News: POLITICO New Jersey Playbook: Mark Sheridan says what you all were thinking

Monday, January 31, 2022

POLITICO New Jersey Playbook: Mark Sheridan says what you all were thinking

Jan 31, 2022

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By Matt Friedman

Presented by NJ Cannabis Trade Association

Good Monday morning!

I'm glad Mark Sheridan, the Republican attorney, was the person who put it out there.

I don't know if the murder of Michael Galdieri is in any way connected to the mysterious deaths of Sheridan's parents, John and Joyce. And a source has hinted at warning me off connecting the two. But there are some similarities that can't be ignored based on what we know so far.

Between the timing of the crimes, the obvious similarities of the crime scenes and the kitchen knife found in an alleged hitman's car, it's more than reasonable to ask authorities to look into whether there's a connection between the Sheridan deaths and Sean Caddle's hiring of Bomani Africa and (allegedly) George Bratsenis to kill Galdieri. Click here to read Sheridan's letter requesting the Attorney General and Somerset County Prosecutor take a look and my article about it here. The murder of Joan Davis in Teaneck also bears some similarities.

Regardless of the prospect of a Sheridan connection, something big is clearly brewing. Caddle is cooperating. It's hard to imagine that federal authorities hold a proffer session with Caddle in September, work out his plea a month later and let him stay free — and, amazingly, currently still stay home after admitting to hiring people to murder a man — unless they have something or someone bigger in their sights.

QUOTE OF THE DAY: "I know that neither of you were in charge of your respective offices at the time of my parents' deaths. However, you should be aware that each of your offices all but laughed at my family's suggestion that my parents' deaths were anything other than a murder suicide. Indeed, both offices openly mocked the idea of killing for hire involving a stabbing with a fire set to destroy evidence." — Mark Sheridan

HAPPY BIRTHDAY — Assembly Speaker Craig Coughlin, MWW's Michael Kempner, Hoboken Strategies' Antonia Spano, Camden County Commissioner Jeff Nash

WHERE'S MURPHY? At the White House for an 11 a.m. National Governors Association meeting with the president.

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

WHAT TRENTON MADE

RE-REDISTRICTING — " Claiming partisan fairness models are proprietary, Princeton Gerrymandering Project won't show their work," by New Jersey Globe's David Wildstein: "An algorithm used by the Princeton Gerrymandering Project to determine the partisan fairness of New Jersey congressional districts won't be made public because the group says their redistricting analysis formula is proprietary. John E. Wallace, Jr, the court-selected independent tiebreaker, says he utilized the data provided by the Princeton group to make his final determination to pick the Democratic map … But as the former Supreme Court Justice bemoaned the failure of the two parties didn't share their maps – both sides dispute that it was their fault – some Democrats admitted that they received some extra help from two Princeton Gerrymandering Project staffers who were working for Wallace, Hannah Wheelan and Helen Brewer. 'I got the sense that they really wanted us to win,' said a Democrat who was part of the Cherry Hill meetings. 'The only reason I'm not mad is because we won.' Staffers from the Princeton Gerrymandering Project quietly gave Democrats some valuable feedback that would ultimately play into their final map submission: that Republicans were doing a good job limiting the splitting of towns and municipalities and that Democrats needed to do better … Republicans said they received no similar intelligence, although both sides received feedback from Wallace and his team during individual sessions in Cherry Hill."

'UNPROVOKED' — " An unprovoked civil war splits NJ Democrats ," by The Star-Ledger's Tom Moran: "When wolves hunt a herd of caribou, they look for a sign of weakness before selecting their victim. It's good strategy, and it's the way these beasts are built. So it is with New Jersey politics. Last week, Gov. Phil Murphy's allies went for the kill of their long-time rival, former Senate President Steve Sweeney, seeing that he was wounded by his stunning election loss in November … But the important question, for those watching this fight, is how this new civil war in Trenton will affect governance. Because no bill can pass the Legislature without support from South Jersey legislators. If they hold out as a bloc – and they are by far the most united faction -- then Democrats don't have 21 votes in the Senate or 41 in the Assembly. The first casualty will be any progressive legislation. Democrats in every faction were scared by the red wave in November's election, and the South is more conservative to begin with. This power play is bound to make them more resistant to liberal legislators in the North, or with Murphy."

BUT — " In private redistricting meeting, some South Jersey Dems praise Jones' leadership," by New Jersey Globe's David Wildstein : "With more than 50 Democratic legislators, party leaders and staff on a Zoom meeting to discuss legislative redistricting on Sunday morning, no one raised an objection to the dumping of former Senate President Steve Sweeney from the Apportionment Commission, according to several individuals with knowledge of the call who spoke on the condition of anonymity. Several South Jersey lawmakers participated in the meeting. Assembly Majority Leader Louis Greenwald (D-Voorhees) praised Democratic State Chairman LeRoy Jones, Jr. for his leadership on the redistricting commission and did not mention Sweeney's removal."

