News: POLITICO New Jersey Playbook: The gubernatorial ad wars have begun

Thursday, September 16, 2021

POLITICO New Jersey Playbook: The gubernatorial ad wars have begun

Sep 16, 2021

Presented by A Healthy Future, LLC

Good Thursday morning!

My personal policy is to not write about campaign ads just because they exist. They are, after all, advertisements, and if campaigns want them on the airwaves or in publications, they can pay for them.

But they can still tell us something. It's notable, for instance, that a day after launching a positive ad, Gov. Phil Murphy's campaign launched a negative one against Republican challenger Jack Ciattarelli.

Of course, the ad ties Ciattarelli to Trump. It uses footage of Ciattarelli at a "Stop the Steal" rally he attended not long after the election — a rally that featured a guy not only holding a confederate flag but dressed like one. At the same time, the Democratic Governors Association's PAC launched an ad hitting Ciattarelli on abortion.

Ciattarelli adviser Chris Russell said on Twitter that Murphy's initial positive ad "was a head fake intended to fool the press into reporting that Murphy isn't worried" and that "they've shifted most of their spend behind the negative."

That could be. But I've also seen campaigns where the incumbent goes negative against a challenger even when it's not close. Murphy could be doing it out of concern. He could also be doing it to run up the numbers, try to establish state legislative coattails or a number of other reasons. Remember: He went negative on Kim Guadagno in 2017, and Murphy's surrogates have been trashing Ciattarelli for months. As for the tightening numbers, we have few public polls to go on. They've shown Murphy with a double-digit lead. The one tight poll came from the conservative Club for Growth, only supplied to reporters with a summary — not the full dataset. Given that, and the way it cut against well-respected, nonpartisan polls, it didn't gain any attention outside conservative Twitter and the blogosphere.

Back to that Murphy ad. It uses a clip of Ciattarelli saying he's "working hard to make sure things go our way." The ad's implication is he's talking about overturning the election. But there's no context around the quote, so it could have just as easily — and perhaps more likely — been Ciattarelli talking about his own campaign. What's harder for Ciattarelli to explain is that he claimed not to have known it was a "Stop the Steal" rally and that it turned into something else after he spoke there. But in the ad, he's shown speaking with a "Stop the Steal" sign behind him.

WHERE'S MURPHY? — In Palisades Park to visit a Pre-K classroom and make an announcement at 11 a.m.

QUOTE OF THE DAY: "CHASE: I'm not an easy guy to please. I don't please myself that often. DEADLINE: What did you…? CHASE: I didn't say I pleasure myself. I said please myself… I don't do that either very often." — David Chase on The Many Saints of Newark

HAPPY BIRTHDAY — Attorney Primo Cruz, GOP activist Anthony Del Pellegrino, Attorney Luke Hornblower. Missed yesterday because I got my dates mixed up: Assemblymember Valerie Huttle, Delran Council Member Tyler Burrell, Jasey COS Mary Theroux

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

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WHAT TRENTON MADE

CIATTARELLI TO PROPOSE REPRODUCTIVE SEMI-FREEDOM ACT — Ciattarelli says he opposes new Texas abortion law, by POLITICO's Daniel Han : Republican gubernatorial candidate Jack Ciattarelli said Wednesday he doesn't support the new controversial Texas law that bans abortions at around 6 weeks and provides $10,000 bounties to individuals who report illegal abortions. "I do not support the new law in Texas," Ciattarelli said during a campaign stop in Bergen County when asked whether he would support a similar law as governor. "If you take a look at my record, I've never been an advocate for overturning Roe v. Wade."

The Texas law has put abortion rights in the national spotlight and comes as the U.S. Supreme Court — which holds a conservative majority — will soon take on a Mississippi case that could lead to the overturning of Roe v. Wade. Abortion rights are not codified into state law in New Jersey, with existing abortion rights based on Roe. Democrats who control the state Legislature have sought to make abortion rights permanent with the Reproductive Freedom Act, a bill Ciattarelli assailed as "extremism."

