News: POLITICO New Jersey Playbook: Hatin' on Hayden

Monday, January 24, 2022

POLITICO New Jersey Playbook: Hatin' on Hayden

Jan 24, 2022

Good Monday morning!

For a while now, critics have assailed some North Jersey Republicans for associating with Bill Hayden, the Republican state committeeman from Sussex County. U.S. Rep. Josh Gottheimer and other area Democrats have called him, among other things, a leader of the Oath Keepers — the militia group that allegedly played an unsettling role in the January 6 insurrection. From there they've go on to infer things about white supremacy.

Now Hayden, who initially announced a run for county commissioner in Sussex and then walked it back amid internal GOP bickering (he's still considering a run), is suing Sussex County Democrats and others for defamation and emotional distress — at the request of a Sussex County Republican operative who told him he'd have a better chance winning his support if he did. (He filed a lawsuit against Gottheimer a couple months ago but it overran the statute of limitations).

Hayden says he's not a member of the Oath Keepers , even if he's invited their members to rallies. And I've found nothing online that contradicts that. However, he posted numerous images on social media with the the logo of another far-right anti-government militia movement: The Three Percenters. One was even his Facebook profile picture. But Hayden says he is not and never has been a member.

Here's my read on the situation: The Three Percenters and Oath Keepers are both extremist groups with an ideology that threatens democracy under a "patriotic" guise. But critics should avoid generalizing about them, including lumping them together. If one part of the criticism against a group can be proven even partly false or misleading, it makes it easier for people to dismiss the straightforward issues.

As for the chances of the lawsuit? That, I can't say. Except that as a public figure, Hayden's bar to prove defamation is very high. Read more about it here.

QUOTE OF THE DAY : "It's our fault … We had positions and titles given to us that we didn't want to lose — to keep us quiet and tell us what to do and when to do it." — Camden Councilmember Marilyn Torres on staying in line with the South Jersey Democratic machine

HAPPY BIRTHDAY — Nassau Consulting's Matthew Dikovics, CWA's Chris Estevez, Tonio Burgos' Jim Kehoe

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

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

WHAT TRENTON MADE

TOODALOO BETTYLOU — "Former Assemblywoman BettyLou DeCroce reflects on primary loss, party politics and more," by The Daily Record's William Westhoven: "DeCroce, 69, admits the primary loss was a hard blow to absorb and still harbors resentment for a few Morris County Republican Committee leaders she said tried to discredit her. But anyone who thinks her political career is over may be in for a surprise. 'Government is what I do,' she said. 'Government is what I love, what I know best. I know it inside and out.' … Alex DeCroce's sudden death, at the New Jersey Statehouse in January 2012 just after the 214th Legislature completed its final session, shocked the New Jersey landscape, He was 75. She teared up as she recounted that night, being at home and preparing to arrive in Trenton the next day to be with her husband as he was sworn into another term. 'I talked to him the night before,' DeCroce said. 'Alex never complained, but he told me he didn't feel well. I told him not to stay up late and don't let them wake you up early. I texted his staff and told them our guy wasn't feeling well, and to watch out for him. But they didn't get it because they were in the Statehouse.' … DeCroce said committee chair Laura Ali actively attempted to discredit her after she would not support the committee's new county line proposal to top the primary ballot's top line with its endorsed candidates. She also claims Ali, committee vice-chair Louis Valori and attorney Peter King were "angry" after her son, Paul, declined an invitation to run for Parsippany council last year on a ticket with Valori, who was running for mayor."

CHECK BACK IN A COUPLE MONTHS — Corrections unions call Murphy's vaccine mandate a 'gut punch', warn of exodus, by POLITICO's Daniel Han: Union officials representing corrections officers throughout New Jersey are calling Gov. Phil Murphy's latest vaccine and booster mandate a "gut punch," warning the move could lead to an exodus among a workforce they say has low vaccination rates. Murphy announced the absolute vaccine mandate on Wednesday, which eliminates the test-out option corrections officers previously had. Corrections officers must now get their first shot by Feb. 16, a second shot by March 30 and their booster shots within three weeks of being eligible. But union leaders say their workforces — already facing a labor shortage — could see a mass exodus due to the latest mandate.

GET WELL SOON — " Former governor of NJ hospitalized after crash with school bus ," by NJ 101.5's Dan Alexander: "state Senate president and brief New Jersey governor John Bennett is hospitalized in Florida after crashing into a school bus. The crash occurred on Jan. 14. Bennet was listed Thursday as being in good condition. The 73-year-old Monmouth County Republican had just started a 10-day vacation, according to his daughter Marin Bellack."

