News: POLITICO New Jersey Playbook: Disgraced but pensioned

Thursday, September 8, 2022

POLITICO New Jersey Playbook: Disgraced but pensioned

Sep 08, 2022

Presented by Anbaric Development Partners

Good Friday morning!

You probably haven't read the name Neil Cohen in a while. The former Democratic assemblyman, respected in his time, lost that reputation when he was caught with child pornography in his legislative office.

That was big news back in 2008. But it's largely escaped notice, until now by NJ Advance Media's Riley Yates, that while Cohen had to forfeit the pension he would have earned from his years in the Assembly, he's getting $3,600 a month from his past work as an attorney for public governments. And he's appealing the decision to strip his Assembly pension.

Yates took a look at other disgraced officials and public workers — some having been convicted of corruption, others for various other offenses touching on their jobs — who are still getting pensions. And he found 95 of them. They also include former Jersey City Council President Mariano Vega, who admitted accepting bribes but has been allowed by a court to collect a $64,000 a year pension from his former job as director of the Hudson County Department of Parks, Engineering and Planning.

This raises a lot of important questions about how public officials who run afoul of the law should be held to account. And in some cases, courts and pension boards have decided that there are pretty strict limits. But if someone has been proven to violate the public trust in one job, can you trust them to have not done the same in another?

Read more about it here.

DAYS SINCE MURPHY REFUSED TO SAY WHETHER HIS WIFE'S NON-PROFIT SHOULD DISCLOSE DONORS: 215

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

HAPPY BIRTHDAY — Assemblymembers Nancy Munoz and Brandon Umba

WHERE'S MURPHY? Media: 1010 WINS at 10:30 a.m. and Bloomberg TV at 12 p.m.

QUOTE OF THE DAY: "It's not like Trenton doesn't have a reputation for corruption. It's a city. In New Jersey." — NJ Spotlight News' David Cruz in a story about the departure of The Trentonian's Isaac Avilucea, the only reporter who regularly covers Trenton's government.

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WHAT TRENTON MADE

BENEFITS HIKES — Labor leaders want to delay vote on proposed health insurance rate hikes, by POLITICO's Daniel Han: The two labor representatives on the commission that approves rates for public workers' health insurance are asking that the panel not vote on proposed double-digit rate hikes at its meeting next Wednesday. In a letter to Treasury Commissioner Elizabeth Maher Muoio, chair of the State Health Benefits Commission which oversees the health insurance for hundreds of thousands of state and local government employees, Dudley Burdge and Jennifer Higgins, said there hasn't been enough time to strike a deal to mitigate the proposed increases. Active state and local workers on the State Health Benefits Program could see their health insurance premiums rise by around 20 percent. Teachers, who are a part of a separate plan, could see a roughly 15-percent increase for active workers.

D'OH! — "Another top official leaves health department. At least 100 jobs are unfilled," by NJ Spotlight News' Lilo H. Stainton: "The departure of another top leader at the New Jersey Department of Health — where multiple senior leadership posts are vacant and at least 100 positions unfilled — has renewed concern about the agency's capacity to properly handle its regulatory and public health duties, especially in an ongoing emergency. Dr. David Adinaro stepped down Tuesday from his post as deputy commissioner of Public Health Services, a role he held since June 2020, leaving five of the 13 posts in the current leadership structure under Commissioner Judy Persichilli without a permanent appointment. Dr. Meg Fisher, a pediatric disease expert who has served as a COVID-19 adviser to the state, stepped in to fill Adinaro's shoes temporarily, and to take account of the requirement that the senior team include at least one physician … Nancy Kearney, a spokeswoman for the department, said federal funding has enabled the department — with a total of 5,555 employees — to fill more than 200 positions in recent years and that some of these dollars are available through June 2024. The agency is 'in the process of filling' 51 positions now and 'actively recruiting' for another 50 spots, she said."

HALF WILL GO TO PATRONAGE LAWSUIT SETTLEMENTS — "16 new school projects for nearly $2 billion: See where NJ SDA work will be done,"by The Record's Katie Sobko: "After more than a decade without a secured funding source, the Schools Development Authority is moving full speed ahead with nearly $2 billion in this year's budget to fund 16 new projects in New Jersey's poorest areas. The agency, which oversees school construction in 31 of the state's so-called SDA districts, added the new projects to its capital plan at a Wednesday board meeting in Trenton. The amount of money and number of projects are the most in recent memory, and certainly in the five years since Gov. Phil Murphy took office. But it's still to be determined how those projects will unfold."

