News: POLITICO New Jersey Playbook: Unearthed Amy DeGise video isn't helping her case

Monday, August 1, 2022

POLITICO New Jersey Playbook: Unearthed Amy DeGise video isn't helping her case

Aug 01, 2022

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By Matt Friedman

Presented by Rise Light & Power

Good Monday morning!

Does political gravity exist inside one of New Jersey's most powerful Democratic machines?

With the exception of two Jersey City councilmembers who aren't part of Team Fulop, Hudson County officials have been conspicuously quiet on whether Jersey City Councilmember Amy DeGise should resign after failing to stop after hitting a cyclist with her SUV. DeGise herself has said she won't resign .

But things got worse for DeGise, and for her allies who'd like to avoid weighing in, on Friday afternoon. Hudson County View unearthed body cam footage of DeGise in November pleading with a Hoboken cop not to tow her illegally-parked SUV, which hadn't been registered since 2019.

But, as is often the case , the controversy isn't over DeGise's bad parking or failure to register her car. It's how she tried to get out of it: 1) Telling the cop that she had a relative who's an officer and offering him a union card. 2) Telling the cop that she was a Jersey City councilmember and that she was endorsed by the local police union. 3) Phoning John Allen, a Hoboken city attorney and confidant to Mayor Ravi Bhalla, to help her. (None of this appears to have worked on the officer).

I asked the Bhalla administration whether Allen did anything to help DeGise . Hoboken spokesperson Marilyn Baer: "The administration commends the Hoboken police officer who addressed the incident with the utmost professionalism and did exactly what a police officer is trained to do. Any vehicle that is parked illegally, and jeopardizing the safety of residents is subject to tow, as was the case with Councilwoman DeGise's car.

"As it relates to Mr. Allen , the only offer he made was to get her an Uber so she could travel to her next destination, and nothing more. No special treatment of any kind was offered as evidenced by the officer's body camera video, which shows Ms. DeGise receive a summons and her car towed."

In the Jersey City incident, the cyclist ran the red light and wasn't seriously injured. If DeGise had stayed at the scene, this would barely be a controversy at all. Instead, she left and went to the police six hours later , leaving numerous unanswered questions about why she didn't stop and why she waited so long to go to the police. She's so far refused to address details of this incident until the legal process plays out.

We don't know whether DeGise sought to exercise special privileges after hitting the cyclist, but it's beyond dispute that she attempted to do so in Hoboken. If you were inclined to give DeGise the benefit of the doubt in the Jersey City incident, it's harder to after watching the Hoboken video.

DAYS SINCE MURPHY REFUSED TO SAY WHETHER HIS WIFE'S NON-PROFIT SHOULD DISCLOSE DONORS: 166

WHERE'S MURPHY? In Kearny for a 10 a.m. Portal North Bridge groundbreaking ceremony with Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg.

QUOTE OF THE DAY: "The worst thing you can have in a so called civilized society is somebody who believes that they can commit crimes against you and nothing will happen." — Progressive activist Hector Oseguera on Amy DeGise .

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

HAPPY BIRTHDAY — Former Assemblymember John Amodeo, Atlantic Dem Chair Michael Suleiman

A message from Rise Light & Power:

Repurposing the Past to Power New Jersey's Future — The Outerbridge Renewable Connector is an "extension cord" that would link offshore wind energy to more than 1.4 million New Jersey homes under a proposal pending before the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities. Revitalization of a former coal plant would advance the region as a gateway of clean energy and further position New Jersey as a national leader in the fight against climate change.

WHAT TRENTON MADE

CAN'TABIS — " Minorities and women seeking to own N.J. legal weed stores `swimming uphill' to land licenses ," by NJ Advance Media's Suzette Parmley: "The New Jersey cannabis law was meant to give minority applicants from disadvantaged backgrounds like Best not just an even playing field to get into the cannabis industry, but a leg up. But in a red hot real estate market like New Jersey, where inventory is low and nearly three out of four municipalities have opted out of selling adult weed, landing a place to buy or rent for a legal cannabis store has turned into a nightmare struggle for many. Some say the statute that Gov. Phil Murphy signed a year and half ago touting "social equity" to create a diverse and inclusive cannabis industry and help reverse the damage of the nation's failed War on Drugs isn't living up to its promises. 'The process is fraught with so many challenges for social equity applicants,' said cannabis attorney Chirali Patel, who offers a discounted rate for a few such applicants."

