| | | | |  | | By Katherine Landergan | Good Monday morning! New Jersey has some competition. Fifteen state parties and counting, plus Puerto Rico, are applying to be among the first to vote for Democrats' next presidential nominee. That's according to a tally from POLITICO's Elena Schneider. A number of Midwest states are jockeying to take Iowa's long-held early spot. But states all over the country are looking to go early. In the Northeast, it's not just New Jersey — New York and New Hampshire are also applying. The NYT's Katie Glueck reported that Connecticut and Delaware also plan to apply. The process is being run through the Democratic National Committee's Rules and Bylaws Committee. The committee will consider pitches from states in late June and recommend a new early-state lineup by July. Before we get to more news, I want to wish a happy belated Mother's Day to all the moms out there. A particular shout out to my mom, Jean, who is a Westfield native. DAYS SINCE MURPHY REFUSED TO SAY WHETHER HIS WIFE'S NON-PROFIT SHOULD DISCLOSE DONORS: 83 Where's Murphy? Traveling to Miami Beach, Fla., ahead of the Aspen Ideas: Climate Conference on Tuesday. 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 QUOTE OF THE DAY: "People have been calling me all week," — Councilman Ray Grabowski on the two hot dog stands that are across the street from each other in Clifton.
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GATEWAY —Murphy, Hochul nominate Kolluri as CEO of Gateway, by POLITICO's Deanna Garcia: During the RPA event, Hochul and New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy took the stage and said the two states plan to continue working side by side. "The relationship between New York and New Jersey has never been stronger," Murphy said. When asked after the event about New York suing New Jersey over its attempt to disband the Waterfront Commission of New York Harbor, Hochul downplayed the litigation's impact on bi-state relations. She said the states are still working together even if they have some disagreements.
…The two governors jointly announced the nomination of Kris Kolluri as the chief executive officer of the Gateway Development Commission. The agency will handle federal funds for Gateway projects, namely construction of a new Hudson River rail tunnel. The commission's seven-member board is expected to vote on Kolluri's appointment at its upcoming meeting on May 16. NEARLY AS SHOCKING AS WHEN RORY DROPPED OUT OF YALE — Former Ocean County GOP Chairman Gilmore To Announce He's Challenging Sheriff Mastronardy for Chairman Seat, by The Lakewood Scoop: " George Gilmore, the former Ocean County GOP Chairman pardoned by President Donald Trump, will be making a run for the GOP seat, a source close to Gilmore tell The Lakewood Scoop. Gilmore, 72, was convicted and sentenced in early 2020 to serve one year and one day in prison over tax and loan fraud charges. He appealed the decision, but it was upheld. In January 2021, Gilmore was pardoned by President Trump, who pardoned or commuted the sentences of 143 individuals the night before he exited the presidency. Currently, the Ocean County Republican Party is headed by Frank Holman. In January this year, TLS reported that Holman would not be seeking reelection, and Ocean County Sheriff Michael Mastronardy would be vying for the seat." DOG WHISTLING —Newark lawmakers blast Hopatcong council member for 'dog whistle' statements about school funding formula, by POLITICO's Carly Sitrin: Three state lawmakers from Newark blasted a Hopatcong council member on Friday for claiming New Jersey's ongoing redistribution of school funding is "raping" his suburban Sussex County school district while sending more money to help "urban crack heads." "In reading the councilman from Hopatcong's words regarding 'rape' and 'crackheads,' the women Representatives from Newark have words of their own to share," Senate Majority Leader Teresa Ruiz and Democratic Assemblymembers Eliana Pintor Marin and Shanique Speight said in a statement. "The seriousness of the term rape should not be used so recklessly. It diminishes the severity of such an act. Furthermore, we are well aware that the term 'crackheads' is just a loud dog whistle," the lawmakers stated. "The current school funding formula provides every student the same funding per their classification regardless of school district." WEED WATCH — "Could N.J. legal weed be sold at more sites soon?," by NJ Advance Media's Suzette Parmley: "The lone medical marijuana dispensary owner whose application to sell legal weed was rejected by a state panel will take another stab at getting approved, NJ Advance Media has learned. If approved, at least two more stores offering adult weed could be added to New Jersey soon. The Cannabis Regulatory Commission is expected to again take up the application of AYR Wellness at its meeting later this