| | | | |  | | By Matt Friedman | Presented by The Pharmaceutical Care Management Association | Good Wednesday morning! New Jersey Democrats are patting themselves on the back for enshrining abortion rights into state law back in January with the Freedom of Reproductive Choice Act, now that we know it's likely the Supreme Court is going to overturn Roe v. Wade. "This remains fully intact because here in New Jersey, instead of hoping for the best, we prepared ourselves for the worst," Murphy said at an otherwise-unrelated press conference yesterday that had, coincidentally, been scheduled to include New Jersey's most vulnerable Democratic House member, Tom Malinowski, in his district's liberal bastion of Lambertville. But Murphy was non-committal on whether he would seek to enact some of the measures to expand abortion access that had been included in an earlier version of that pro-abortion-rights law. Legislative leaders haven't addressed that either. Instead, they're putting to onus on Congress to pass an abortion rights law and to keep Democrats in the majority, which is unlikely. Read more about that here. It's clear though that, facing a nasty midterm environment, Democrats think this could be an issue to get out their otherwise less-motivated base. Malinowski in November most likely faces Tom Kean Jr., a Republican who supports abortion rights with restrictions and who voted against the Freedom of Reproductive Choice Act. This decision puts Kean in a more difficult spot at the moment. He's facing six Republican primary opponents, some running far to his right, so he's unlikely to emphasize that he supports some abortion rights until after the June primary. So while Malinowski yesterday at at the press conference called for voters to keep Democrats in the majority to ensure Republicans don't pass a law banning abortion nationwide, Kean instead stressed that the Supreme Court hasn't made a final decision and attacked Malinowksi for supporting "abortion on demand." (See the two comments here). And, of course, we have to acknowledge the Jersey connection: The decision was written by Mercer County native son Sam Alito Jr., a former U.S. attorney for New Jersey and, more importantly, the son of the legendary late first director of the Office of Legislative Services. Also: Remember to bring your own bags to the supermarket because the bag ban takes effect today. DAYS SINCE MURPHY REFUSED TO SAY WHETHER HIS WIFE'S NON-PROFIT SHOULD DISCLOSE DONORS: 78 WHERE'S MURPHY? No public schedule TIPS? FEEDBACK? HATE MAIL? Email me at mfriedman@politico.com HAPPY BIRTHDAY — Dem fundraiser Rachel Arndt, friend Gabriel Villa. QUOTE OF THE DAY: "I am unsettled he is not willing to say Roe is settled law." — Sen. Robert Menendez after meeting with then-Supreme Court nominee Sam Alito in 2006 .
| | | | A message from The Pharmaceutical Care Management Association: In the fight to make prescription drugs more affordable, PBMs are the only part of the prescription drug supply and payment chain dedicated to lowering drug costs. In fact, PBMs lower patient prescription drug costs by nearly $1,000 every year, enabling safe and seamless prescription drug delivery to patients, and helping New Jerseyans stay on their medications. Learn more about how PBMs advocate on behalf of patients at https://onyourrxside.org/state/new-jersey. | | | |  | WHAT TRENTON MADE | |
FLOOD MONEY — Murphy announces $60M in federal funding for flood protection, by POLITICO's Carly Sitrin: Gov. Phil Murphy on Tuesday announced new investments in flood protection for New Jersey communities, invoking the memory of the devastation remnants of Hurricane Ida caused in the state last year. Speaking in Lambertville, Murphy said the Federal Emergency Management Agency has committed an additional $50 million investment in the Blue Acres homeowner buyout program for Ida-impacted communities, and $10 million in community stormwater assistance grants. "No New Jerseyan should have to see their life's work washed away by devastating rain and floodwaters. As New Jersey continues to experience more extreme weather events, we must become proactive in our approach to protect the communities and businesses that continue to bear the brunt of flooding and damage from these storms," Murphy said in a statement.
JANUS — "South Jersey bus drivers sue over union dues they say they shouldn't have paid," by NJ Advance Media's Larry Higgs: "A group of bus drivers are suing a union and the South Jersey Transportation Authority, contending union dues are being illegally deducted from their paychecks after they quit the union. Seven drivers for the SJTA, which runs the Atlantic City Expressway and airport, filed a federal civil rights lawsuit Monday afternoon against the International Federation of Professional and Technical Engineers Local 196, a union that represents 80 bus drivers at the authority and against the authority itself. The workers contend their First Amendment rights were violated when union dues continued to be deducted from their paychecks after they signed forms in October and November 2021, telling the SJTA to stop the deductions. They also sent resignation letters to the union, the suit said. Dues have continued to be deducted from their paychecks, despite emailed and written requests to stop, the suit said. A union official said the requests would take effect in July 2022 because members can only withdraw on July 1, the suit said. The workers said the union violated the 2018 U.S. Supreme Court Janus decision." —" Almost 40% of NJ MVC workers still absent, double pre-COVID rate" —"Percentage of women police officers in NJ lags behind the nation" — "GOP lawmakers aim to increase punishment for car thieves"
| | | | 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 | |
TRENTON MAKES — "Abortion was the big issue when Menendez voted against fellow New Jerseyan Alito for Supreme Court," by NJ Advance Media's Ted Sherman: "When U.S. Sen. Robert Menendez first met with Samuel A. Alito Jr. after the fellow Jerseyan and conservative judge was nominated to the U.S. Supreme Court in 2006, the newly sworn-in Democratic senator expressed concerns over his views on abortion.'I am unsettled he is not willing to say Roe is settled law,' said Menendez, an abortion rights supporter, following a meeting that year with Alito in the wake of the Senate's Judiciary Committee. Now, 16 years later, it appears that Menendez's accurately predicted Alitio's postion. Alito, once New Jersey's U.S. Attorney who was born in Trenton, apparently wrote a draft Supreme Court opinion that would end abortion rights that have been place for 50 years."
