| | | | |  | | By Matt Friedman | Jersey City Mayor Steve Fulop’s new gubernatorial campaign was endorsed yesterday by Atlantic City Mayor Marty Small. It may be significant. Recall that in 2016 Fulop toured Atlantic City with Small, then the city’s council president, and criticized of the state takeover that had been crafted and passed by then-Senate President Steve Sweeney and then-Gov. Chris Christie. (A lot of “thens” in that sentence, sorry). And Fulop at the time took a shot at George Norcross, who then was at the peak of his power. “Why is an insurance broker, a non-elected official, who has made tens of millions of dollars on the backs of public taxpayers actively involved in drafting Atlantic City’s takeover bill and then lobbying for it all over New Jersey?” Fulop said. In 2016, neither Fulop nor Sweeney were officially running for governor. But they were both de facto running for the office, only to see their dreams crushed by Phil Murphy. Now it’s two years before the 2025 Democratic primary, and Fulop is officially running while Sweeney, despite his 2021 Senate re-election loss, is again unofficially running. So Fulop’s alliance with Small, who will chair his campaign, is nothing new. And Small doesn’t control the Atlantic County Democratic Committee. But Fulop now has a key ally there, close to Sweeney’s home turf. When I talk to people about the recent diminishment of the Norcross machine, Amy Kennedy’s sound defeat of Norcross-backed Brigid Harrison in the 2020 Democratic congressional primary comes up as an early sign of the vaunted operation’s troubles. Maybe Fulop thinks he can pull off something similar — though it should be noted that Kennedy got that opportunity thanks to the Callaway political machine, which is no friend to Small. AND SPEAKING OF PEOPLE RUNNING FOR OFFICE — President Joe Biden has formally launched his campaign for a second term in 2024, asking voters to keep him in office and “finish the job” of an historic American recovery that started after he vanquished Donald Trump in 2020. TIPS? FEEDBACK? Email me at mfriedman@politico.com. QUOTE OF THE DAY: “How many different ways are you gonna ask the same fucking question, Mark?” — Chris Christie bristling at Trump-related questions from The Atlantic’s Mark Leibovich HAPPY BIRTHDAY — Karen Kominsky, Alexander Keiser, Frank Vespa, Matthew Weng WHERE’S MURPHY? No public schedule |  | WHAT TRENTON MADE | |
31 FLAVORS OF CORRUPTION — “Was he corrupt when he allegedly accepted a bag of cash? Or victim of an overzealous prosecutor?” by NJ Advance Media’s Ted Sherman: “The exchange had been caught on surveillance recordings. A Baskin-Robbins bag stuffed with cash was handed over to the mayoral candidate by an informant cooperating with prosecutors. ‘I just want to be your tax guy,’ he said. “Yeah. Done. That’s … that’s easy,” replied the candidate. Was that a bribe under the law, as prosecutors allege? Or as defense attorneys argue, an example of overzealous prosecution that expanded the meaning of a state corruption statute that had never been intended to impose target someone who was just an ‘ordinary, private citizen?’ That was the heart of a two-hour argument Monday before the New Jersey Supreme Court, in the nearly four-year legal battle over whether former Democratic assemblyman and Bayonne mayoral hopeful Jason O’Donnell broke the law when he allegedly took $10,000 from a corrupt Morristown tax attorney who sought the promise of a lucrative municipal contract if the candidate won his election.”
—“High court hears arguments in case of Catholic teacher fired for premarital sex” POLICE COULD BE CHARGED WITH EXCESSIVE FORCE FOR POKES— “Facebook fighting requests by N.J. police to ‘eavesdrop’ on crime suspects’ accounts,” by NJ Advance Media’s S.P. Sullivan: “Facebook, along with tech rivals Microsoft and Google, has long cooperated with cops in every jurisdiction, turning over evidence in response to warrants and court orders. But in court papers, Facebook says New Jersey authorities wanted unfettered access to Anthony’s and Maurice’s [Pseudonyms] Facebook pages — far beyond what they are required to give in response to warrants in other states. That has sparked the legal battle that has risen all the way to New Jersey’s Supreme Court. … Facebook has argued that New Jersey law enforcement, led by the state Attorney General’s Office, is asking not just for previous photos, posts and private messages, but ‘real-time’ account access allowing investigators to ‘eavesdrop’ on users without sufficient evidence they’ve committed a crime. In every other state, Facebook only hands over the keys to an account like that in response to a wiretap order — a big deal with a high legal bar.” ORANGE FLAMES — “'Down in flames'? Does Fox settlement finally kill NJ GOP's Trump fantasy?” by The Record’s Charles Stile: “A day after Fox News settled for $787.5 million with Dominion Voting Systems in a defamation lawsuit, state Sen. Declan O’Scanlon, R-Monmouth, declared it was time for his party finally to put those who perpetuate poisonous ‘'election fraud' & 'election stolen'’ myths ‘behind us.’ ‘If these claims could be defended … they would have been,’ O’Scanlon tweeted. … O'Scanlon's logic is easy: If the settlement discredited Fox, then it should discredit Trump — though O’Scanlon didn’t mention the former president by name. But O’Scanlon, whose name has been bandied about as a possibility for the 2025 Republican nomination for governor, has been part of a small but vocal group of moderate New Jersey Republicans who have repeatedly warned that Trump threatens to permanently harm the party’s appeal to suburban swing voters. That demographic, of course, is crucial to winning general election contests in the Garden State. … But there is hardly unanimity in the belief that Trump remains a threat to the party’s fortunes. Take Rep. Jeff Van Drew, R-Cape May, of the 2nd Congressional District.”
