News: POLITICO New Jersey Playbook: Malinowski's island

Tuesday, October 25, 2022

POLITICO New Jersey Playbook: Malinowski's island

Oct 25, 2022

Presented by Robert Wood Johnson Foundation

Good Tuesday morning!

The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee is "bailing" on Tom Malinowski, according to David Wildstein . The group hasn't spent that much for him and doesn't have any air time buys lined up for the final stretch of the campaign. (House Majority PAC, the Democratic super PAC, is another story with more than a million spent on Malinowski).

This isn't really surprising. Given that Democratic Party leaders in Malinowski's own state threw him under the bus in redistricting last year (direct your unwarranted complaint emails about me writing that to this address ), he's running in a worse district, with more baggage, than he was when he eked out a one-point reelection in 2020.

Still, it remains the most competitive election in New Jersey. Gas prices are once again on the downward trend, which is a respite from the bad data Democrats have been dealing with over the last couple weeks. And it's not like Malnowski is running a poor campaign. I don't like the cynical type of political horse race journalism that says substance doesn't matter. Malinowski had strong debate performances where Tom Kean got tripped up on abortion. I'm not sure, ultimately, how many voters will have seen them by the time they cast their ballots.

So yes, Kean is favored to win, even as Malinowski points to him posing in front of a "R.I.P. Brandon" Halloween-themed gravestone. He has been since he entered the race. Maybe this will sound like a cop out to you, but what I've learned the most from doing this job so long is just how much I don't know. Political forces are weird and I can't predict them. Why am I even getting paid to do this?

DAYS SINCE MURPHY REFUSED TO SAY WHETHER HIS WIFE'S NON-PROFIT SHOULD DISCLOSE DONORS: 261

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

WHERE'S MURPHY? — In Perth Amboy for a 10 a.m. event about this

QUOTE OF THE DAY: "I'm into energy dominance." — 11th District Republican candidate Paul DeGroot (It's better without the context)

HAPPY BIRTHDAY — DOS' Alicia D'Alessandro, Bordentown's Eric Holliday

A message from Robert Wood Johnson Foundation:

PERSONAL NOTE — There's a saying I like that's attributed to an author named W.R. Purche: "Everyone thinks they have the best dog, and none of them are wrong." That was true until some time in May, 2008, when Pancho, a mutt with long golden-brown fur, floppy ears and big brown eyes was born somewhere in the Carolina wilds and shipped up to a pet foster organization in Westchester County. My wife, Emily, and I took him home that August and learned that we had, in fact, adopted the best dog. It wasn't just that he was extraordinarily cute, though he was. His appearance was so striking and mysterious that people would see their favorite breeds or even species in him (one person insisted this 20-pounder was a German Shepherd, another thought he was a fawn). He was nervous and shy by nature, but not when it came to defending his family. "Brave when it counts," we said.

When Emily came home from a major surgery, he delicately inspected each of her bandages and, during a walk, patrolled side-to-side in front of her to ward off anyone who might approach. He was a steady, reassuring presence at the door, the floor, the foot of the bed. In 2020, Pancho's scans showed an enlarged heart — heart disease. He first went into heart failure about 10 months ago and we did our best to manage his decline. On Friday, we said goodbye. He did more for us than we could have ever deserved. He died because his heart was too big.

Thank you to Ry Rivard and Carly Sitrin for writing yesterday's Playbook so I could shuffle around and cry.

WHAT TRENTON MADE

I'M BEGINNING TO THINK THAT MAKING INFRASTRUCTURE DECISIONS BASED ON ONE MAN'S POLITICAL ASPIRATIONS DOESN'T MAKE FOR SOUND POLICY — " 10 years after Sandy, Hudson River tunnel just as vulnerable to flooding – and a fix isn't coming until 2038 ," by WNYC's Stephen Nesen: "Since Hurricane Sandy, New York and New Jersey officials have feared a nightmare scenario where the only train tunnel used by Amtrak and NJ Transit beneath the Hudson River suddenly becomes unusable. The tunnel is so important that Amtrak warns the entire U.S. economy could be harmed if it were to unexpectedly go offline. Sandy drastically shortened the life span of what was already a nearly century-old tunnel, not designed to handle 450 trains a day. The saltwater residue left when Sandy's storm surge receded is an ongoing worry 10 years later. But a decade after the storm, the North River Tunnel remains just as vulnerable to flooding. A $16 billion plan to repair the existing tube and build a new one won't be complete until 2038. Officials from New York, New Jersey, and Amtrak involved in the project, dubbed the Gateway Program, now admit they can do little more than cross their fingers that another flood won't hit in the meantime."

