News: POLITICO New Jersey Playbook: Jones and Hugin on the Malinowski Moderate Party

Thursday, June 9, 2022

POLITICO New Jersey Playbook: Jones and Hugin on the Malinowski Moderate Party

Jun 09, 2022

Presented by New Jerseyans for Affordable Rx

Good Thursday morning!

So how's that idea floated by Tom Malinowski allies to form a new "Moderate Party" for the purpose of "fusion voting" — in this case, putting the Democratic congressman on the ballot twice — being greeted by New Jersey's major parties?

GOP State Chair Bob Hugin wasn't shy about it in a conference call yesterday, calling it a "desperate, sorry, embarrassing tactic" by Malinowski and a "very telling sign of how bad Tom Malinowski views his opportunities for reelection in November."

It's not hard to imagine that Democratic State Chair LeRoy Jones feels the same way, but it's in his interest to maintain cordial relations with Malinowski, so I'm guessing the statement he issued yesterday was through gritted virtual teeth. He even suggested the idea had some merit without actually endorsing it.

"As long as the furthest right elements of the Republican Party continue to embrace an extremist agenda, attack our democracy and block progress on the critical issues facing our nation, Republican-leaning voters of good conscience who do not want to be a part of this kind of extremism will seek an alternative such as the one proposed by Congressman Malinowski," Jones said. "I continue to believe that electing Democrats up and down the ballot is the best way to fight back against an out of control Republican Party, and we will continue to work to support all of our Democratic candidates while we await the Secretary of State's decision."

Most people I've talked to agree that, merits aside, the prospects of Malinowski's allies successfully challenging the constitutionality of New Jersey's century-old ban on fusion voting before this year's election are tiny.

I also find it interesting that this challenge comes as a lawsuit against New Jersey's "county line" ballot structure just got a judge's blessing to proceed. Both of these challenges, if successful, would make dramatic changes to the way ballots in New Jersey look. But I think eliminating the line would have more far-reaching consequences.

DAYS SINCE MURPHY REFUSED TO SAY WHETHER HIS WIFE'S NONPROFIT SHOULD DISCLOSE ITS DONORS: 113

WHERE'S MURPHY? — New York Penn Station for a 9:30 a.m. announcement with New York Gov. Kathy Hochul

QUOTE OF THE DAY: "That means nothing, 170 employees brought back to work in a state where there are millions of job openings, come on." — New Jersey Chamber of Commerce President Tom Bracken on the much-touted but little-used Murphy administration "Return and Earn" program

HAPPY BIRTHDAY — State Sen. Declan O'Scanlon, Menendez South Jersey Director Frank Schultz, Burlington County Commissioner Tom Pullion, former JC BOE member Suzanne Mack

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

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

MULTIYEAR BUDGETING IS BETTER THAN MULTIYEAR ELECTION PLANNING — Sweeney policy center lays out stark fiscal warning for New Jersey, by POLITICO's Carly Sitrin: Former state Senate President Steve Sweeney's Center for Public Policy released its first multiyear state budget report on Wednesday that suggests New Jersey 'is most likely facing a fiscal cliff in the years ahead.' According to the center's workgroup — consisting of both Democrat and Republican fiscal policy experts, economists and a former state treasurer — there's an 80 percent chance revenue collections from fiscal year 2024 to fiscal year 2027 will fall $10.5 billion to $20.5 billion short of the projected spending needed to continue the state's current services and state aid. … 'I'm not saying the Legislature shouldn't spend and won't spend but don't go crazy is what we're saying,' said Sweeney, who has been mentioned as a possible candidate for governor in 2025.

MURPHY APPOINTS LYLE LANELY AS NJSEA EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR — "Meadowlands monorail? Study that recommends a convention center says a people mover is needed," by NJ Advance Media's Larry Higgs: "Super Bowl XLVIII and two Wrestlemanias were signature main events held at MetLife stadium in the last decade, but when it came to other events associated with them, fans had to go to New York City because of a lack of event space around the stadium. The reason was simple: the mega-events themselves found a suitable home at MetLife stadium, but the Meadowlands complex lacked an appropriate-sized venue for the various fan experience events, Jim Kirkos, Meadowlands Chamber of Commerce CEO and president, said at a chamber meeting Tuesday. The solution is the construction of a 460,000-square-foot convention center on the site of the now dormant arena at the Meadowlands complex, which was recommended in an October 2021 Phase 1 marketing survey by Hunden Strategic Partners. By comparison, the Jacob Javits Center in New York City has a total of 888,774-square-feet of eventing space and the Atlantic City Convention Center is 592,533-square-feet in size."

