| | | | |  | | By Matt Friedman | Good Thursday morning! Since folk band muse Herb Jackson left The Record in 2019, Jonathan Salant of NJ Advance Media has been the sole reporter dedicated to covering New Jersey’s congressional delegation in Washington. Come Monday, there won’t be any. NJ Advance recently told Salant that he will be laid off after this week. They also laid off their local news photographers. “As part of our efforts to focus on creation of content for digital distribution, we have made the difficult decision to eliminate our in-house New Jersey-based local news photography team, as well as our Washington correspondent,” Chris Kelly and Ronnie Agnew of NJ Advance Media wrote to staff this week. They added that “our readers have shown us that they are most interested in local, NJ-focused content that can’t be obtained from other sources, such as the Associated Press.” Come on now. The AP’s Washington coverage will not be similar to Salant’s. This means no consistent coverage of New Jersey’s representatives from a state angle. And as far as the type of New Jersey-focused content that can’t be seen in other sources? Well, I’ve certainly seen a lot of articles about fast food restaurant openings across New Jersey not only on NJ.com, but on Gannett’s websites as well. I don’t think it’s a coincidence that the deterioration of local news has coincided with erosion of truth and what I believe may be an increase in con artist politicians. Take Long Island as an example, which if we’re being honest is just an inferior version of New Jersey. If Newsday had even a decent fraction of the staff it had 20 years ago, do you really think they wouldn't have shown voters who George Santos really was before he got elected? TIPS? FEEDBACK? HATE MAIL? Email me at mfriedman@politico.com. QUOTE OF THE DAY: “Devastating. Devastating. Just terrible for our state which deserves a lot better. We’re a state with over nine million people for heavens sakes. What kind of paper is it that has no reporters and no coverage? And for what? So some millionaires can keep strip-mining the coverage of news in our country. Jonathan is a bloodhound and did an outstanding job day in and day out. Journalists matter deeply to the health of our democracy. This state of affairs can’t continue like this.” — U.S. Rep. Bill Pascrell on Salant’s termination DOCUMENTARY OF THE DAY: “Saint Joseph,” a short documentary about the late legendary Statehouse reporter Joe Albright, who according to CJR was the longest-serving Statehouse reporter in the nation, will premier later this month. It’s by Tim Stollery, whom many of you will remember from his decades at NJN. It looks great. It will premier March 25 as one of six short films starting at 2:45 at the Berkeley Oceanfront Hotel in Asbury Park. Watch the trailer here. HAPPY BIRTHDAY — Christian Hetrick WHERE’S MURPHY? In Skillman at 11 a.n. to talk about education funding in the budget. | | | | 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. | | | | | |  | WHAT TRENTON MADE | |
OFF THE WATERFRONT — Supreme Court appears ready to let New Jersey exit mob watchdog, by POLITICO’s Ry Rivard: The Supreme Court appears willing to let New Jersey unilaterally exit the Waterfront Commission of New York Harbor, a bistate police agency created to crack down on corruption immortalized in the Marlon Brando movie “On The Waterfront.” All nine justices had tough questions for New York over the course of more than an hour of oral arguments on Wednesday. New York is trying to save the commission from New Jersey’s exit, a move that would effectively kill it. For New Jersey and the federal government, which is supporting New Jersey’s position, the justices seemed to mostly wonder how they could side with New Jersey without causing chaos and uncertainty for other multistate deals, like the one that created the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey … In other questions Wednesday, the justices mostly seemed to be checking to see how they could side with New Jersey without affecting multistate deals setting boundary lines or dividing up water rights.
