Good Wednesday morning! Former state Sen. Ray Lesniak acknowledged working with Sean Caddle right until the latter man pleaded guilty to hiring men to murder Michael Galdieri. But he declined to say what the work was. Now, I can reveal that it was to boost Bayonne Mayor Jimmy Davis. Lesniak set up a super PAC aimed at helping elect Davis for a third term this May. Its biggest donor — one of only four — was developer Waseem Boraie, whose company is involved in a major project in Bayonne. Around this time, Lesniak also set up a non-profit 501(c)(3) that he said was not going to be active in Bayonne. The super PAC never really got off the ground because of Caddle's guilty plea. But it's worth noting that a major New Jersey developer gave to an organization that was going to help elect the mayor of a town where his firm is working on a major project and Sean Caddle was to be involved. A Boraie application is scheduled to come before Bayonne's planning board on April 12. If this is kind of stuff is right here for us to see in campaign finance disclosure forms , think of what we can't see, hiding in 501(c)(4) groups that purport to work on "issue advocacy" and don't disclose their donors. Yet the federal courts appear hell bent on allowing dark money to thrive. Read more about it here. DAYS SINCE MURPHY REFUSED TO SAY WHETHER HIS WIFE'S NON-PROFIT SHOULD DISCLOSE DONORS: 29 WHERE'S MURPHY? No public schedule QUOTE OF THE DAY : "I would argue that advancing policies that led to 50,000 missed trips over the years and keeping two sets of books raise questions about the moral integrity of the Academy organization and its management." — NJ Transit board member Bob Gordon on denying Academy a new bus contract even though it was the lowest bidder. HAPPY BIRTHDAY — Fundraiser Koren Frankfort , HTC's Shane Mitchell, CCSNJ's Christina Renna, Ørsted's Madeline Urbish TIPS? FEEDBACK? HATE MAIL? Email me at mfriedman@politico.com
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WHAT'S THIS? CONSEQUENCES OF ACTIONS? — "NJ Transit board denies Academy two bus contracts, saying it lacked 'integrity' to qualify," by The Record's Colleen Wilson: "NJ Transit's board members unanimously rejected awarding two contracts to Academy Express, LLC on Monday night in what one member called a 'difficult and perplexing situation.' The board instead awarded the contracts to operate bus routes in Hudson County to ONE Bus, a subsidiary of Coach USA, the second-ranked bidder. Four weeks ago, Academy agreed to pay $20.5 million to settle a case involving accusations it defrauded NJ Transit out of more than $15 million from 2012 to 2018. The Hoboken-based company was accused of invoicing NJ Transit for tens of thousands of bus trips they did not service … NJ Transit is obligated by state law to award contracts to the 'lowest responsible bidder,' and in this case Academy's bid came in $8 million lower than the next lowest bidder. However, board member Bob Gordon made the case that Academy did not meet the threshold for being the most 'responsible' bidder."
WHAT A GIANT CASHHOLE — NJ Transit projects massive deficit in 2026 budget year , by POLITICO's Ry Rivard : Without fare increases or some other infusion of money, NJ Transit expects to run a deficit of more than a half-billion dollars in the budget year that begins in the summer of 2025. The projections come from the transit agency's latest four-year budget forecast, which shows a $549 million deficit in fiscal year 2026. That amounts to 18 percent of the money it would need to operate without fare increases or service cuts. That deficit assumes: 10 percent to 15 percent of bus and train riders continue working wholly or partially from home following the pandemic; No fare increases on buses or trains; NJ Transit will continue pulling $362 million a year out of its long-term maintenance funds to pay for annual operating expenses. SMOKING — Bill to ban casino smoking gaining bipartisan momentum in Assembly, by POLITICO's Daniel Han: The effort to ban smoking inside Atlantic City's casinos is gaining bipartisan momentum in the Assembly. Details: The bill, NJ A2151 (22R), has 11 new co-sponsors, according to a press release Tuesday, for a total of 18 members of the lower house who have signed on — the most since 2010. The bill has seen only a handful of co-sponsors in the past decade. The latest round of support suggests momentum is building up to end the casino smoking carveout. The measure also has broad bipartisan support. Among the bill's latest backers is Assembly Minority Leader John DiMaio (R-Warren). In the upper house, around a third of the 40-member Senate has signed on to the companion bill. BAIL — "Lawmakers weigh changes to bail reform, citing uptick in gun violence," by New