— " Gubernatorial Republican hopeful Ciattarelli stops in New Milford, talks property and payroll taxes"

THE BRUCK STOPS HERE — "N.J. signs on to Justice Department lawsuit challenging Texas abortion law," by New Jersey Globe's David Wildstein: "New Jersey has joined a multi-state coalition in support of a bid to stop Texas from banning most abortions filed by the Justice Department, acting Attorney General Andrew Bruck announced on Wednesday. The new Texas law became effective on September 1 after the U.S. Supreme Court, in a 5-4 vote, choose not to block it. It blocks most abortion procedures after the first six weeks of pregnancy. Bruck believes the law in unconstitutional, which is the focus on the Department of Justice challenge. 'This case is about more than abortion rights. Allowing private bounty hunters to sue anyone who helps someone exercise their rights is an affront to the Constitution and an attack on all of our rights,' said Bruck."

MURPHY TO BAN PICNIC BASKETS — "Gov. Murphy says no to emergency bear hunt," by News 12: "Gov. Phil Murphy announced Wednesday afternoon that there will be no bear hunt, after the Department of Environmental Protection said an emergency hunt is needed. The DEP says the current black bear population is double what it was in 2018 and calling it a concern for public safety. The Fish and Game Council voted on the emergency order Tuesday night, but the final decision was up to Murphy, who put a stop to any bear hunting in the state. 'We put money in the budget in fact to support this. We are committed to non-lethal humane but smart and safe means to control the population, the bear population,' Murphy said."

NEW CELEBRITY FLAVOR: PHIL MURPHY'S CANCEL FROZEN YOGURT CULTURE — New Jersey plans to divest from Ben & Jerry's parent company, by POLITICO's Katherine Landergan: New Jersey intends to divest the state's pension fund holdings from the parent company of Ben & Jerry's after a review found the ice cream maker engaged in a boycott of Israel. Unilever, a multinational consumer goods company based in London, acquired Ben & Jerry's in 2000. The ice cream maker said in July that it would stop selling its products in settlements in occupied Palestinian territory in the West Bank and Jerusalem. Ben & Jerry's argued this was not a boycott of Israel, but a preliminary review from New Jersey officials determined it was. New Jersey has a law on the books requiring state pension funds to divest from pro-boycott businesses.

CORONAVIRUS — New Jersey reports six Covid outbreaks at schools since start of academic year, by POLITICO's Sam Sutton: New Jersey has reported six Covid-19 outbreaks at schools since the start of the new academic year, Health Commissioner Judith Persichilli said Wednesday. The outbreaks, each of which represents three or more patients, include 20 cases among students and staff. There have been two outbreaks in Atlantic County and one each in Cumberland, Monmouth, Morris and Union counties, Persichilli said during Gov. Phil Murphy's regular briefing. The state's tally only includes cases that have been epidemiologically connected to the classroom and don't stem from a shared household or another possible connection, administration officials said.

VOTING — Voting rights advocates pushing same-day registration bill for lame duck, by POLITICO's Matt Friedman: New Jersey voting rights advocates who have watched the state enact several laws that make it easier to vote have a piece of unfinished business in their sights for this fall's lame duck legislative session: Same-day voter registration. The idea has been kicked around the Legislature for years but has fallen by the wayside as Democratic legislative leaders and Gov. Phil Murphy passed other laws enacting early in-person voting, restoring voting rights to those on parole and probation and automatically registering drivers license applicants to vote. Advocates say an untold number of people have found themselves unable to vote because they failed register by the "arbitrary" deadline of three weeks before an election.

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.

