News: POLITICO New Jersey Playbook: Murphy goes to Israel again

Monday, August 8, 2022

POLITICO New Jersey Playbook: Murphy goes to Israel again

Aug 08, 2022

Presented by NextEra Energy Transmission

Good Monday morning!

Gov. Murphy's in Israel today. It's his fourth visit to the country since he was first sworn in and the eighth in the last eight years.

A strange thing about this trip is how little advance notice there was about it to the press. The Murphy administration handed the news to ROI-NJ , a business-centered publication, and didn't make a formal announcement until the governor's public schedule was released Friday night.

But I'm not going to offer the obvious take and chalk this up to his presidential ambitions. I will note that he's doing this the same day the Senate is taking baby steps to combat the shortage of judges by holding confirmation hearings on four Superior Court nominees. But Murphy's only going to be gone four days.

Murphy's traveling with Delaware Gov. John Carney , and the trip comes after the announcement of Megan Coyne's departure from Murphy's team to the Biden administration after she spent years dunking on Delaware from New Jersey's official Twitter account. Coincidence? I doubt it. This signifies a new era in relations between New Jersey and its neighbor to the south whose population is barely bigger than Bergen County's.

DAYS SINCE MURPHY REFUSED TO SAY WHETHER HIS WIFE'S NON-PROFIT SHOULD DISCLOSE DONORS: 173

WHERE'S MURPHY? Israel.

QUOTE OF THE DAY #1: "It's been a complete nightmare and embarrassing to every citizen who lives here." — Trenton activist Darren "Freedom" Green on the latest Trenton City Council insanity

QUOTE OF THE DAY #2: "[T]his is the worst council in the country." — Trenton Councilmember Joe Harrison

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

HAPPY BIRTHDAY — Murphy aide Emy Quispe, The Washington Post's Salvador Rizzo, North Bergen Commissioner Julio A Marenco

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WHAT TRENTON MADE

INJURIOUS RATES — " New laws hike liability insurance required for car owners and landlords ," by New Jersey Monitors Dana DiFilippo: "The three insurance bills Murphy signed into law will: Increase the minimum amounts of liability and uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage that car insurance policies must have from $15,000 to between $25,000 and $70,000, depending on when a motorist renews their policy. This law takes effect immediately. Require business owners and landlords to carry liability insurance for $500,000 (or $300,000, for small multi-family rental properties that are owner-occupied) for death or bodily injury that occurs at a rental property. This law is set to take effect in 90 days. Require certain insurers to disclose policy limits upon request by an attorney under certain circumstances. This law is set to take effect in 60 days. Senate President Nicholas Scutari (D-Union) was a prime sponsor on all three bills, while Sen. Jon Bramnick (R- Union) was a prime sponsor on two. Both work as personal injury attorneys, raising concerns from critics who suggested the bills were a conflict of interest. Both senators denied those claims."

MEANWHILE, THE PROBLEM OF WEREHOUSES RESPONSIBLE FOR UNRULY TEEN WOLVES AT THE SHORE GOES UNADDRESSED — " N.J to issue its first guidelines on where warehouses should be built ," by NJ Advance Media's Jackie Roman: "[F]or the first time, the state is issuing guidance on where warehouses should be located in New Jersey and how they should be approved to help municipalities deal with the growing number or proposals to build sprawling buildings in their communities. The state Office of Planning Advocacy unveiled a draft version of the guidance in June to help 'municipalities that are looking for ways to provide economic opportunities while also protecting New Jersey's critical infrastructure and environmental assets,' said Donna Rendeiro, executive director of the planning advocacy office and secretary of the State Planning Commission."

