News: POLITICO New Jersey Playbook: Gilmore's grievances

Tuesday, July 12, 2022

POLITICO New Jersey Playbook: Gilmore's grievances

Jul 12, 2022

Presented by NextEra Energy Transmission

Good Tuesday morning!

Festivus came early this year. Yesterday I called newly-elected Ocean County GOP Chair George Gilmore to get his thoughts on returning to the chairmanship that he held for over two decades before resigning in 2019 following three federal tax convictions. It turns out I called at just the right time, as I got an Airing of Grievances.

While Gilmore wants to bring the fractured party back together , he's got some issues with 2021 gubernatorial nominee Jack Ciattarelli and Republican State Chair Bob Hugin, both of whom Gilmore said worked against his return to the chairmanship. And he's got problems with some of the officials from his own backyard, who overwhelmingly supported rival Michael Mastronardy for sheriff — at least on paper.

Read more about all that here.

Ciattarelli and Gilmore have a history. Gilmore backed Kim Guadagno for governor over Ciattarelli in 2017, helping cement her hold on the nomination. And he backed Phil Rizzo for governor over Ciattarelli in 2021. Meanwhile, Ciattarelli's 2021 campaign manager, Eric Arpert, was helping Gilmore's rival for the chairmanship, Sheriff Michael Mastronardy.

Ciattarelli wants to run again in 2025, and Gilmore's term ends in 2026 . According to Gilmore, he's ready to sit down and talk to Ciattarelli. He's just waiting for the call.

The Ocean County GOP, which during most of my years in New Jersey politics was in lockstep behind Gilmore, is deeply riven today. But it's still powerful.

DAYS SINCE MURPHY REFUSED TO SAY WHETHER HIS WIFE'S NON-PROFIT SHOULD DISCLOSE DONORS: 146

WHERE'S MURPHY? Italy

WHERE'S OLIVER? No public schedule

QUOTE OF THE DAY: "Our city council has become the Robin Michelle Vaughn show." — Trenton Council candidate Teska Frisby, who accused Vaughn of insulting her disabled son

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

HAPPY BIRTHDAY — U.S. Redp. Andy Kim, Yes Every Kid's Erica Jedynak, Stu Loeser & Co's Madeline Saunders, Congressional candidate Rob Menendez

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WHAT TRENTON MADE

STRIKE FORCE BECOMES USELESS AS MEMBERS IMMEDIATELY GO ON STRIKE — New Jersey creates 'reproductive rights strike force' by POLITICO's Carly Sitrin: With access to abortions at risk in some states, New Jersey is creating a "reproductive rights strike force" to protect residents and patients who travel to the state seeking reproductive care. New Jersey's acting Attorney General Matt Platkin on Monday announced state officials from the State Police, Department of Law and Public Safety and other agencies will serve on the strike force with the stated mission to "use available civil and criminal enforcement tools to protect the right to obtain abortion care in New Jersey." "Make no mistake: Abortion remains legal in New Jersey," Platkin said in a statement highlighting Gov. Phil Murphy's January signing of the Freedom of Reproductive Choice Act which enshrined abortion rights into state law. "The Strike Force we are creating today will ensure that these laws are enforced to the full extent possible, and that we use every available resource to protect access to abortion care in New Jersey."

LESS BONDAGE FOR NJ'S MASOCHISTIC TAXPAYERS — "Latest bump to state's debt-relief fund: $5B-plus ," by NJ Spotlight News' John Reitmeyer: "For the second straight year, Gov. Phil Murphy and lawmakers have put billions of dollars into a special account set up to address concerns about New Jersey's significant bonded debt. The latest deposit into New Jersey's Debt Defeasance and Prevention Fund totals more than $5 billion and comes amid the unprecedented surge in tax collections during the COVID-19 pandemic. Some of the funds earmarked for debt relief have already been appropriated by Murphy and fellow Democrats who control both houses of the Legislature to pay for a host of capital projects on pay-as-you-go basis. That will prevent New Jersey — already one of the nation's most indebted states — from having to borrow more money to finance the list of projects, which includes school construction and several transportation infrastructure upgrades."

TRANSIT — "NJ Transit workers sue agency for not stopping passenger attacks," by NJ 101.5's Michael Symons: "Fourteen NJ Transit workers are suing the agency for not doing enough to prevent attacks and abuse from passengers. They sued NJ Transit for negligence last week in U.S. District Court. Each is seeking more than $150,000. The events detailed in the complaint happened during the pandemic, and some related to the passengers' refusal to wear a mask as required at the time. More often, the incident stemmed from a passenger's attempt to ride the train without paying the fare. While all the incidents happened in the last two years, the lawsuit cites other cases dating back to 1992 in which passengers attacked NJ Transit workers as evidence the agency did nothing to prevent it or better respond."

