| | | | |  | | By Matt Friedman | Presented by AARP | Good Wednesday morning! Chief Justice Stu Rabner’s got 69 problems and getting people unhitched is one. I spent Monday and Tuesday on jury duty, so my mind was already on the courts. In fact, I was in a Philadelphia courtroom when Chief Justice Stu Rabner’s latest pleading dispatch from the Judiciary came in. “Because of the current high number of judicial vacancies, trials in the Civil Division and matrimonial trials will not be conducted in two vicinages, beginning Feb. 21, 2023, except for very limited circumstances. Those trials will be suspended for the immediate future,” Rabner wrote in a press release. There are currently 69 vacancies. You may have heard Rabner complain about this before. And by “may” I mean “definitely,” because you wouldn’t be reading this newsletter if you didn’t pay at least cursory attention to politics. Rabner has been ringing this bell for ages, and while some judges have moved through the Senate recently, it’s been a trickle. Rabner urged the governor and Legislature to take action. Perhaps there’s a lawmaker in one of the affected vicinages — which comprise the counties of Hunterdon, Somerset, Warren Counties, Cumberland, Gloucester and Salem counties — who needs a divorce and will help speed things along. “Without additional relief, we may well face the same situation in other vicinages in the near future” Rabner wrote. Read more about it from Carolyn Petrow-Cohen here. TIPS? FEEDBACK? HATE MAIL? Email me at mfriedman@politico.com. QUOTE OF THE DAY: “I never knew there was such thing as a [party] line until recently.” — State Sen. Shirley Turner (D-Mercer), who’s been a Democratic elected official since 1983 WHERE’S MURPHY? In Perth Amboy for an 11 a.m. announcement with Attorney General Matt Platkin, then in Woodbridge for a 12:30 p.m. signing ceremony for a bill to permanently increase SNAP benefits HAPPY BIRTHDAY: Charles Fineran Jr., Hira Shaikh | | | | A message from AARP: Many family caregivers in New Jersey struggle to keep their older loved ones at home – and out of costly, taxpayer-funded nursing homes – often sacrificing their jobs and tapping into their savings to make it work. Now increases in the cost of gas, food, and housing are making it even more difficult. We need to give family caregivers financial relief. Tell your state lawmakers to pass the Caregiver’s Assistance Act (A1802/S2021) now. We need it. | | | |  | WHAT TRENTON MADE | |
HE WAS TOO CLOSE TO FIXING NJ TRANSIT, WHICH MIGHT KILL MURPHY — “Will new NJ Transit board members shake things up after 'man of integrity' was ousted?” by The Record’s Colleen Wilson: “James D. Adams was unafraid to vote his conscience during his nearly three years on the NJ Transit board — and it may have cost him his seat. Gov. Phil Murphy did not renominate Adams last year. His press office lauded the new members of the transit board, but did not answer emailed questions about why Adams was not renominated. Colleagues who spoke to The Record and NorthJersey.com described Adams as a man of integrity who lent valuable insight and expertise to a board that has undergone a significant transformation in the last three years — a transformation that was the cornerstone of the NJ Transit reform legislation Murphy signed in December 2018.
