| | | | |  | | By Matt Friedman | Good Friday morning! No matter what you think of Monmouth County Sheriff Chair Shaun Golden, don’t kid yourself or anyone else: Yesterday’s near-simultaneous Senate and Assembly committee approval of a bill to bar constitutional officers from serving as county political party chairs was aimed squarely at Golden, who is, not coincidentally, the Monmouth GOP chair. You can argue about whether this is a good idea, and whether a conflict of interest exists between these two positions. But you may also want to ask why this idea wasn’t taken up until now, with the bill’s Senate sponsor, Vin Gopal (D-Monmouth), facing a tough reelection fight from Golden’s party. Why didn’t Democrats take up such a measure during disgraced former Middlesex County Sheriff Joe Spicuzzo's long tenure as chair of the party? Why not when the late Phil Thigpen was Essex County surrogate and chair of that county’s Democratic Party at the same time? Golden correctly called himself the target of the bill. He said it was in retaliation for him beginning to dig up information on the Vin Gopal Civic Association, which he characterized as a partisan organization masquerading as a charity. I didn’t hear any convincing evidence of that. And there were some Republicans who spoke in favor of it. But at least some of them had ties to Golden’s intraparty rivals, like far-right radio host Bill Spade and Ocean County GOP Chair George Gilmore. This bill is officially on the fast track. It’s scheduled for a vote in the full Senate on Monday. Based on the testimony yesterday, if Gov. Murphy signs it, Golden or someone else will likely file a lawsuit challenging its constitutionality. So this is nowhere near over. Read more about it here. TIPS? FEEDBACK? Email me at mfriedman@politico.com. QUOTE OF THE DAY: “I’m 5’7, and I’m pretty comfortable in coach.” — Assemblymember Raj Mukherji during committee testimony on a bill to restrict the use of gestation crates on pigs. “Just for the record, I’m 5’8, and you haven’t flown coach in years.” — Assemblyman John McKeon (D-Essex). HAPPY BIRTHDAY — Julie Daurio, Jenny Davis, Victor Polce, Tom Scrivo. Saturday for Nellie Pou, Tom Martello, Paul Duggan, Jim Sverapa. Sunday for Sean Kean, Mollie Binotto, Brigid Harrison, Joshua Henne, Michael Gartland, Melissa Pollitt PROGRAMMING NOTE — I’m taking next week off. Playbook will continue to thanks to the bother members of the POLITICO New Jersey team. Enjoy! WHERE’S MURPHY? At Princeton University to speak at a conference on U.S.-South Korea relations.
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FIFA REPRESENTATIVES WILL PLAY AGAINST NY, NJ POLITICIANS IN CORRUPTION CUP — “North America got the 2026 World Cup. Which city will get the final?” by The New York Times’ Victor Mather: “Officials from New York City and New Jersey are starting a concerted push to land that final for MetLife Stadium at the Meadowlands, including an event in Times Square on Thursday morning with Gov. Phil Murphy of New Jersey and Mayor Eric Adams of New York. ‘Eric and I believe strongly that we have the most compelling case by far to get the best package, including the final,’ Murphy said in a joint interview with Adams on Wednesday morning. … The only previous time the United States hosted the World Cup, in 1994, the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, Calif., got the final. This time, SoFi Stadium is the Los Angeles-area site on the list of stadiums for 2026. But that stadium was built primarily for N.F.L. football, and there is concern that the field there is too narrow for soccer, which would require removing some seats, and reducing capacity. Dallas has also emerged as a leading candidate, in part because nearby AT&T Stadium can potentially be expanded to offer over 100,000 seats for soccer."