— New Jersey students' test scores declined in wake of Covid but beat national averages

—" NJ marijuana expungement backlog: What's going on? "

—" 'What's the big secret?' Activists ask about NJ AG's review of Valdes, 'robbery squad' "

—" Master planners named to guide Newark Airport's redevelopment through 2065 "

—" Assembly panel tweaks gun, police at polls bills "

NEW AND IMPROVED POLITICO APP: Stay up to speed with the newly updated POLITICO mobile app, featuring timely political news, insights and analysis from the best journalists in the business. With a fresh look and improved features, the sleek and navigable design offers a convenient way to access POLITICO's scoops and groundbreaking reporting. Don't miss out on the app you can rely on for the news you need, reimagined. Already a POLITICO app user? Upgrade today! DOWNLOAD FOR iOS – DOWNLOAD FOR ANDROID .

BIDEN TIME

WERE THEY TRYING TO OPEN A HUAWEI OFFICE IN MAOWAH? — " Chinese officers charged in plot to obstruct U.S. investigation has a N.J. connection, feds say ," by The AP and NJ.com: "Two men suspected of being Chinese intelligence officers have been charged with attempting to obstruct the U.S. criminal investigation and prosecution of Chinese tech giant Huawei, according to court documents unsealed Monday … Eleven other Chinese have been charged with various offenses in cases … Among the other 11 are four charged by federal authorities in New Jersey with acts that allegedly occurred in the Garden State … The New Jersey case alleges Wang Lin, 59; Bi Hongwei; Dong Ting, also known as Chelsea Dong, 40; and Wang Qiang engaged in a wide-ranging and systematic effort to target and recruit individuals to act on behalf of, and agents of, China. The efforts, from 2008 to 2018, included targeting professors at universities, a former federal law enforcement and state homeland security official, and others to act on behalf of, and as agents of, the Chinese government."

BRUCE BAILED, TOO? — " Van Zandt provides lead guitar part to Malinowski's version of 'Born to Run' ," by InsiderNJ's Fred Snowflack: "The rocker/actor was the guest speaker at a rally Saturday afternoon to hype Malinowski's reelection effort in CD-7. Van Zandt initially gained fame playing with Springsteen's E-Street Band, but later played Silvio Dante in The Sopranos TV series. In the show, Dante served as consigliere, or advisor, to mob boss Tony Soprano. On this day in front of the local train station, Van Zandt's advice was to not trust today's conservatives. He said that to him 'conservative' means mind your own business, but now it seems to mean 'looking into your bedroom.'"

—Stile: " Can Democrats satisfy NJ voters' inflation concerns? It's an uphill battle "

—" Former N.J. Republican mayor: I'm picking a moderate over a Trump candidate | Opinion "

—" SALT, abortion, crime top of mind in 11th District debate "

A message from Robert Wood Johnson Foundation:

LOCAL

UNSHORE OF ITSELF — " Sandy crushed the Jersey Shore. Here's how the rescue plan washed away the middle class ," by The Asbury Park Press' Jean Mikle and Michael L. Diamond: "A decade this month after Superstorm Sandy, the Jersey Shore has mostly been rebuilt, a multi-billion-dollar project that in many towns has ushered in a more affluent populatio n.Up and down the Jersey Shore, neighborhoods that were long-time summer havens for the middle class are changing. Expensive new homes have been built standing atop pilings that give new owners confidence they can survive another storm. They have replaced one-story ranches that were passed down through generations. It's evident in local property values. In the 27 Monmouth and Ocean County shore towns without a significant mainland population, like Lavallette, property values have shot up 27% since 2012 …The Jersey Shore's shift was aided, experts said, by the hefty cost of reconstructing flooded homes after Sandy, contractor fraud, new requirements for flood-proofing homes that made it difficult, if not impossible, for many middle-class residents to rebuild and slower-than-expected disbursement billions in federal and state monies."