IN THE WEEDS — "NJ's marijuana industry is meant to be a boon for equity — but cost of entry is too high for some," by WNYC's Nancy Solomon and Louis C. Hochman: "The ACLU said it is hearing from applicants who say that the cost of entry is simply too high. [ACLU Policy Counsel Joe] Johnson estimates it costs more than $100,000 to open a weed store. Many would-be applicants don't have the resources to seek out the municipal approvals they need in addition to the state's OK, the ACLU said … Yet by at least some measures, NJ's market is seeing success in its equity initiatives. New Jersey explicitly sets aside 15% of licenses for minority-owned businesses. As of early June, the state was pacing ahead of that threshold — 34% of licenses had gone to minority-owned businesses, according to the most recent data from the CRC. Another 15% of licenses are set aside for businesses owned by women and disabled veterans; 24% of licenses had been awarded to businesses in those categories, according to the CRC's data …'That [equity] priority is great, you know, it'll get you to the front of the line to have your application reviewed,' Johnson said. 'But it doesn't help address a lot of the concerns that people from the community feel in terms of trying to get into the industry.'"

BLACK HISTORY — " N.J. to create its first Black history trail under new law," by NJ Advance Media's Brent Johnson: "There's Cape May, where Harriet Tubman lived and worked in the 1850s to help fund her mission rescuing slaves via the Underground Railroad. There's Perth Amboy, where Thomas Mundy Peterson became the first free Black man to vote after the ratification of the 15th Amendment in 1870. There's Paterson, where Hinchcliffe Stadium hosted Negro League baseball games in the early 1900s. Those are some of the people and places likely to be included as New Jersey will create its first trail commemorating Black history and culture across the state under a bill Gov. Phil Murphy signed into law Wednesday."

—Conaway plans to post long-term care bills at next Assembly Health Committee meeting

—" Mental health services inequitable for kids of color in N.J. schools, report says"

—Umba: "Here's one way to solve the teacher shortage"

—"N[Bramnick and BUcco] would make flash mob shoplifters face jail time"

—" [O'Scanlon] calls new COVID sanitization rules total lunacy"

A WOMEN RULE CONVERSATION ON LEADING FROM THE GROUND UP: Join POLITICO's Women Rule on Sept. 15 for conversations focused on creating and leading sustainable, healthy and inclusive communities. The program will feature a Member Exchange panel followed by a keynote discussion exploring the most pressing issues facing women in their communities and women in leadership roles who are best positioned to solve these problems. REGISTER HERE.

BIDEN TIME

PLAYBOOK AUTHOR LAUNCHES 'SUPRAFUND' KICKSTARTER TO BUY SPORTS CAR — Part of Hackensack River named New Jersey's 115th Superfund site, by POLITICO'S Ry Rivard : A 19-mile stretch of the Hackensack River — from the Oradell Dam to near the mouth of the river at the Newark Bay — is now the state's 115th Superfund site, something state and federal officials celebrated on Wednesday because the designation could help pay for the cleanup. Being designated a Superfund site gives officials a suite of tools to clean up the river, which has longstanding problems.

GET WELL SOON — Sen. Menendez tested positive for Covid-19 after experiencing mild symptoms, according to his office

—"The campaign to troll Dr. Oz for living in New Jersey "

—Snowflack: "In battleground district, Gottheimer sternly nonpartisan"

—Stile: " We analyzed the ads you'll see ahead of NJ's fall election. Here's what they say"

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LOCAL

AVILUSEEYA — "Trenton facing news desert at critical time," by NJ Spotlight News' David Cruz: "New Jersey's capital city is losing one of its fiercest watchdogs, as reporter Isaac Avilucea is leaving his post this week at The Trentonian newspaper. After spending roughly nine years doggedly covering Trenton politics as the paper's only reporter, his departure comes at a time when dysfunction within Trenton's city council is reaching a peak. And nationwide, fewer cities have local reporters keeping an eye on them. 'They really need to find somebody to cover Trenton as a daily beat reporter. A place like that that has so much news to not have daily news coverage. That would be a tragedy for that community,' said Avilucea. Avilucea is going to work for Axios, an online news site. The Trentonian said it will hire a new reporter to cover Trenton soon."

PAR FOR THE LIBERTY STATE PARK GOLF COURSE — "Jersey City set to dole out $1.1 million in grants to two groups led by Hudson politicians," by The Jersey Journal's Teri West: "Organizations headed by two prominent Hudson County politicians would receive more than $1.1 million in grants from Jersey City under two resolutions expected to be approved at Thursday's city council meeting. The city is prepared to give Team Walker, operated by Hudson County District 3 Commissioner Jerry Walker, $800,000 toward the construction of a $7.7 million, 28-unit building; and $314,000 to AngelaCares, a charitable organization headed by 31st District Assemblywoman Angela McKnight, for a new headquarters for the non-profit … Thursday's meeting is also expected to be noteworthy for a second round of speakers calling on first-year Councilwoman-at-Large Amy DeGise to resign. Some 65 people have signed up to speak for the meeting."