I'M BEGINNING TO THINK THERE MAY BE A JUDGE SHORTAGE — "How a 'catastrophic' shortage of judges is disrupting the lives of thousands in NJ ," by The Record's Katie Sobko: "Jeralyn Lawrence, president of the state's bar association, said the impact was affecting everyday lives. She noted that some people who were married for a year or two now wait three or four years to get divorced. In other cases, families have not settled custody agreements. And she said one woman who was terminally ill might die before having her divorce finalized, putting her assets in limbo. The woman was alive as of last week. Lawyers and judges have warned state leaders for months that judicial vacancies are at crisis levels and disrupting the lives of everyday New Jerseyans. Chief Justice Stuart Rabner said in May that to 'address that backlog and give people their day in court' that state needs judges."

—"Appellate, assignment judges are mostly Democrats, despite tradition of partisan balance of N.J. courts," by New Jersey Globe's David Wildstein: "New Jersey has a Noah's Ark system of appointing Superior Court judges, aspiring – although not always succeeding – for the courts to have a partisan balance with a relatively equal number of jurists from both parties. But a review of party affiliations of judges conducted by the New Jersey Globe shows that Chief Justice Stuart Rabner has been more likely to elevate Democrats than Republicans to the upper echelons of the judiciary. Rabner, a Democrat, served as Gov. Jon Corzine's chief counsel and attorney general before his nomination to the lead the top court in 2007. There is no evidence that he has pursued a long-term political agenda, just statistics that follow his fifteen years as chief justice. Democrats occupy two-thirds of the influential assignment judge positions: 10 Democrats and 5 Republicans in the state's fifteen Superior Court Vicinages, a 2-1 advantage for Democrats. Of the 27 appellate court judges, 17 are Democrats, 9 are Republicans and one is unaffiliated, giving Democrats a 63%-33% edge."

IF IT WILL GET MORE PA DRIVERS OFF THE ROAD — " Is it time to expand NJ Transit rail service to Pennsylvania ? Petition thinks so,' by NJ Advance Media's Larry Higgs: "A petition is asking state and federal officials to return NJ Transit's Raritan Valley Line service to its historical roots by restoring commuter train service to Phillipsburg and across the Delaware River to Allentown, Pennsylvania. The Change.org petition asks NJ Transit, the U.S. Department of Transportation, Gov. Phil Murphy and the state senate to consider the idea, saying it is 'unacceptable' that Phillipsburg, Easton, Allentown and Bethlehem are without passenger rail service … As of Monday afternoon, the petition, started by a Pennsylvania resident last month, had just under 100 signatures."

—"Fewer attorneys disciplined in 2021, but investigations slowed"

—" New initiatives aim to help the innocent fight wrongful convictions"

—"What mushrooms can do for N.J.: A Q&A with a psilocybin expert"

—"NJ plan for child care shortage starts with $28M for grants"

—Golden: " The Murphy presidential antennae"

HAVE QUESTIONS ABOUT ROE BEING OVERTURNED? JOIN WOMEN RULE ON 7/21: Now that the Supreme Court has overturned Roe v. Wade , abortion policy is in the hands of the states and, ultimately, voters. Join POLITICO national political correspondent Elena Schneider for a Women Rule "ask me anything" conversation featuring a panel of reporters from our politics and health care teams who will answer your questions about how the court's decision could play out in different states, its impact on the midterms and what it means for reproductive rights in the U.S. going forward. SUBMIT YOUR QUESTIONS AND REGISTER HERE.

BIDEN TIME

—"Will Supreme Court ruling mean more guns, violence on NJ streets? Here's what police think"

—"NJ disability advocates warn overturning Roe v. Wade could also imperil their rights"

—" Restoring N.J. property tax breaks back on table as Senate drafts new spending bill"

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LOCAL

WINCE VAUGHN — "Trenton council candidate calls for Vaughn to resign for attacking her disabled son," by The Trentonian's Isaac Avilucea: "It's war in the West Ward. With four months to go before the city municipal races, West Ward candidate Teska Frisby rallied Monday for incumbent Robin Vaughn to resign as councilwoman after claiming the city leader viciously attacked her family as 'ugly, ignorant and disabled,' while Frisby picked up election petitions last week at City Hall. The confrontation in the clerk's office was caught by the city's surveillance cameras, which Frisby asked the city to produce through a public records request. The 'disabled' reference was an attack on Frisby's 20-year-old son, Sam Jr., who has cerebral palsy, the council candidate said Monday during a news conference outside City Hall … Vaughn, who has blocked a Trentonian reporter from reaching her on her cell phone, couldn't be reached for comment. City insiders believe there's a strong possibility she may challenge incumbent Mayor Gusciora in the November election, if she chooses not to seek a second term as West Ward councilwoman."

