News : POLITICO New Jersey Playbook: The Newark sexual assault allegation hiding in plain sight

Thursday, April 28, 2022

POLITICO New Jersey Playbook: The Newark sexual assault allegation hiding in plain sight

Apr 28, 2022

Presented by the NJ Board of Public Utilities

Yesterday, in this space, I highlighted a NJ Advance Media article about Ras Baraka-endorsed East Ward council candidate Louis Weber's history of using force as a Newark cop.

That part of Weber's history has been highlighted before in at least one other article. But a sexual assault allegation against Weber by another former Newark cop, which isn't hard to find on Google, has so far not been brought up in the election. Which, by the way, is in less than two weeks.

So I wrote about it here.

I can't prove or disprove the allegation. But I can say that if someone's running for office and they have this kind of allegation leveled against them, they should talk about it. Weber didn't call me back yesterday. Neither did the Baraka campaign, on whose ticket Weber is running.

I usually have a statewide focus that keeps me from writing much about local elections. But this is New Jersey's largest city and it's about a candidate on the mayor's slate. As a reporter, I take partial responsibility for this easily-discoverable allegation not being raised until now. But I don't think individual reporters are to blame for this. Most of us work hard. Instead, it's a sad state of affairs that our media ecosystem incentivizes such little coverage of an election in a major city that this allegation lay dormant. And it's sad that candidates don't feel compelled to talk about it.

I hope someday this changes.

DAYS SINCE MURPHY REFUSED TO SAY WHETHER HIS WIFE'S NONPROFIT SHOULD DISCLOSE ITS DONORS: 72

WHERE'S MURPHY? In Atlantic City for a noon announcement on offshore wind and a 12:30 event to highlight the NAACP convention

QUOTE OF THE DAY: "I think it's very insincere that the state is talking about affordable housing, but when money is misspent and people have an opportunity to jump in and correct the problems — they don't want to step up and don't want to comment." — Tracy Rogers of the Asbury Park Affordable Housing Coalition

HAPPY BIRTHDAY — Secretary of Agriculture Doug Fisher

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

NEED MORE PLAYBOOK? — Sign up here for NJ Playbook PM and get more news in your inbox care of POLITICO's Jonathan Custodio, minus the snarky headlines

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.

WHAT TRENTON MADE

0.21 MASTROS — Nearly $2M in gross sales reported on first day of adult-use cannabis, with no disruption of medical supply, by POLITICO's Daniel Han: New Jersey saw $1.9 million in gross sales of recreational cannabis on the first day the market launched and has not seen any disruption for medical cannabis patients, the Cannabis Regulatory Commission announced Wednesday. The CRC, the state's cannabis regulator, said in a press release that "there has not been any substantiated reports of supply problems for medicinal cannabis patients." Ensuring no disruption of patient access to medical cannabis had been a major sticking point for regulators launching the recreational cannabis market. The dispensaries open for recreational sales are all run by medical cannabis operators for now and face stiff penalties if supplies for patients are choked up. Several stopgap measures are in place to ensure medical cannabis does not run out, including stockpiling supplies having separate lines for medical and recreational users.

A $16 TOLL ON TOP OF OVERPRICED WEED — "No, New Yorkers aren't flocking to New Jersey for legal weed," by The New York Times' Gina Cherelus: "The relationship between New Jersey and New York is close but contentious, with New Jersey's suburban life often portrayed as less glamorous than the fast life of the city. But anyone waiting to see New Yorkers flooding into New Jersey probably shouldn't expect to see a reverse pipeline materialize any time soon, especially after New York City decriminalized use of the drug in recent months. … Crucially, there are currently no operational dispensaries in nearby Hoboken and Jersey City, which were the facilities allowed to offer recreational cannabis, according to the state's Cannabis Regulatory Commission. Those areas are reachable from Manhattan via a $2.75 ride on the PATH train."

AFFORDABLE HOUSING – "'Embarrassment:' NJ officials blasted over Asbury Park's $2M mismanaged housing funds," by The Asbury Park Press' Kayla Canne: "A housing advocate called the state's commitment to affordable housing "an embarrassment" this week as the administration of Gov. Phil Murphy and top housing lawmakers avoided addressing the misuse of millions of taxpayer dollars exposed in a recent Asbury Park Press investigation. 'This is probably an embarrassment to them because it's an extension of their policy,"'said Matt Shapiro, who leads the New Jersey Tenants Organization. 'But it's predictable that this would happen.' Shapiro claimed state officials ignore housing inequities for their lowest-income residents and said he was not surprised by the lack of urgency they showed when confronted with the Press' investigation. The Press exposed mismanagement of affordable housing funds in Asbury Park by municipal and state officials, and a general lack of government oversight of more than $200 million statewide. … The Press' investigation revealed Asbury Park spent $2.27 million to rehabilitate apartments for its lowest income residents, and then failed to monitor whether those units were actually kept affordable, as mandated under state law."