But Adams and Murphy are making their case that the New York City area outshines those places as the best spot for the game … Murphy said: ‘New York is the international capital of the world. With no disrespect to Dallas, we’re taking about New York.’” MONEY TO BE PLACED NEXT TO DEPARTMENT SWEAR JAR — “N.J. department is fining itself $266K for accidentally clearing protected wetlands,” by NJ Advance Media’s Nyah Marshall: “New Jersey’s Department of Environmental Protection fined itself $266,000 for accidentally clearing acres of protected wetlands in the Glassboro Wildlife Management Area. The fine issued on May 9 to the department’s Fish and Wildlife’s Bureau comes a month after state officials admitted that the bureau violated the wetland’s protection act during a ‘creation and management’ project that took place in February. … Some state lawmakers have questioned exactly how the DEP is going to pay a fine that was issued to it’s own bureau. ‘Setting aside the glaring communication issues between different divisions within the DEP, I would really like to know how the DEP plans on paying a penalty to itself,’ state Sen. Jim Holzapfel, R-Ocean, said in a statement. … Officials at the Department of Environmental Protection did not make clear how the penalty will be paid. However, the order sent to the Fish and Wildlife Bureau asks that the payment 'be made by check payable to the Treasurer, State of New Jersey.’” SNOOKI NOT INVITED FOR SOME REASON — “Dead whale strandings likely to increase in N.J. and more research is needed, expert says,” by NJ Advance Media’s Steven Rodas: “It’s been unnerving enough to see an uptick in dead whales washing up at the Jersey Shore since December. But an expert now says we may not have seen the end. One of the primary reasons for a jump in strandings — of mostly humpback whales — may be due to their high population, Danielle Brown, a whale researcher at nonprofit Gotham Whale, told New Jersey’s Assembly Science, Innovation and Technology Committee in Trenton on Thursday. ‘We have seen an increase in humpback whale usage of the Mid-Atlantic over the last 40 years, and in the New York Bight over the last 15 years,’ said Brown during the hearing. ‘The more whales that we see and the more time that they spend here, will lead to more overlap with human activities,’ she added.” SAM ALITO NOT AMONG THEM — Poll shows New Jersey residents back new gun law — much of which is now blocked, by POLITICO’s Matt Friedman: Two-thirds of New Jersey residents support a requirement that concealed firearm carry license holders purchase liability insurance — part of a state law that was just suspended by a federal judge. The Rutgers-Eagleton poll found that 67 percent of respondents said they support requiring liability insurance, while 30 percent oppose. The results, one of several in the poll that shows strong support for restrictive firearms laws, is in keeping with prior polls on the issue. “Throughout our five decades of polling, New Jerseyans, on the whole, have always been supportive of firearm restrictions and regulations,” said Ashley Koning, director of the Eagleton Center for Public Interest Polling. NJ CONFIDENTIAL — Pharma pushes to bar ‘confidential information’ from being made public, by POLITICO’s Daniel Han: The pharmaceutical industry is looking for greater say in shielding what information is made public under prescription drug legislation aimed at transparency. The industry's proposed changes appear to have some support from both Democratic and Republican lawmakers — but are loathed by consumer advocates, who say it could derail the efficacy of the legislation. The bill in question, S1615 (22R), is backed by Gov. Phil Murphy and aims to increase understanding of the complex prescription drug supply chain — and why drug prices cost what they do. It would add reporting requirements to the Division of Consumer Affairs from industry players … Drugmakers want to have authority over what is or is not made public, as well as block information being made public around any specific “drug, or therapeutic class of drugs,” according to a copy of proposed language sent from PhRMA to policymakers and obtained by POLITICO. —“Three more Superior Court nominees pass Judiciary Committee muster” —Gopal and O’Scanlon: “We have to free NJ breweries from onerous restrictions. This is why” —Lalevee and Gibbs: “Why NJ needs more women in the construction trades” —“Let’s get NJ Transit back on track with a clean energy solution, not a gas plant | Opinion” —“Smith throws down the gauntlet in front of Bramnick at Schaffer hearing” —“NJ teens will have easier time finding working papers, state says”
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WILL CHRISTIE’S CANDIDACY LAST AS LONG AS SCARAMUCCI’S TIME AS TRUMP’S COMMUNICATIONS DIRECTOR? — “Anthony Scaramucci will back Chris Christie in Republican presidential race,” by Semafor’s Bradley Saacks: “Hedge fund founder Anthony Scaramucci plans to back former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie in the Republican presidential primary and expects billionaire Steve Cohen will support him, too. Speaking to Semafor at his SALT conference in New York, Scaramucci said Wednesday that Christie will draw interest from Wall Street donors with whom he has close ties. Cohen, the New York Mets owner and hedge-fund founder, has donated to Christie in past campaigns and named the politician to the baseball team’s board of directors two years ago. A Cohen spokesperson declined to comment.”
| | LOCAL | |
TRENTON COPS — “Trenton tentatively agrees to pay $575,000 to settle suit filed by man who died after 2015 encounter with city police,” by Transparency NJ’s John Paff: “A March 29, 2023, signed release indicates that the City of Trenton (Mercer County, NJ) has tentatively agreed to pay $575,000 to settle a lawsuit filed by the estate of a man who died after having allegedly been pepper-sprayed repeatedly and beaten by police and improperly placed in a four-point, hard restraint by hospital staff. According to a stipulation in the release, as well as the City Clerk’s May 2, 2023, Open Public Records Act (OPRA) response, the payment ‘is subject to council approval and is thus not finalized until such action is taken by that body.”