—" N.J. reports 13 COVID deaths and 8,816 cases amid encouraging signs of a slowdown in transmission"

— Atlantic City facility accounted for 40 percent of state's needle exchanges since 2015

—" Should some N.J. school districts merge? The state is offering money to find out"

JOIN FRIDAY TO HEAR FROM GOVERNORS ACROSS AMERICA : As we head into the third year of the pandemic, state governors are taking varying approaches to public health measures including vaccine and mask mandates. "The Fifty: America's Governors" is a series of live conversations featuring various governors on the unique challenges they face as they take the lead and command the national spotlight in historic ways. Learn what is working and what is not from the governors on the front lines, REGISTER HERE.

BIDEN TIME

—" Court denies emergency injunction against Freedom of Reproductive Choice Act"

—" Lawmakers to resume push for civilian review boards "

—" Wallace probably won't be reappointed as legislative ethics panel chairman"

—" Here are 12 new laws Gov. Murphy just signed that can change your life in N.J."

LOCAL

GOOD LUCK NOW THAT GEORGE III OWNS THE DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE — " Fighting to be 'an independent voice' in Camden politics: Behind the #IMWITHER coalition," by WHYY's April Saul: "If Marilyn Torres has any anxiety about challenging the South Jersey Democratic Party machine that helped her win and keep her Camden City Council seat for the past 10 years, she doesn't show it. At a Sunday morning meeting with Felisha Reyes-Morton and Shaneka Boucher — the other two council women who recently broke party ranks to form a new political coalition they call #IMWITHHER — the 63-year-old grandmother glowed and said she felt 'wonderful.' It's the decade spent following party directives she regrets … But the Democratic regulars — often referred to as the 'Norcross machine' after South Jersey power broker George Norcross — have not been tender in their response to the Jan. 4 announcement of #IMWITHHER A day later, four current and former Democratic office holders signed and sent three emails to constituents calling the women 'selfish,' 'disrespectful,' and unworthy of being elected to future office because the three did not vote for the party's choices in an intra-council election for president and vice president. The reaction may speak to the rarity of elected officials in Camden challenging the party that put them in office — and what could be at stake for Camden residents."

GOING COASTAL — " Coastal towns go to court seeking more input on offshore wind ," by NJBIZ's Daniel J. Munoz : "A new lawsuit seeks to block the current offshore wind plans of the Biden and Murphy administrations, so as to allow more time for public input from several Jersey Shore communities. The two-count suit was filed Jan. 10 in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia by the group Save Long Beach Island, a nonprofit that says the massive offshore wind proposals haven't examined enough ways to avoid harming New Jersey's commercial fishing and tourism industries, as well as the state's fragile marine ecosystems. 'The real purpose is to revisit the election of these wind energy areas, because it was … basically done without any public input,' said Bob Stern, president of Save LBI, in a phone interview."

SEEING RED BANK — " 'We have lost our way': Red Bank councilman quits, may have given opponents the edge," by The Asbury Park Press' Olivia Liu : "Councilman Erik Yngstrom has resigned, citing divisiveness in the split all-Democratic council. 'We have strayed far from this collaborative mindset and seem more focused on political gains and people trying to keep their perceived political power,' Yngstrom wrote in his Wednesday resignation letter. 'I am not sure where we went wrong but this divisiveness needs to stop, and the best interests of Red Bank need to be put first. The best interests of Red Bank should be the only interests that matter.'"

NOT DOWNE FOR THE COUNT — " Can a sewer project keep a sleepy corner of rural New Jersey from fading away?" by The Philadelphia Inquirer's Jason Nark: "For the 1,500 or so people who live in this rural Cumberland County community, 60 miles south of Philadelphia, life without a traffic light is the way they like it. But many of Downe's unincorporated communities, like the centuries-old fishing villages of Fortescue and Money Island, and the single road of bayfront homes on Gandy's Beach, were hammered by Hurricane Irene and Superstorm Sandy. A few dozen Money Island homeowners sold their properties to the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection in the aftermath of those storms, and others are negotiating to do the same … 'That's not going to happen here. We won't let it,' Downe Township Mayor Mike Rothman said aboard his fishing boat in Fortescue recently. Rothman and former Mayor Robert Campbell believe their longtime dream -- replacing septic systems and propane tanks with sewer lines and natural gas -- will be a bulwark against the forces of nature and a rebuttal to those who feel the residents of Downe should retreat from the coast and move inland. The project is finally coming to fruition for Fortescue and Gandy's Beach, and Campbell believes the consistency and cost benefits of modern infrastructure could boost property values and draw in new businesses like hotels and eateries."

JERSEY CITY MAKE IT THEIRS —" Ward Commission approves new boundaries in Jersey City, despite complaints from the public," by The Jersey Journal's Jake Maher: "The Jersey City Ward Commission voted to approve a new map for the city's six wards despite nearly unanimous opposition from members of the public at Saturday's public meeting. Hudson County Board of Elections commissioners Peter Horton, Janet Lawra, Daniel Beckelman, Daniel Miqueli, City Clerk Sean Gallagher and mayoral aide John Minella voted yes. Board of Elections Commissioner Paul Castelli abstained, hoping to take a vote a later time after more consideration … The transparency of the process and significant changes to the boundaries of Ward F, including removing Liberty State Park from it, were major areas of concern from a majority of speakers. New Ward F Councilman Frank Gilmore testified that the proposed boundaries of his ward were not compact and did not conform to natural boundaries."

