News: Bill Spadea and Marjorie Taylor Greene: Perfect Together

Tuesday, December 13, 2022

Bill Spadea and Marjorie Taylor Greene: Perfect Together

Dec 13, 2022

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By Matt Friedman

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Good Tuesday morning!

By now, chances are you've read about Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene saying that if she and Steve Bannon had planned the Jan. 6 insurrection , "we would have won. Not to mention, we would've been armed." Among the many far-right figures reportedly in attendance of this New York Young Republican Event were the founders of VDare, a white nationalist website .

Of course there's a New Jersey angle. Bill Spadea, the far-right radio host who is teasing a potential run for governor in 2025, emceed the gathering.

Spadea, who was once a mainstream enough figure to be an adviser to biotech executive John Crowley , who 15 years ago was seen as the Republicans' best hope for winning a Senate seat in New Jersey, took a hard turn around the time he became New Jersey 101.5's drive-time radio host. He spreads anti-vaccine conspiracy theories, sticks up for people who spread anti-Muslim rhetoric and even as recently as last month suggested Dominion machines had rigged the midterms because, well, Republicans didn't do as well as he hoped. At the same time, he's so slavishly pro-Trump that, after spending years lambasting Gov. Murphy on the radio, he didn't even push back when Trump called into his radio show and said Murphy was doing a "good job." Townsquare Media, which owns 101.5, apparently has no qualms about keeping Spadea in the station's most prominent slot.

Could you imagine a candidate with this history competing statewide in New Jersey? Voters this year rejected anti-democracy, conspiracy-peddling candidates in states that are much redder than New Jersey. And I know there are plenty of Garden State Republicans who don't want to deal with a Spadea candidacy. I'm also sure plenty of Democrats would welcome it.

DAYS SINCE MURPHY REFUSED TO SAY WHETHER HIS WIFE'S NON-PROFIT SHOULD DISCLOSE DONORS: 310

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

WHERE'S MURPHY? — In Washington for holiday parties until this afternoon. Acting Gov. Sheila Oliver has no public schedule.

QUOTE OF THE DAY: "Because it is a no-win, thankless job that chews good people up and spits them back out, in a town that can make Washington look like Shangri-La? And as long as we live, we will watch Washington types underestimate all of the above, to their everlasting peril?" — Rider's Michael Rasmussen on why members of Congress might be wiser to stay where they are than to run for governor .

HAPPY BIRTHDAY – Donald Norcross, Lenore Jenkins-Beauliere, Gene Lepore, Stephanie Wohlrab

A message from PhRMA:

Did you know that only three insurance company PBMs control 80% of the prescription drug market? Here's why that matters: They use their market power to get tens of billions in medicine rebates and discounts, but don't pass those savings onto you. Those savings belong to New Jersey patients. Learn more.

WHAT TRENTON MADE

HOME IS WHERE THE [REDACTED] IS — Legislation to shield New Jersey politicians' addresses breezes through committee , by Matt: Legislation that would block politicians' home addresses from public disclosure took its first legislative step Monday, quickly advancing through committee without encountering any opposition. The package of two bills and one resolution would require records-keepers to redact the home address of elected officials and candidates for office, NJ A4094 (22R), and no longer require state and local elected officials to include their home addresses on financial disclosure forms, allowing them to include a brief description instead, NJ A4889 (22R), and NJ ACR166 (22R). The Assembly State and Local Government Committee advanced the legislation, 5-0.

OUT OF HIS DEBT — " Murphy administration plans to retire $1B in bonded debt ," by NJ Spotlight News' John Reitmeyer: "Gov. Phil Murphy's administration is planning to retire another big chunk of New Jersey's bonded debt, this time a total of about $1 billion. According to Department of Treasury officials, school construction bonds issued through the state Economic Development Authority are scheduled to be "defeased" in February. The debt-reduction effort will be carried out using funds deposited earlier this year in a multibillion-dollar account maintained outside of the state budget Murphy and lawmakers created specifically to address New Jersey's significant debt. Last year, the same account was used to retire a little over $2 billion in bonded debt."