Jersey Monitor's Nikita Biryukov: "It would be harder for people charged with some gun crimes to be released from jail before trial under a bill advanced by an Assembly panel Monday, a move opposed by advocates who fear a rise in incarceration split heavily along racial lines. The bill, approved by the Assembly Law and Public Safety Committee, shifts the burden of proof in pretrial detention hearings involving eligible offenses onto defendants, requiring they convince a judge they pose no risk of flight or re-offense. Existing rules require law enforcement to argue a given defendant should be detained until trial. Assemblyman Benjie Wimberly (D-Passaic), the bill's prime sponsor, said the measure is intended to prevent the release of people who are using firearms to commit crimes. 'That's the one we're dealing with,' Wimberly said. 'We're not going after any low-hanging fruit with parking tickets, child support, jaywalking. None of that stuff.'" —Utility shutoff moratorium ends, but some customers could get a reprieve —" To meet green-energy goal, NJ must import power, report says" —"Tom Barrett's New Jersey Irish American Leaders 2022 List " —"Lawmakers hear pleas for increased focus on mental health of students"
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THE SHARPER MIRAGE — "Judge denies former Newark Mayor Sharpe James a ballot spot," by TAPIntoNewark's Tom Wiedmann: "A state Superior Court judge ruled Tuesday that former Newark Mayor Sharpe James will not be able to appear on the ballot for the city's May nonpartisan municipal elections. Judge Thomas Vena blocked James' attempt to be certified as a candidate after he submitted more than 2,000 nominating petitions for an at-large council seat bid. James' petitions to run for City Council run were not accepted by City Clerk Kenneth Louis. Louis issued a letter to the former Newark mayor, citing a 2008 court order from Judge Linda Feinberg that bars James from holding public office. James, 86, was convicted in 2008 of fraud and served 18 months in federal prison. James' lawyer, Thomas Ashley, pushed back against Louis' decision. He asserted during Tuesday's court hearing that although the 2008 court order does block the former Newark mayor from holding office, his eligibility to be certified as a candidate and to express his political views impeded his first amendment rights. Judge Vena countered, asserting that James is free to his political views, but he doesn't have the right to appear as a candidate for a public office he can't serve in."
IF I WERE A MORE CYNICAL PERSON I MIGHT BELIEVE NJ HAS A CORRUPTION PROBLEM — " Newark councilman pleads guilty in bribery, kickback scheme," by New Jersey Globe's David Wildstein: "Newark West Ward Councilman Joseph A. McCallum, Jr. admitted to accepting bribes and kickbacks from developers, contracting companies and other businesses in exchange for access and aid obtaining public contracts as part of a scheme to defraud Newark and the Newark Community Economic Development Corporation, now known as Invest Newark! McCallum, who is not seeking re-election to the council this year, plead guilty to one count of wire fraud and for filing a false personal income tax return in 2018. Appearing before U.S. District Court Judge William Martini, McCallum acknowledged receiving a $16,000 bribe from a contracting company, a $25,000 bribe and kickback from a developer's company, and $500 cash to cover his cost of an international trip as part of a bid to obtain a $50,000 payment from a second developer … The plea comes five months after Malik Frederick pleaded guilty to counts of conspiracy to commit honest services wire fraud and subscribing to a false personal federal tax return for his role in the alleged scheme. Frederick pushed developers to hire his consulting firm to gain access to McCallum, who was allegedly introduced as the councilman tasked with whatever project the firms were pursing. The councilman was allegedly paid through concealed bribes and kickbacks drawn from fees paid to Frederick's firm." COUP D'BLAH —"Trenton councilman reverses course on coup, resigns seat," by The Trentonian's Isaac Avilucea: "One flew over the coup-koo's nest. A day after planning to stage a coup of council president Kathy McBride, at-large councilman Santiago Rodriguez changed his mind again and resigned his seat, effective June 30. He's expected to ask council leadership to honor his wish for at-large council candidate Yazminelly Gonzalez to take over his seat … On the way out, the councilman called Mayor Reed Gusciora a 'motherf*cker,' blaming him for usurping council's powers by issuing an executive order that approved more than $8.6 million in expenses for measures intended to protect the 'health, well-being and safety' of city residents. 