| | | | DON’T MISS THE POLITICO ENERGY SUMMIT: A new world energy order is emerging and America’s place in it is at a critical juncture. Join POLITICO on Thursday, May 18 for our first-ever energy summit to explore how the U.S. is positioning itself in a complicated energy future. We’ll explore progress on infrastructure and climate funding dedicated to building a renewable energy economy, Biden’s environmental justice proposals, and so much more. REGISTER HERE. | | | | | DEP POCKETS — Lawmakers wonder if DEP needs more money. DEP doesn’t disagree, by POLITICO’s Ry Rivard: Several members of the Assembly Budget Committee questioned whether Gov. Phil Murphy is underfunding the state’s Department of Environmental Protection, which has been tasked with carrying out many of the Democratic governor’s campaign goals. … Assemblymember John McKeon … said he is frustrated by lack of funding and staffing at the department and blamed Murphy. “I think he’s got it wrong here, relative to what he is focusing on in this department,” McKeon said. The department has 800 fewer staffers now than it did in 2005 and its budget is also nearly $100 million below what it would have needed to keep pace with inflation since then, according to McKeon. “I can’t dispute anything you’ve said,” said DEP Commissioner Shawn LaTourette, who was there to testify on behalf of the department. — “Centrist Whitman-led group backs Signorello for U.S. Senate” —“Open house on Liberty State Park revitalization plans rescheduled for May 24” —“Temporary employment agencies are still flagrantly violating the law | Opinion” —“Workers on strike or locked out in N.J. will qualify for unemployment benefits quicker under new law” —“Open house on Liberty State Park revitalization plans rescheduled for May 24” | | BIDEN TIME | |
—“Panel: Climate change, not wind prep, is threat to whales"
—“Ex-Marine from N.J. who posted video selfie during Jan. 6 rioting is headed to prison” —“As deal pushes helicopters away from Statue of Liberty, will noise disrupt NJ suburbs?”
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TRENTON COPS UPDATE — I called Trenton Mayor Reed Gusciora yesterday after I highlighted L.A. Parker’s columns in The Trentonian about the four Trenton cops being allowed to voluntarily resign after, they as Parker put it, “breached a computer and added fictitious hours to their work portfolio.” Gusciora said that the officers did not have to hack into the computer. He said the accusations involve claiming credit for sick and vacation time rather than overtime, and that the offense of two of the officers only allegedly claimed one or two days they weren’t entitled to. Gusciora also said that the case had been referred back to the city by both the Attorney General’s Office and Mercer County prosecutor. “Since we had to deal with it administratively, we’re dealing with it administratively. That would involve internal charges and internal resolution,” Gusciora said, also stressing that it’s not up to the city whether the officers keep their pensions. The mayor issued a statement with the same points later in the day.