THE PHIL MURPHY HAIR RESTORATION FUND — “Here's who donated nearly $2 million to dark money group tied to Gov. Murphy,” by The Record’s Ashley Balcerzak: “Several unions representing longshoremen, teachers, mechanics and service workers donated nearly $2 million combined to a dark money nonprofit tied to Gov. Phil Murphy, federal records show. It’s unclear how much this windfall from labor accounts for in the nonprofit’s coffers, because it is not legally required to publicly report its donors … These checks uncovered by NorthJersey.com were discovered using Internal Revenue Service and U.S. Department of Labor filings through which a handful of groups are required to report their political spending … The International Longshoremen’s Association Committee on Political Education donated $100,000 to the nonprofit in June 2022 … . For years, the longshoremen's union has sought to abolish the Waterfront Commission, a bistate watchdog agency that regulates ports and piers around New York Harbor in New York and New Jersey. The Murphy administration is fighting in the U.S. Supreme Court to withdraw New Jersey from the commission. … The most politically powerful teachers union in the state, the New Jersey Education Association, donated $1.5 million through its affiliated committee Garden State Forward.” POLITICIANS MERCIFULLY RELIEVED OF HEARING REPORTERS SING — Two ancient Trenton traditions are canceled again. Are they dead? by POLITICO’s Matt Friedman: A third year has gone by without one of the oldest traditions in New Jersey politics: The “Walk to Washington” train ride put on by the New Jersey Chamber of Commerce. And an even older tradition, the New Jersey Correspondents Club show, last took place in 2019 and is unlikely to happen again this year, according to the New Jersey Press Association … Both events’ troubles are linked to the pandemic. But in the case of the former, shifting societal attitudes and the #MeToo movement, and in the latter, a diminished Trenton press corps, have also played a role … “We still had some hangover effect of Covid and some huge penalties that we couldn’t pull it off that were financial, and we have our business summit that’s happening in two weeks that’s going to be sort of a sizable replacement for it this year,” New Jersey Chamber of Commerce President Tom Bracken said in a phone interview. RAIDERS OF THE LOST ARC TUNNEL — Murphy tries to appease critics of NJ Transit budget, but no one is happy, by POLITICO’s Ry Rivard: Gov. Phil Murphy’s budget proposal scales back a series of controversial budget maneuvers that have been used to prop up New Jersey Transit but does nothing to tackle a massive budget hole coming down the tracks. For years, NJ Transit has relied on a much-criticized $82 million subsidy from the state’s clean energy fund for support, as well as hundreds of millions of dollars being taken from the agency's capital budget to fund annual operations. Even so, the agency is projecting a $549 million deficit in the 2026 budget year, which begins in summer 2025. Murphy's budget doesn't tackle that problem. Instead, it aims to appease critics — transit advocates and environmental activists — that have long argued the so-called “raid” on the clean energy fund and the capital-to-operating transfer amount to budget gimmicks. —“Among N.J. GOP primary voters, few recognize names of four top Republican officials, poll shows” —“NJ Turnpike Authority takes a $168M step toward expanding highway to the Holland Tunnel” —“NJ car dealers see obstacles in switch to electric vehicles” | | BIDEN TIME | |
‘MADE-UP CULTURAL BULLS**T — “Ex-N.J. congressman’s next campaign will be fighting culture wars in public schools,” by NJ Advance Media’s Jonathan D. Salant and Tina Kelley: “Former Rep. Tom Malinowski’s newest campaign doesn’t involve Congress. Instead, he is using his once-mighty campaign committee as a weapon to wield in the culture wars over public education. Malinowski has filed papers with the Federal Election Commission to convert his re-election vehicle to a political action committee, Districts for Democracy, to counter efforts by conservative groups that want to restrict what is taught in public schools. ‘School board elections are supposed to be nonpartisan,’ Malinowski told NJ Advance Media. ‘They’re supposed to be what’s best for the kids and the schools. Instead, we have people importing Florida-style, Texas-style culture war politics and in the process making dishonest accusations against our teachers, accusing them of sexually grooming youngsters and teaching pornography in elementary school, none of which is true.’”
—“Booker gets Foreign Affairs subcommittee chairmanship” | | LOCAL | |
PAY NO ATTENTION TO THE MAN AND THE ANTIQUE COCA-COLA MACHINE AND THE GEORGE WASHINGTON STATUTE AND THE MAMMOTH TUSK BEHIND THE CURTAIN — “Is there a ‘purge’ coming in the Ocean County GOP next week?” by The Asbury Park Press’ Erik Larsen: “Some are calling it the ‘purge.’ Ocean County Republican Chairman George R. Gilmore is amused by the characterization … Since the start of 2023, Gilmore has ‘counseled’ and succeeded in getting state Assemblyman John Catalano, R-Brick, and longtime Ocean County Commissioner Joseph H. Vicari not to seek reelection this year. He has cleared the field for one of his closest political allies, Berkeley Mayor Carmen F. Amato Jr., to succeed retiring state Sen. Christopher J. Connors, R-Lacey, on the Republican ticket. Moreover, he has replaced members of the county party’s previous establishment-heavy screening committee with those who share his vision of the future. To that end, the screening committee did not recommend state Assemblyman Gregory P. McGuckin, R-Toms River, and Assemblywoman DiAnne C. Gove, R-Barnegat, for reelection — among the county’s delegation of legislators who Gilmore has been critical of in the recent past. Nevertheless, Gilmore objects to the assertion that he is pulling strings from behind a curtain.”