'We have a dictator in City Hall,' Rodriguez said. ... While Rodriguez claimed the mayor's order was a tipping point, he has shown a pattern of erratic thinking over the past few months. First, he announced he'd challenge Gusciora in the upcoming election, only to withdraw before launching a campaign. Then he floated the possibility of leaving his seat early, but quickly backed away from the idea when The Trentonian asked about the possibility last week … After that, word got around that he held a powwow with constituents at Casablanca Restaurant and Bar to discuss the coup attempt on McBride. He called city officials late to gauge their support for the idea." —"Gusciora says it's 'still too early' for him to get involved in Trenton council races" TO CASTRATE A PREDATOR — " Court date set for Edison man arrested after allegedly trying to trap sexual predators," by MyCentralJersey's Suzanne Russell: "A 34-year-old township man, who ran for mayor as an independent last year, is scheduled to appear in court later this month after being arrested on criminal restraint and terroristic threat charges in connection with allegedly luring sexual predators to town, where they were held, interrogated and threatened with castration for a video. ... On March 3 [Christo] Makropoulos went to Edison Police Headquarters to report an incident on Fox Road from the day before. Makropoulos reported he and another man, Ramy El-Daly, 26, of Springfield, were conducting a type of operation in which they were posing as a 15-year-old boy on a website in an attempt to lure alleged sexual predators to a location in Edison. At the Edison site, Makropoulos and El-Daly would confront and interrogate the alleged sexual predators, and in some cases threatened and humiliated them, police said." IF THE POOPERINTENDENT HAD READ THOSE 'STOP THE DUMP' SIGNS HE'D STILL HAVE A JOB — "Atlantic County Commissioners to discuss investigating ACUA spending ," by The Press of Atlantic City's Michelle Brunetti Post: "Atlantic County commissioners will consider authorizing an investigation into the finances of the Atlantic County Utilities Authority at its meeting Tuesday, after finding out the independent authority had spent at least $10,000 opposing a trash transfer station in Pleasantville … The ACUA purchased 'Stop the Dump' lawn signs and other materials opposing the station, which they installed around Pleasantville using workers and county trucks that are used by the ACUA." SPILLER OF INFLUENCE — "This is how Montclair Mayor/NJ state teachers union president Sean Spiller was humiliated at the ballot box," by Erik D'Amato for NJ Education Report: "On Tuesday March 8th, voters in Montclair were for the first time given the opportunity to choose members of the local Board of Education, following passage in November of a referendum to wind up one of the state's few remaining 'Type I' districts, where the mayor appoints BOE members. The change was notable because the mayor who had been making the appointments until November is Sean Spiller, whose day job is president of the New Jersey Education Association, the state's powerful teachers' union. And in addition to the humiliation of losing his power to appoint members of the BOE, the special election on Tuesday to expand the new BOE was swept by two candidates supported by the group which had led the referendum that caused Spiller to lose his power to appoint the BOE." FLAGS — "Students want to fly LGBTQ Pride flag, but new N.J. school policy disallows it," by NJ Advance Media's Richard Cowen : "Some Passaic high school students want to raise the rainbow flag on school grounds to celebrate Pride month — just like they did last year. But this year, there's a hitch. The Passaic Board of Education recently enacted a policy that bans flag displays on school grounds — with exceptions for the Red, White and Blue, and the New Jersey state flag, which are required by law. The board insists the ban on all ethnic flag-raisings wasn't meant to single out the LGBTQ+ community, but done in the spirit of 'fairness.' The Gay-Straight Alliance in the high school says the moves smacks of discrimination and says it will continue to protest." —"Republicans win special election in South Toms River" —" Seven Democratic candidates seek pair of Mercer County commissioner seats" —"Council steps to the plate in the South Ward for Team Baraka" —"Cape May GOP taps Bulakowski for county commissioner" —" 3 in running for Bayonne mayor, with Davis and Nadrowski slates continuing to spar" —"Casais takes aim at Suez mailer touting Bayonne partnership: '[They] must think we are stupid' " —"Hoboken Council: Pandemic-era outdoor dining structures can stay"
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