News: POLITICO New Jersey Playbook: Sweeney's campaign tab

Wednesday, July 27, 2022

POLITICO New Jersey Playbook: Sweeney's campaign tab

Jul 27, 2022

Presented by NextEra Energy Transmission

Good Wednesday morning!

During his 12 years as senate president, Steve Sweeney rode around in a big SUV, used his campaign account to pay for meal after meal in which he met with people and attended countless events in his district and elsewhere.

Nearly nine months after Sweeney's surprise defeat by nearly-unknown truck driver Ed Durr, the former senate president is…. Pretty much doing the exact same thing.

Sweeney hasn't announced whether he will seek to return to the 3rd District's Senate seat next year, or whether he'll run for governor in 2025, but by the looks of his campaign account, he's still acting like an elected official.

Sweeney even used campaign funds to buy a Chevy Suburban — a giant SUV quite similar to the one State Police used to drive him around in — for campaign purposes. He's spent well over $14,000 on meals that his reports characterize as campaign meetings. And he's raised hundreds of thousands of dollars, from the type of donors that typically give to Trenton incumbents, building his war chest back up to $1 million.

Read more about it here .

DAYS SINCE MURPHY REFUSED TO SAY WHETHER HIS WIFE'S NON-PROFIT SHOULD DISCLOSE DONORS: 161

WHERE'S MURPHY? In Camden with some local officials, including one who told him to stay out of the city a few years ago, to highlight "community investments" at an 11:30 a.m. press conference.

QUOTE OF THE DAY: "Horse racing enthusiasts like to say that a jockey accounts for 10% of a horse's performance on any given day. While that is hardly scientific, it gets to the heart of how Ron viewed his role. He brought out the best of every horse, and every track he drove and that extended to his work in the political arena." — Assemblymember Rob Clifton on the late Ron Dancer

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

HAPPY BIRTHDAY — Millennium's Ed Farmer , Dem fundraiser Samantha Maltzman

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WHAT TRENTON MADE

LACK OF TRANSPARENCY — State office failing to quickly settle disputes over access to public records, comptroller's report finds , by POLITICO's Matt Friedman: A state office whose purpose is to quickly resolve disputes over the public's access to government records has failed to do so, an investigation by the state comptroller has found. According to the New Jersey Office of the State Comptroller, the Government Records Council took an average of 21 months to decide disputes after a member of the public alleged improper denial to government records under the Open Public Records Act (OPRA). OPRA requires that the five-member council decide disputes "as expeditiously as possible."

SPINELLI TAKES OVER THE COUNCIL AT A PIVOTAL MOMENT, AS THE ENTIRE STATE BECOMES THE HIGH LANDS – " Murphy appoints former Chester Township mayor to lead NJ Highlands Council ," by The Daily Record's William Westhoven: "Ben Spinelli says getting elected mayor of Chester Township 24 years ago 'was the best and worst thing that ever happened to me.' 'All of a sudden all the things I had been doing to make a living became so trivial,' said Spinellli, a former trial attorney recently appointed by Gov. Phil Murphy as the new executive director of the New Jersey Highlands Council … That taste of public service altered his career path as he began to specialize in land-use issues, leading to an appointment by then-New Jersey Gov. James McGreevy to the initial Highlands Council, a 15-member volunteer board tasked with oversight of implementing the Highlands Water Protection and Planning Act of 2004."

HARDCORE ORNITHOLOGY — " In fight against commercialization, park preservationists champion a beach for the birds ," by New Jersey Monitor's Dana Difilippo : "Its shoreline is the longest uninterrupted stretch of natural beach in the Upper New York Bay and Hudson River. Its location — along the Atlantic Flyway and within the harbor estuary — has made it a favorite stop for migrating birds, including several endangered species. And it is again at the center of a battle between preservationists, state lawmakers, and a billionaire golf course owner. Lorraine Freeney was among the first in line fighting to protect this ordinary, extraordinary beach. The avid birder, who launched a Facebook group for fellow bird-lovers and started documenting the area's avian population, this year became an unexpected lobbyist, calling and emailing her local lawmakers to implore them to protect Caven Point and other parts of the 1,200-acre park from developers who have proposed building arenas, athletic fields, and more here … 'Caven Point is not just for hardcore birders — it's for everyone,' Freeney said. 'To have a beautiful public space and such an important educational resource on our doorsteps is a gift. Caven Point is one of a kind, and if it's destroyed, there's no bringing it back.' … It used to be a popular hangout for skinny-dipping locals who dubbed it Bare Ass Beach."

