News : POLITICO New Jersey Playbook: Bigfooting in Morris County

Tuesday, April 26, 2022

POLITICO New Jersey Playbook: Bigfooting in Morris County

Apr 26, 2022

Presented by the NJ Board of Public Utilities

Good Tuesday morning!

The first I heard that longtime Morris County Democratic Chair Chip Robinson was resigning came in the form of a press release from State Democratic Chair LeRoy Jones, who also noted that the Morris County Democratic Committee will meet May 9 to select "a new chair and a new executive board."

That release came after Robinson had a private meeting with Jones, gubernatorial Chief of Staff George Helmy and U.S. Rep. Mikie Sherrill (D-11th Dist.) at Essex County Democratic headquarters. According to Robinson, whose party has had a couple tough developments lately, the decision was mutual.

"The last six months I've really just lost my desire to do the job and increasingly was not enjoying myself being the chair," he said, noting November's tough election for Democrats and the fact that the chairmanship is becoming more full-time.

The thing is, nobody told the executive board . And that got some people upset. "To the extent a deal was made in that room, it was done without our consent. We learned of it via press release," Executive Director Scott Carlson wrote on Facebook. "I do not intend to walk away because a few people in a room decided it so. This not Russia, where a party boss can remove duly-elected officers during their term."

Morris County Democratic Vice Chair also denied she would resign. Then she did . And now Mendham's Amalia Duarte is officially running to replace Robinson.

Internal political squabbles and allegations of political bigfooting aside, this big time-level intervention in the affairs of what for ages has been a perennial minority party committee is interesting. Max Pizarro thinks 2025 positioning is afoot . My simple read on it? State leaders see Morris County as a potential Somerset some years down the line. It may be dominated by Republicans, who still hold a county-wide monopoly on power, but it started a serious Democratic trend in the Trump era. Somerset, once considered only somewhat less of a Republican bastion than Morris, is now wholly controlled by Democrats at the county level.

When you combine those trends in Morris County with the loss of Democratic comfort in South Jersey — especially Gloucester County — you can see why high-ranking Democrats are taking such an interest in Morris.

DAYS SINCE MURPHY REFUSED TO SAY WHETHER HIS WIFE'S NON-PROFIT SHOULD DISCLOSE DONORS: 70

WHERE'S MURPHY? Ireland. No public schedule for Acting Gov. Sheila Oliver

QUOTE OF THE DAY: "Not to be too flip, but welcome to New Jersey … Seriously, that's the culture and tradition in this state." — William J. Hughes Center for Public Policy Executive Director John Froonjian on 2nd District Democratic congressional Carolyn Rush's claim that Atlantic County Democratic Chair Michael Suleiman is seeking to help her primary opponent, Tim Alexander.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY — Impact NJ's Michael Murphy, former Menendez staffer Tiffani Llerandi Rodriguez

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

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A message from the NJ Board of Public Utilities:

WHAT TRENTON MADE

UNTIL THEY TRY THE PIZZA AND BAGELS—Poll finds increase in number of New Jerseyans who want to leave the state, by POLITICO's Matt Friedman : New Jerseyans are generally happy with their state, but the number who say they would like to leave has reached a high point, according to a Monmouth University survey released Monday. Fifty-nine percent of those questioned say they would like to move out of the state at some point, while 38 percent would prefer to stay in New Jersey for the rest of their lives. The last time a Monmouth poll asked that question, in September 2014, the number was 50 percent who wanted to leave versus 45 percent who said they'd prefer to stay. The latest result of the number wanting to leave New Jersey is the highest of the five times Monmouth has asked the question since October 2007. Meanwhile, 66 percent say it's at least "somewhat likely" they'll move out of state at some point.

APPLEGREEN TO CHANGE NAME TO SMITHGRANNY — "$126M rest stop revamp to bring 900 jobs to NJ, corporate HQ to Bergen County," by The Record's Daniel Munoz: "The Irish company that operates the Garden State Parkway and New Jersey Turnpike service plazas is moving its U.S. headquarters to Bergen County and plans to spend $126 million to upgrade 21 rest stops in the state, in an effort that may create 900 new jobs, officials said Monday. Dublin-based Applegreen PLC is expected to create at least 100 finance, administration and logistics positions at a new travel plaza headquarters in Glen Rock, Gov. Phil Murphy's office announced on the first day of his trade mission to Ireland."

