News : POLITICO New Jersey Playbook: Team Baraka's use of force issue

Wednesday, April 27, 2022

POLITICO New Jersey Playbook: Team Baraka's use of force issue

Apr 27, 2022

Presented by the NJ Board of Public Utilities

Good Wednesday morning!

The Newark mayor and council races have been pretty quiet this year, but here's a story that shouldn't escape attention.

Mayor Ras Baraka's endorsed East Ward council candidate, Louis Weber, used more force than any other Newark officer in the five-year period surveyed by NJ Advance Media's "Force Report" project in 2018.

Weber's campaign said the high number was because of the type of assignments like Major Crimes Division, Narcotics, Robbery, Homicide Division and SWAT that put him in more dangerous situations. There were, of course, other cops in those divisions as well.

That is not to say those uses of force were unjustified, even if there were a couple lawsuits, one of which was dismissed and the other settled.

But for Baraka, arguably the most vocal elected champion of police reform and subpoena-powered Community Police Review Boards, it's at the very least an incongruous look. Read more about it here.

DAYS SINCE MURPHY REFUSED TO SAY WHETHER HIS WIFE'S NON-PROFIT SHOULD DISCLOSE DONORS: 71

WHERE'S MURPHY? Returning to New Jersey this afternoon. No public schedule.

QUOTE OF THE DAY: "One resident returned to the issue of the proposed revisions to the state education standards, saying he was worried because he had gone into the Rahway Public Library and had seen 'a transgender person reading to a child.'" — A TapIntoRahway article about a Rahway GOP meet-and-greet with Jack Ciattarelli

HAPPY BIRTHDAY — Cory Booker

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

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WHAT TRENTON MADE

OH SCIT — DMAVA commissioner: SCI inquiring about Covid, New Jersey's veterans homes, by POLITICO's Daniel Han: The State Commission of Investigation is looking into Covid and New Jersey's state-run veterans homes, Department of Military and Veterans Affairs Commissioner Brig. Gen. Lisa Hou said Tuesday. The scope, timeline and what has been requested from the department were not immediately clear. But the inquiry adds to other ongoing investigations from the New Jersey Attorney General and U.S. Department of Justice into the veterans homes, which have seen among the highest death rates from Covid-19 in the country. More than 200 Covid-related deaths have been reported at the state's veterans homes in Paramus, Menlo Park and Vineland.

—"State outlines plans to put $2.4B into public health, hospital care and facilities"

— " Lawmakers grill N.J. health commissioner on N.J.'s COVID response"

LEFT HOLDING THE BAGS — " NJ plastic bag ban: Small businesses stuck with leftover bags they can't use," by The Record's Scott Fallon, Amanda Oglesby and David P. Willis : "When Gail Zimmerman bought 6,000 plastic bags printed with the name of her Bergen County yarn store in 2016, she thought she had enough to last for years. She was right — sort of. Zimmerman, owner of Close Knit Yarns in Midland Park, is down to 2,500 bags. But May 4 will make them all obsolete. That's when New Jersey's ban on carryout plastic bags takes effect for all retail businesses, including Close Knit Yarns. 'It's like losing inventory,' said Zimmerman, who has owned her shop for six years. 'I'm all for reusable bags, but now we have to get rid of something we spent money on. It seems like such a waste.' The upcoming plastic bag ban in New Jersey is leaving many small businesses with a ton of bags and few options for what can be done with them. Lawmakers gave businesses from when the law was signed in November 2020 to when it takes effect on May 4 to get rid of old inventory and search for alternatives. Small businesses, whose profit margins are often small to begin with, have already had to deal with the pandemic and rising inflation."

MURPHY'S IRISH STOUT IS MURPHY'S IRISH STOUT — " Murphy's Irish trip concludes with clean energy panel, pint of Murphy's," by New Jersey Globe's Joey Fox: "Gov. Phil Murphy's economic development trip to Ireland ended this afternoon with one last flurry of events, including a tour of University College Cork, a panel on wind energy hosted by energy company Ørsted, and a final toast of Murphy's Irish Stout at a pub in Cork. After a morning train ride from Dublin, the governor's day began at Cork City Hall, where he and his family were presented with the Murphy family crest. Murphy's Irish ancestors hailed from Cork County, and his third cousins were in attendance at the event. 'This is quite a day,' Murphy said at the presentation ceremony. 'For we Irish-Americans, there is always a sense of homecoming that comes from a recognition that this is where your family's story is rooted.'"

