| | | | |  | | By Matt Friedman | Good Monday morning! Ed Durr made national news when he, a truck driver who everyone including himself pretty much assumed was an also-ran, defeated Senate President Steve Sweeney. But eventually, the TV cameras focused elsewhere and Durr was left to the often-boring business of being a state lawmaker. So how’s it gone? If getting bills into law is your idea of success, not well. Durr is tied for dead last on that front among senators who have been in office for the entirety of this full term, tied only with state Sen. Sam Thompson (D-Middlesex). But Thompson has something going for him now that Durr doesn’t: He’s become a Democrat. While some Democrats were privately thrilled at the massive black eye the South Jersey Democratic machine got from Durr’s election, that doesn’t give them much incentive to help his legislative priorities along. And Durr is facing some dissent from his own party, as well by those who believe he caught “lightning in a bottle” back in 2021 — even if he has more intra-party strength than his critics estimated. Read more about Durr’s time in Trenton here. TIPS? FEEDBACK? HATE MAIL? Email me at mfriedman@politico.com. QUOTE OF THE DAY: “Clearly the people who took our place have been ineffective at building relationships, ineffective at delivering anything of significance for the legislative district. And there’s no indication it will get better.” — former Assembly member John Burzichelli HAPPY BIRTHDAY — Pablo Fonseca, Davon McCurry, Ed Waters, Mike DeLamater WHERE’S MURPHY? — In Newark at 11 a.m. for a “New Statewide Summer Festival” announcement. |  | WHAT TRENTON MADE | | ‘PLAYING IN TRAFFIC, MADE A BIG MISTAKE’ - DAVID SAMSON — “As traffic deaths continue to rise in N.J., fewer tickets are being written,” by NJ Advance Media’s Larry Higgs: “For the second straight year, police in New Jersey wrote fewer traffic summons, from parking tickets to driving while intoxicated offenses, and safety experts are concerned it may be a reason for the steady increase in traffic deaths since 2019. The decline in issuing tickets was cited as a concern for a second straight year in the state Division of Highway Traffic Safety’s annual highway safety plan. That finding is backed up by a decade of motor vehicle summons data obtained by NJ Advance Media from the state Judiciary. Summonses issued went from a high of 2.934 million issued in 2013 to a low of 1.419 million in 2020, the first year of the coronavirus pandemic. … The traffic ticket reduction is being seen nationally, said Pam Fischer, the Governor’s Highway Safety Association senior engagement director” MADDEN ‘23 WILL BE THE LAST IN THE LONG-RUNNING SERIES — “Fred Madden will retire after 20 years in N.J. State Senate,” by New Jersey Globe’s David Wildstein: “State Sen. Fred Madden (D-Washington Township) will not seek re-election, bringing a 20-year career in the New Jersey State Senate to a close and setting up a competitive race in a district that became more competitive in legislative redistricting. … Democrats have not yet named their candidate to replace him, with several contenders still under consideration. County Republican organizations are backing Gloucester County Commissioner Nick DeSilvio, a 59-year-old union member, U.S. Navy veteran, and school board member.” — “Shouldering South Jersey in a Middlesex-oxygenated world” THE SPACE RACE — “Lonegan ends Bid For N.J. State Senate Seat,” by New Jersey Globe’s David Wildstein: “Steve Lonegan has dropped his bid for the Republican nomination for State Senate in the 24th District, leaving a clear path for Parker Space to succeed Steve Oroho. ‘I terminated my campaign this past Sunday,’ Lonegan told the New Jersey Globe in an email. ‘I am out.’ Lonegan had been viewed as a major contender for the open Senate seat in one of the most conservative Republican legislative districts in the state.”