GIVE ME YOUR GOLFERS, YOUR WEALTHY, THOSE YEARNING TO BE FREE OF THE POOR — " The troubling implications of the Liberty State Park problem ," by InsiderNJ's Max Pizarro: "[T]he massive funding allocation – cut down from an initial $150 million – the legislature's utter acquiescence in budget session stealth mode, no less – and the existing political structure that makes it all possible, suggest that similar plans could be coming to a state park near you. Fireman employed Eric Shuffler's River Crossing Strategies, which employs Middlesex County Democratic Committee Chairman Kevin McCabe, whose organization put Speaker Craig Coughlin in power. The Middlesex Dems have also contributed to keeping Murphy propped up during his most difficult days politically. Moreover, the organization has close ties to Senator Brian Stack (D-33), chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee and a Liberty State Park point man on the legislative front. 'Never has the Legislature gotten so intricately involved in the potential for planning and running a park,' said Jeff Tittel, former executive director of the New Jersey Sierra Club. 'The part that's most outrageous about this is that a billionaire can spend billions to take over a park to decide a park's future. That has never happened before – never happened in this country.'"

— " Inflation will push New Jersey's minimum wage above $14 in January "

—" Bill to improve conditions for NJ's temp workers up for final vote (again) "

—" Electric school buses get a jump start "

—" Appellate Court grants stay to state in PILOT suit, won't have to pay millions this month "

—Opinion: " How fines and fees stop us from paying our debt to society "

—Opinion: " The BPU's bait-and-switch policies threaten NJ's solar industry. Here's how "

—" Friendly Fire: What's the meaning of Kansas? "

—" Gov. Murphy calls for investigation into NJCU finances "

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

SALT LICKED — @ OneJerseySchorr In separate statements, New Jersey Reps. @JoshGottheimer and @MikieSherrill say they will support the reconciliation bill despite it not raising the SALT limitation - a key demand of their on previous bills - because the bill does not increase individual taxes.

—" Jared Kushner: George Helmy secured ventilators from White House just as N.J. was about to run out "

—Kelly: " America's best confronted America's worst at Trump's LIV golf fest in NJ "

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LOCAL

TRENTON TAKES — " Trenton council salary ordinance dies in deadlock ," by The Trentonian's Isaac Avilucea: "A deadlocked council killed an ordinance that would've doubled council salaries, starting in 2023. Supporters of the bill claimed it wasn't for the benefit of current legislators, although council members discussed including a provision in the bill for retro pay. Had it passed, the measure could've cost the city upwards of $300,000 in back pay to sitting and departed council members, city officials said in emails obtained by The Trentonian."

— Video: " Trenton prepares for intense municipal election in November "

THE BURBS — " Somerset and Burlington Republicans look to regain lost ground in 2022 ," by New Jersey Globe's Joey Fox: "It's not exactly a new analysis to point out Trump's deleterious effect on the Republican Party in suburbia … Among the hardest-hit were Republicans in Somerset and Burlington. Both counties were open to voting for Democrats on a federal level long before Trump – they last voted for a Republican presidential nominee in 2004 and 1988, respectively – but the Trump era was calamitous for local Republicans, who successively lost each and every county office beginning in 2017. Now, with an unpopular Democratic president in the White House, Republicans are hoping to change their luck. Republican candidates held Democratic incumbents to close margins in both Somerset and Burlington last year, and Republican leaders say this year will be a continuation of that momentum – and the beginning of a grand comeback. 'The momentum we had, which started last year, is even stronger,' Burlington GOP Chairman Sean Earlen said"

THIS IS AN OUTRAGE! IT'S HALF A MILE FROM THE MAHWAH BORDER! CALL YOUR LOCAL, STATE AND FEDERAL ELECTED OFFICIALS — " Wawa starts prep work at former Cury's Sport site on Route 17 in Ramsey ," by The Record's Marsha A. Stoltz: " The site was cleared for construction in 2019 but remained dormant until recent weeks, when prep work began. The proposal for the convenience store and filling station on the site of the former Cury's Sport Shop at 966 Route 17 north was turned down by the borough's Planning Board in 2016, but Superior Court Judge William Meehan overturned that decision and approved the plan in 2017.ite was cleared for construction in 2019 but remained dormant until recent weeks, when prep work began. The proposal for the convenience store and filling station on the site of the former Cury's Sport Shop at 966 Route 17 north was turned down by the borough's Planning Board in 2016, but Superior Court Judge William Meehan overturned that decision and approved the plan in 2017."

