News: POLITICO New Jersey Playbook: Acting Gov. Scutari had a very busy day!

Monday, June 6, 2022

POLITICO New Jersey Playbook: Acting Gov. Scutari had a very busy day!

Jun 06, 2022

Presented by New Jerseyans for Affordable Rx

Good Monday morning!

Congratulations to former Acting Gov. Nichoals Scutari, who got to be the most powerful person in New Jersey for about nine hours on Saturday, when Gov. Murphy and Lt. Gov. Oliver's time out-of-state coincided for the first time since they took office.

Scutari kept himself busy, attending a street-naming ceremony for Scutari's late predecessor in the Senate, Joe Suliga. Then Scutari went to Asbury Park for a bill signing ceremony to allow pedicab passengers to drink alcohol, followed by an appearance in Wall Township where he signed an executive order declaring "National Trails Day." (To be clear, the "trails" in this executive order have nothing to do with Scutari's successful effort to decriminalize magic mushrooms).

Hey, if there's one thing we've learned about making the senate president an acting governor, it's that you have to keep them busy. Idle hands are an acting governor's play things. Many of you are probably familiar with it, but this is a good time to re-up the 20-year-old story of what Acting Gov. John O. Bennett did with his 84 hours in power.

DAYS SINCE MURPHY REFUSED TO SAY WHETHER HIS WIFE'S NON-PROFIT SHOULD DISCLOSE DONORS: 110

WHERE'S MURPHY? — No public schedule.

QUOTE OF THE DAY : "Yes, Mr. DeGroot , I have supporters who may have funny names like me, who support my campaign, and are, in fact, Americans too. Your social media attacks on them say more about you than me." — Morris County Commissioner and 11th District Republican congressional candidate Tayfun Selen, an American emigrated from Turkey, who's facing attacks from two of his primary opponents related to his background.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY — Cherry Hill Councilmember Sangeeta Doshi, Millstone Mayor Ray Heck

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

NOTE ABOUT A HEADLINE: On Thursday, New Jersey Playbook included a headline that may have unintentionally caused offense. We replaced the headline online and regret writing it in the first place.

A message from New Jerseyans for Affordable Rx:

Costs in New Jersey are sky high – and that includes prescription drug costs. Every year, Big Pharma raises the price of life-saving medications. Fortunately, pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs) negotiate with drug companies to reduce Rx costs for patients. As this legislative session ends, let's remind our representatives to support patient advocates like PBMs and make all entities in the drug supply chain do their part to lower costs. https://www.affordablerxnj.com/.

WHAT TRENTON MADE

WHY DIDN'T SCUTARI JUST TO DO THIS BY EXECUTIVE ORDER? — Murphy releases additional details of his plans to expand abortion access in New Jersey, by POLITICO's Daniel Han: Gov. Phil Murphy on Friday released additional details of his wide-ranging proposal to expand abortion access in New Jersey that go beyond what he's previously supported and include financial components to boost access as well as legal maneuvers aimed at combating laws in mainly red states that prohibit or severely restrict the procedure. Murphy's proposal comes as the U.S. Supreme Court appears poised to overturn Roe V. Wade and revisits measures he supported last legislative session, such as eliminating out-of-pocket costs on state-regulated health plans and codifying into law recent regulations that expanded the pool of abortion providers. But draft language provided to POLITICO on Friday offers many more details and some dollar figures, including: — $20 million for a Reproductive Health Fund — The ability to file counter lawsuits that could award up to $20,000 for people who were successfully sued in states that prohibit abortions and were involved with the procedure in New Jersey. — Penalties for those who seek to "intimidate" patients and providers at abortion facilities.— Financial assistance for people who want to come to New Jersey for "reproductive health services."

JUST AS FOR ANY OTHER CRIME, CHARGES TOOK TWO YEARS — "NJ guards face assault, tampering charges at youth prison," by The AP's Michael Catalini: "Six New Jersey correctional officers are facing assault and tampering charges from a 2020 interaction with an inmate in the state's minimum custody youth prison, the state attorney general said Friday. Early on April 8, 2020, the officers forcibly removed an unidentified inmate from his cell at the Garden State Youth Correctional Facility in Chesterfield, including by shooting pepper spray at the inmate twice despite his offering to be handcuffed, acting Attorney General Matt Platkin said in a statement. The officers then filed false reports, Platkin said. One included that the inmate tried to 'mule kick' a shield, but video and photo evidence contradict the report, the attorney generals office said … Facing charges are Sgt. Michael Emmert, who faces two aggravated assault charges as well as a tampering with records charge. Senior correctional officers Christopher Toth, Raymond Quinones, Michael Gaines, Mark Sadlowski and Michael Ambrozaitis."