GANNETT: ‘WE NOW INTERRUPT THIS IMPORTANT GOVERNMENT COVERAGE FOR A SPECIAL REPORT ON A LONG JOHN SILVER’S CLOSURE IN RAMSEY’ — “See which top Bergen County officials got raises of 10% and higher,” by The Record’s Kristie Cattafi: “Bergen County's commissioners have given themselves and the county executive a raise while also increasing salary guides for the county's administrator and department heads, without much fanfare. The raises were approved without discussion or any comments from residents during two commissioner meetings this month. The final passage was approved on Feb. 15. County Executive James Tedesco's salary was increased by 10%, from $146,732 to $161,500. Even with the 10% increase, the position still pays less than some neighboring counties pay their executives.” THIS DISPENSARY SHOULD REALLY BE NAMED ‘BEST BUDS’ — “Lifelong bestfriends set to be first recreational cannabis business owners in Trenton,” by The Trentonian’s A.Z. Johnson: “Mayor Reed Gusciora joined John Dockery and Tahir Johnson outside of Simply Pure Downtown, Tuesday morning to celebrate the business being awarded a Class 5 Cannabis Dispensary license. According to NJ.gov, this license allows Dockery to purchase recreational cannabis from licensed cultivators, manufacturers, or wholesalers and sell those items to consumers in a retail store.” HIJAB OR HIT JOB? — “She pushed back her student’s hijab. Was it a mistake or an act of hate?” by The Washington Post’s Laura Meckler: “Tamar Herman knew that a Muslim girl in her second-grade class always wore a hijab. But one day, Herman thought she saw a hoodie covering it. She asked the girl to remove it, she says. Then, depending whom you believe, the teacher either ‘brushed back’ the fabric or ‘forcibly removed it.’ ‘That’s my hijab!”’the girl cried out, she told her mom later. Her hair was briefly exposed. Herman says she apologized and assumed the incident would blow over. She was wrong. What could have been a mistake followed by an apology became a maelstrom, driven by the parents’ ire, the teacher’s statements and by social media after an Olympic fencer, who had made international headlines for competing in her hijab, lit into Herman … The local prosecutor opened an investigation. The school district touted upcoming anti-bias training for the staff … Even the governor weighed in …. More than a year later, Tamar Herman remains barred from the classroom, cut off from the calling and colleagues she loved. The school district is paying her not to teach. She is still terrified by threats from strangers on the internet, she says. Multiple lawsuits have been filed, and the issue has divided this suburban community along racial and religious lines. But what actually happened that day, and why? Did social media play an important role in holding someone accountable? Or did a town full of people, communicating via dozens of local Facebook groups, rush to judgment in a sincere but misplaced effort to take racial bias seriously?” —“She's the first judge to wear a hijab on the bench in NJ. It's not her only accomplishment” ERRB&B —“Prosecutor: Jersey City cop allowed attempted murder suspect to stay at her home,” by Hudson County View’s John Heinis: “A Jersey City police officer has been charged with hindering for allowing an attempted murder suspect to stay at her home, Hudson County Prosecutor Esther Suarez announced. Page Rivera, 34, is charged with one count of third-degree hindering, Suarez said in a statement …During the course of the investigation, it was determined the individual, who was wanted on charges that include attempted murder and various weapons offenses, was arrested at Rivera’s residence. Rivera, through her employment at the Jersey City Police Department, was aware of the arrest warrant that was issued for the individual she allowed to stay at her residence.” —“‘Enough pollution’ in low-income [Woodbridge] area with 1 power plant” —“Suspended Edison fire chief retires with hefty sick leave payout” — “Brick selects councilwoman as new mayor after Ducey's resignation. What happens next” —“[Perth Amboy] district to add metal detectors, armed security after stabbing of 5th grader near school” —“[Long Branch] downtown split by railway for the last 148 years will be reconnected by tunnel” —“Councilman [Solomon] makes first appearance on crash tickets; case to be moved out of Jersey City” —“Hoboken 3rd Ward Councilman Russo files for over $2M bankruptcy, court records show” | | | | 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. | | | | | | | EVERYTHING ELSE | |
A GIANT BLOODY EAR FELL FROM THE CEILING — “Beyond Van Gogh exhibit at American Dream canceled days before opening,” by NJ Advance Media’s Jackie Roman: “After previously rescheduling, the organizers of Beyond Van Gogh have abruptly canceled the immersive art experience featuring more than 300 works by Vincent Van Gogh that was scheduled to open Friday in the American Dream mall. ‘Beyond Van Gogh: The Immersive Experience’ has been canceled “due to unforeseen circumstances,” ticket holders were told in an email sent Monday. ‘We apologize for any inconvenience this may have caused,’ the announcement said”
DENIED BY ST. PETER HIMSELF AT THE EBONY GATES — ”Former professor accuses St. Peter's University of not giving tenure because he is white,” by The Record’s Kaitlyn Kanzler: “A former St. Peter's University professor is claiming the college passed him over for tenure because he is white. Philip Mark Plotch filed a lawsuit in Bergen County Superior Court … During this time, professor Alain Sanders announced he would be retiring in 2020 and during the fall, Sanders, Brown and Plotch were appointed to a committee to find someone to replace Brown, the suit said. The committee agreed to identify their top five candidates from the applicants and the suit said all of Brown's candidates were Black” —“Rutgers’ faculty begin strike authorization vote as negotiations stagnate” —“Another dead whale seen floating off Jersey Shore, this time in Seaside Park” —“13% of employees at N.J. college will lose jobs in merger with Montclair State, officials say”
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