DOES THE RECOMMENDATION APPLY TO NYC MAYORS WHO LIVE IN NJ? — Murphy not following NYC's lead on mask recommendation , by POLITICO's Matt Friedman: New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy isn't ready to follow New York City's lead in recommending residents to wear masks in public settings amid rising Covid cases. Asked after an unrelated event Monday morning in Dover about New York City health officials' guidance, Murphy said, "I don't foresee any mandates in New Jersey unless something dramatically changes." … Although Murphy spoke of mandates and not recommendations, the gist of his response indicated the state doesn't plan to do anything different than it currently is.

BUSTING CAPS — "N.J. Democrats eye allowing towns to increase spending beyond cap ," by New Jersey Monitor's Nikita Biryukov: "New Jersey municipalities would be able to exceed a cap on annual spending increases amid a spate of rising costs, under a bill backed by Democratic lawmakers in the state Senate. The Senate's budget committee last week approved a bill (S3380) that would move a series of expenses outside the annual spending cap, while stressing that a separate limit on property tax hikes would remain in place. 'We're not allowing people to increase the property taxes. We're still making them make difficult decisions,' said Sen. Paul Sarlo (D-Bergen), the bill's prime sponsor and the committee's chair. Republicans on the panel were opposed."

BENEFITS — " N.J. public workers, towns push big changes to avert massive health insurance rate hikes ," by NJ Advance Media's Derek Hall : "After months of lobbying Gov. Phil Murphy's administration, local government leaders and labor unions in New Jersey are now turning to the state Legislature for relief from double-digit rate hikes on state health benefit plans. Premiums for local government workers are set to increase by 20% January 1 after a state health board voted in September to approve the increases. Union leaders and local governments have for months warned the rate hikes could lead to layoffs and property tax increases. 'Much of the positive work the legislature has done to stabilize property taxes over the last several years is going to be marginalized if nothing is done to address this massive cost increase in local government health care insurance,' NJ State AFL-CIO President Charles Wowkanech said in a statement"

$82,500 — " Murphy picks Rosenstein, Maer for Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield board seats; will renominate Juliano and Bateman ," by New Jersey Globe's David Wildstein : "Gov. Phil Murphy will nominate Hetty Rosenstein, the former New Jersey state director of the Communications Workers of America and a powerful voice for consumers, to serve on the Board of Directors of Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield, the New Jersey Globe has confirmed. Two current board members, Bergen County Democratic Chairman Paul Juliano and former State Sen. Christopher Bateman (R-Branchburg), will be renominated to another term by Murphy. Murphy will also Kelly Maer, a Democratic fundraiser and public affairs director for Capital Health System, to the HBCBS board. The board posts come with an annual salary of $82,500."

—" NJ bear hunt extended after few taken during regular season "

—" NJ poised to pass sweeping new gun laws — which will likely end up in court. Here's why "

—" Controversial Liberty State Park bill was rushed into law, so why does its task force remain incomplete? "

—" Electric vehicle charging: What drivers say N.J.'s doing right and wrong "

—" Sacco not worthy of committee assignment | Opinion "

—" Gov. Murphy going to Washington for holiday parties "

—" Kovic joins Assembly race in 24th District "

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BIDEN TIME

I WAS LOOKING FORWARD TO THE FIRST RESULTS FROM SAYREVILLE NOTCH — " Joe Biden's primary redux upended Phil Murphy's aspirations for 2024. Here's how ," by The Record's Charles Stile: "Removing any doubts about his political future, "Sleepy Joe" Biden made his intention to run for a second term crystal-clear last week by unveiling plans to upend the 2024 presidential primaries in a way that is likely to scare off any potential competitors — including a long-shot governor from New Jersey. Biden, who has said he wants to run for second term, wants the first five presidential nominating primaries slated in Biden-friendly states, most notably in South Carolina, which would begin the grand tournament on Feb. 3, 2024. It's a less-than-subtle plan from the Biden camp to discourage challengers with a cramped, expensive schedule in states that are rich in Black, Latino and working-class moderates that bolstered the president in the past … Biden is stacking the deck. And its a deck that doesn't include Gov. Phil Murphy's New Jersey."