— " Four Republicans already looking at bid for Dancer's Assembly seat "

—" Is N.J.'s unemployment system better since COVID? Labor chief admits problems, says it's improving "

—" Federal pandemic aid could help NJ, other states during an economic downturn "

—" Wawa pays NJ $2.5M to settle credit card data breach "

—" Moderate Party didn't file emergent court appeal, leaving bid for '22 ballot unlikely "

—Opinion: " Anti-boycott laws are an affront to free speech. They also don't address anti-Semitism "

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 .

BIDEN TIME

LIV PROTEST — " LIV Golf event at Trump National is tainted with 'blood money' and should be canceled, 9/11 families say ," by NJ Advance Media's Camille Furst: " The LIV Golf Invitational set to begin this week at Trump National Golf Club in New Jersey is 'a multi-billion dollar public relations stunt bought and paid for by the kingdom of Saudi Arabia' and should be canceled, families of 9/11 victims said Tuesday. 'It's exhibition golf, and it's paying golfers to do their dirty work and cleanse their reputation,' Terry Strada, national chair of 9/11 Families United, said at a gathering of survivors and families outside the public library in Bedminster, a few miles from the golf course. The LIV Golf Invitational, set to take place Friday through Sunday, has drawn fierce criticism from 9/11 groups who object to former President Donald Trump's private golf club hosting an event by the new Saudi-backed golf organization given Saudi Arabia's ties to the 2001 terrorist attacks. LIV Golf said Tuesday the event will go on as scheduled despite the objections from 9/11 family groups."

R.I.P. — " 'Amazing small town' South River honors legacy of Capitol Police Officer Brian Sicknick ," by MyCentralJersey's Susan Loyer: "Despite Sunday's heat, the community came to pay tribute to a fallen police officer at a garden dedicated in his memory at Volunteer's Park. The garden, which includes a plaque and benches, was dedicated to the memory of Capitol Police Officer Brian Sicknick, 42, a borough native, who suffered two strokes and died after he confronted rioters at the Jan. 6, 2021 insurrection"

—Moran: " No, don't declare a climate emergency "

—" Federal ban on marijuana has failed, Cory Booker declares at Senate hearing "

—" I work at an abortion clinic and know that access to abortion is difficult, even in New Jersey | Opinion "

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LOCAL

STRAIGHT UP NOW TELL ME DO YOU REALLY WANNA HOLD OFFICE FOREVER? OR ARE YOU CAUGHT IN A HIT AND RUN? — " Bicyclist hit by DeGise ran red light, but she didn't stop, video shows ," by New Jersey Globe's David Wildstein: "Video footage of an accident involving Jersey City Councilwoman Amy DeGise shows that the bicyclist she collided with last week ran a red light and DeGise's car at him. The man, Andrew Black, was making an Uber East delivery on his bicycle when he appears to have run through a red light headed south on Martin Luther King Boulevard around 8 AM and collided with DeGise's SUV. But it's not clear if DeGise saw Black, something that could be problematic for the former Hudson County Democratic Chair. The video contradicts Black's statement to Hudpost that he had a green light and looked both ways."

—" Victim of Councilwoman DeGise's hit-and-run speaks out for the first time "

SHOOTING DOWN — " Shootings in Paterson — which set records in 2020 and 2021 — are down 26%. Here's why," by The Paterson Press' Joe Malinconico: "After enduring record numbers of violent crimes the past two years, the city saw a 26% reduction in shooting incidents during the first six months of 2022, part of a statewide trend. Shooting incidents in Paterson dropped from 65 in the first half of 2021 to 48 for the same period of this year, according to statistics from the New Jersey State Police. The number of shooting victims in Paterson plummeted even more, from 99 in 2021 to 65 in 2022, or a 40% drop, the state police data showed. Those numbers include people who were killed and those who suffered non-fatal wounds. Newark, Camden, Jersey City and Elizabeth also had similar decreases in shootings and victims. Statewide, shootings from January through June fell from 528 in 2021 to 407 in 2022, a 23% decrease. Among New Jersey's most violent cities, only Trenton and East Orange had increased numbers of shootings"

HOUSING — " Newark plan will revamp Section 8 vouchers to turn tenants into homeowners ," by NJ Advance Media's Steve Strunsky: "Less than a quarter of Newark residents own their home … That's compared to a statewide homeownership rate of 64% … "We need to build wealth through equity," said Newark Housing Authority Executive Director Victor Cirilo, whose agency provides rental subsidies — and now mortgage subsidies — under the federal Department of Housing and Urban Development's Section 8 program. Newark has about 6,150 residents receiving Section 8 vouchers, Cirilo said, many of whom could become homeowners under the new program, which is known as Homeownership Through Public Housing Assistance, or HOT-PHA … The HOT-PHA program converts tenant-based Section 8 vouchers used to subsidize rents into Section 8 homeownership vouchers for mortgage payments. Additional benefits include no down payment, no closing costs or brokerage fees, and below-market rates depending on the buyer's credit. As with Section 8 rent subsidies, homeowners contribute a maximum of 30% of their income to their monthly mortgage payment, with the housing authority sending the bank or mortgage company a separate check for the rest."