—" Extreme tidal flooding impacts South Jersey's oldest more than most "

WHERE'S MIKE LINDELL? — " Judge finds probable cause in voting fraud case against Palisades Park mayoral candidate ," by The Record's Kristie Cattafi : "A judge found probable cause for voter fraud charges against a Palisades Park councilwoman and current Republican mayoral candidate. Probable cause was found for a fraudulent voting violation stemming from the June 2020 primary, when Councilwoman Stephanie Jang was running as a challenger in the Democratic primary for a council seat. Since the incident, Jang has switched parties and is the Republican mayoral candidate in this November's election. She is challenging Democrat and current Councilman Chong 'Paul' Kim … On June 11, 2020, Jang, allegedly violated vote-by-mail laws when she entered the Palisades Park senior center building, gathered and assisted individuals filling out their vote-by-mail ballots for herself, while she was a candidate. The complaint was filed by David Lorenzo this April. Lorenzo is the chairman of the Palisades Park Democratic county committee and is the borough administrator.

—" DEP issues violation to North Wildwood for dune, bulkhead work "

—" Lawsuit and administrative leave: the latest issues for Palisades Park police "

STAFFORD BEGINS DISAPPEARING FROM PHOTOS WITH OTHER MONTCLAIR OFFICIALS — " Montclair Township inquiry found that Stafford created 'hostile work environment' ," by Montclair Local's Craig Wolff: "Nearly two months before Montclair's chief financial officer, Padmaja Rao, filed a lawsuit accusing Township Manager Timothy Stafford of harassment, the unfolding drama had a watershed moment in August — when an internal investigation conducted by the town concluded that Stafford had created a "hostile work environment" for the CFO. Amid calls by elected officials for Stafford's ouster, the findings inject new intrigue and a fuller timeline into a saga that has stirred discord and condemnation in and out of township government … The report was obtained by Montclair Local from a confidential source. It provides fresh details, raising questions about whether officials who were aware of Rao's distress — including Deputy Town Manager Brian Scantlebury and Acting Township Attorney Paul Burr — had either tried to address it with the town manager directly or alerted other Montclair leaders."

R.I.P. — " N.J. police chief credited with 'transforming' his department dies at 53 ," by NJ Advance Media's Myah Marshal: "Maplewood Township announced the death of its police chief, Jimmy DeVaul, who was hospitalized last Friday for undisclosed reasons, according to township officials. He was 53 … DeVaul was promoted to police chief in 2018, after the township moved to replace the former chief, Robert J. Cimino, following the controversial arrests of four Black youngsters during the township's fireworks show in July 2016. After joining the Maplewood police in 1993, DeVaul rose through the ranks and led his department in policing changes that were aimed to help curb the arrests of minors and examine officers' use of force. These changes were announced following the publication of a 2019 NJ Advance Media investigation that revealed Maplewood police used force during arrests more than any department in the state"

MCBRIDE BEFORE THE FALL —" Campaign worker allegedly steals check while flyering for Kathy McBride ," by The Trentonian's A.Z. Johnson: "A city resident is accusing a campaign worker of stealing a check from his mailbox while distributing flyers for Kathy McBride's mayoral campaign … . The man, identified by police as James H. Womack, was detained and searched. Cops found an $840.00 check made out to the resident who made the initial call and a Columbian passport issued to another man."