MAID IN NEW JERSEY — " Dying patients desperately need N.J. lawmakers to improve medical aid-in-dying law ," by Deborah Pasik for The Star-Ledger: "First, the good news: the law is enabling a significant number of terminally ill New Jerseyans to gently end unbearable suffering. Since the law took effect, I have evaluated 112 people who were requesting medical aid in dying and authorized aid-in-dying prescriptions for 71 terminally ill patients, 46 of whom decided to take the medication. Whether they took the medication or not, these patients got immediate peace of mind once they received the prescription, knowing they would have the option to end their life if their suffering became intolerable. This comfort enabled them to enjoy their remaining days as worry-free as possible with their loved ones. The bad news: 26 of my eligible patients (25%) who requested medical aid in dying either died during or became incapable of completing the 15-day waiting period. Tragically, many of them died with needless suffering. Terminally ill patients who opt for medical aid in dying typically contemplate this end-of-life option for weeks or months before they formally request it, so sometimes they run out of time. In reality, the 15-day waiting period is not a safeguard; it's a huge hurdle to accessing the law."

GOTTA GET BACK IN TIME — " N.J. unemployment, jobs numbers nearly back to pre-COVID levels ," by NJ Advance Media's Katie Kausch: "New Jersey has nearly climbed back to pre-pandemic levels of unemployment and the number of jobs as of last month, new labor data shows. Employment figures released by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics shows that the number of private sector jobs in June 2022 now exceeds the number of private sector jobs in February 2020. New Jersey reported 4.2 million jobs in June, up from 4 million a year early and nearly even with the number of jobs reported in February 2020. The 5% increase in jobs over the last year makes New Jersey one of the fastest growing states in the nation for job growth behind only Nevada, Texas, and Georgia."

— Murphy signs 7 bills to tweak New Jersey election laws

—Coughlin: " Assembly Speaker: Election night results in N.J. will be more transparent "

—Moran: " A cruel cut to crime victims, showing sheer incompetence "

—Ciattarelli: " When is it right to start seWhen is it right to start sex education for NJ's youngest students? "

—Opinion: " New Jersey's unaffordable housing opportunity "

—" Cannabis commission slow to implement workplace rules, the sale of edibles "

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

UNSALTED PORK — " Pass the SALT? Manchin says not so fast as NJ delegation tries to save tax break ," by The Record's Charles Stile: "For many top elected New Jersey Democrats, restoring SALT — the ability to fully write off state and local taxes — was a rallying cry. Rep. Josh Gottheimer, the Bergen County Democrat, even came up with a line-in-the-sand soundbite: 'No SALT, no deal,'' he proclaimed in early January. But restoring SALT was just pushed off the negotiating table this week as Sen. Joe Manchin, the centrist Democrat from West Virginia, helped cobble together a surprise — and stunning — package that includes the most ambitious set of climate change proposals in U.S. history. Climate change is just one of the marquee features … With a historic deal now within reach — and with Manchin's agreement already sealed, not sought — SALT has become a casualty … 'Our whole argument is that we're the party that delivers for people and they [Republicans] are the party that divides people,' said Rep. Tom Malinowski, the 7th Congressional District Democrat who was first elected in 2018 on a pledge to restore or expand the deduction."

—Kelly: " Trump, LIV Golf finally got Saudi connections to 9/11 attention — for now "

—" Megan's Law: A look back at how NJ became a model for federal legislation "

—" Hugin says 2022 elections will be about inflation and economic issues "

A message from Rise Light & Power:

LOCAL

SEX! NOW THAT IT'S GOTTEN THEIR ATTENTION — " Why are there so many school board candidates across North Jersey? Sex ed is one reason ," by The Record's Mary Ann Koruth: "Fourteen candidates are running for five seats in Teaneck where only two incumbents are seeking reelection. In neighboring Sussex County, 17 candidates are running for six open seats in Sparta, where the school board is often divided over issues and differing political ideologies. There are 85 candidates who will compete this year for 79 seats on Sussex County school boards. There were 64 candidates listed on last November's ballot, compared to 74 in 2020 and 70 in 2019. Morris County has 173 candidates running for 108 seats. Passaic County, with only 16 municipalities, has 86 candidates. There are very few races where there are more open seats than candidates, typical in past races. Some of the reasons that drive people to run for the non-partisan school boards include traditional issues such as fiscal responsibility, spending, transportation and critical staffing shortages. But the overarching issue that has dominated discussions at boards of education, despite schools battling teacher shortages, national mass shootings and the after-effects of COVID on learning and social development is sex education."