NOT BEST SERVICE PROVIDER — "NJ Transit named a best employer by Forbes," by NJ Advance Media's Larry Higgs: "For the second time since 2018, NJ Transit was named one of America's and the state's best employers to work for by Forbes magazine, but the announcement was greeted with skepticism by some because of a rash of harassment suits brought against the agency. 'I'm mystified by the juxtaposition of Forbes accolade and media coverage of sexual harassment lawsuits against NJ Transit,' said Sally Jane Gellert, Lackawanna Commuter Coalition chairperson, at Wednesday's board of directors meeting where the announcement was made. 'Something doesn't add up.'

— Public pension funds in better shape, study says

— "Still no approval for dozens of businesses wanting to sell medical marijuana in NJ"

— Steinberg: " The smoking gun regarding Ciattarelli's falsehoods about his romance with the Trump big lie"

— "Murphy won't rule out calling legislative session before November election"

— " As more people grow old without children, advocates demand a stronger safety net"

— "A site once earmarked for nuclear power will now assemble wind turbines"

— " New Jersey must be bolder. All nursing home workers should be vaccinated. | Opinion"

BIDEN TIME

WE'RE CRAZY. DON'T US — In letter to Buttigieg, New York calls New Jersey 'illogical' in fight over Covid transit relief," by POLITICO's Danielle Muoio: New York and New Jersey transit officials are continuing to fight over how to split billions in pandemic relief dollars — and now New York is calling on Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg to weigh in. Janno Lieber, the acting chair and CEO of New York's Metropolitan Transportation Authority, said New Jersey's position on the matter is "illogical and unfair" in an August letter to Buttigieg. The letter, first reported by POLITICO, asks Buttigieg to "simply encourage New Jersey to meet with us to resolve the dispute" over how to split up the $14.2 billion in funding.

— "Bruce Springsteen stands with Freehold business after 'disgusting' Donald Trump deal"

— Golden: "Against Bridgegate backdrop, Christie 'truth-telling' strained, at best"

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LOCAL

IF ONLY THE PANDEMIC STARTED A FEW MONTHS EARLIER — "Highlands mayor: 2020 Census 'tragically flawed'," by The Asbury Park Press' Jerry Carino: "Jackie Skinner was living in Queens when everything shut down in March 2020. A project manager in Manhattan by day who moonlights as a comedian, she found herself suddenly on lockdown with two roommates at the pandemic's epicenter. In the fall of 2020, the 31-year-old found a remedy: She moved to Highlands, renting a small house and finding some much-needed space and peace. One thing that got lost in the transition: the 2020 U.S. Census. 'I never got the census,' Skinner said. That's an example of why, when the census results showed Highlands losing 7.7% of its population from 2010, Mayor Carolyn Broullon scoffed … That gap 'has already been erased with the great migration from the cities due to COVID-19,' Broullon said."

"Judge orders ballots for Haledon, North Haledon election not be printed until further notice," by The Record's Philip DeVencentis: "A state Superior Court judge stopped ballots from being printed for two towns mired in a dispute over how many seats each one should get on the Manchester Regional Board of Education. The dispute started after 2020 census results were released in August and appeared to show that Haledon leapfrogged over North Haledon in population. Haledon filed a lawsuit, arguing for the greatest representation on the regional school board in light of the new numbers. As of now, North Haledon elects four trustees, and Haledon three. Prospect Park, which is not involved in the case, has two members. Haledon scored a small victory when Judge Ernest Caposela ordered from his Paterson bench that ballots for Haledon and North Haledon not be printed until further notice. And he ruled that the Passaic County clerk must accept new candidates from Haledon who want to run for the regional school board. But the matter is far from being settled."

AC — "Records reveal effort to silence public on Atlantic City needle exchange closure," by New Jersey Monitor's Terrence T. McDonald: "The governing body's rejection of a center that has proven critical to battling the opioid crisis has been well documented by needle exchange supporters. But the council also treated the public poorly by limiting their ability to comment on its actions at the July 21 meeting. At best, the council did not give the public a proper chance to weigh in. At worst, it actively blocked critical voices from speaking out. How do we know this? A Zoom chat log produced after a public-records request shows residents were pleading to be heard even as the council's president, George Tibbitt, declared their chance to chime in was over."