SUPREME COURT —" Is it time to forgive Sundiata Acoli, the man who killed a NJ state trooper in 1973?" by The Record's Mike Kelly: "Nearly half a century ago, Sundiata Acoli killed a cop. Today, at 85, Acoli is still behind bars, serving a life sentence that may take his life. He reportedly suffers from the early stages of dementia and the effects of his bout with COVID-19. Is it time to set him free? The New Jersey Supreme Court is scheduled on Monday to examine that question. But beyond the legal complexities and brutal facts of Acoli's crime, a significant non-legal issue frames this case. Sundiata Acoli in a 2019 photo Can we ever forgive this man for what he did? Should we?"

NO — " Some N.J. health workers weigh quitting over new vaccine mandate. Will it escalate the staffing crisis?" by NJ Advance Media's Susan K. Livio : "Weidermann is among a small minority of New Jersey health care workers who have concerns about the vaccine but remained in the industry without seeking a medical or religious exemption. Now they feel cornered by Murphy's latest mandate as a staffing crisis continues to plague hospitals and long-term care facilities. Some workers say they will walk off the job as the deadline looms, while others debate their next move. New Jersey hospital systems and health care unions say the vast majority of their employees are vaccinated — though it is unclear how many are boosted — due to largely pro-vaccine attitudes and a number of previous government and corporate mandates. While the holdouts amount to only a fraction of the state's health care employees, worker shortages in many hospitals and other facilities have reached a crisis level. Even a marginal number of losses will strain already overstretched staffs, threatening to affect patient care, experts say."

ANOTHER JERSEY CONNECTION —"They robbed banks together in 2014. In between, feds say they murdered N.J. political operative," by NJ Advance Media's Joe Atmonavage: "The two prisoners housed on Block 2C at New Jersey State Prison years ago shared a common ambition, authorities said. They wanted to rob banks. Upon release after serving lengthy sentences, they did just that. The men, Bomani Africa and George Bratsenis, committed two violent gunpoint robberies over several months in 2014 in Bratsenis' home state of Connecticut, prosecutors said. Their heists included a leopard-patterned pillowcase stuffed with cash, getaway cars, a carjacking and even arson. They were pros who authorities said hopped bank teller counters, avoided money that could be tracked, timed their thefts and planned quick getaways, netting tens of thousands of dollars in stolen cash during robberies in April and September."

—"NJ replenishes Excluded New Jerseyans Fund, extends deadline"

—" Murphy says he'd rather be right than fast as N.J. may delay recreational weed sales"

—Mulshine: " If we had the initiative, we could have a referendum on gerrymandering"

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BIDEN TIME

BECAUSE THE FBI REFUSES TO CONSIDER FROZEN SUPERMARKET BAGELS A HATE CRIME — " New Jersey officials said hate was spiking. The FBI said numbers had fallen. It depends on what you count," by The Washington Post's David Nakamura: "In 2020, they said in a Facebook forum, state police recorded 1,441 bias incidents - an all-time high and up 164% from two years earlier. Rep. Andy Kim, D, who is Korean American, described his 5-year-old son being called "China boy" at day care. Then-state Attorney General Gurbir Grewal, a Sikh American once dubbed 'turban man' by a conservative radio host, said: 'It's a hate problem we have in this country, and it's manifesting in this state.' But the Justice Department took a more circumspect view. FBI analysts compiling an annual hate-crimes report combed through New Jersey's incident reports and determined that 389 hate crimes were committed in 2020 - a significant drop from the previous year and about 27% of what local law enforcement had recorded. The rest 'did not meet the definition of hate crime as used by the FBI,' the agency said in a statement to The Washington Post. Some harassment didn't rise to the level of intimidation, and some suspected bias incidents lacked evidence. In some cases, local investigations found no offense had occurred. The discrepancy highlights the difficulties of tracking public levels of hate in the United States amid rising threats of white supremacy and a national reckoning over racial justice. It also points to sharp divides over what should constitute a hate crime, and whether incidents that are not considered criminal should still be catalogued. 'We need to be very careful to clearly define what we're talking about,' Kim said."

—" Democrats concede [Gottheimer] an could be in trouble. Is it a warning sign for Biden midterm?"

—" Brotschol stands down in CD-11"

—" The scope of Caddle's range has political world on edge "

—Video: " Why Menendez wants to succeed Sires "

—" Atilis Gym owner Ian Smith will run for Congress against Andy Kim"

LOCAL

JERSEY CITY MAKE IT SEWERS — " Now that Jersey City has agreed to upgrade water and sewer lines, how will city pay for it?" by The Jersey Journal's Joshua Rosario: "The price tag to reshape the aging systems — some city sewer lines may still be wooden — is more than $1 billion, city and federal officials said Thursday … The work will fall upon the Jersey City Municipal Utilities Authority (JCMUA), the agency responsible for the city's water and sewage. But on Friday, no one could say for certain who will pay for the necessary, but expensive, project. Most expect that ultimately the city will bear the cost, but it's possible that state and federal grants could defray some of the expense.. An EPA spokeswoman said the city may be able to take advantage of two funding sources, the Clean Water State Revolving Fund (CWSRF) and the Drinking Water State Revolving Fund (DWSRF). Both are low-interest loans. Jersey City spokeswoman Kimberly Wallace-Scalcione and Erica Daughtry, a spokeswoman for Rep. Albio Sires, could not be reached for comment. A spokeswoman for Sen. Bob Menendez said his office is looking into it."