ALSO, NO ANECDOTAL EVIDENCE OF AN INCREASE IN WORKPLACE ACCIDENTS — " N.J. legal weed in full swing, but still no rules for detecting if workers are high on the job," by NJ Advance Media's Suzette Parmley: "Six weeks after New Jersey launched a highly profitable recreational marijuana program and 15 months after the law allowing it took effect, the state agency charged with regulating the new industry still has not come up with basic standards for detecting weed in the workplace. The lack of progress on a certification protocol on what to do with workers who test positive or appear to be under the influence of cannabis has frustrated state lawmakers and corporate executives and left employees in the dark. 'Now that cannabis is being sold legally in New Jersey, it's much more likely that employees will show up to work impaired or with traces of the drug in their system,' state Sen. Anthony Bucco, R-Morris, said in a statement Thursday. 'That could be extremely dangerous at a construction site, in a hospital, or in the airline industry where any level of impairment could result in serious accidents.'"

THE SHERIDANS — "Family 'optimistic' about new NJ investigation into mysterious deaths of politico and wife ," by The Record's Steve Janoski: "The son of a former state transportation commissioner who authorities say murdered his wife and then committed suicide in 2014 says his family is "cautiously optimistic" about the state attorney general's decision to reopen the dormant investigation into his parents' deaths. Mark Sheridan, the eldest son of John and Joyce Sheridan, has always rejected investigators' claims that his father stabbed his mother, then lit the master bedroom of their Montgomery Township home on fire. But his pleas to renew the inquiry always fell on deaf ears. That changed this week when a spokesman for New Jersey acting Attorney General Matthew Platkin confirmed that state authorities were once again looking into the case. 'Our family is very happy about it,' Sheridan told NorthJersey.com on Thursday. 'But we know it's been eight years, and we know it's hard to solve these types of crimes when evidence and memories are fresh. It only gets harder as time passes.'"

LAUFENBERG: THE CARPENTERS' ICEBERG? — Former Carpenters union official pleads guilty to embezzlement, false statements , by POLITICO's Daniel O'Connor and Matt Friedman: The former benefits manager for the powerful United Brotherhood of Carpenters union in New Jersey and New York pleaded guilty Friday in federal court to embezzlement and making false statements. As part of a plea deal, prosecutors dropped three other counts George Laufenberg was indicted on in 2019: Two additional embezzlement counts and one count of conspiracy to embezzle with a low-show employee. Laufenberg, who originally pleaded not guilty to all of the charges against him, faces up to five years in prison on each of the two counts he admitted to on Friday.

—"N.J. debt rose to nearly $250B last year as public worker pension costs soared"

—" Bear encounters have more than doubled this year in N.J."

—"Are you surrounded by Democrats or Republicans? How N.J. breaks red and blue in all 21 counties"

R.I.P. — "George Woody, first Black county chairman in N.J., dies at 95"

DON'T MISS THE 2022 GREAT LAKES ECONOMIC FORUM: POLITICO is excited to be the exclusive media partner again at the Council of the Great Lakes Region's bi-national Great Lakes Economic Forum with co-hosts Gov. JB Pritzker and Mayor Lori Lightfoot. This premier, intimate networking event, taking place June 26-28 in Chicago, brings together international, national and regional leaders from business, government, academia and the nonprofit sector each year. "Powering Forward" is this year's theme, setting the stage to connect key decision-makers with thought leaders and agents of change to identify and advance solutions that will strengthen the region's competitiveness and sustainability in today's competitive climate of trade, innovation, investment, labor mobility and environmental performance. Register today.

BIDEN TIME

PRIMARY — A crush of candidates vying for GOP nominations in New Jersey congressional primaries, by POLITICO's Matt Friedman: Three dozen Republican candidates — many of them encouraged by former President Donald Trump and a political environment that's turned sharply against Democrats — are running for Congress this year in New Jersey's 12 districts. The Republicans, undeterred by a new congressional district map that helps Democrats, have touted endorsements by Trump loyalists, including former national security adviser Michael Flynn and notorious political operative Roger Stone. Seven of the candidates have some iteration of "America First" in their ballot slogans, which has a long history in U.S. politics but in recent years has been associated with Trump. The former president, however, has been absent from the races and, based on fundraising and its candidates' built-in advantages, New Jersey's GOP establishment appears poised to avoid many upsets in Tuesday's primary.

TENS OF PEOPLE ON THE ROADS COMMANDED THE TOP SPOT ON EVERY NJ GANNETT WEBSITE SUNDAY — "'We want to be safe': NJ boaters, bikers and motorists rally for police, military and Trump ," by The Asbury Park Press' Alex N. Gecan: "Dozens of boaters joined dozens more motorists and motorcyclists at the Causeway Marina at midday Saturday, the last stop in a "MAGA drag" and boat parade on the Garden State Parkway and Barnegat Bay. The land parade rolled in from both north and south, with motorists and motorcyclists staging at the Jon Bon Jovi Service Area in Sayreville and Judy Blume Service area in Wall to the north and the Red Lion Diner in Tabernacle and a Planet Fitness in Hammonton to the south and west. Boaters began their cruise at the mouth of the Toms River and split off to go both north and south on Barnegat Bay."