CHILD ABUSE REGISTRIES — " It's like a leech on me": Child abuse registries punish unsuspecting parents of color," by Buzzfeed's Scott Pham: "When Nzinga Terrell-Brown took a job as a teacher's assistant in 2018, she thought it was the start of a new life. For years, Terrell-Brown, a college graduate with a degree in English, had worked in daycare centers and group homes, carrying the dream of one day becoming a teacher. Now, she hoped, she was on her way. Less than three months later, she was fired. It wasn't because of anything she did on the job. Rather, she learned, it was because back in 2009, she left her young children sleeping in her car while she dashed into a supermarket to make a purchase. That momentary decision landed her on a list with the power to bar her from many teaching jobs. … Being placed on a registry can cast a decadeslong shadow, ending careers, blocking the chance of getting hired for new jobs, and putting adoption out of reach. And in state after state, people of color — especially if they are living in poverty — are several times more likely to be placed on these registries, and to suffer their consequences."

PEOPLE HEALTHIEST IN RICHEST COUNTIES — " Where do N.J.'s healthiest people live? Here's how your county ranks," by NJ Advance Media's Susan K. Livio: "Once again, Morris, Hunterdon and Somerset counties landed at the top of this year's ranking of healthiest counties in New Jersey, thanks to access to high-achieving schools, an ample number of doctors and hospitals and their proximity to parks and recreation that encourage an active lifestyle. But most importantly, these counties are the most affluent in the state. And if the annual healthiest county rankings by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and the University of Wisconsin Population Health Institute prove anything, it's that wealth equals health. Cumberland, Salem and Camden counties are home to pockets of poverty and higher unemployment rates and have consistently ranked at the bottom of the list. Life expectancy is highest in Hunterdon County at 83.2 years compared to 74.6 years in Cumberland County, where it is the state's lowest."

VLAD NEWS — "N.J. public worker pension fund loses billions on investments in rocky first quarter," by NJ Advance Media's Derek Hall: "New Jersey's public worker pension fund lost nearly $3 billion in the first quarter of 2022 as mounting economic headwinds and Russia's invasion of Ukraine roiled global markets. That amounted to a loss of nearly 3% on investments and brought the fund's market value down to $94.7 billion as of March 31, according to a Division of Investment report released Wednesday."

— " [Belleville] mayor denounces 'attempted coup,' reappoints planning board amid legal questions"

— "NJ Transit riders petition for a mask-only car after federal mandate overturned"

— "Despite Phil Murphy's halt, NJ agency presses on with Passaic River power plant proposal"

— Opinion: " Why are we so afraid of sex-education?"

A message from the NJ Board of Public Utilities:

BIDEN TIME

— "Prosecutor seeks prison term for Capitol riot suspect from Blackwood"

— "This little-known story about Washington crossing the Delaware needs to be told, N.J. lawmaker says"

— " N.J. families of COVID victims push Congress to prevent a repeat pandemic"

— "Water advocates seek $1.2B in federal pandemic funds"

LOCAL

WELCOME TO THE 20TH CENTURY — "Elite, secretive N.J. golf club unlawfully banned women from playing, owning houses, complaint says," by NJ Advance Media's Ted Sherman: "New Jersey's most exclusive golf course may be too exclusive. The state filed a civil rights complaint against the Pine Valley Golf Club on Wednesday, alleging "a pattern of gender-based discrimination" by the historically male-dominated club in its membership, its public accommodations, its employment and restricted housing opportunities to live on the course offered only to members. According to the eight-page administrative complaint, the state Attorney General's office alleged that Pine Valley violated New Jersey's Law Against Discrimination by banning women from becoming members and restricting their ability to golf and to access club facilities. … Club officials did not respond to calls, texts or emails seeking comment. But Pine Valley told state investigators that it had lifted all restrictions on membership and use of its facilities based on sex or gender by the spring of 2021 after the Division on Civil Rights had commenced its investigation, the state said."

DROP BOXES TO BE JUMBO-SIZED TO ACCOMMODATE EXTRA STUFFING — " Passaic County sets two early voting sites for Paterson election, sparking complaints," by The Paterson Press' Joe Malinconico: "An early voting initiative designed to increase participation in the upcoming mayoral election is coming under criticism because the two polling locations are far from the city's struggling neighborhoods. The City Council had recommended that each of Paterson's six wards have an early voting site when it approved an ordinance last month allowing residents to cast their ballots during the three days before the May 10 election. But the Passaic County Board of Elections commissioners have decided to establish just two early voting sites in the city — one at a mosque near Eastside Park in the 3rd Ward and the other at Paterson's fire headquarters on McBride Avenue in the 2nd Ward. All four challengers in the city's mayoral race said the two locations seem like an attempt by Passaic County's Democratic Party power brokers to benefit the incumbent, Andre Sayegh."

