responding to residents' concerns."

—"Expired milk, frozen sandwiches, undercooked burgers leave parents in [Woodbridge] school district furious"

—" Franklin Lakes councilman resigned, but now seeks remainder of his unexpired term"

—"Fair Haven mayor resigns after a decade of service"

—" Court slaps [Newark] judge with 30-day suspension for 'misogynistic' comments"

—"Paterson council and housing agency at odds over community center lease"

JOIN THURSDAY FOR A WOMEN RULE CONVERSATION ON ENDING SEXUAL ASSAULT IN THE MILITARY: Sexual assault in the military has been an issue for years, and political leaders are taking steps to address it. Sens. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.) and Joni Ernst (R-Iowa) proposed bipartisan legislation to overhaul military sexual assault policies, but still face opposition. Join Women Rule for a virtual interview featuring Sens. Ernst and Gillibrand, who will discuss their legislative push and what it will take to end sexual assault and sexual harassment in the military. REGISTER HERE.

EVERYTHING ELSE

HE'S GUNNING FOR A NJ FOP ENDORSEMENT — "Twitter fight brings new restriction for Capitol riot suspect from Haddonfield," by The Courier-Post's Jim Walsh: "A Twitter fight has led to tighter restrictions on a local man accused of taking part in the Jan. 6 Capitol riot. Patrick Stedman, who was released after his Jan. 21 arrest, must avoid contact with anyone known to be a potential witness against him, a federal judge ruled. A federal prosecutor requested the restriction, saying an Aug. 4 tweet by Stedman 'appears designed' to identify a possible government witness and to 'insult and demean that person.' Stedman's message responded to a critic's tweet that sarcastically described former President Donald Trump as 'infallible' and a 'Godking, except when he says vaccines are good' … Stedman's message described 'Mike' as 'the guy who called the feds on me.' He also asserted 'Mike' was a 'loser from high school I had to look up in the year book to know he existed" and a "self admitted porn & video game addict.'"

RINGWOOD OF RIDGEWOOD CAN'T SELL ABSINTHE FOR LACK OF WORMWOOD — "Having trouble getting your favorite bottle of tequila or bubbly? Here's why," by The Record's Esther Davidowitz: "Liquor stores, bars and restaurants are all having trouble stocking their shelves with enough wines, beers and spirits, thanks to COVID-19's devastating impact on supplies — and thanks to heatwaves and frosts that damaged crops. 'It's not just one thing that's causing the liquor shortage,' said Joe Ringwood, manager of Super Cellars, a fine wine and spirits shop in Ridgewood. 'It's many things.' It's a a shortage of truck drivers, it's a scarcity of aluminum, it's a shutdown of factories, it's a dearth of containers, it's extreme weather, it's tariffs or lack thereof, it's even the greater demand by consumers for premium liquor."

—"From a teen storm chaser to an N.J. mayor, social media changed how we saw Ida"

—"N.J.'s least vaccinated counties are seeing 60% more COVID-19 cases than the most vaccinated"

A message from A Healthy Future, LLC:

If Congressman Tom Malinowski and Congress cut Medicare to pay for the $3.5 trillion spending plan, the government could refuse to cover life-saving medicines and prevent breakthrough therapies for diseases like cancer, Alzheimer's, or diabetes. What about a vaccine for the next pandemic? This is a prescription for disaster. We can't let the government play doctor. We can't give government bureaucrats the authority to deny access to needed prescription medicines and ration care as a way of "saving money" to fund their multi-trillion-dollar wish list. Sign the petition and make sure Congressman Malinowski hears your voice today.