"Yet the consequence for asking questions, being critical and making independent judgments appears to have been Adams' ouster … ‘James Adams was just the kind of board member we hoped would serve there. He’s the kind of board member that should be on any board that’s serving a bureaucracy, because he seems to know what to ask questions about,’ [Loretta] Weinberg said. ‘He stirred the waters, and that’s exactly what he was supposed to be doing.’” FULTON FRUSTRATED BY AGENCY’S LACK OF FOCUS ON STEAMBOATS — “NJ Transit vice chair suddenly resigns from board,” by The Record’s Colleen Wilson: “Cedrick Fulton, the vice chair of NJ Transit’s board, abruptly resigned Tuesday … The news comes as the board was due to have, for the first time in seven years, a full complement of members. Three new people are scheduled to take their seats at the first board meeting of the year Wednesday … The reasons behind Fulton’s sudden departure are so far unknown, but he appeared to be increasingly frustrated with NJ Transit’s upper management.” DRUG ADDICTION — “Fatal drug overdoses down in NJ, first time in a decade,” by NJ Spotlight News’ Lilo Stainton: “Last year, New Jersey recorded the first year-over-year decrease in fatal drug overdoses in at least a decade, state records show. Experts attribute the decline to regulatory changes that made treatment more accessible during the COVID-19 pandemic. Some 2,892 people are suspected to have died from drug use in 2022, according to the Office of the Chief State Medical Examiner, down from 3,124 the previous year. It’s the first time the death toll dipped below 3,000 in five years. Another 230 likely died this way in January, the data shows. While the death toll — driven largely by fentanyl and other highly toxic substances mixed into street drugs — remains high, addiction providers said policy revisions that allowed for the use of telemedicine and take-home medications made it easier for drug users to get help” RETIREMENT WATCH — New Jersey Assemblymember Mila Jasey set to retire at end of term, by POLITICO’s Carly Sitrin: New Jersey Assemblymember Mila Jasey, one of the Legislature’s most prominent voices on higher education policy and reproductive rights, will be retiring, POLITICO has learned. Jasey (D-Essex) will serve out the remainder of her term, but will not seek reelection, two people with knowledge of her decision confirmed Tuesday. Jasey is expected to officially announce her decision Wednesday … During her nearly two decades in office — she was first elected in 2007 — Jasey has spearheaded most of the significant higher education legislation in the state including leading Gov. Phil Murphy’s tuition-free college promise programs through Trenton and sponsoring several college affordability bills as well as tightening accountability measures for for-profit schools. | | | | JOIN POLITICO ON 2/9 TO HEAR FROM AMERICA’S GOVERNORS: In a divided Congress, more legislative and policy enforcement will shift to the states, meaning governors will take a leading role in setting the agenda for the nation. Join POLITICO on Thursday, Feb. 9 at World Wide Technology's D.C. Innovation Center for The Fifty: America's Governors, presented by Cisco, where we will examine where innovations are taking shape and new regulatory red lines, the future of reproductive health, and how climate change is being addressed across a series of one-on-one interviews. REGISTER HERE. | | | | |
THE WORLD TAKES AND DOESN’T GIVE BACK — “State employees in N.J. can work partly from home. We need them back, Trenton mayor says,” by NJ Advance Media’s Chris Sheldon and Brent Johnson: “The mayor of New Jersey’s capital city is calling on Gov. Phil Murphy to require all full-time state employees to return to work in person nearly three years after the coronavirus pandemic began upending daily lives. Trenton Mayor Reed Gusciora released a statement Monday pointing to how Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro last week ordered 2,300 government employees in his state, many of whom have been on a hybrid schedule, to work in person at least three days a week. Shapiro said the move was needed to help support local businesses in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania’s capital. ‘Our Capital City is no different from Harrisburg,’ Gusciora said. ‘Our local businesses depend on state workers, and we would welcome the return of all state workers to Trenton.’”
BEAR HUNT — “N.J. bear hunt could be allowed for 4 more years despite outcry from animal rights groups,” by NJ Advance Media’s Steven Rodas and Katie Kausch: “An annual bear hunt in New Jersey for the next four years could be on the horizon depending on how a vote this year goes … The governor-appointed board will meet between now and Dec. 5, to consider allowing a hunt in the state for at least four more years, New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection officials confirmed to NJ Advance Media. “If the proposed amendments are adopted, the expiration date of the rules would be May 11, 2028 — seven years from re-adoption of the Game Code rules in 2021,” DEP spokesman Vincent Grassi said.” —“New Jersey mandating operators use hard data to identify problem gambling” —“141,000 applied for the NJ Section 8 voucher waitlist. There were only 20,000 spots” —“An early look at the 2023 legislative playing field” —“Governor Murphy vetoes nonprofit loan guarantee bill backed by top Democrats” —“Meet Marenco: An LD33 InsiderNJ profile” —“An early look at the 2023 legislative playing field” | | BIDEN TIME | |
—“Federal judge denies U.S. Capitol rioter from Sussex County a new sentence”
| | | | A message from AARP:   | | | | | LOCAL | |
SPILLER 2025 — “Concern growing that Montclair town council will reinstate township manager,” by The Record’s Julia Martin: “The Montclair town council might be planning to reinstate township manager Timothy Stafford, who was put on paid leave in October following a lawsuit against him alleging abuse and retaliation for whistle-blowing activities by township CFO Padmaja Rao, according to several reports … In January, two sworn statements were filed by former females employees Celia Trembulak, former program coordinator for the health department and Katie York, former director of senior services. All allege that Stafford created a hostile workplace and aimed his abuse at women. And there was more documentation of harassment by Stafford … Mayor Sean Spiller has also been implicated in Rao’s allegations … Concern that the council is poised to reinstate Stafford first came at the Jan. 24 council meeting, when Spiller made a reference to “when the town manager returns.””