MORTON GETS SALTY — "Strange N.J. law allows establishment candidates at the top of the ballot. This must change," by Felisha Reyes-Morton for The Philadelphia Inquirer : "As a member of Camden City Council, I used to be the kind of candidate who could never lose an election. But when I broke party ranks last year, I learned firsthand about the underbelly of party politics, and the obscure voting rules politicians can take advantage of to subvert the democratic process. In overwhelmingly Democratic cities like Camden, where Republican and independent candidates don't stand a chance, candidates aren't chosen on Election Day. Instead, the most powerful officials are elected in the primary, by the small minority of registered voters who show up. In 2021, fewer than 3,000 people out of a city of 73,000 chose Vic Carstarphen as the Democratic candidate for mayor by voting for him in the primary. As the Democratic establishment-backed candidate, his name was printed on the ballot's county line, where voters saw it first. With Carstarphen's name in such a prominent position, it was a race he couldn't lose. This trick is also part of the reason I won my first race.ates at the top of the ballot. This must change."

NO HEARINGS YET — " Residents and workers of NJ nursing homes have not been forgotten," by Nick Scutari and Joe Vitale : "While significant improvements have been made, we still believe more work must be done to improve the care at our veterans' homes and long term care facilities and we will continue to advance legislative reforms to that end. However, given the two ongoing investigations by the federal Department of Justice and the State Attorney General, now is not the time to conduct additional legislative hearings. The DOJ and the AG have far more resources at their disposal and we are confident in their ability to determine exactly who is responsible and what went wrong. We look forward to reviewing the findings from their investigations. Further, we are open to holding hearings as appropriate after the release of the findings to help us determine next steps and hear from stakeholders on how to best implement the recommendations."

HIGHER ED —College leaders, citing possible loss of operating aid, say 'inequities' persist in higher ed funding, by POLITICO's Carly Sitrin: New Jersey college leaders say the funding Gov. Phil Murphy's budget proposal includes for higher education is a good starting point, but maintain "inequities" persist in the way that money is distributed, declaring some schools would see cuts in their overall operating aid. In his fiscal year 2023 proposal, Murphy recommended an increase of around $44 million for his free-tuition Garden State Guarantee Program through the outcomes-based allocation funding model for schools, but that comes at the expense of a $42 million cut in operating aid for colleges. That cut includes a number of legislative add-ons from fiscal year 2022, including a "full-time student" floor — also called FTE floor — that gave all public four-year institutions at least $3,050 in state aid per full-time students

—"N.J. nursing homes whose residents were hit hard by COVID fined $12M during pandemic"

—"Jameson distillery visit rounds off murphy's second event-filled day in Ireland"

— Sarlo, as mayor of Wood-Ridge, considers barring his town's cops from cannabis use

—"Start spreading the news, Frank Sinatra has a Parkway service area named for him"

—"NJ marijuana legalization favors unions for cannabis workers"

Top Headlines. Insights. Issues that Matter. News moves fast in the Garden State. Want to make sense of it all? NJ PBS's Reporters Roundtable with David Cruz offers an insiders' view on the stories that are making headlines in Trenton and throughout the Garden State. Hear from the key players making news and the journalists reporting on them and the issues that matter to you, your community, your business, your state. Saturdays at 6pm; Sundays at 10am on NJ PBS. Learn more.