NORTH WILDWOOD DUNE SANDWORMS TO REPLACE TRAMCAR — “Jersey Shore town fighting state over beach erosion gets OK for quick fix before summer,” by NJ Advance Media’s Steven Rodas: “Third time’s the charm for North Wildwood. The Jersey Shore town has received approval from the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection to address public safety issues linked to severe coastal erosion that has eaten up about ten blocks worth of beach, Mayor Patrick Rosenello told NJ Advance Media on Thursday. Walkways to nowhere and sand dunes with steep cliffs dot the shoreline. Orange signs at eight entry points advise visitors to enter the beach elsewhere but the mayor says it’s been easy for people to bypass them. ‘We were facing a very serious public safety issue and with Memorial Day weekend that would have been a disaster,’ Rosenello said over the phone, noting that the city’s population of 5,000 people swells to 40,000 during the summer. Last October, the remnants of Hurricane Ian erased 80 feet of sand dunes on the beach in North Wildwood.” WIND — “Offshore wind company sues N.J. town over rights to bring power cables onshore,” by Bill Duhart for NJ.com: “An impasse this month over where to bring offshore wind power cables onshore has ended up in state Superior Court. The Ocean Wind LLC project is the first of several wind farms approved by the state to lead an effort to get up to half of New Jersey’s energy production from non-fossil fuels by 2035 and all of it by 2050. The state Board of Public Utilities has approved a plan to bring the cables ashore at the 35th Street beach in Ocean City, Cape May County. … ‘Ocean City has appealed the N.J. Board of Public Utilities ruling that bypasses local review of the proposed transmission line through town,’ a statement from the city said.” MAYOR: RACCOON HAD COME EQUIPPED WITH A GUN, SHOT LEGS OFF RIVAL — “Port Republic mayor warns of aggressive raccoon,” by The Press of Atlantic City’s Selena Vazquez: “There's an aggressive raccoon roaming around the township, Mayor Niki Giberson warned residents in a letter Wednesday. The raccoon attacked a resident Sunday in the environmental park by City Hall, according to the letter. Further sightings were reported on St. John's Lane and Riverside Drive.” —“Cumberland jail to improve mental health services following inmate deaths” —“Atlantic City Housing Authority is 'a mess,' but new executive director says changes are coming” —“Toms River Regional could face $26 million budget hole next year” —“Were promotions of Palisades Park police chief, captain legal? Council files lawsuit” —“In Camden, Delany’s running mate defends misogynistic posts on social media” —“[Paterson] fire captain denied promotion after whistleblower complaints during COVID, lawsuit alleges” | | EVERYTHING ELSE | |
NJ PU — Comptroller finds New Jersey City University's Covid-19 spending 'likely unlawful' by POLITICO’s Dustin Racioppi: New Jersey City University's financial emergency last year was caused by years of declining enrollment, dramatic increases in spending and improper budgeting that included "likely unlawful" use of federal Covid-19 funds, the comptroller's office found. In a scathing report issued Thursday, the comptroller condemned the Jersey City-based university's senior leadership, saying they proposed a budget to the school's board of trustees without informing members of "serious potential risks." … The report comes nine months after Gov. Phil Murphy requested the comptroller investigate how the university's finances "deteriorated so rapidly." A spokesperson for Murphy said the office is reviewing the report to determine possible next steps.
FOR LATE-SLEEPING FREEHOLD RESIDENTS, IT WAS NOT THE BEST PART OF WAKING UP — “Fire breaks out at Nestle instant coffee plant in Freehold,” by The Asbury Park Press’ Ken Serrano: “fire in a coffee roaster at Nestle’s USA Beverage Division plant on Jerseyville Avenue brought firefighters from surrounding towns to the borough. The fire, called in at 12:40 p.m., was brought under control in a half hour by 30 to 40 firefighters, Chief Jaye Sims of the Freehold Borough Fire Department said. No one was injured. ‘If you’ve ever smelled burnt coffee in a pot, that’s what it smelled like,’ Sims said. Firefighters from Freehold Township, Howell, Manalapan, Marlboro and Naval Weapons Station Earl joined the borough department to fight the fire because of the size of the plant, Sims said.” — “Why Netflix needs more time to work on Fort Monmouth studio plans” —“'He saved my life': Neptune man's untimely death gave future to teen who needed a heart”
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