SHERRILL LITERALLY HAS MORE BALLS THAN FULOP AND SWEENEY COMBINED — " Possibly eyeing statewide run, sherrill names top Democratic operative as chief of staff ," by New Jersey Globe's David Wildstein: "Offering the strongest hint yet that she is preparing to seek statewide office, Rep. Mikie Sherrill (D-Montclair) has hired a political operative with experience in national politics and in New Jersey to serve as her new chief of staff. Sherill announced on Monday that Alex Ball, a top official at the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, will run her House staff starting next month … Re-elected to a fourth term in Congress by 19 percentage points last month, Sherrill is widely viewed as a potential candidate for governor in 2025. The Essex County Democrat has deftly avoided any talk about her statewide ambitions but has been increasingly meeting with party officials outside New Jersey's 11th district."

—" N.J. leaders not happy feds haven't approved new system to improve cargo screening at Port Newark "

—" N.J. man who livestreamed Jan. 6 riot on TikTok sentenced to home detention "

A message from PhRMA:

LOCAL

THE THICK GREEN WALLET — " This is why Paterson's ex-police chief got a $27K raise weeks before he left the job ," by The Paterson Press' Joe Malinconico: "Former Police Chief Ibrahim Baycora received a $27,000 pay increase less than two months after Mayor Andre Sayegh described him as incompetent during a City Hall press conference. In addition to the raise, Baycora will receive a $194,883 severance payment from Paterson for unused leave time and other contractual benefits, city payroll records show. The pay increase boosted Baycora's final salary to $245,000 and took effect on his last day of work, Nov. 1, according to a city personnel transaction form obtained by Paterson Press through a public records request. As a result of the timing of the raise, the city won't have to issue any regular paychecks to Baycora based on his $245,000 salary, officials said. But the higher salary was used as the basis for Baycora's severance payment, inflating that amount by about 12.4%. The raise also may be factored into Baycora's retirement benefits, possibly boosting his annual pension from about $152,600 to $171,500, for the rest of his life, according to state pension formula."

PALMER GIVES BENSON A HAND — " 5-term N.J. mayor no longer eyeing county exec job, endorses a challenger ," by Kevin Shea for NJ.com: "Doug Palmer's public flirtation with running for Mercer County executive is over. The five-time Trenton mayor, who retired to private life and consulting in 2010, burst back onto the Mercer political landscape last month with comments that he was considering challenging incumbent, and fellow Democrat, Brian Hughes. Palmer said he had a "renewed energy" and thought it was time for Hughes to step aside. On Monday, he publicly endorsed Dan Benson, a state assemblyman and another fellow Democrat, who plans to announce Wednesday he is challenging Hughes."

— " Hughes releases initial endorsement list, including support from Watson Coleman, three state legislators "

R.I.P. — " 'Grace of God': Belmar couple who helped over a thousand people should not be forgotten ," by The Asbury Park Press' Jerry Carino : "Ron Visavati was shoeless and sleeping in a dumpster behind the post office in the Ocean Grove section of Neptune. He was in his late 30s and suffering from Huntington's disease, a rare and fatal disorder that breaks down the brain over time. "He had no resources whatsoever," Barbara Perrine said. "No family, no income, no Social Security." That changed after Pat and Bob Graney came to his rescue. The longtime Belmar residents learned of Visavati's plight and sprang into action. As co-founders of the St. Rose chapter of the St. Vincent de Paul Society, an outreach ministry for locals in need, the Graneys devoted their lives to helping others … Bob Graney died in 2016 at age 82, and Pat Graney passed away Dec. 3 at 86. They were everyday heroes — quietly, steadily elevating the lives of struggling neighbors in ways both subtle and significant."