BIDEN TIME

OR WILL CRISPI GET CREAMED? — "Can a Trump-style campaign knock out longtime Republican Chris Smith in NJ's 4th District?" by The Record's Charles Stile: "Mike Crispi, a conservative talk-show host, strolled before a Monmouth County breakfast gathering earlier this month, casting himself as a brass-knuckled insurgent willing to dislodge Republican Christopher Smith from the seat he's held in Congress for 41 years. But this was more than just a conventional get-to-know-the-candidate soiree. The 29-year-old was also auditioning for former President Donald Trump. Last fall, Smith found himself on Trump's enemies list after he, and 10 other House Republicans, broke ranks and voted for President Joe Biden's $1 trillion infrastructure package … Trump has not officially bestowed his blessing on Crispi, despite Crispi's enlisting consultant Roger Stone, Trump's dark-arts confidant. Crispi is also facing competition from two other anti-establishment candidates. Regardless of the crowded field, Crispi and his insurgent competitors are taking a David-vs.-Goliath gamble. Can they harness enough grassroots anger to defeat a veteran right-of-center New Jersey Republican who enjoys powerful institutional advantages? … Some longtime political observers say it's wishful thinking."

—" 'Just insane': Kyle Mullen's mom slams silence, mistakes after Navy SEALs Hell Week death"

—"HCCC North campus atrium named for Rep. Albio Sires"

LOCAL

TOTO: IT'S SOMETHING THAT A HUNDRED MEN OR MORE COULD DO — "Middlesex Water Company facing class action lawsuit for high contamination," by MyCentralJersey's Mike Deak: "A Superior Court judge has certified a lawsuit against Middlesex Water Company as a class action case. The April 21 ruling by Judge Michael Toto in Middlesex County allows all the water company's affected customers to join the litigation if they want … The lawsuit was filed after the water company notified customers on Oct. 22 and Nov. 8 that perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) was detected in groundwater samples in excess of the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection's Maximum Contaminant Level standard at the company's Park Avenue Treatment Plant in South Plainfield. PFOA is a chemical used in industry and consumer products that break down slowly and can build up in people, animals and the environment over time."

SOMETHING TO LOOK FORWARD TO — "N.J. school district will teach new sex ed standards, but on last day of classes," by NJ Advance Media's Rob Jennings: "Morris County school district is telling parents that new lessons next year stemming from the state's updated sex education standards will be limited to the last day of classes. East Hanover Superintendent Natalee Bartlett outlined the K-8 district's plans in a letter Tuesday, amid an ongoing statewide controversy over the standards. 'Please know that we will not change our current lesson-planning or curriculum offerings based on the updated standards,' Bartlett wrote in a letter she provided Friday to NJ Advance Media. The district intends to 'loosely interpret the standards,' she wrote …' 'Further, we also believe that the state is acknowledging its overreach, and has begun distancing itself from some of the new standards. It would not surprise us if many of these topics are altered prior to the new school year. However, as we agree that some topics may be uncomfortable for students, parents and guardians, we want to remind parents/guardians that they have the option of excluding their children from any portion of sexuality education instruction if it is in conflict with conscience, moral, or religious beliefs,' Bartlett wrote."

CLARK MAYOR CONSIDERS CHANGING TOWN'S NAME TO 'SQUAWK' — " NJ brook, lake getting new names as federal government erases the S-word from the map," by The Record's Philip DeVencentis: "A rock-strewn creek that courses from north to south through the borough will be renamed by the federal government under a plan to eliminate pejorative terms from hundreds of national sites. Squaw Brook is a tributary's tributary — branching off like a fine thread in the immense Passaic River basin — but it was selected as one of two locations in New Jersey in need of a fresh look. The other site, Squaw Lake, is a 16-acre reservoir in the township of Medford. The Department of the Interior first announced the sweeping changes in November, and in a matter of three months, it unveiled possible replacement names for 660 geographic features known by the 'squaw' moniker … Steven Burton, the chairman of the state Commission on American Indian Affairs, said any name is preferred over Squaw Brook. 'It's no different than the N-word,' said Burton, a native of Mahwah and an elder in the Ramapo Munsee Lenape Nation. According to a statement by the Interior Department, 'squaw' is an ethnic and sexist slur, especially for Indigenous women"