IS IT ANGELA, TONY OR MONA? — “Is the Ocean County GOP about to clean house or simply send a message about who’s boss?” by The Asbury Park Press’ Erik Larsen: “In an effort he says is designed to appeal to more grassroots Republicans in Ocean County − but his opponents fear is to settle old scores − party Chairman George R. Gilmore has released a list of potential candidates screening for county and legislative offices this year, including those who are challenging longtime incumbents. The candidates list from Gilmore is unusual in that more than 25 people have asked to be screened for legislative or county offices that are already occupied by — in several cases — longtime Republican incumbents, who were always planning to seek reelection. The organization’s willingness to disclose such internal challenges without even being asked is also unusual. Many of the potential challengers represent the kind of grassroots activism and right-wing populism in the Republican base that Gilmore capitalized on in his bid to return to power last year.” ROTTEN APPLE — “'I need to stalk': Sea Bright cop, deemed a danger, ordered jailed on numerous charges,” by The Asbury Park Press’ Kathleen Hopkins: “Following the breakup of a brief romantic relationship, a Sea Bright police officer showed up at his ex-girlfriend’s home unannounced, wanting to talk. They went for a walk and coffee, their discussion remaining basically civil. Then, he ended the conversation with, ‘Well, now I have to cut off your clitoris and slash your face,’ an assistant prosecutor told a Superior Court judge on Monday. The comment prompted the woman to block the ex-boyfriend’s phone number and social media accounts and install a Ring doorbell security system on her home, Melanie Falco, assistant Monmouth County prosecutor, told Superior Court Judge Paul X. Escando … "Soon after he assured his sergeant the behavior would end, Bennett, a 20-year veteran of the Sea Bright police force, returned to his ex-girlfriend’s Little Silver home to slash her tires and key her car, after removing the Ring security cameras from her home … Despite a request by defense attorney Kevin Clark to allow his client to be released into a treatment facility, the judge agreed with Falco and ordered that Bennett be held in jail without bail to await trial on official misconduct and other charges.” | | | | DOWNLOAD THE POLITICO MOBILE 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. 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. DOWNLOAD FOR iOS– DOWNLOAD FOR ANDROID. | | | | |
THE EAST (HANOVER) IS RED — “Mayor, entire council In East Hanover switching to GOP,” by New Jersey Globe’s David Wildstein: “East Hanover Mayor Joseph Pannullo and all four members of the township council will switch from Democratic to Republican, marking a complete party flip in the township of 11,105 people … Despite local dominance by Democrats in recent years, East Hanover gave Republican Jack Ciattarelli 74% of the vote against Gov. Phil Murphy in 2021. Donald Trump carried East Hanover with 66% in 2020, and GOP congressional candidate Paul DeGroot won 68% there in his 2022 campaign against Rep. Mikie Sherrill (D-Montclair).”