OCEAN COUNTY — " Ocean County will pay $1M to fired top prosecutor to settle whistleblower suit ," by The Asbury Park Press' Kathleen Hopkins : "Michel A. Paulhus, who was third in command at the Ocean County Prosecutor's Office when he was fired by [then-county prosecutor Joseph] Coronato in 2018, said Ocean County has agreed to pay him $1,075,000 to settle his lawsuit … Paulhus, in the suit, claimed he was fired shortly after he brought allegations of illegality by John Brogan to Coronato's attention. Brogan, a self-proclaimed addiction recovery specialist, worked with Coronato's Blue Hart program to steer addicts into treatment and, according to the lawsuit, shared 'a very close, public relationship' with the former prosecutor. He died in 2020 of a drug overdose.

—" Palisades Park officials clash over police promotions and the cost to taxpayers "

—" Treatment for PFAS in Hawthorne causing 26% hike in water rate in next two years "

—" The 6 NJ towns where school taxes are rising the fastest "

—" Why school taxes in Shore towns are rising faster than the rest of the state "

—" A real estate website brands Gloucester City as N.J.'s 'cheapest place to live' — and locals say that's OK "

—" Cape May looks for answers, and funding, for new desal plant "

—" Westampton warehouse opponents defeat project, Land Use Board rejects project variance "

—" N.J. is giving money to 45 municipalities to improve pedestrian and bike safety. Here's the list "

JOIN THURSDAY FOR A CONVERSATION ON FAMILY CARE IN AMERICA : Family caregivers are among our most overlooked and under-supported groups in the United States. The Biden Administration's new national strategy for supporting family caregivers outlines nearly 350 actions the federal government is committed to taking. Who will deliver this strategy? How should different stakeholders divide the work? Join POLITICO on Dec. 15 to explore how federal action can improve the lives of those giving and receiving family care across America. REGISTER HERE .

EVERYTHING ELSE

INDUSTRY RESPONDS: 'GO FISH' — 9 offshore wind states want plan to compensate fishing industry , by POLITICO Ry Rivard: Nine East Coast states unveiled plans Monday to create a massive pot of money meant to temper one of the major obstacles facing offshore wind farms — opposition from the fishing industry. The fund would compensate fishing interests for losses expected from the construction and operation of offshore wind farms

BAD SANTA — " Driver with Christmas tree on roof shouts racial slur, spits at student driver, cops say ," by NJ Advance Media's Jeff Goldman: "Police in West Windsor are looking for a man who used a racial slur and spit toward a woman and her daughter, who was learning to drive on Saturday. The confrontation, which is being investigated as a harassment and bias intimidation incident, started … when the inexperienced driver was slow to accelerate through the intersection, authorities said. The man leaned on his horn and then flipped the middle finger to the mother and daughter as he passed them on the right, according to police … The man then began cursing and used a racial slur before spitting at the car … The man, who had a full beard with gray in it, was driving a green or blue Subaru Forester with a Christmas tree on the roof"

— " Dispensaries are old news. Weed lounges could be the next big thing in NJ legal marijuana "

—" Pediatrician involved from infancy of Hackensack Meridian medical school is its new dean "

R.I.P. — " N.J.'s Helen Slayton-Hughes, Ethel Beavers from 'Parks and Recreation,' dead at 92 "

A message from PhRMA:

PBMs decide what medicines are covered, what medicines aren't and what you pay. That leaves you fighting for the medicines your doctor prescribed, instead of fighting your illness. Meanwhile, insurance companies and PBMs collect medicine rebates and discounts from drug manufacturers and don't pass them along to you. Those savings belong to New Jersey patients, not insurers' PBMs. PBMs are putting their profits before your medicine. Learn more.