PAYTERSON — " These Paterson officials just got up to 45% raises. Here's why ," by The Paterson Press' Joe Malinconico : "Nine top-ranking city officials will be getting substantial pay raises that take effect Friday, including a $50,000 increase for the business administrator, $38,000 for the law director and $33,000 for the economic development director. Meanwhile, five City Council members will be taking $6,182 pay increases, including three who in June voted against the raises: Ruby Cotton, Alex Mendez and Lilisa Mimms. Mayor Andre Sayegh has said Paterson's department head salaries lagged far behind those in other New Jersey cities and that the raises were needed to keep key staff members from leaving for other jobs."

THE HIT-AND-RUN, THE HOBOKEN VIDEO, THE UNPAID TICKETS, THE SUBSIDIZED APARTMENT, THE UNPAID VET BILL … — " The man could have died, and she didn't even stop to check. Amy DeGise must go ," by The Star-Ledger's Tom Moran: "So, the first big question is this: Why would she scoot away like that? It was the bicyclist who ran a red light, so the crash wasn't her fault. So why did DeGise act like a criminal and flee the scene? One obvious possibility is that she was under the influence of drugs or alcohol, which could turn a simple accident into a serious crime. That might also explain why she never called to report the 8 a.m. crash and waited six hours before visiting a police station. DeGise denies that she was intoxicated, but she won't say why she fled the scene, or waited those six hours. The second big question is whether she got favorable treatment from the police, thanks to her deep political connections in Hudson County, a Democratic stronghold and the most corrupt corner of the state. An ally of Mayor Steve Fulop, she's the former chair of the county party, and her father, Thomas DeGise, is the county executive … And did police ask DeGise to take a breathalyzer or a blood test? Did they search the car for drug paraphernalia? Did they ask her why she fled the scene, and if so, what was her answer?"

—" If DeGise doesn't resign over Jersey City hit-and-run, 42.5k signatures needed for recall "

—" Palisades Park police leadership under scrutiny as more change could come to department "

—" Court fight coming as Edison Dem chairman refuses to hold an election "

—" AC Airport will be OK, regardless of Spirit - JetBlue deal fallout, analysts say "

—" A school bus hit a teen, then the driver drove away, Pennsauken police say "

INTRODUCING POWER SWITCH: The energy landscape is profoundly transforming. Power Switch is a daily newsletter that unlocks the most important stories driving the energy sector and the political forces shaping critical decisions about your energy future, from production to storage, distribution to consumption. Don't miss out on Power Switch, your guide to the politics of energy transformation in America and around the world. SUBSCRIBE TODAY .

EVERYTHING ELSE

FRIEDMAN BIZ TIP: A GOOD WAY TO RECRUIT AND RETAIN NURSES DURING A SHORTAGE IS TO STOP OFFERING THEM CHILD CARE — " Hackensack Meridian CEO now 'committed' to keep child care centers open ," by The Asbury Park Press' Michael L. Diamond: "Hackensack Meridian Health will look for solutions to keep its on-site child care centers open, its chief executive officer told employees Thursday, in a sign that the company is reversing its decision to close them. The email from Hackensack Meridian CEO Robert Garrett was met with relief from parents, but they said they would remain cautious until they see details of the plan, which are expected to come at the end of August. 'I think we definitely take this as a huge win to start,' said Erin Fults, a neuropsychologist who takes her 10-month-old son Max to the child care center at JFK University Medical Center in Edison … Hackensack Meridian faces obstacles to keep the centers open. Among them is a staffing shortage that has plagued the child care industry."