—"Making first stop in Cork, Murphy receives own family crest"

—" Saint Peter's Peacocks to visit Governor's Mansion"

THERE'S NO AP FOR THAT — "In New Jersey, thousands of Black and Hispanic students are shut out of AP classes," by Chalkbeat's Patrick Wall: "...Among last year's juniors and seniors, just 19% of Black students and 23% of Hispanic students took at least one AP or IB class, according to newly released state data which, for the first time, include course enrollment by race. By contrast, 41% of white students and 68% of Asian students enrolled in one or more of those courses. In hypersegregated Essex County, where [Rasheed] Adewole went to school, the disparities are on vivid display. At one extreme is wealthy Livingston township, where the vast majority of students are white or Asian and less than 2% are poor, while at the other end is Irvington township, where nearly every student is Black or Hispanic and two-thirds are poor. In Livingston, 76% of 11th and 12th graders took at least one advanced course last year, compared with only 12% in Irvington. In Newark, the state's largest district, just 19% of juniors and seniors took an AP or IB class last year — about half the statewide rate."

GUNS — "Courts working on ways to tweak NJ bail reform for gun crimes ," by NJ 101.5's Michael Symons : "State judicial officials are working on an alternative to a bill passed by the Assembly that, in response to concerns about rising violence, would make it easier to jail people charged with gun crimes until their trials. That bill, A2426/S513, was passed by the Assembly in a 50-27 vote in March and is awaiting a hearing in the Senate Law and Public Safety Committee. Glenn Grant, administrative director of the New Jersey courts, said in response to the bill, conversations have taken place between the judiciary, Attorney General's Office, Public Defender's Office and American Civil Liberties Union of New Jersey 'to see if we can come up with a way of enhancing how people who have gun offenses are treated in our system.'"

—"Thousands await justice as N.J. courts grapple with record number of judicial vacancies"

—" South Jersey Democrats request 'clarification' from Platkin on cannabis and cops memo"

—" An inside look at when Phil Murphy dined with Donald Trump, according to new book"

—"These are the key people in the John and Joyce Sheridan murder investigation"

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

—Payne: "I'm diabetic and the price of insulin makes my blood boil"

—"N.J. software developer eyed U.S. targets for terror attacks, feds say at trial openings"

A message from the NJ Board of Public Utilities:

LOCAL

NEWPHEWTISM — "Bergen sheriff appoints nephew to investigator post, then says he'll create nepotism rule," by The Record's Steve Janoski: "the position of sheriff's investigator, a patronage post that effectively makes his nephew a police officer even though he didn't go through the state's civil service hiring process. The move is legal — state law allows each county sheriff to appoint up to 15% of the total number of sheriff's officers who work in their department. And it doesn't violate the agency's anti-nepotism policy, because the sheriff's department doesn't have one, officials said. Sheriff's Office spokeswoman Keisha McLean said in an email that Cureton now plans to create an anti-nepotism policy to 'increase opportunity for otherwise qualified candidates who have until now been excluded from consideration.' But neither she nor Cureton answered further inquiries about when the policy would be finalized and implemented, to whom it would apply and why the sheriff will create the rule after he himself hired a family member … [E]xperts said it highlights the kind of naked nepotism for which New Jersey law enforcement is infamous. 'It almost always destroys morale in a police department, because you know somebody got a job that didn't deserve it — over someone else who's more qualified — because they're politically connected,' said Tom Shea, director of the Police Graduate Studies Program at Seton Hall University and a retired Long Branch police lieutenant."

FENCES MENDEZED — "Activist who decried voter fraud in Paterson endorses mayoral candidate charged with it," by The Paterson Press' Joe Malinconico: "Week after week, month after month, community activist Ernest Rucker was relentless in his public condemnation of the illegal ways he said some candidates were using mail-in ballots in Paterson's 2020 City Council elections. Rucker hammered at the issue long before the New Jersey Attorney General's Office in June 2020 filed election fraud charges against Alex Mendez, the winning candidate in the city's 3rd Ward race. Rucker eventually made Mendez his primary target after the state criminal charges were filed. Yet on Sunday afternoon, just two weeks before Paterson voters go to the polls to pick a mayor, Rucker changed his tune. He attended a fish fry at the Paterson Masonic Lodge with Mendez and endorsed the councilman's mayoral campaign. 'That was then; this is a different day,' Rucker said during an interview on Monday when asked about backing someone he had so forcefully attacked.'Now that it's in the court process, the courts will decide,' Rucker said when asked if he still believes — as he has said in the past — that Mendez broke the law."

NO TREES IN WOODLAND PARK — " Woodland Park to all municipal employees: Use of marijuana may lead to termination," by The Record's Matt Faagan: "The municipality's 120 employees have been notified that if they use marijuana it could lead to their termination, Mayor Keith Kazmark said. 'Regardless of this change in law, the Borough Council and I want to emphasize that all policies and procedures and rules and regulations applicable to the employees of the Borough of Woodland Park will remain the same,' Kazmark said. Although it does apply to all municipal employees, it is most likely to affect those who work for the police and public works departments, as they are subject to random drug tests, borough officials said. 'Our police officers are responsible for ensuring our public safety, enforcing laws and serving as our protectors,' Kazmark said. 'Our DPW workers utilize heavy equipment and hold CDL licenses to carry out their duties in maintaining the infrastructure, keeping our town looking beautiful.'"