CAMDEN ANGER RISING — “Camden activists rally for better job opportunities,” by WHYY’s Tensyon Donyéa: “Activists in Camden held a rally outside City Hall on Thursday, urging major employers in the city to provide greater pathways to employment for Camden residents. After a recent jobs disclosure found that several large companies receiving tax breaks to move to the city barely hired full-time Camden residents, community members argued that elected officials should do more to hold employers accountable. “I think there was a hope and a prayer that Camden residents would get jobs from all these incentives. We haven’t seen that,” Antoinette Miles, political director for the New Jersey Working Families Party, said. The Working Families Party is part of a larger coalition called “Camden We Choose,” which organized the rally and spearheaded a successful campaign to enact a local ordinance in 2022 requiring companies with 25 or more employees to semi-annually disclose what percentage of its staff lives in Camden full-time. City data published in February reveals that an overwhelming majority of employees at the city’s 30 biggest employers commute from other places.” THE UNITED STATES OF KAILASA HAS 100% TURNOUT — “3 years past state takeover, Newark voters urged to up turnout in Tuesday’s school election,” by NJ Advance Media’s Steve Strunsky: “After more than two decades of state control over Newark public schools that only fully reverted to local hands in 2020, turnout for local school board races has been dismally low. So, education and voting rights advocates are urging all registered voters in Newark to go to the polls this Tuesday to choose three of the eight candidates seeking 3-year terms on the Newark Board of Education and to approve or reject a $138 million property tax levy that would help fund the district’s 2023-24 school budget. Last April’s turnout was 3%.” —“Our kids can’t read but voting can change that | Opinion” ALL YOUR TAX BASE BELONGS TO US — “As development surges in Paterson, why is the tax base falling?” by The Paterson Press’ Joe Malinconico: “Amid a massive building boom that the mayor says has produced $1.5 billion in new investment in Paterson, city officials are projecting that the municipal tax base will decline in 2023 for the third straight year. The seemingly incongruous situation of new construction rising while the city’s ratables are falling comes at a time when several hundred developments in Paterson have gotten tax breaks, many under the state’s 2013 ‘Growth Zone’ law, designed to spur investments in some of the state’s struggling urban areas. Paterson has more than 425 developments on the books with abatements, which allow those property owners to avoid paying full or partial taxes on new construction.” SOUTH TOMS RIVER TO HENCEFORTH BE KNOWN AS ‘COOL TOMS RIVER’ — “Will Toms River ever allow legal weed sales?” by The Asbury Park Press’ Jean Mikle: “When it comes to legal weed sales in Toms River, the township council appears to be at an impasse. While some council members have previously indicated they might support medical marijuana sales in town, the state is no longer issuing licenses to sell medicinal weed. … In November 2021, council members voted to ban recreational weed businesses in town, even though nearly 64% of residents here voted to legalize recreational marijuana in a statewide referendum in 2020. At the time of the vote, several council members indicated they would be amenable to allowing medical marijuana dispensaries, but the council did not take action. … While there appeared to be some support on the council for medical marijuana sales, there has never been majority support for recreational weed businesses. Nearby South Toms River has approved recreational marijuana sales, and the borough's first dispensary, The Social Leaf on Route 166, is preparing to open.” CAN PIZZA RAT HANDLE A BENNY TUDINO’S SLICE? — “Lord of the rats? Hoboken steps up fight against vermin infestation,” by The Jersey Journal’s Mark Koosau: “The prevalence of the tiny and not-so-tiny vermin have joined the long-standing issues in the Mile Square City even as the city steps up efforts to eradicate the health and quality of life nuisance. Whether its local officials, residents, or social media users, it seems everyone in the city has a story about the nocturnal creatures. 'I’ve lived in Hoboken for 25 years and had never even seen a rat, and now I see them,’ said Councilwoman Jen Giattino, who added that the rat infestation is the No. 1 issue that her constituents call about. … As the city searches for its Pied Piper, there are multiple reasons the rat population and sightings have increased over the past few years.” —“Legal forum in Newark points to redlining as root of segregation” —“Elections officials in 2 N.J. counties won’t turn over voting machine tests, suit says” — “In showdown with Cirillo, Sires runs against the Jan. 6th insurrection” —“Sires vs. Cirillo battle in West New York could lead to split result” —“ELEC: ‘Sires Team for West New York’ receives $10k from 2 Fulop-linked entities” —“Bloomfield family sues claiming police raided their home due to address mix-up” —“This is what Paterson's new superintendent of schools will be paid” | | EVERYTHING ELSE | |
AL BUNDY ONCE DID THIS — “Book mysteriously returned to N.J. library after 44 years,” by NJ Advance Media’s Brianna Kudisch: “It was July 1979. Sony had just introduced the Walkman, President Jimmy Carter had famously addressed the nation in his ‘malaise’ speech and ‘Rocky II’ was still in movie theaters. And, among the month’s far less notable events: a copy of the book “Back to Basics” was checked out of the Ewing Headquarters Branch in Mercer County. The book was due July 25, but it ever made it back that week. Or the following month. Or for the next four decades. But, the book mysteriously reappeared in a box of donations that was dropped off at the Hopewell branch of the library earlier this month — 44 years later. Library officials don’t know who returned it or where the book has been for nearly 16,000 days … At the current daily overdue rate of 10 cents, in theory the library book would carry a fine of nearly $1,600. But, the library has a maximum fine of $6.”
—“As cannabis stores are slow to open, worries over delta-8 sales grow” —“Jersey Shore pop-up beach parties canceled after officials warn organizers” —“Cape May Brewing to buy Camden County's Flying Fish”
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