—Snowflack: "Crispi dream"

—Mulshine: " Donald Trump's election picks: A loser targets the winningest Republican in Congress"

—"Can N.J. gym owner turn notoriety into a victory in Tuesday's congressional primary?"

A message from New Jerseyans for Affordable Rx:

LOCAL

SIRESLY? — "Sources: Sires poised for a Hudson County comeback," by InsiderNJ's Max Pizarro: "lbio Sires won't be going away from Hudson County politics, according to multiple sources. In fact, the sitting U.S. Representative slated to retire this year from Congress may return to his former, beloved job: Mayor of West New York. Sires served in that capacity from 1995 to 2006. The sitting mayor, Gabe Rodriguez, was elected in 2019 and faces the voters again next year. But he may be one and done in that position, at least for the next term, if the 71-year old Sires is serious about a local comeback. Sources say he's serious, which would make Rodriguez a top contender for an assembly seat. A source said he will, in fact, head to Trenton by giving up the mayor's seat to Sires. Hudson was abuzz Friday with chatter about the deal. 'If that's what he chooses to do, I would support him," North Bergen Mayor Nick Sacco told InsiderNJ."

—"Sires vs. Roque suddenly emerges as potential matchup for West New York mayor in 2023"

ALL IT TOOK WAS A CALL FROM A REPORTER — "Paterson developer pledged $2M to help Eva's Village. Now builder, charity are in court," by The Paterson Press' Joe Malinconico: "Eva's Village, the four-decade-old social service provider in Paterson, went to court this week, accusing the developer involved in a major downtown revitalization project of reneging on a pledge to donate $2 million to the charity. In a suit filed in state Superior Court on Wednesday, Eva's alleged that Anthony LoConte agreed in 2019 to give $2 million over five years to the nonprofit's culinary school. LoConte made a $400,000 contribution the first year but hasn't given anything since then, according to the complaint … During an interview in the morning, LoConte initially criticized Eva's Village and said he would never donate to the group again. But within hours, he apparently had a change of heart. LoConte confirmed in an afternoon text message that he had begun the process of wiring the next $400,000 installment to Eva's. He didn't provide an explanation for his reversal."

UNLIKE THE COUNCIL, WHICH EVERY DAY INSPIRES FULL FAITH AND CONFIDENCE BY ALL — "Mayor Reed Gusciora gets 'no confidence' vote amid FBI problem ," by The Trentonian's Isaac Avilucea: "a searing rebuke of his leadership, legislators voted "no confidence" in Mayor Reed Gusciora and called on him to resign, signaling possibly the lowest point of his four-year term as leader of the capital city. The 4-3 vote at Thursday's meeting comes on the heels of federal authorities serving subpoenas on City Hall last month, demanding records related to the alleged misuse of a $2 million lead-remediation grant that the city received in 2016, when Mayor Eric Jackson was in power. The feds also asked for inspection reports and payroll records of employees currently working under the Gusciora administration. The resolution said the feds' probe has 'shrouded the city in a dark cloud of suspicion' less than a decade after ex-Mayor Tony Mack and his cronies were sent to prison for accepting bribes in a parking-garage scheme. "

—"Trenton officials entertain companies hoping to bring autonomous cars to city"

$25M SOUNDS LIKE A TOTALLY REASONABLE NUMBER —"Palisades Park mayor files $25M defamation lawsuit. Here's what it says," by The Record's Kristie Cattafi: "Palisades Park's mayor is looking for $25 million in damages in a defamation lawsuit he filed against his opponent in the upcoming primary election, the borough administrator and a Korean newspaper. Christopher Chung filed the lawsuit as an individual and as the mayor of Palisades Park in state Superior Court on May 31. The suit was filed against Chong 'Paul' Kim, a councilman who is running against Chung for mayor in the democratic primary on June 7, Paul Lee, Kim's campaign manager, Borough Administrator David Lorenzo, The Korea Daily newspaper, and the paper's reporter and general manager … 'Defendants Kim, Lee, Lorenzo and John Does, developed devised, conjured, imagined and or produced false, misleading and damaging information for the purpose of defrauding, tricking, misleading and manipulating the voting public to vote for Mayor candidate Kim rather than Mayor Chung' the lawsuit said."