— "Geography and ballot design shaped New Jersey's congressional primaries "

— "Battle over privatization in Liberty State Park intensifies with new bill"

— " Assembly panel to weigh tax credits for hiring people recovering from drug addiction"

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

GOTTAGETANEWCAMPAIGNMANAGERHEIMER — Malinowski, Gottheimer shed campaign managers, by POLITICO's Matt Friedman: New Jersey Democratic Reps. Tom Malinowski and Josh Gottheimer both recently parted ways with their campaign managers. For Gottheimer, this is the second time in recent months he's lost a campaign manager. The departures come as signs emerge that Democrats are more likely than not to lose their narrow House majority in November, though of the two New Jersey incumbents, only Malinowski is considered particularly vulnerable. … Malinowski's former campaign manager, Stacy Cohen, left within the last week, his campaign confirmed without elaborating. By Wednesday morning, Cohen had deleted a mention of Malinowski from her Twitter bio, which lists several other Democratic candidates and companies she's worked for … Former Gottheimer campaign manager Blake Reinken recently left that campaign, according to two people with knowledge of the departure who declined to publicly discuss campaign staffing. Reinken took on the role in March, after the departure of his predecessor, Stuart Thomas.

A STORY I MISSED ALONG WITH MUCH OF THE MEDIA — " Ian Smith no longer affiliated with gym where he defied shutdown; Business partner blames candidate's DWI arrest for patronage drop," by The Pine Barrens Tribune's Bill Bonvie: "Ian Smith … has ended his active affiliation with the Atilis Gym in Bellmawr … 'I'm putting an offer on the table to buy him out,' the gym's co-owner, Frank Trumbetti, told the Pine Barrens Tribune. … Trumbetti, when asked whether Smith's own arrest on a DWI charge in Cinnaminson Township, on the morning of March 27, had been a contributing factor to Smith's parting company with the gym, replied that it was, estimating that the establishment's clientele had declined by about 30 percent in the aftermath of that episode, which was widely publicized, with a court hearing on the charges having now been rescheduled for June 9. 'I believe he put myself in a very bad situation, and had a duty to not do that,' Trumbetti maintained. 'He admitted to having had a drink, then said it was a double. A person with the past that he has (referring to Smith's having once served a five-year prison sentence for second-degree vehicular homicide in the death of a 19-year-old man while he was under the influence) and under the scrutiny he was shouldn't have been behind the wheel if he had anything to drink at all. We need to be held accountable and learn from our mistakes.'"

— Pizarro: " 2022 New Jersey primary election takeaways"

— Hugin: Economic issues drove GOP turnout in primary and will be key in November

— "Frank Pallotta win in tight District 5 primary sets up rematch. What it means for November"

— " De Gregorio endorses Pallotta"

— "With paltry 8% primary turnout [in Hudson County], only North Bergen and Union City had districts break 20% "

R.I.P. — "Longtime former mayor of Haworth John DiRienzo dies at 83"

A message from New Jerseyans for Affordable Rx:

LOCAL

RUNNING PAL PARK IS NO PICNIC — "Incumbent Palisades Park mayor loses primary: What's next for embattled borough," by The Record's Kristie Cattafi : "Bergen County's first Asian American mayor and the Palisades Park incumbent lost the Democratic primary and his chance to run for reelection in November. Mayor Christopher Chung made history three years ago when Gov. Phil Murphy swore him in as mayor of the borough, where more than half the population is of Korean descent. Councilman Chong Paul Kim won the Democratic primary by 80 votes as of Wednesday in a light turnout that saw fewer than 1,000 of the 9,672 registered voters cast ballots for the Democratic or Republican mayoral candidates. … Last year, Chung dropped out of the Assembly race for the 37th District to focus on Palisades Park after a critical report by the state comptroller's office, which said borough officials had wasted hundreds of thousands of taxpayer dollars."

IF ONLY COKE MACHINES AND GEORGE WASHINGTON STATUES HAD A VOTE — "Mastronardy leading Gilmore in contest for Toms River county committee seats," by New Jersey Globe's David Wildstein: "Mastronardy leading Gilmore in contest for Toms River county committeeMichael Mastronardy leads George Gilmore, 27 to 20, in contests for Republican county committee seats in Toms River, with about 7 contests still too close to call. Gilmore, who is seeking to return as Ocean County GOP chairman in an election set for later this month, filed candidates to run off-the-line county committee candidates to run off the line for seats in Toms River. But 60 candidates running on the organization line and presumed to be for Mastronardy were uncontested."