MIRACLE OF THE LOAVES AND CATFISHES — " Imposter pretended to be N.J.'s Cardinal Tobin on Instagram, Catholic officials say ," by NJ Advance Media's Brianna Kudisch: "The head of New Jersey's largest Catholic diocese was recently impersonated on social media by someone who opened an account in his name, Archdiocese of Newark officials said. Cardinal Joseph Tobin, who has led the archdiocese since 2017, was impersonated on Instagram, although the exact dates the imposter account appeared is unclear. 'It happened on one social media platform, and we successfully addressed it with the site's administrator,' said Maria Margiotta, the archdiocese's director of communications. 'In the event that someone was following that imposter account, we wanted to alert them.' … Margiotta did not respond to questions about what the impersonator was posting in Tobin's name on Instagram"

NURSING HOMES — " She says she spent months 'in a fog' in a nursing home. When she left, everything she owned was gone ," by NJ Advance Media's Ted Sherman: "Suzanne Araneo's memories were gone. And so was just about everything else. After returning home last year following a months-long stay at Anchor Care & Rehabilitation in Hazlet, the 67-year-old retiree said she discovered her house in Keyport had been emptied. Gone were her treasured family photo albums. So was a turquoise box with crystal rosary beads given to her by her parents when she was 7 years old. A collection of CDs and her jewelry were all missing. Her bank accounts had been cleared out … According to a lawsuit filed in Superior Court in Monmouth County, she had been coerced while heavily medicated to sign what is known as a durable power of attorney agreement that essentially handed over total control of her life to someone she had never met. The agreement gave Shmuel 'Sam' Stern, who became Araneo's 'attorney-in-fact' the authority to collect monies owed on her behalf; to sell her property; conduct banking powers; manage her investments; borrow against her real estate and personal property ... Stern also barred her from seeing or having any contact with family, her niece alleged … According to the lawsuit, at play was a financial scheme to force Araneo, against her will, to become a permanent, long-term resident of Anchor Care by stripping her of all of her assets and enabling her to qualify for Medicaid. In turn, Stern took all of her money and other assets, the lawsuit alleged."

NAA, STILL PRETTY SURE IT WAS SATANISTS — " Screaming woman in NJ truck 'terror' wasn't in terror at all — Here's what happened ," by NBC 4: "It was an alarming report -- a bloodied woman was seen screaming inside the cab of a white semi-truck near a car dealership in New Jersey on Wednesday afternoon. It was captured on camera. A man was behind the wheel. A full-scale investigation launched and intensified … On Friday, a law enforcement source directly familiar with the case explained what really happened -- and as is the case in many cases that seem not to make sense, this apparent emergency stemmed from a huge misunderstanding. The man and woman knew each other, investigators had learned, and tips from the community helped police track the pair down. Those tips came in from as far away as California, officials said -- and cops found the two after they stopped at a truck rental company near where the surveillance video of the woman screaming was captured. Ultimately, they got the pair down to a police station, where the two explained that yes, the woman was, in fact, bloody and screaming, but not for a nefarious reason, the law enforcement source said."

I KNEW IT WAS A BAD IDEA TO NAME IT THE 'RANDALL MASTRO BRIDGE' — " Clifton forms civil rights committee in response to diversity mural backlash ," by The Bucks County Courier Times' Danielle Camilli: "The Delaware River crossing between Trenton and Morrisville in Bucks County, Pennsylvania, was costly for some drivers in recent months as some were charged $9 at the toll. The correct toll is $1.25 at the Route 1 bridge, but from February to early July an electronic reader in the right E-ZPass-only lane would 'sporadically' charge $9 as it misclassified passenger vehicles, including cars, SUVS, van and pickup trucks, as larger vehicles that pay more, according to the Delaware River Joint Toll Bridge Commission that owns and operates the span. The agency is in the process of getting motorists refunds for overcharges, it said in a statement on its website."

—" Mark D'Amico gets state prison sentence for Johnny Bobbitt GoFundMe scam "

A message from NextEra Energy Transmission:

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.