STATE THAT GIVES MASSIVE TAX BREAKS TO AC CASINOS CAN'T GET A SUPERMARKET BUILT THERE — " Has request for subsidy derailed Atlantic City supermarket project?" by The Press of Atlantic City's Bill Barlow: "As the months slip by with no visible sign of progress on a planned grocery store for the city, it appears a request for financial guarantees of up to half a million dollars may be holding up the work. The Casino Reinvestment Development Authority last year approved spending $18.5 million to build a supermarket on Baltic Avenue, with a plan to lease the property for a new ShopRite for $1 a year. Expectations were for fast progress on the work, but so far no progress has been visible. The first public disclosure of the possibility of a $500,000 incentive for the supermarket chain came on Friday, from Atlantic County Prosecutor William Reynolds, who also said the project is going to cost an additional $8 million over the already-approved $18.5 million."

BOAT CHECKS AND TOWN BALANCES — "Towns named in NJ report on overspending can look to this Bergen borough for guidance," by The Record's Katie Cattafi: "The nearly 60 towns that the state comptroller found writing checks for unused sick time despite state laws can look toward the town that inspired the survey for guidance: Palisades Park. Over a year after the state comptroller found that Palisades Park wasted hundreds of thousands of taxpayer dollars on sick-time payouts and other misuses of tax dollars, over two dozen corrective action resolutions were put in place. The comptroller found that Palisades Park wasn't alone … New Jersey League of Municipalities Executive Director Mike Cerra said it's hard to draw a conclusion from the survey since it was based on towns that have outdated policies and may or may not be implementing them. There also are different interpretations of the laws and bargaining contracts that complicate the issue, Cerra said. 'It's more complicated to say they're just ignoring the law,' Cerra said. 'The different interpretations of statutes is an issue playing out locally now. It's obvious now the law isn't as clear-cut as people thought when it passed 15 years ago.'"

—Snowflack: " NJGOP goes after the Hispanic vote"

—"Mayor slams Trenton council for voting down $446K for firefighting gear"

—"'Nothing to do with hazing': Ex-Teaneck basketball players claim abuse while on team"

—" Appellate court sides with Hoboken municipal workers in 2020 pay dispute over demotions"

—"2 ex-Ferris High School students suing Jersey City BOE for alleged 2019 assault by teacher "

—"Renovated pedestrian mall in Downtown Jersey City, years in the making, nears completion"

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EVERYTHING ELSE

SAVE THE JERSEY DEVIL'S HABITAT — "Key areas of Pinelands slowly reopen, and new growth sprouts, after harrowing fire," by The Philadelphia Inquirer's Frank Kummer: "The state's Department of Environmental Protection, which oversees the forest, started opening popular trails last weekend, such as the Batona, Tom's Pond, Mullica River, and the Batsto Red, White and Blue Trails — though Wharton State Forest officials note there is still some potential for trees to fall. And all trails from Atsion to Batsto, including mountain biking trails, remain closed as hot spots continue to burn. The Mullica River Campground will remain closed through July 15. The fire forced Pinelands Adventures to close operations for two weeks until it reopened July 2. Overall, the outfitter had to cancel trips for 850 people. And many would-be customers have postponed trips, Raudy said, fearing they'd be kayaking through a barren, charred wilderness — which she says is not the case."

HAROLD HOFFMAN'S EMBEZZLED FUNDS? — "Mysterious buried cash dated 1934 unearthed in Jersey Shore renovation," by NJ Advance Media's Matt Gray: "As Rich Gilson excavated debris around his house in Wildwood Friday, he didn't initially realize that he had just unearthed a Jersey Shore mystery - tightly-wound $10 and $20 bills totaling about $1,000 that may have been buried for up to 90 years … Gilson discovered another mystery as he examined each of the bills. 'Every bill is dated 1934, Series A, which I thought was strange,' he said … Gilson figures the money wasn't earned through legit means. 'My sense is that something fishy happened,' he said."

IF THEY HAD A PARTY IT WOULD HAVE HAD TO BE…. TRUNKATED — "Lucy The Elephant's birthday party canceled due to restoration work," by The Press of Atlantic City's Eric Conklin: "New Jersey's beloved seaside elephant, unfortunately, won't have a 141st birthday bash this year. Because of ongoing restoration work to Lucy The Elephant, a celebratory party won't take place, Executive Director Richard Helfant said in a news release on Monday. "This was a difficult decision", Helfant said in a statement. Lucy, who's also known as 'America's Oldest Roadside Attraction,' has been undergoing restoration efforts to her exterior."

—" Prosecutor moves to strip Club 35 owners of $3.5 million in properties, cars, coins, cash"

—"Dead humpback whale found in New Jersey marina."

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NextEra Energy didn't become the world's largest generator of wind and solar power overnight. We've been building and operating large-scale energy projects across North America for decades and powering New Jersey for nearly a quarter-century. Our first solar farm in the Garden State was built in West Deptford. Yet, our contributions have gone far deeper—from counseling local businesses on how to reach clean energy goals and operating battery storage facilities to providing dozens of solar sites on buildings from Cape May to High Point and working to help New Jersey reach its offshore wind goals. We know how to get big, complex projects done on time and on budget. We power homes, neighborhoods, and entire cities, all while putting customers first, prioritizing the environment, and working with local communities to create jobs and limit disruptions. NextEra Energy Transmission is committed to empowering a greener New Jersey.