— "Hudson County Prosecutor's Office employees could face discipline over 'reprehensible' social media posts"

— "Paterson educator files discrimination lawsuit against charter school administrators"

— "Five more former students say they were sexually abused at West Essex Middle School"

— "'We're going to be in litigation very shortly': Howell 100-unit development could quadruple"

— "Delta variant cited as main reason behind return of Burlington County testing site"

— "'We won't be living here anymore': Lambertville residents picking up pieces after Ida"

— "COVID sick numbers growing at jail in September, federal judge told"

A message from A Healthy Future, LLC:

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EVERYTHING ELSE

WET PRESIDENTS — "NJ Transit drying out soaked cash after safe flooded in Oradell garage during Ida," by The Record's Colleen Wilson: "NJ Transit is investigating why an armored car service did not pick up $19,000 in cash that was left in a safe at NJ Transit's Oradell garage where it got flooded, soaking half the bills. The soggy money is drying out, NJ Transit spokesman Jim Smith confirmed, and will get exchanged with the Federal Reserve for a direct deposit, so there will be no loss of funds. When severe weather is expected, NJ Transit's protocol is to call its armored car service to take the coinage. 'This protocol was followed prior to the remnants of Ida arriving, however, for reasons still under investigation, the armored car service provider did not pick up the money,' Smith said."

NJ PLAYBOOK AUTHOR RETURNS TO MIDDLE-SCHOOL CLASSROOM TO SNIFF WHITE OUT — "Adam Taliaferro returns to Penn State to lead White Out charge vs. Auburn," by The York Daily Record's Frank Boani: "Adam Taliaferro will return to the scene of his triumphant recovery 20 years later. The former Penn State player and current New Jersey politician will serve as an honorary captain for the Nittany Lions' Saturday night White Out game against Auburn. Taliaferro's Penn State story is well known and cherished: The former, highly regarded defensive back began his college career with a severe spinal cord injury, temporarily paralyzed while making a tackle late in a game at Ohio State in 2000. At the time, doctors gave him little chance of ever walking again. But his ensuing recovery was astonishing."

NJ 101.5 SEES NO IRONY IN THIS HEADLINE — "Anti-vaccine radio host from NJ dies of COVID-19," by NJ 101.5's Erin Vogt : "Bob Enyart, who was born in Paterson and grew up in Passaic County, had been hospitalized alongside his wife on Sept. 10 — both for 'severe' COVID-19 conditions, according to his official Facebook page. The 62-year-old Enyart was a controversial and often inflammatory pastor of the Denver Bible Church and co-host of a show called 'Real Science Radio,' which features what it calls scientific statements in the Bible. Back in December, his show had previously said crowded intensive care units at hospitals around the nation were 'imagined.'"

— Washington Post: "On his defunct TV show, Enyart 'used to gleefully read obituaries of AIDS sufferers while cranking 'Another One Bites the Dust' by Queen,' Westword reported. Freddie Mercury, the band's lead singer, died of AIDS in 1991 at the age of 45. 'Listen to the words of that song, and you'll understand why I did it,' Enyart told the outlet at the time."

YOU WOKE UP THIS MORNING, SHOT YOURSELF A SON — "NJ justices won't suspend atty who shot son by accident," by Law360 : "The New Jersey Supreme Court has censured an attorney for failing to seek medical attention for her son after accidentally shooting him in the leg with her handgun, rejecting a split disciplinary panel's suspension recommendation in what it said represented a case of first impression for the court. In a two-page order filed Tuesday without much explanation, the Supreme Court issued a censure to Annmarie P. Smits rather than the three-month suspension recommended by a majority of the court's Disciplinary Review Board."

— Donohue: " Middlesex Township mother and daughter determined to destroy every spotted lanternfly in backyard"

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