| | | | 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. | | | | | LOBBYING — “N.J.’s biggest special interests have spent $285 million to sway politicians this century. Here’s the list,” by NJ Advance Media’s Matt Arco: “It includes the New Jersey Education Association, the state’s largest teachers’ union — a longtime powerhouse that dwarfs them all. There are companies with household Jersey names such as Verizon and PSE&G. And there’s the AARP, the huge lobby whose members are 50 years old and up. ‘These 25 groups were responsible for one-fifth of all lobbying expenditures during that 23-year period,’ Jeff Brindle, ELEC’s executive director, said in a statement. ‘Most of these are large organizations with big financial stakes in New Jersey. Policies they support or oppose can have a significant impact on these organizations and the lives of New Jersey citizens.’ The group that dug deepest into its pockets by far was the NJEA, which represents nearly 200,000 teachers. It spent more than $52.5 million during that period.” R.I.P. — “Joe Simonetta, Longtime lobbyist and renaissance man, dies at 69” —“Get into NJ parks for free again. What other fee waivers are in Murphy's proposed budget?” —ACLU-NJ: Lobbying powerhouse? CARTOON BREAK — “The Next New Jersey is nigh!” by Drew Sheneman | | BIDEN TIME | |
GRIDIRON CLUB — Gov. Murphy, whose documents about state government operations generally don’t rise to national security threat, had some things to say about the president and former president/vice president who were found to be in possession of classified documents . “Back home when you’re in a jam, you tie the stack of offending documents to a cement block and you throw them in the Hudson River, along with the guy who leaked them,” Murphy said during his speech Saturday at the Gridiron Club, referring to the all the classified documents found in the possession of current and former presidents and vice presidents. Murphy also cracked a joke about underage girls at Matt Gaetz’ expense.
Yes, it appears Murphy, like so many politicians, has aspirations to higher office. His Gridiron speech won’t do anything to dispel that idea. But it seems like Mike Pence stole the show by taking a serious turn and saying this: “History will hold Donald Trump accountable for Jan. 6” and pushing back against the latest Tucker Carlson propaganda. Read more about it from the big brother Playbook. | | LOCAL | |
PATERSON COPS — “Help was standing by for N.J. man before he was shot by police, but hospital says it never got the call,” by NJ Advance Media’s S.P. Sullivan: “As Paterson police tried unsuccessfully for hours to coax a local man going through an apparent mental health episode out of his barricaded home, a psychiatric team trained for crisis intervention based at a hospital less than 1.5 miles away was never called, the hospital’s CEO said. Najee Seabrooks, a popular anti-violence activist, was shot and killed by police following the five-hour standoff at his Mill Street home on March 3. His death has roiled New Jersey’s third-largest city, where residents marched to city hall this week to demand the release of video footage and other details of his killing. … Kevin Slavin, the president and CEO of St. Joseph’s University Medical Center, said his hospital, too, could have intervened — had police asked for them.”
—“From Paterson’s bloody streets, a plea for federal help to tame police” LOCAL OFFICIALS ACCIDENTALLY COMMIT SIN OF TRANSPARENCY — “Hot mic catches backroom inner workings of Palisades Park Council,” by The Record’s Kristie Cattafi: “A hot mic in borough hall captured a conversation between the Council's president and its attorney as they discussed future litigation, controversy over a vacant council seat and police personnel issues. Recorded prior to the Jan. 31 meeting, Council President Cynthia Pirrera can be heard talking to then-Borough attorney John Schettino, the police chief and others who went in and out of the room. … The two hours of audio provide an unfiltered glimpse into the inner workings of a divided Council, back-room deals in the works, what led to an internal fight and ongoing litigation over a vacant council seat and police issues that include Pirrera's son, a borough police officer. The recording of the conversations was obtained by The Record and NorthJersey.com through an Open Public Records Act request. Pirrera declined to comment. Current Council attorney Matthew Moench emailed The Record in an attempt to walk back the records request saying a "few issues have subsequently been raised internally" regarding the release of the recordings. Moench also declined to comment further on the content of the recordings.” IT’S ALWAYS SONNY IN EGG HARBOR TOWNSHIP — “How 40 years of Pinelands regulations have shaped the trajectory of housing in Atlantic County,” by The Press of Atlantic City’s Christopher Doyle: “The Pine Barrens are among South Jersey’s most treasured resources. And just as they have been shaped by housing and economic activity, so too has that activity been guided by the mass of regulations dedicated to their conservation. Nowhere is this more apparent than in the Pinelands Regional Growth Area, where Pinelands regulations have caused violent swings in new development over the decades and defined the area’s character … Terrence Moore, the first director of the Pinelands Commission when it was founded in 1979, said he thought the commission has upheld the state law and been effective in guarding the Pine Barrens. The growth areas, Moore said, were able to direct building to areas that were mindful of the state’s natural resources. ‘Virtually all of the development went where it was supposed to,’ Moore said … James “Sonny” McCullough, who served on the Egg Harbor Township Committee from 1986 to 2018 and spent 29 years as mayor … said the surge of development was ultimately a detriment to Egg Harbor Township ecologically as well as economically, overburdening the local school system with a sudden rush of new students. He said the new Pinelands regulations were compounded by the advent of legalized gambling in Atlantic City, which led a new workforce to settle in suburban Egg Harbor Township.”