WARESBORO — "Hillsborough residents mount anti-warehouse campaign with several projects before planners," by MyCentralJersey's Mike Deak: "There are four proposals to build warehouses before the township Planning Board and a fifth may be on its way. And some township residents have begun organizing opposition to the proposals. A 'Stop Warehouses and Trucking' campaign was started, with a website, an online petition that has collected more than 1,800 signatures, a GoFundMe page to raise money for potential legal costs and yard signs throughout the eastern part of the township."

CALCUT IT OUT — " Paterson mayor supporter helped NJ's investigation of city election fraud," by The Paterson Press' Joe Malinconico: "One of Mayor Andre Sayegh's political allies, Ferdous Hussain, provided Bengali translation services for a detective from the state Attorney General's Office in its investigation of alleged vote fraud in Paterson's 2020 council elections. The lawyer representing indicted Councilman Alex Mendez recently cited Hussain's role in the probe as evidence of an overly cozy relationship between the Attorney General's Office and Sayegh, noting that the investigation resulted in criminal charges only against the mayor's adversaries. Mendez's lawyer, Paul Brickfield, is trying to get the charges against the councilman dismissed, arguing in state Superior Court in Paterson that Mendez was the target of 'selective prosecution.' … 'This evidence shows the involvement again by an ally of the mayor in the interview stage of the criminal investigation concerning the May 2020 election into alleged voting activities of a councilman the Mayor did not support,' Brickfield wrote in his Aug. 25 letter to the court."

—" Paterson's 'robbery squad' cops charged in FBI investigation to be sentenced Thursday "

—"More troubles for Gloucester fire marshal after his brother says financial disclosures are not true "

—" Why are residents fighting planned winery named for famously dry beach town?"

—"Toms River Regional administrator finds his utopia writing fiction "

—"Seven candidates file for City Council election in Cape May"

—" 937 active police internal affairs investigations in Hudson County, new AG database shows"

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EVERYTHING ELSE

AMERICAN NIGHTMARE — "Ex-American Dream employee sues mall CEO, brother for harassment, citing 'toxic' culture," by The Record's Daniel Munoz: "A former marketing employee has sued the American Dream megamall, saying she suffered repeated sexual harassment and racial discrimination at the hands of top executives of the retail and entertainment complex in East Rutherford. In the suit, filed in state Superior Court, the woman alleged she was propositioned during events at American Dream by Paul Ghermezian, a board member of Triple Five, the Canadian investment company that runs the mall. Triple Five CEO Don Ghermezian took no action about her complaints about harassment by his brother Paul, as well as advances by another employee and a restaurant owner, according to the lawsuit. The former copywriter, Kristin Kruczowy, said she was let go by the company in June, after reporting the incidents, despite earlier promises of a promotion … In her suit, Kruczowy described a 'toxic and abusive culture' at American Dream, where female employees were 'seen as inferior to men" and the Ghermezians and other executives 'intentionally treated women as inferior.' Female employees were required by Don and Paul 'to wear clothing that covered shoulders and clavicles so as not to tempt men to make sexual advances,' according to the complaint."

DEFENDANT REPRESENTED BY THE LAW FIRM OF DIETZ & WATSON — "NJ prison officer allegedly took bribes for espresso & cold cuts," by NJ 101.5's Michael Symons: "A corrections officer is accused of accepting monthly bribe payments from an inmate in exchange for smuggling contraband into Northern State Prison including cash, jewelry, cologne, cold cuts and espresso. Werner Gramajo, 45, of Newark, a senior correctional officer at the prison, has been charged with official misconduct, bribery, conspiracy and tampering with public records. 'A corrections officer who can be bought, who is willing to break the law and violate prison policy for a fee, poses a potential threat to fellow correctional officers and the individuals incarcerated in the facility they are sworn to serve,' said acting Attorney General Matthew Platkin."

ENERGY — Across New Jersey, natural gas rates to rise by double digits, just in time for winter, by POLITICO's Ry Rivard: : New Jersey utility regulators on Wednesday approved double-digit rate increases for natural gas customers across the state. The increases, approved by the Board of Public Utilities, range from about 16 percent to more than 24 percent, and could cost the typical customer that uses gas to heat their home a few hundred dollars over the next year. They take effect Oct. 1. BPU commissioners blamed geopolitical forces for the rate hike, but there are a variety of other causes. As POLITICO reported earlier this week, U.S. natural gas prices have more than doubled in the past year, driven by factors such as climate change, a dip in output during the pandemic, tight spending by industry, Russia's war in Ukraine and a surge in U.S. exports to energy-starved Europe.

—PSEG, Ørsted want to meet with BPU about their offshore transmission project

—" From canines to counselors: How NJ schools are trying to tame COVID mental health crisis"

—"Insanity defenses are incredibly rare, but recent NJ cases offer glimpse of how they work "

—"NJ's farmers are aging. Rutgers program looks to bring in a new generation"

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