THE ONLY FAMILY PREPARED FOR A LURCH WERE THE ADDAMS — " State shutdown of Newark charter school leaves families in financial lurch ," by Chalkbeat Newark's Catherine Carrera: " The recent state closure of University Heights Charter School, a network of three Newark schools that enrolled about 600 students, upended short- and long-term plans for hundreds of families. Now, it's costing them. Closing the school shortly after the end of another unprecedented school year has led to unforeseen financial burdens, parents said. Unbudgeted expenses, like summer camp and new school uniforms, are quickly adding up. And midway through summer break, some anxious parents still don't know where their children will go to school in the fall. 'There was no regard for parents or children,' said Tanysha Flood, a parent of a rising third grader who had attended University Heights since kindergarten. 'The timing of this was inconsiderate and it could be detrimental to my child.' … The school, which has been on probation since 2019, struggled to improve students' academic performance, faced declining enrollment, and had an unstable leadership team. All those factors contributed to its closure, acting Education Commissioner Angelica Allen-McMillan said in the letter. Even so, parents say, the decision was ill-timed."

—" Teaneck superintendent controversy attracts 14 candidates to school board race "

—" N.J. borough pays ex-official $70K after he says council members retaliated for his whistleblowing "

—"' One of the most heartwarming American stories': Tuskegee Airmen couple awarded Gold Medal "

R.I.P. — " Parsippany Democratic Secretary Lorraine Sola has passed away "

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EVERYTHING ELSE

CONSERVE! — " With heat and little rain, NJ reservoir levels are falling. Conserve water, Murphy says ," by The Record's Scott Fallon: The Murphy administration asked New Jersey residents and businesses Tuesday to conserve water as rainfall has been below average and some drinking water reservoir levels have dropped precipitously in the past month. The levels of the state's reservoirs and groundwater supply are 'healthy,' said Shawn LaTourette, the state Department of Environmental Protection commissioner, but he cautioned that supplies can be depleted fast. 'Persistent hot and dry weather coupled with the high water demands of summer can quickly impact water supply,' he said in a statement."

MYSTERY SOLVED AND IT'S LESS FUN THAN EVERYONE HOPED — " Buried treasure Hidden cash, wild theories and our quest to solve a viral N.J. mystery. Who buried the Wildwood $$$? " by NJ Advance Media's Adam Clark, Amethyst Martinez and Vineessa Erminio: "We know with a high degree of certainty who buried the money. We know how they seemingly got the cash. And we know the heartbreaking reason why it remained hidden until now … Our sleuthing climaxed with a phone call to Denver, where Ellen Hampson answered her landline on the second ring. The place on West Andrews Avenue? 'That's the house my grandpop lived in,' Hampson, 79, said in a raspy voice. The buried cash? 'Oh,' she said knowingly, 'they were looking for that.' … The story of James Dempsey's buried money, as his granddaughter knows it, begins in 1920s Philadelphia. Dempsey's young son, John, had a sore on his leg that wouldn't heal. Doctors wanted to amputate. Dempsey wouldn't allow it, Hampson said. The retired Navy sailor burst into the hospital after hours, scooped up his son and headed to Wildwood in the hopes that the salt water would heal the sore … As family legend goes, Dempsey ordered his daughters to bury money in the crawl space under the porch and watched them as they did it, Hampson said. 'He had, I guess, saved up the money and he probably, for whatever reason, didn't want to put it in the bank,' she said."

WOULD YOU LIKE TO GET FRIED WITH THAT? — " N.J.'s 1st legal weed store with a drive-thru lane opens as 2 others get green lights from towns ," by NJ Advance Media's Suzette Parmley: "New Jersey's 17th legal weed store began selling adult recreational marijuana on Tuesday — and it's the first one in the state to feature a drive-thru option. The Apothecarium Lodi, which is owned by TerrAscend, opened its doors for patrons wanting adult weed at its Lodi location … Meanwhile, two more New Jersey towns – Montclair and Neptune Township – gave the green light Monday night to begin offering adult weed sales."

—" Jersey City cannabis board OKs 4 dispensaries, including one co-owned by Ice-T "

—" Family sues Bergen funeral home claiming wrong body placed in mother's casket "

—Mulshine: " Don't blame the Boss for wanting to get paid "

—" N.J. monkeypox cases nearly double to 89 in a week "

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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.