month. AYR saw its seven competitors enter the adult weed market on April 21. At least two industry sources confirmed that AYR will make a presentation before the panel on May 24 to go over its patient access plans, parking, separate check-out lines for adult use and medical, patient hotlines and other services. Rob Vanisko, Vice President of Communications for AYR, confirmed the company is expected to appear before the CRC, but did not comment further. The CRC has not yet posted an agenda for May 24 on its website, and spokeswoman Toni-Anne Blake declined to comment on whether AYR would be making a board presentation." PUT THE ZOOTOPIA SLOTHS IN CHARGE — " MVC should go back to pre-COVID walk-ins, senator says. But that won't happen.," by NJ Advance Media's Larry Higgs: "Drivers who long for the good old days when they could show up at state motor vehicle agencies and do any business they needed to without an appointment had an advocate Thursday in a state senator. State Sen. Michael L. Testa Jr., R-Cumberland, during the Senate budget and appropriations committee hearing Thursday, asked the state Motor Vehicle Commission's boss if drivers will see a return to how the MVC ran agencies in the pre-coronavirus days. Testa, who represents a district of New Jersey's most southerly and rural counties explained why the current system, which allows drivers to do the simpler transactions online and requires appointments for more complicated in-person business, isn't working. Testa quizzed MVC Chief Administrator Sue Fulton about long drives that his constituents faced and that the broadband service isn't available in some places for them to do business online." COVID LAWSUITS — "New lawsuits over nursing home COVID deaths claim 'state-created danger' ," by the New Jersey Monitor's Dana DiFilippo: "The families of two women who died after catching COVID in the private nursing homes where they lived have sued state officials, saying the state ignored repeated warnings in the pandemic's first weeks that its controversial approach to containing COVID in long-term care facilities would be deadly. The lawsuits come nearly five months after the state agreed to pay almost $53 million to settle claims it botched its response to the COVID outbreak in state-run veterans' homes. The new lawsuits — filed late last month in federal court — accuse Gov. Phil Murphy and Health Commissioner Judith Persichilli of violating nursing home residents' civil rights and creating dangerous conditions in homes through policies they implemented under Murphy's executive order 103. 'Through the directive, the nursing homes were thrown under the bus,' attorney Michael S. Kasanoff wrote in one complaint." REST IN PEACE — "Trenton Joseph Albright , who reported on the New Jersey statehouse for nearly 60 years and lived most of his life in Mercer County, died May 5. He was 93. A resident of Trenton, Albright was a statehouse correspondent for the Jersey Journal since 1964. He is believed to have been the longest-serving statehouse reporter in New Jersey and, possibly, American history. … Funeral Mass will be celebrated on Wednesday, May 11, 2022 at 10 AM at St. Gregory the Great Church, 4620 Nottingham Way, Hamilton Square, NJ. Please go directly to the church. Interment will follow at Jacobstown Cemetery, Schoolhouse Road, Jacobstown, NJ. Relatives and friends may call on Tuesday, May 10, 2022, from 5 to 8 PM at Kingston & Kemp Funeral Home, 260 White Horse Ave., Hamilton, NJ." | | | | DON'T MISS DIGITAL FUTURE DAILY - OUR TECHNOLOGY NEWSLETTER, RE-IMAGINED: Technology is always evolving, and our new tech-obsessed newsletter is too! Digital Future Daily unlocks the most important stories determining the future of technology, from Washington to Silicon Valley and innovation power centers around the world. Readers get an in-depth look at how the next wave of tech will reshape civic and political life, including activism, fundraising, lobbying and legislating. Go inside the minds of the biggest tech players, policymakers and regulators to learn how their decisions affect our lives. Don't miss out, subscribe today. | | | | |
GOTTHEIMER WORLD — "Gottheimer helping Pallotta capture GOP nomination to run against him," by the New Jersey Globe's David Wildstein: "It looks like Rep. Josh Gottheimer (D-Wyckoff) has a preference in the Republican primary to pick his general election opponent. It's a rematch with Frank Pallotta, the former investment banker from Mahwah. Gottheimer is unopposed in the Democratic primary, but that didn't stop him from mailing Republican households in a bid to tie Pallotta to Donald Trump. 'Frank Pallotta is too much like Trump,' the Gottheimer mailer said in what looks like a passive aggressive attack on Pallotta aimed at pushing Republican voters toward Pallotta by painting him as an ally of a former President who remains popular among GOP primary voters."