—" After two years, Paterson still waiting for delayed police performance audit"

—" Campos kicks off his Newark East Ward council candidacy "

—" New Atlantic County clerk takes on job, 200 years of history"

—" Is Newark protecting its image by requiring permits to feed the homeless? | Opinion"

—"Cannabis growing, product manufacturing OK'd outside industrial zone"

—" H.S. wrestling: Bench-clearing brawl ends South Jersey quad-meet"

—" Wall seeking new head football coach in wake of hazing investigation"

—" Heather Darling mulling run against Sherrill in NJ-11 "

—Moran: " Why Pallone remains upbeat on the climate fight "

—Steinberg: " In a close New Jersey 2020 presidential race, would the NJGOP have participated in Trump's fake elector scheme?"

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.

EVERYTHING ELSE

GONE IN 60 SCARAMUCCIS — " Former WH comms director Anthony Scaramucci's car stolen in Paramus, located in Newark," by The Record's Liam Quinn: "Sometimes even former White House officials forget to lock their cars. An SUV owned by Anthony Scaramucci, who was once Donald Trump's White House communications director for 10 days, was stolen from outside a Ridgewood Avenue residence in Paramus on Sunday, police said. Newark police located the Trump ally-turned-critic's car later that day. The 2021 Mercedes-Benz with a 'MRSMOOCH"' license plate was unlocked when the thief entered and used a spare key fob in the vehicle to start the car, Paramus Police Chief Kenny Ehrenberg said. The Newark Police Department used GPS tracking to locate Scaramucci's SUV, which was found in the city, a department spokesperson said. Newark Public Safety Director Brian O'Hara and other Newark police officers reunited Scaramucci with his car, according to a department Twitter post."

THE OMICRONIC — " Has omicron peaked in N.J.? Probably, experts say ," by NJ Advance Media's Karin Price Mueller: "They're the closest thing to a crystal ball that public health officials said they have to determine where we are in the omicron surge. And the datapoints show where we've been with COVID-19, but importantly, they can point to the future, they added. Right now, the numbers in New Jersey are moving in the right direction, experts said. 'It looks like we're probably past the peak, but we remain at a very high level,' said Stanley Weiss, an epidemiologist and professor at Rutgers New Jersey Medical School … '"I think by February that we will see some sustained declines in the numbers of new cases and with a lag, declines in those hospitalized, those in the ICU and those who die.'"

NOW NEW YORKERS CAN THROW AWAY MONEY WHILE SAVING ON THE PATH FARE — New Jersey leads the nation in online sports betting. Here comes New York, by POLITICO's Joseph Spector: New York gamblers in recent years have flocked to New Jersey to bet on sports, helping make the state the biggest athletic wagering destination in the nation. Some simply made the trip across the George Washington Bridge to click their phones, place their online bets and head home. Those days could be over. Two weeks ago, the border battle heated up: New York entered the online sports betting market, making it the largest state in the nation to allow for sports betting and ramping up the competition as more and more states fight for their share of an industry long confined to Nevada.

FOOTBALL COACHES LOOKING FORWARD TO USING $470 LASER POINTERS INSTEAD OF CURSORS — "Rutgers will resume in-person classes Jan. 31 as NJ COVID numbers continue sharp decline," by The Record's James M. O'Neill: "With COVID numbers continuing their sharp decline in New Jersey, Rutgers University said that classes will resume in person starting on Jan. 31, and that employees will be able resume their duties in person as well on that date. The return to student housing will take place on Jan. 29 and 30. The decision was prompted by the continued dramatic drop in the number of COVID hospitalizations and cases during the current wave of the pandemic, which has fueled in part by the spread of the highly contagious omicron variant through the state."

YET THEY STILL REFUSE TO WEAR MASKS _ "COVID has been found in New Jersey deer. Scientists have no idea how they got it," by The Record's Scott Fallon: "The virus was recently found in two free-ranging deer, the state Division of Fish and Wildlife said in a statement Thursday evening. The discovery came as part of a two-year federal study looking at white-tailed deer in several states. Researchers found 33% of 481 deer in New York, Pennsylvania, Illinois and Michigan had COVID antibodies. There was no sign of symptoms among the deer. Researchers do not know how the deer contracted the virus — whether it was from humans, other deer, other animals or elsewhere."

—" An N.J. rabbi says we need to protect Jews, 'just in case' | Opinion"

—" Troubled N.J. psychiatric hospital gets new interim CEO "

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