UNFAIRHAVEN — "This town is the new battleground for Monmouth GOP infighting ," by The Asbury Park Press' Joe Strupp: "Andy Trocchia finds himself once again knocking on neighbor's doors, asking for their backing in the June 7 primary. No, Trocchia, a former borough councilman, is not a candidate for council. Instead, he's drumming up support in an election for a little known political board that runs Fair Haven's Republican Party. Trocchia, the longtime borough GOP chairman, found himself and seven of his fellow municipal Republican leaders on the outs with Monmouth County GOP Chairman Shaun Golden. They're the latest to find themselves casualties of crossing the county party boss and Monmouth County sheriff. But the Monmouth County Republican Committee in a statement said they offered the line to new candidates because the old guard was 'not successful.' … In all, eight of the 12 Fair Haven committee members were bumped off the county line."

RUDY BETTER NOT FAIL — "Somerset County still 'working through' ransomware attack with temporary solutions," by MyCentralJersy's Mike Deak: "A week after a ransomware cyberattack, Somerset County is still 'working through' the process of fully restoring its computer network. Though county spokesman Nathan Rudy could not say when the work will be completed, he emphasized that the county is still providing the full range of services to residents. The county has created temporary Gmail addresses for the public to use to reach critical departments such as the county commissioners, Health Department, Emergency Operations, the county clerk, sheriff and surrogate."

PATERSON FAILS — " Critics see long road ahead for Paterson police force tarnished by 'robbery squad' trial," by THe Paterson Press' Joe Malinconico: "In the aftermath of the explosive trial targeting Paterson's 'robbery squad' of crooked cops, the city is heading toward the first anniversary of another black eye for law enforcement: the arrest of Police Officer Spencer Finch. Finch, a 17-year veteran of the force, became the 11th Paterson cop arrested in just over three years when he was charged with assault, official misconduct and other offenses on June 11, 2021. Mayor Andre Sayegh likes to include Finch's dismissal when touting his police reform efforts. The case includes three milestones that suggest the city is taking a tougher stance on allegedly abusive cops. But it's also a reminder of the work yet to be done, with several officers still under scrutiny for their conduct in ongoing cases … But social justice activists in Paterson seem less confident than the mayor as to whether the 400-member department has turned a corner. Several activists cited the ongoing controversy over Felix DeJesus, the 41-year-old Haledon man who disappeared four months ago after being in the custody of two city cops. 'Nothing has really changed' said outspoken community leader Ernest Rucker. 'These things are still happening.'"

— "NJ's most powerful county GOP vs. 'America First' Trumpism: The primary's battle lines"

—"Neptune police, dogged by controversy in recent years, now led by first Black chief "

—"Burlington County primary election contested races for Democrats, Republicans"

—" Morris County commissioner seats among few contested primaries. What to know before voting"

—" Some N.J. schools used as polling locations will go virtual on election day"

—"AG's office confirms one suspect killed, officer in stable condition, in West New York shooting"

—Opinion: "Why not in Long Branch? Young people should be able to enjoy public places, too"

STEP INSIDE THE WEST WING: What's really happening in West Wing offices? Find out who's up, who's down, and who really has the president's ear in our West Wing Playbook newsletter, the insider's guide to the Biden White House and Cabinet. For buzzy nuggets and details that you won't find anywhere else, subscribe today.

EVERYTHING ELSE

NO EXCEPTION FOR SAINTS — "FTC moves to block RWJBarnabas-Saint Peter's deal," by NJ BIZ's Jeffrey Kanige: "The Federal Trade Commission said it will file suit to stop the acquisition of Saint Peter's Healthcare System by RWJBarnabas Health, alleging that the combination would hurt competition for inpatient general acute care services in Middlesex County … The partners got a green light in May from state authorities allowing them to establish a 'premier academic medical center"' in New Brunswick. But the FTC said the merger would create an entity with 50% of the market in Middlesex County for acute care. 'Saint Peter's University Hospital is less than 1 mile away from RWJ in New Brunswick, and they are the only two hospitals in that city,' said FTC Bureau of Competition Director Holly Vedova in statement. 'There is overwhelming evidence that this acquisition would be bad for patients, because the parties would no longer have to compete to provide the lowest prices and the best quality and service.'"

R.I.P. —"Founding Bon Jovi bass player Alec John Such dies, band announces"

A message from New Jerseyans for Affordable Rx:

We can all agree that costs in New Jersey are already sky high – and that includes prescription drug costs. Year after year, big drug companies raise the price of life-saving medications to increase their profits. Patients deserve better. As this legislative session comes to an end, let's remind our elected officials in Trenton to hold Big Pharma accountable and make all entities in the drug supply chain find real solutions to increase access to affordable prescription drugs without impacting services. That means supporting patient advocates like Pharmacy Benefit Managers (PBMs) that negotiate with Big Pharma to reduce Rx costs and put money back in the pockets of New Jersey families. It's time to stand up to special interests, cut unnecessary red tape, and let these advocates do what they do best - save patients money. https://www.affordablerxnj.com/.