"This N.J. congressman is the most bipartisan Democrat in America," by NJ Advance Media's Jonathan D. Salant: "Amid the rancor on Capitol Hill over Donald Trump's unprecedented second impeachment, the Jan. 6 insurrection by supporters of the former president, and actions to try to overturn the 2020 election, some lawmakers still found ways to cross party lines and work together. And Rep. Josh Gottheimer, D-5th Dist., was atop the list. Gottheimer, who unlike two years ago does not face a primary challenge from the left, worked with Republicans on legislation more often than any other member of the House Democratic majority in 2021, the first year of the 117th Congress." | | LOCAL | |
NEWARK — "The one challenger in Newark's mayoral race battles apathy and a popular incumbent," by NJ Advance Media's Steve Strunsky: "Hard numbers, past performance, and close observers of Newark politics don't give Sheila Montague much chance of unseating the city's popular mayor, Ras Baraka, in Tuesday's election. Newark resident Dominick Tortorello, a more casual observer, didn't even know she was running. 'I'm really not big into politics,' said Tortorello, 42, a utility worker at Montclair State University who had just finished a volunteer shift at the Red Door soup kitchen and food pantry when Montague greeted him as he and a friend walked past her on Halsey Street. There are a lot of people like Tortorello in Newark, who don't pay much attention to politics and don't vote. For the city's last municipal election, in May 2018, the turnout was 19.7%, or just under one in five registered voters casting ballots. Among those who did go to the polls that year, 77% voted for Baraka in a landslide over then-Councilwoman Gayle Chaneyfield Jenkins, a better known candidate than Montague."
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I'M MISS AMERICAN DREAM SINCE I WAS 17 — "American Dream reports nearly $60 million in losses in 2021," by NorthJersey.com's Jessie Gomez: "The American Dream mall reported nearly $60 million in losses in 2021 as it was beset by a pandemic, a destructive fire and delays in opening some stores and attractions. Bloomberg News first reported on the unaudited financial report filed by Meadowlands Joint Venture LLC. The 3 million-square-foot retail giant and amusement center is home to big-name brands, an indoor ski slope, an amusement park and a water park. It brought in $173 million in revenue in 2021, mainly from attractions and rent, and tallied $232.4 million in expenses, according to the 2021 report."
BLUE ACRES — "Who gets a Blue Acres buyout from $50M for Ida victims?," by NJ Spotlight News' Brenda Flanagan: "New Jersey has $50 million to spend on Blue Acres buyouts for the hardest-hit victims of Tropical Storm Ida, but who will get picked? Advocates like New Jersey Future's Peter Kasabach want the state Department of Environmental Protection to focus on climate equity when officials choose who gets a buy-out. "We really do need to be prioritizing funding and support in communities where we have our lowest-income owners and renters. It's not a mystery where people are, so we can do this," Kasabach said. DEP Commissioner Shawn LaTourette said the department is still compiling the formulas to determine which properties will qualify for buyouts and how to build climate equity into the equation. Meanwhile, not everybody wants to sell their home and leave their neighborhood even if it's guaranteed to flood again." EDUCATION — New Jersey schools and libraries getting $2M in federal funds for internet connectivity, by POLITICO's Carly Sitrin: New Jersey schools and libraries will be splitting nearly $2.1 million in federal funding to help students connect to the internet. The latest round of funding from the Federal Communications Commission's Emergency Connectivity Fund Program will be used to purchase modems, laptops, tablets, broadband service and other devices to help students get online. According to a statement from Rep. Frank Pallone Jr.'s office, New Jersey has gotten more than $124 million from the fund with his 6th Congressional District taking home more than $12 million of that total. | | | | 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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