MERCER COUNTY COMMUNITY CLUSTF**K — "MCCC Prez Wang suspedned with 2 months left on contract ," by The Trentonian's Isaac Avilucea: "Outgoing Mercer County Community College President Jianping Wang was suspended with pay Monday after trustees received results of an independent investigation, ending her six-year tenure at the college. Wang told The Trentonian in a phone interview that she was caught off guard by the decision and hadn't been given any clear answers about why she was abruptly placed on administrative leave with two months left on her contract, which expires in June. 'I'm still digesting the shock' she said … Wang, who has led the school for nearly seven years at an annual salary of $201,363, is involved in a ugly dispute with board chairman Mark Matzen that led her to break off contract negotiations with the school last year."

ELECTIONS — "You can't make this up, even in New Jersey," by New Jersey Globe's David Wildstein: "In a mystifying punt of two ballot access lawsuits, a New Jersey appellate court judge will allow primary elections to be held on June 7 with the intention of deciding the eligibility of candidates after Election Day. Appellate Judge Hany A. Mawla today vacated his own stay of nominating petition challenges in the Democratic primary for Union County Commissioner and the Republican primary for Howell Township Council. Mawla denied a request for emergent relief, which means there will not be an immediate ruling … Instead, Mawla ordered a briefing schedule that begins on June 10 – three days after the primary – and ends on July 21."

—"Queen Latifah returns home to Brick City to build desperately needed affordable housing"

—" Plan to turn missile defense base to warehouse center is in front of [Woolwich Township] planners"

—" Paterson neighbors, councilman sue over city's approval of 171-unit apartment building"

—"Some counties miss deadlines to mail military ballots as they wait for judges to rule"

—"Former Jersey City schools superintendent's 'boat check' up for vote by ed board again"

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

SARGEANT: AVOID THE SLAUGHTER — "What an unvaccinated sergeant who nearly died of covid wants you to know," by The New York Times' Tracey Tully: "No one thought Frank Talarico Jr. was going to live … A 47-year-old police sergeant, he was not vaccinated against the coronavirus. Unconvinced of the vaccine's merits, he figured he was young and fit enough to handle whatever illness the virus might cause. He was wrong. "If it's an eye opener for somebody — so be it," Sergeant Talarico said recently at his home in Pennsauken … 'If I was vaccinated,' he said, 'I have to think I wouldn't have gotten as sick as I did … for the last two years Covid-19 has been the leading cause of death for law enforcement officers in the United States. When Covid vaccines were first offered in December 2020, law enforcement officers — frontline workers who, like doctors and nurses, are required to interact closely with people in crisis — were prioritized for shots that have since been proven to significantly lower the risk of serious illness and death. But over the next year, as some police unions tried to block vaccine mandates … Retelling the story more than two months later, Sergeant Talarico started to cry again. About half of the 14 officers in his police department, in Merchantville, N.J., have been vaccinated, he said. The department's chief of police did not return calls. Sergeant Talarico said he had tried to persuade reluctant colleagues to get vaccinated. 'I say, 'Just look at me and look what I went through,' he said."

AND HE STILL GOT OFF WITH A WARNING — "Trooper accused in botched DWI cases flashed ID, was cocky, when pulled over by local cops," by The Asbury Park Press' Kathleen Hopkins: "The motorist laughed as he flashed state police identification to get out of a traffic ticket for running a stop sign, a Toms River police officer told a Monmouth County jury Monday. The motorist was cocky, condescending, arrogant and rude, Toms River Officer Robert Westfell testified. Only later did Westfell realize the motorist he let off with a warning out of professional courtesy was suspended from the state police and shouldn't have been identifying himself as a trooper, Westfell testified. The motorist Westfell pulled over was Marc Dennis, a suspended state police sergeant accused of calling some 20,000 drunk driving convictions in Monmouth County into question by failing to properly calibrate the machines used to measure the blood-alcohol levels of motorists. Dennis, 50, of Waretown, a 17-year veteran of the state police, is on trial before Superior Court Judge Lourdes Lucas, charged with two counts of official misconduct related to allegations that he failed to do his job, as well as tampering with public records, falsifying records, theft and engaging in a pattern of official misconduct … [T]he deputy attorneys general said that Dennis, after he was suspended over the botched test results, was required to turn in his state police identification. Prior to that, they allege, Dennis falsely reported his identification missing to obtain a duplicate, and he held on to that duplicate to use to get out of traffic tickets after he was suspended … Westfell said he told Dennis he 'should know better,' but let him off with a warning instead of giving him a ticket."

—"Travel nurse salaries soar, and NJ hospitals pay because they can't survive without them"

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