MCBRIDE BEFORE THE FALL — " Vaughn, McBride enter mayor's race against incumbent Gusciora ," by The Trentonian's Isaac Avilucea: "Mayor Reed Gusciora has familiar company in the upcoming mayor's race. Council President Kathy McBride and West Ward Councilwoman Robin Vaughn have taken out petitions to run for mayor against Gusciora, setting up a bitter fall slugfest with two arch-nemeses who voted to block many of the incumbent mayor's initiatives at every turn. Rumors swirled for months that the two anti-Gusciora candidates planned to throw their hats into the race. Now it's official, according to a candidate list obtained by The Trentonian through a public records request from the clerk's office. Including the mayor's race, at least 27 candidates so far have taken out petitions to run for office in what is shaping up to be a historic municipal election in Trenton."

—" 3 no-show Trenton council members sabotage Montero nomination "

—" N.J. police department run by 'old boys club,' and those not it in suffer, lawsuit alleges "

— " Jersey City crash shows bicyclists think they're above the law; that has to change "

— " NAACP convention leaves positive mark on Atlantic City "

R.I.P. — " 'A class act:' Bergen County mourns assistant prosecutor killed in Hackensack crash "

—" Passaic police officer arrested, accused of driving drunk and fleeing Clifton crash "

—" Bautista launches new campaign for Romano's Hudson County commissioner seat "

—" Amazon facility no longer coming to Galloway "

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EVERYTHING ELSE

RETURN OF THE WHALES — " Humpbacks are having a whale of a time at the Jersey Shore as sightings surge ," by NJ Advance Media's Jackie Roman: "Humpbacks — which weigh an average of 40 tons and grow up to 60 feet in length — have become a year-round regular in New York and New Jersey waters in the last decade as they feed in the area for longer periods of time and return for consecutive years, new research shows. There were sightings of 101 individual whales between Long Island and the New Jersey coast between 2012 and 2018, according to a study co-authored by Rutgers University and 23 other research and conservation groups in the western North Atlantic."

HIGHER DEBT… ER… ED — " How New Jersey City University went from $108M surplus to 'financial emergency' ," by The Jersey Journal's Joshua Rosario: "Sue Henderson may one day be remembered as a hero, the New Jersey City University president who made a bold gamble that paid off. Or she may someday be recalled as the president whose decisions of expanding east, west and south helped plunge the school into financial turmoil … NJCU Chief Financial Officer Ben Durant pointed to the biggest drags on the bottom line – a $13.8 million deficit … [S]eeing other state universities like The College of New Jersey in Mercer County, Ramapo College in Bergen County, and Montclair State University grow in stature, NJCU thought: "Why not us?" With the trustees' blessing, Henderson embarked on plans to build new dormitories, a $400 million campus village called University Place, an addition to the science building, a business school on the Hudson River waterfront and a satellite campus at the former Fort Monmouth army base in Oceanport. So far, observers agree, those investments have not paid off."

NURSES — " The exodus COVID traumatized a generation of N.J. nurses. Many are in crisis and leaving the field ," by NJ Advance Media's Spencer Kent: "Witnessing death is part of the job. But the crushing flood of critically ill patients was something new and catastrophic — even for the most seasoned of nurses. The images remain hard to shake. The strain of 2020 and 2021 changed the lives of many health care workers. And in some cases, so did the decisions of their bosses and the hospitals that employ them, testing their faith in those institutions … About 100,000 U.S. nurses abandoned the job in 2021, the largest exodus in four decades, according to an analysis in the journal Health Affairs. The nursing workforce plummeted 1.8% between 2019 and 2021 due to COVID burnout, early retirements and increased stress from existing staffing shortages exacerbated by the pandemic … New Jersey will face one of the most acute nursing shortages in the nation by 2030, according to an estimate by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. The vacancy rate for registered nurses in Garden State hospitals — the percentage of unfilled positions — jumped to 13.4% last year, according to a February survey by the New Jersey Hospital Association. To make up for the shortfall, hospitals spent about $500 million on overtime in 2020 and $592 million in 2021, the NJHA found.."

— " Not everyone pleased with South Jersey's warehouse boom "

—" Delaware Water Gap should not be a national park, one environmental group argues "

—" Springsteen stops by beloved Jersey Shore bar, records video for its anniversary "

A message from Rise Light & Power:

An offshore wind transmission solution pending before the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities would repurpose a brownfield, revitalize an industrial waterfront, generate hundreds of well-paying jobs, and spur economic growth.

The Outerbridge Renewable Connector, proposed by Rise Light & Power, would function as an "extension cord" linking energy generated by offshore wind farms to more than 1.4 million New Jersey homes. By repurposing the past to power the future, Outerbridge is projected to generate more than $1 billion in economic activity while addressing the health and economic dangers of climate change and protecting the Jersey Shore we know and love.