A DISTURBANCE IN THE FORCE — "Tuckerton Fire Department ordered to 'cease all operations effective immediately,'" by The Asbury Park Press' Erik Larsen: "The embattled, all-volunteer fire department in the borough has been ordered to cease all operations effective immediately after the state of New Jersey found them to be 'in non-compliance with certain rules and standards on fire protection.' … The Borough Council has scheduled a special meeting for 4:30 p.m. Thursday at Borough Hall to discuss entering into a contract with another fire department from outside of town. … The department has been the subject of consternation in town of late over the control the Eggert family had wielded over its operation and politics for many years. Last fall, the mayor and council announced it was investigating the department after what police have characterized as a 'disturbance' last August between the local fire chief, the department's former president, and the fire chief's father — a local firefighter, former chief and former mayor. … The incident served to reopen old wounds about the culture of the department, which includes a history of litigation filed over the past several years"

— "[East Rutherford] Police racially profiled Uber driver who called 911 after white passenger pulled knife, lawsuit says"

— "Even 'no-name' storms flood these northern Bergen towns. Is water company to blame?"

— "'A story for our times': Montclair teacher gets offer from publisher for 'No More Chairs'"

— " Longtime Haledon mayor trailing former ally in Democratic primary"

— " [Vineland] official's gun control comments meet pushback, told mental health care is the problem"

— "Baraka backs Silva in East Ward runoff election"

— "Challengers defeat incumbent and former council president in Buena Republican primary"

— " Hoboken 14th Street residents call on Bhalla to halt Story Dispensary application"

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

ANDOVER NURSING HOME ORDERED TO HANDOVER — "Andover nursing home never responded to a PR firm's lawsuit. Judge says turn over $105K," by The New Jersey Herald's Lori Comstock: "The owners of Woodland Behavioral Rehabilitation and Nursing Center, formerly Andover Subacute II, and the attorneys representing the embattled facility failed to respond to a lawsuit in December 2021 filed by a public relations firm seeking monies they say were owed to them, according to court records. As a result, Woodland now owes Mercury Public Affairs $105,000, the amount they sought, plus any post-judgment interest, Sussex County Superior Court Judge William McGovern III ordered"

PERSONAL INJURY LAW FIRMS RUN ON DUNKIN' — " N.J. police officer sues Dunkin' over hot coffee spill due to mismatched lid," by NJ Advance Media's Anthony G. Attrino: "A Lyndhurst police officer has become the latest New Jersey resident to sue Dunkin', claiming he suffered severe burns from coffee that was too hot and spilled on him. Paul Haggerty, 39, says in the lawsuit he bought coffee on Sept. 18, 2020, from the Dunkin' in the 400 block of Valley Brook Avenue that was served with a cup and lid that were mismatched. 'As a result, (the) excessively hot contents spilled on the plaintiff,' causing second and third-degree burns on 'various parts of his body,' states the suit, filed April 13 in Superior Court of Bergen County. The lawsuit states the injuries left Haggerty unable to work and with costly medical bills. … The suit is at least the fourth 'hot coffee' complaint filed in New Jersey Superior Court against Dunkin' in New Jersey in the past three months."

DO AC: EVEN IF YOU DON'T HIT THE TABLES, YOU GAMBLE — "Union: 4 Atlantic City casinos not cleaning rooms daily," by The AP's Wayne Parry: " A union representing housekeeping workers at Atlantic City's casinos says four of the resorts are not complying with a COVID-related requirement that hotel rooms be cleaned daily, and called Wednesday for the state to intervene. Local 54 of the Unite Here union said state officials need to enforce an order issued in 2020 by New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy requiring hotel rooms to be cleaned and sanitized daily. The rule was issued as the casinos reopened after a 3 1/2-month shutdown at the onset of the pandemic. The union filed a complaint Wednesday with the state Department of Community Affairs accusing Caesars, Harrah's, Tropicana and the Golden Nugget … The union presented claims by several housekeepers that there are not enough workers to keep up with the demand to clean each room each day. The workers said their employers directed them to clean rooms where guests are checking out as a priority."

CONGESTION PRICING — Hochul: 'Now is not the right time' for congestion pricing , by POLITICO's Danielle Muoio Dunn : New York's congestion pricing plan is on the back burner — again. Gov. Kathy Hochul said Tuesday that not only is the proposal facing delays on the federal level, but that "now is not the right time" for it anyway. Her remarks, delivered at a gubernatorial Democratic primary debate, indicate little political momentum behind the decades-long effort to charge motorists extra for driving into central Manhattan during rush hour. "They [the federal government] have now put other, I'll just call them, hurdles that we have to overcome. So this is not going to happen over the next year under any circumstances," Hochul said. "But now is not the right time."

— BPU begins considering South Jersey Industries' plan to go private

— " How big of a dent will NY's boom put in NJ's online sports betting profits? We asked"

CORRECTION: Yesterday's New Jersey Playbook misstated the municipality where Paul Kanitra is mayor. He is mayor of Point Pleasant Beach.

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/.