R.I.P. — "Kevin O'Neill, Warren County Surrogate, dies at 76," by New Jersey Globe's David Wildstein: "Kevin O'Neill, the Warren County Surrogate, died on April 25. He was 76. O'Neill was first elected in 2010 when he ousted incumbent Susan Dickey in the Republican primary by a 54%-46% margin. He easily defeated Democrat Tammy Smith in the general election and was re-elected in 2015 and 2020. O'Neill was a teacher, coach and realtor before serving as surrogate. He was also a U.S. Army veteran."

WHERE DO THEY THINK THEY ARE, CLARK? — " N.J. town suspended 2 police officers who reported fellow cop for racial profiling, lawsuit says," by NJ Advance Media's Anthony G. Attrino : "Two officers with the Westfield Police Department have sued the town, claiming they were retaliated against after they reported a fellow police officer for ticketing a Black driver while letting a white one go without a summons. Sgt. Preston Freeman, 49, and Lt. Nicole Stivale, 42, had accused Officer Christopher Forcenito of 'racially influenced profiling' after two motor vehicle stops that occurred during the overnight shift on Jan. 29, 2021, according to a lawsuit filed last month in Superior Court of Union County."

— " [Asbury Park] school board to vote on eliminating 28 employees"

— "Trenton council sues Gusciora, again, for blocking redevelopment agency "

— "Woodbridge awaits radon results as 117 people with brain tumors now linked to Colonia H.S."

— "Trenton council prez McBride won't budge on school district budget"

— " Bergen County confiscates computer from Palisades Park police. Here's what we know"

— "Anonymous flyers rile Ocean City candidate"

— "[Northvale] cop charged with stealing from police union, prosecutor says"

— " Lakewood Board of Education set to fill vacancy at special meeting this week"

— "Firefighter struck by bullet working out at Trenton, NJ firehouse "

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

WHEN THEY PERFORM POORLY THEY CAN BE CALLED 'GOTHAM S**TY' — "NJ soccer legend Carli Lloyd returns to Gotham FC as a minority owner," by The Record's Melanie Anzidel: "The former Gotham FC standout on Wednesday was announced as the New Jersey-based franchise's newest minority owner, barely six months after retiring from the game. The news comes as the franchise's business side has been growing exponentially. Lloyd is also joining a growing ownership group, which includes New Jersey's first couple, Gov. Phil Murphy and his wife, Tammy."

IN VINELAND IT'S A HOT COFFEE LAWSUIT. IN LYNDHURST IT'S A HOT CAWFFEE LAWSUIT — " As coffee burn lawsuits pile up in NJ, we asked legal experts how they're decided," by The Record's Kaitlyn Kanzler: "With two lawsuits filed in recent weeks in North Jersey, we checked with legal experts to learn the likelihood of the defendants' winning and what factors come into play in a successful burn lawsuit. In both local cases, one in Lyndhurst and one in Totowa, the plaintiffs claim the coffee from Dunkin Donuts seriously burned them. Additional hot coffee lawsuits were filed in Vineland and Delran against Dunkin. … There is no data to back up the perception that there has been an increase in frivolous lawsuits, one New Jersey law school professor said."

TWIST: DAWN ADDIEGO WAS A REPUBLICAN THE WHOLE TIME — "M. Night Shyamalan is filming part of 'Knock at the Cabin' movie in Burlington County," by The Courier-Post's Celeste E. Whittaker: "Writer and director M. Night Shyamalan, known for his supernatural psychological thrillers such as 'The Sixth Sense,' 'Unbreakable' and 'Signs,' is filming part of his new movie 'Knock at the Cabin' in Burlington County, according to the New Jersey Motion Picture & Television Commission."

NEW JERSEY EATS ITS YOUNG — " Has New Jersey finally learned to treat its musical heroes with respect?" by The Asbury Park Press' Chris Jordan: "Let's face it, New Jersey doesn't always have a good track record of honoring its musical heroes — and supporting the stars of tomorrow. Hoboken-ites pelted Frank Sinatra with tomatoes during a 1949 parade, according to the Associated Press; Middletown police shut down a Bruce Springsteen concert when he was on the eve of stardom in 1970. … But maybe things are changing. During a remarkable week in March, George Clinton, the founder of Parliament Funkadelic, was honored by Newark, the city where he grew up, and Plainfield, the city where he founded P-Funk at the former Silk Palace barbershop on 2nd Street and Plainfield Avenue. ... A part of Plainfield Avenue is now known as Parliament Funkadelic Way. … Jon Bon Jovi, a Sayreville native, has a rest stop on the Garden State Parkway in Cheesequake named after him. Whitney Houston, Celia Cruz and Sinatra have similar Parkway honors."

— "String of antisemitic incidents target Rutgers Jewish fraternity"

— "Support for ex-Olympian Michael Barisone jumps after attempted murder acquittal"

Follow us on Twitter