BAIO NOT IN CHARGE — “Mendham Dems win,” by InsiderNJ’s Fred Snowflack: “Democrat Lauren Spirig’s impromptu election win celebration was three months late, but it still happened and that’s the key thing … Spirig “won” a seat on the five-person Mendham Township Committee last November by three votes over Tom Baio, the Republican incumbent. Then things got interesting. After a recount solidified Spirig’s win, Baio went to court claiming that almost three dozen voters did so illegally – meaning they were not truly residents of the township. Democrats countered that the GOP was going after ‘young voters’ who may have voted by mail while away at college” BEAN, BEAN, GOOD FOR THE HEART OF DEMOCRACY — “'I lost trust': How Belmar man accidentally discovered Monmouth vote-counting snafu,” by The Asbury Park Press’ Dan Radel: “Jim Bean, a former Belmar councilman, was the person who filed the Open Public Records Request that eventually led Monmouth County officials to uncover an error in the election count in four towns. Election Systems & Software, the company the county uses for its election machines, admitted the error occurred during a software re-installation in July, which was not done correctly and caused a double count of votes in six districts spread across four towns … Bean, a Republican who said he recently switched to an independent … [said] he was looking for voting trends in his hometown, not for errors when he filed for a breakdown of Belmar's vote on Nov. 21, the same day the vote was certified. Only after he got his response in mid-December did he spot a discrepancy in the count, which he then followed up with the county.” —“Video appears to show suspect in killing of Sayreville councilwoman” —“Officials to host memorial service for slain Sayreville councilwoman”
— “The Paterson Police Department's racial disparity continues to grow. Here's how"
—“Battle for leadership of one of Jersey City’s largest unions heads to court with lawsuit”
—“State to hold public hearing on Toms River Superfund site plan” —“Students tell of Black-brown tensions at Newark school ahead of town hall meeting” —“Pleasantville school board votes against renewing superintendent contract” —Parker: “Trenton needs more than one director for Health and Recreation departments” R.I.P.— “Former Millville Mayor Tim Shannon dies at 66” | | EVERYTHING ELSE | |
HANNIBAL CROSSING PEOPLE IN THE ALP — “Latest lawsuit against Alpine Country Club makes more claims of harassment, discrimination,” by The Record’s Kaitlyn Kanzler: “A second lawsuit has been filed against Alpine Country Club and its food and beverage director, claiming a hostile work environment and harassment against female employees. Dionne Boney said Hannibal Campa would often make offensive jokes about her body, telling her he liked her buttocks and their shape. He also made racist comments that she was working at the club only ‘to find a rich white man’ or a ‘sugar daddy’ and that he ‘could not believe she got so far coming from the hood,’ the suit states. Boney, who is Black, is the second former employee to file suit against the country club and Campa. Makayla Spruill filed a similar lawsuit against the club and Campa in December, saying she was also groped by him and subjected to comments about her body and race.”
—“Atlantic City casinos still finding it tough to fill jobs” —“American Dream Ferris wheel, 3 stores fined, accused of hidden fees, refusing to take cash” —"Man stabbed with ninja-style throwing star at [West Milford Dunkin’], cops say” | | | | A message from AARP: Every day, thousands of people in New Jersey care for their spouses, aging parents, or other loved ones – helping them live at home instead of costly nursing homes. This saves New Jersey – and taxpayers – money since nursing home care is mostly paid for by the state, through Medicaid; yet, family caregivers pay out of their own pockets. The average family caregiver spends 26% of their income on caregiving activities, assisting with everything from bathing and dressing to medical appointments and transportation – often while juggling a job too. With inflation making everything more expensive, too many families are struggling to make it all work. That’s why we need state legislators to make family caregiving more affordable in New Jersey. The Caregiver’s Assistance Act (A1802/S2021) would provide a modest tax credit for families who take on caregiving expenses. It’s crucial financial relief that family caregivers have earned. Tell state lawmakers, support (A1802/S2021). | | | | | | | Follow us on Twitter | | | | Subscribe to the POLITICO Playbook family Playbook | Playbook PM | California Playbook | Florida Playbook | Illinois Playbook | Massachusetts Playbook | New Jersey Playbook | New York Playbook | Ottawa Playbook | Brussels Playbook | London Playbook View all our political and policy newsletters | | Follow us | | | | |
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