| | | | 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. | | | | | LAKEWOOD BUS DRIVER PROVIDES METAPHOR FOR TREATMENT OF ITS PUBLIC SCHOOL CHILDREN — “School bus hits 9-year-old in Lakewood,” by News 12: “Police say a school bus in Lakewood hit a 9-year-old child at the intersection of Pawnee Road and Iroquois Place. Police say the 41-year-old driver struck the child after the child got off the bus and crossed in front of it. The driver was unaware he hit the kid and left the scene, according to authorities. Police say the driver came back when he was notified of the accident. The child was transported to Jersey Shore Medical Center. He suffered injuries to his lower back and head but is expected to make a full recovery.” —“A police officer was wounded and a man killed in a Gloucester County shooting” —“Discovery of chemical drums prompts emergency plan that would evacuate parts of [Howell]” —“Mercer County mayhem: An InsiderNJ aftermath” —“Prosecutor: 2nd man charged with murder in death of Jersey City teacher” —“Date set for implosion of Fair Lawn's Nabisco factory” —“Hoboken city budget, with 7% tax increase, to be introduced” —“Prosecutor: Guttenberg cop forfeits job to enter PTI for theft charge” | | EVERYTHING ELSE | |
RUTGERS ASSURES WORRIED STUDENTS THAT THE FOOTBALL COACH WILL BE PAID — Two Rutgers unions vote in favor of strike, by POLITICO’s Dustin Racioppi and Carly Sitrin: Rutgers University may see the first strike in its history after members from two unions overwhelmingly voted to authorize a work stoppage. After a 10-day vote, about 94 percent of Rutgers union members voted to authorize a strike if they can't reach a contract agreement with the school's administration, union officials said Friday. About 80 percent of two unions representing Rutgers faculty and staff participated, officials said. It would be the first strike in the university's 257-year history.
HOW COCOA PUFFS PROTECT THE EDGE OF MY CEREAL BOWL — “How coconuts protect the Jersey Shore, other eroding coasts,” by The AP’s Wayne Parry: “Coastal communities around the world are adding a tropical twist to shoreline protection, courtesy of the humble coconut. From the sands of the Jersey Shore to the islands of Indonesia, strands of coconut husk, known as coir, are being incorporated into shoreline protection projects. Often used in conjunction with other measures, the coconut material is seen as a cost-effective, readily available and sustainable option. This is particularly true in developing countries. But the material is also popular in wealthy nations, where it’s seen as an important part of so-called ‘living shorelines’ that use natural elements rather than hard barriers of wood, steel or concrete.” BRUCE — “Bruce Springsteen postpones 2nd straight concert due to undisclosed illness,” by NJ Advance Media’s Camille Furst: “Bruce Springsteen and The E Street Band’s Sunday concert at Mohegan Sun Arena in Connecticut is being postponed due to illness, Springsteen announced Saturday afternoon … This is the second concert in a row that Springsteen and The E Street Band have postponed due to an undisclosed illness. The announcement did not disclose if Springsteen, 73, is the band member who is ill.” THE PTI MANEUVER — “'Incomprehensible speed': Paralyzed victim spoke of crash that gets NY Jets cornerback PTI,’ by The New Jersey Herald’s Lori Comstock: “New York Jets' cornerback Brandin Echols … was accepted in a diversionary program to avoid assault by auto charges in a high-speed crash in Florham Park in 2022 that partially paralyzed another man. Echols, 25 … was admitted into the pretrial intervention (PTI) program for three years by state Superior Court Judge Noah Franzblau, in Morris County, during a tense Feb. 28 hearing that, in a rare move, allowed the injured driver to speak to the April 22, 2022 two-vehicle crash that he called a ‘near-fatal real life nightmare.’ … The driver of the BMW, identified as Stephen Gilbery … was rushed to Morristown Medical Center with ‘severe injuries’ including a spinal cord injury that resulted in no feeling or movement in both hands and his right leg that required spinal surgery, police said … Under the agreement, Echols will have to pay the injured driver $54,460 in restitution at a rate of $1,200 a month. His driver's license will be suspended for six months … Multiple witnesses observed Echols' sedan travel at a high rate of speed prior to the crash and police say an investigation found Echols was traveling at a speed of 84 mph — over the 50 mph speed limit — five seconds before impact, records show. … Echols' attorney Mitch Schuster said in a statement to the Daily Record that his client has not admitted any wrongdoing” —“I lived through a chemical leak from an N.J. train derailment. Here’s my message to Ohio” —“Two-day storm will hit North Jersey with snow, rain and wind starting Sunday night”
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