YOU CAN'T SPELL VACCINATION WITHOUT THE 'VA.' AS IN VIRGINIA — "Point Boro Marine discharged for refusing COVID vaccine backs reinstatement legislation," by The Asbury Park Press' Jerry Carino: "In January, Bill Borowsky Jr. was discharged from the Marine Corps for refusing to get the COVID-19 vaccination. Now the lifelong Point Pleasant resident is supporting a bill introduced by Republican U.S. Rep. Chris Smith that would require reinstatement of service members who opted not to be vaccinated. The bill (H.R. 7570) seeks 'to establish certain protections for individuals involuntarily separated from the Armed Forces solely on the basis of refusing to receive vaccinations against COVID-19,' according to the proposed legislation, which Smith introduced in the House of Representatives last week. 'I believe in voluntary vaccinations,' Smith said in a phone interview. . 'I'm opposed to mandatory across the board for everyone in the armed services.'" WELL AT LEAST THE SCHOOLS ARE IN GREAT SHAPE — "Paterson Board of Education ready to adopt double-digit tax hike for fourth straight year," by The Paterson Press' Joe Malinconico : "The city seems headed for its fourth consecutive year with a double-digit increase in school taxes. Board of Education members said the budget coming up for a final vote on Wednesday night will include the 11% tax hike that was part of the preliminary school spending plan approved in March. The increase will raise school taxes by about $213 per year for the owner of a house assessed at the city's average of $197,000, district officials have said." —" Longtime abortion foe Chris Smith and others cheer expected ruling on 'deeply flawed' Roe v. Wade" —Moran: "Christie is way off: Kevin McCarthy is no Barry Goldwater "
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PEOPLE WHO ARE CONFIDENT IN THEIR ARGUMENTS TOTALLY MAKE UP FAKE ORGANIZATIONS AND SEND ANONYMOUS EMAILS — "Officials stumped on source of controversial Ramsey email, but urge residents to act ," by The Record's Marsha A. Stoltz: "School and municipal officials are stalemated in their efforts to find out who sent an anonymous 'Ramsey Parents Union' email to residents and who provided the addresses. The April 21 email criticizing school policies on books, sex education and transgender students set off a firestorm of protests at the April 25 Board of Education meeting. Despite speculation, Mayor Deirdre Dillon and Schools Superintendent Matthew Murphy both say their research indicates the email addresses used by the sender were not obtained by an 'insider' hacking into their separate computer lists … Mailchimp spokesman John Carter said Friday that 'the account in question has been closed and no further emails can be sent from it.' He said using illegally obtained email lists violates the service's terms of use. 'While in this case the account has already been closed, we take abuse very seriously and always welcome reports of suspected or potential issues.'"
YOU'VE GOTTA WONDER IF SPARTA RESIDENTS KNOW THEIR NAMESAKE'S HISTORY — " Church members feel threatened after LGBTQ flag burned twice, harassing voicemails left, N.J. pastor says," by NJ Advance Media's Anthony G. Attrino: "The pastor of a church in Sussex County says a portion of his congregation has felt bullied since the beginning of the year, when vandals began setting fire to the LBGTQ+ flag in front of the building and leaving harassing messages on the house of worship's voicemail. 'It is a rainbow flag, we are an open congregation, and we welcome all people,' the Rev. Steve Bechtold told NJ Advance Media on Tuesday … Bechtold is pastor of the Sparta United Methodist Church in Sparta. He said the flag was first burned late on New Year's Day or early Jan. 2. The flag was set on fire again about 12:30 a.m. on April 20. Before that, the flag was stolen twice going back more than a year, Bechtold said. Church members keep an extra supply of LBGTQ+ flags in storage and replace them immediately when they become tattered, are vandalized, or stolen, he said. 'We're really not sure exactly why it's happening,' Bechtold said. 'We don't know whether it's (a bias crime) or whether it's somebody who just thinks this is fun or funny. We really don't know.'" CAMELOT — " N.J. town cuts down dozens of trees on Earth Day to block ATV, dirt bike riders, residents say," by NJ Advance Media's Richard Codwen: "Some West Milford residents are outraged that the township sent a crew into a wooded area on Earth Day last month to chop down trees and block the trails that ATV riders have been carving out for generations. There is no public land anywhere in New Jersey where riding an ATV, quad, or dirt bike is legal. West Milford, with 87 square miles of mostly watershed, is cut with trails — and a favored spot for off-roading has long been a patch of municipally-owned forest off Macopin Road and behind the Camelot Estates. Residents of Camelot Estates say they've shared the trails with dirt bikers for generations. But that share-the-road relationship ended April 22, when, without warning, the township sent