IF 'KIDS FIRST' REFERS TO BABY GOATS, I ENDORSE THEM — " 'Kids First' Hoboken BOE slate disavows NJ Project endorsement, say they didn't ask for it ," by Hudson County View's John Heinis: "The 'Kids First' Hoboken Board of Education slate is disavowing the endorsement from the New Jersey project, a far-right leaning group, also asserting that they never asked for their support. The team, which consists of Pavel Sokolov, Donna Magen, and Cindy Wiegand, said that they did an internal investigation that concluded they never asked for NJ Project to back their team, as they did for hundreds of candidates statewide. Last week, the 'Leadership that Listens' slate took aim at the endorsement in a mail piece that began with 'Across America, extremists are trying to over school boards. Now it's happening here,' a move that drew strong reactions throughout the Mile Square City.

—" Super PAC spending more than $100k on Gloucester GOP county race "

—" [Stony Brook Regional] sewer authority agrees to $335K fine in settlement over federal, state clean air act violations "

—" The 2022 snapshot of Saddle Brook "

—" Overlooked in election hype, these candidates control your tax bill "

JOIN WOMEN RULE THURSDAY FOR A TALK WITH DEPARTING MEMBERS OF CONGRESS: A historic wave of retirements is hitting Congress, including several prominent Democratic women such as Illinois Rep. Cheri Bustos, House Democrats' former campaign chief. What is driving their departures? Join POLITICO on Oct. 27 for "The Exit Interview," a virtual event that will feature a conversation with departing members where they'll explain why they decided to leave office and what challenges face their parties ahead. REGISTER HERE .

EVERYTHING ELSE

HEALTH CARE — " Ex-Hudson Regional Hospital worker alleges she was fired after ending sexual relationship with CEO ," by Hudson County View's John Heinis: "A former ultrasound technician at Hudson Regional Hospital is alleging she was fired in June without cause less than a month after ending a sexual relationship with HRH President/CEO Dr. Nizar Kifaieh … The court filing further contends that Isachenko and Kifaieh engaged in sexual acts while on the premises of HRH, sometimes with the involvement of other female employees. She eventually ended the relationship this past June, noting that she had wished to do so sooner but was afraid of the possible repercussions, the lawsuit contends. 'Soon after Plaintiff ended her sexual relationship with Defendant Kifaieh, Defendants retaliated against her. On June 30, 2022, Defendants terminated Plaintiff following an alleged incident involving an ultrasound,' her attorney, Thomas A. McKinney, of Castronovo & McKinney, LLC, wrote in the lawsuit."

THE CABIN DATES TO DICK CODEY'S FIRST ELECTION — " One of the oldest log cabins in the U.S. is up for sale — again — in N.J. ," by NJ Advance Media's Patric O'Shea: "Billed as "the oldest log cabin in the Western Hemisphere still standing in its original position," the circa 1638 Nothnagle Log Home in Greenwich, Gloucester County, is for sale again. The asking price: $475,000. This is the seventh time since 2015 that the 1.3-acre property on Swedesboro Road in the Gibbstown section of the township has been put on the market. Initially offered for $2.9 million; subsequent listings have seen the price tag drop from $1.75 million (2017), to $875,000 (2020), then $750,000 (2021), and now just under half a million."

—" 'I wanted to compete': Rutgers pushed to add sports teams for students with disabilities "

—" Pa. and N.J. reading and math scores dipped during the pandemic as U.S. saw 'troubling' decline "

—" Labor peace? Jersey Shore hospital nurses ratify contract with pay hikes, more staff "

—" Fair Lawn's Sally Kornbluth named president of MIT "

A message from Robert Wood Johnson Foundation:

Efforts to make New Jersey a healthier, more equitable state took a major step forward with Acenda Integrated Health receiving funding from RWJF to serve as the "incubator" organization to launch the state's first public health institute.

The institute will promote collaboration and build capacity in New Jersey, where public health infrastructure and systems are stretched thin. It will play a key role in a reimagined public health system in the state. Today, 33 states are served by a public health institute; New Jersey's would be the first to have health equity as a founding priority.

"Dedicated advocates, community members, and partners in state government have worked hard for this moment to arrive," said RWJF's Maisha Simmons. "Everyone in New Jersey should be able to live the healthiest life possible – and a establishing a public health institute is a critical step on that path."