MARIJUANA PSYCHOSIS WILL MAKE YOU HOARD COKE MACHINES AND WOOLLY MAMMOTH TUSKS — " Ocean County says no to acting NJ attorney general on legal weed for off-duty cops," by The Asbury Park Press' Erik Larsen: "Ocean County sheriff's officers are prohibited from using marijuana when off duty, despite a memo from acting New Jersey Attorney General Matthew Platkin asserting that they can. Sheriff Michael G. Mastronardy has informed his police unions that there will be 'ramifications' if an officer is discovered to have violated the county policy, said Jack Kelly, director of the county Board of Commissioners. However, the sheriff has stopped short of threatening to terminate any employee who does so. The policy was affirmed at a meeting of the commission last Wednesday, when Kelly read a statement from Mastronardy at the start of its public meeting. 'Marijuana, when consumed, stays in your system for 30 days and there are field tests to determine the level of marijuana intoxication,' Kelly said. 'Additionally, federal law still classifies marijuana as an illegal 'schedule 1' drug.' … 'As such, a law enforcement agency that allows its officers to consume marijuana may be ineligible for certain federal grants,' Kelly said."

BY BORDENTOWN POLICE CHIEF STANDARDS IT COULD BE WORSE — " N.J. police chief charged with drunken driving following crash, records show," by NJ Advance Media's Kevin Shea: "Bordentown Township Police Chief Brian Pesce has been charged with drunken driving following a crash in Mercer County in which police allege he left the scene and did not report the incident, court records show. Pesce, a 23-year police officer in Bordentown Township and its chief since 2018, is charged with five traffic offenses for the Friday night crash in Hamilton's University Heights neighborhood. They include reckless and careless driving, in addition to the drunken driving, leaving the scene of an accident involving property damage, and failing to report an accident."

PASSAIC COUNTY —"Judge says Passaic GOP can swap Sheriff candidates," by New Jersey Globe's David Wildstein : "Passaic County Republicans will be able to put Mason Maher on the June primary ballot as their candidate for sheriff after their original pick failed to meet the residency requirement, Superior Court Judge Ernest Caposela ruled on Monday. 'If it's an uncontested primary, what's the big deal for his name to be on the ballot?' asked Caposela. 'I don't see the harm. I really don't. Republicans went to court today to substitute Maher, a Paterson police detective lieutenant and the president of the Superior Officers Association, to take the place of Troy Oswald, a former Paterson police chief.'"

—"Control of [Cumberland] county jail up for a vote, sheriff would take over troubled facility"

—" Firefighter, [Vineland] end discrimination lawsuit out of court with $275,000 payment"

—"Maplewood child suffered 'emotional harm' when her hijab was removed by teacher, suit says "

—"With Newark school board tallies updated, slate backed by mayor retains sweep"

JOIN US ON 4/29 FOR A WOMEN RULE DISCUSSION ON WOMEN IN TECH : Women, particularly women of color and women from disadvantaged socioeconomic backgrounds, have historically been locked out of the tech world. But this new tech revolution could be an opportunity for women to get in on the ground floor of a new chapter. Join POLITICO for an in-depth panel discussion on the future of women in tech and how to make sure women are both participating in this fast-moving era and have access to all it offers. REGISTER HERE.

EVERYTHING ELSE

SEE WHAT LEGAL WEED HAS DONE? — "N.J. racetrack probes rise, as more horses test positive for banned substances," by New Jersey Monitor's Dana DiFilippo: "The number of horses that tested positive for banned substances more than doubled in the past year at New Jersey's three horse racing tracks, state police data shows. The New Jersey State Police's racetrack unit conducted 51 barn searches in the 2021 fiscal year at the Meadowlands Racetrack, Freehold Raceway, and Monmouth Park, up from just 20 the year before, state data shows. The state Attorney General's Office, which oversees the unit, attributed the jump to improved lab testing that resulted in more positives. The upswing comes as attention grows on the sport of horse racing and its persistent problems with horse doping."

—"N.J.'s COVID cases are woefully undercounted. Sewage may be its last early warning system"

—" 'The best passport': NJ WWII vet who served on D-Day using new ID to go back to Normandy"

—" NJCU plans tuition raise, but says total cost per student will go down next year"

—"All 16 major sandwich chains in N.J., ranked from worst to best"

—"Ex-editor slams the price of The Asbury Park Press"

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