a crew with chainsaws into the forest to cut down the trees and lay them across the trails." LAWSUIT LIKELY TO SUCCEED BASED ON THE CHARM DOCTRINE — "Piscataway Police Chief Thomas Mosier sued for third time this year," by MyCentralJersey's Suzanne Russell: "For the third time this year, Police Chief Thomas Mosier has been sued by a township police officer, this time by a 17-year veteran alleging he was passed over for a promotion because of his age. Officer Michael Paiano, 50, hired by the Piscataway Police Department in July 2005, filed a lawsuit against Mosier and the department last week. He is represented by New Brunswick-based attorney Theodore Campbell. In the lawsuit Paiano alleges he was passed over for promotion to sergeant by Mosier following the June 30, 2020 retirement of Sgt. Jose Medina, because the chief wanted the list to expire so he could promote a younger woman officer who had not scored as high as Paiano on the sergeant's exam … Paiano's lawsuit also contends that the woman officer, younger by about 15 years, as being favored by Mosier in another lawsuit filed in March by Lt. Constance Crea. That lawsuit, alleging gender discrimination and sexual harassment, contended the younger woman officer was favored because she was pretty, and Mosier wanted 'to stare at her in her yoga pants.' Crea, a lesbian, alleges Mosier treats heterosexual female officers differently than homosexual officers." MELLO OUT — " Hoboken council plans to oust Mello, appoint Rev. Anthony Forbes to city Housing Authority board," by The Jersey Journal's Teri West: "The sitting chairman of the Hoboken Housing Authority Board of Commissioners is expected to be replaced after a City Council appointment Wednesday of the Rev. Anthony Forbes to his seat. Chairman David Mello, whose term expires May 3, is not included on the appointments on Wednesday's City Council agenda. Instead, there will be a vote on the appointment of the Rev. Anthony Forbes, who manages the Hoboken Shelter and grew up in the Hoboken Housing Authority." —" All Politics Is Local": Insider NJ's May municipal elections special edition" —" [Colonia] parents demand remote school option as fears over brain tumor cluster mount" —"Jersey City school board rejects renewal of business administrator's contract, but OKs raises for senior staffers" —"[Cumberland] class-action lawsuit over jail strip searches could include thousands of prisoners" —" Toms River schools raise bus driver pay to $29 an hour to deal with staffing shortage" —" Paterson mall owners sue to block 750-space parking deck in tale of dueling garages" —"Hillsborough school district settles former student's harassment lawsuit" —"Public employees union says Jersey City missed deadline for court-ordered back pay" —Snowflack: " In Morris, petition intensifies curriculum debate" —Hennelly: "What's likely to go missing in Newark's 2022 election? Voters "
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THE BEAR DECIDED WE ALL NEEDED SOME COMIC RELIEF — "Wildlife officials looking for Sussex County bear with head stuck in chicken feeder," by The New Jersey Herald's Bruce A. Scruton: "Sightings of a young bear walking around Sussex County with parts of a chicken feeder stuck on its head continue to grow. The bear with the plastic feeder that resembles a recovery cone commonly used on dogs and cats, was first spotted in the Bear Swamp Wildlife Management Area last October. First recorded by trail cameras, the bear is about a year old and in a period of rapid growth from cub to near-mature animal and the plastic funnel-shaped feeder is beginning to wear tight. 'I'm concerned about its future growth,' said Parker Space, head of the family which owns Space Farms Zoo and Museum and has bears among its animals."
—"Kim's Video is back — and Saddle River's Yongman Kim would like to show you a thing or two"
| | | | A message from The Pharmaceutical Care Management Association: Pharmacy Benefit Managers, PBMs, are working on behalf of millions of New Jersey patients with health insurance to reduce prescription drug costs, expand access to medications, and improve patient outcomes.
Here are the key facts to know about PBMs:
• PBMs negotiate with drug companies to lower prescription drug costs, reducing patient drug costs by nearly $1,000 each year.
• PBMs work with pharmacies to deliver prescription drugs to New Jersey patients safely and seamlessly.
• Over the next ten years, PBMs will save New Jersey patients more than $29 billion dollars.
• PBMs advocate for patients in the fight to keep prescription drugs accessible and affordable.
Learn how PBMs advocate for patients at https://onyourrxside.org/state/new-jersey | | | | | | | Follow us on Twitter | | | | Subscribe to the POLITICO Playbook family Playbook | Playbook PM | California Playbook | Florida Playbook | Illinois Playbook | Massachusetts Playbook | New Jersey Playbook | New York Playbook | Ottawa Playbook | Brussels Playbook | London Playbook View all our political and policy newsletters | | Follow us | | | | |
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