ENGLEWOOD CLIFFS POLITICIANS NEED TO CHILL, PERHAPS WITH AN ENGLEWOOD SPLIFF — " Englewood Cliffs council calls emergency meeting to fire lawyer. He's fighting back," by The Record's Katie Sobko: "In a stark display of the rift dividing Englewood Cliffs' governing body, an emergency meeting was called late Wednesday afternoon to fire a special attorney — a meeting that Mayor Mario Kranjac deemed illegal. The four councilmen who attended the virtual meeting, along with the current borough attorney, contended that the meeting was legal and moved to fire special counsel Eric Bernstein and his firm, Eric M. Bernstein and Associates. … who had been hired to deal with aspects of the borough's affordable housing litigation."

EDUCATION — " To fill shortage, N.J. school district will sponsor teachers from other countries," by NJ Advance Media's Steven Rodas: "The Camden school district has tried online ads, college partnerships and job fairs to tackle its ongoing teacher shortage. Now, the district is trying something new: Hiring teachers from outside the country. The school board approved a new program Tuesday night that will allow the district to sponsor teachers from outside the U.S. with a temporary visa to work in city schools. Officials hope the program will expand its pool of applicants, specifically for bilingual and English as a Second Language vacancies."

R.I.P. — " Hunterdon County GOP chairman emeritus Henry Kuhl has died ," by InsiderNJ's Max Pizarro: "The longest serving county party chairman in New Jersey when he retired in 2014 and a leader noted for his honorable behavior, clear thinking and speaking, and commitment to his party ideals, Hunterdon County GOP Chairman Emeritus Henry Kuhl has died. Mr. Kuhl attended 12 of 13 Republican National Conventions, and backed Ronald Reagan for president in 1976. 'I have been chairman for 35 years,' Mr. Kuhl told PolitickerNJ when he formally retired from the chairmanship on his own volition. 'I felt I had served well for so many years and it would be better for someone to replace me.'"

—" County exec Joe D.: We need a new University Hospital, and fast "

—" Ex-judge disciplined over daughter's basketball controversy plans to sue [Kenilworth] cops"

—" After violence at [Essex County] jail, oversight committee probes housing and mental health"

R.I.P. — "'Father of Fredon': Community mourns loss of former mayor, fire chief"

—" Sanofi's North American headquarters in Bridgewater sells for $260 million"

—"'Only funny because it's true': See Morris County police's comedic snowstorm warning"

—" Bayonne BOE appoints long-time teacher to fill empty seat on board"

—" Hoboken Mayor Bhalla hired as counsel at same law firm as assistant corporation counsel"

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

THEY EVEN SPIED ON THE BEDTIME CAIR BEAR — "For NJ Muslims, new spying scandal comes as no surprise after years of surveillance," by The Record's Hannan Adely: "Ten years after revelations of an extensive NYPD spying operation in their communities, Muslim Americans have once again found themselves the target of secret surveillance. The news in recent weeks has centered on the Investigative Project on Terrorism, a nonprofit research group that critics say has an anti-Muslim bias. In December, a Muslim civil rights organization accused the group of bankrolling a years-long effort using staff and paid informants to monitor Muslim leaders, including a leading New Jersey imam … CAIR subsequently released a statement showing other reported targets, including Imam Mohammad Qatanani of the Islamic Center of Passaic County in Paterson, one of the Garden State's largest mosques. New York attorney and Palestinian rights activist Lamis Deek and Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison also came under scrutiny, along with other Muslim leaders, according to statements from a whistleblower and an informant … While the NYPD cast a wide net in its monitoring — mapping, eavesdropping and photographing at mosques, businesses and schools in New York and New Jersey — IPT's focus was on Muslims in positions of prominence or power, Mitchell said. 'Their goal was to undermine Muslims to make sure Muslims would never become a powerful force in this country,' he said."

YOU GIVE HOLY A BAD NAME — "Holy Name CEO affirms commitment to Black hospital staff, denies reports of racial dispute," by The Record's Lindy Washburn: "Staff members at Holy Name medical center in Teaneck received an email message from Michael Maron, the CEO, on Thursday denying a report by NorthJersey.com detailing the reasons for the suspension and departure of the hospital's chief medical officer. The NorthJersey.com article detailed how Dr. Adam Jarrett, who was also the hospital's executive vice president, informed the hospital's board of trustees in July about his concerns regarding a request from Maron to 'get rid of' a Black physician who requested the hospital to take a public stand in support of racial justice following the May 2020 George Floyd killing … In his email to the staff Thursday, Maron said 'these accusations are entirely false and do not reflect Holy Name's deeply held values.'"

—" Blizzard turns Southersey into a ghost town"

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