News : Spadea's PAC raised lots of money, but N.J. Republicans didn't see it

Friday, July 28, 2023

Spadea's PAC raised lots of money, but N.J. Republicans didn't see it

Jul 28, 2023

Presented by Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield of New Jersey

Good Friday morning!

The last fundraising quarter for conservative radio host Bill Spadea’s aligned PAC sure looks impressive for a potential gubernatorial hopeful. At first glance, anyway.

The PAC, Elect Common Sense, took in more than $255,000, mostly donors who gave such small amounts he wasn’t required to list them on his financial disclosure. And it spent lots of money during that same period: $229,000, leaving it with just $28,300 in the bank.

But a closer look tells a very different story: Elect Common Sense spent almost all of that money not on helping elect candidates, but on fundraising expenses and political consultants, like Bill Stepien and Ocean County GOP Chair George Gilmore. Just $500 went to a Republican organization, while it reported spending $200 on lawn signs. So the PAC, whose mission is to elect Spadea-backed Republicans to office, spent about 99.7 percent of its expenses on stuff other than helping candidates. And his independent expenditure group, Common Sense Wins, also paid substantial sums to Gilmore and Stepien — again, without reporting any expenditures to help Republican campaigns. Spadea’s independent expenditure group, Common Sense Wins, raised and spent less but also didn’t report any expenditures to help candidates.

Spadea endorsed four slates of candidates in last month’s Republican primary, three of which lost. But to be fair, those I talked to didn’t hold anything against Spadea, telling me that he promoted them on his radio show or helped out with canvassing.

Still, Spadea’s PAC totals were used to contrast himself with one of his likely 2025 gubernatorial rivals, Jack Ciattarelli, who also has a PAC. Ciattarelli raised just $63,000. But if you look at Ciattarelli’s expenses, he actually gave to candidates.

Read more about it here.

TIPS? FEEDBACK? Email me at mfriedman@politico.com

QUOTE OF THE DAY: “You’re setting up a template to make things even shadier in a state that is known for being shady.” — State Sen. Holly Schepisi (R-Bergen) on the Elections Transparency Act

HAPPY BIRTHDAY — Bill Bradley, Yvonne Lopez, Samantha Maltzman. Saturday for Michael Pagan, Martin Nock, Jeff Morris, Jo Ann Povia, Allison Derman, Bill Pascoe. Sunday for Kevin McCabe, Elissa Schragger, Christian Fuscarino, Felicia Hopson, Robert Basmadjian

WHERE’S MURPHY? — On vacation out of state until Aug. 13.

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WHAT TRENTON MADE

RUTGERS THINKS MEDICAL STUDENTS DON’T KNOW WHAT A SCAB IS — Rutgers asks students to help staff transition at RWJ University Hospital as nurses strike looms, by POLITICO’s Daniel Han: Rutgers is asking medical students to assist at Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital in New Brunswick early next month as unionized nurses plan to strike and nursing agencies are slated to come into the hospital. In an email to medical students reviewed by POLITICO, associate deans at Robert Wood Johnson Medical School asked students to volunteer to help nursing staff transition from unionized workers to nursing agency workers brought in by the hospital. The request puts the public university in the position of providing assistance to the private hospital’s labor disputes, although both entities have said medical students will not replace the role of nursing care. … “We find this anti-union behavior abhorrent and unfortunate,” [AAUP-BHSNJ President Catherine] Monteleone wrote. "[Medical students] certainly should not be exploited in order to intervene in a labor dispute outside of Rutgers," she added.

TEMPORARY SETBACK — “N.J. temp workers win new rights as judge shoots down legal challenge,” by NJ Advance Media’s Brent Johnson and Kelly Heyboer: “A landmark law giving temporary workers in New Jersey sweeping new protections and rights can fully take effect next week after a federal judge rejected a motion by business groups and staffing agencies to block its latest provisions from being implemented. Wednesday’s ruling from Judge Christine O’Hearn is the latest development in a lawsuit the New Jersey Business and Industry Association, the New Jersey Staffing Alliance, and the American Staffing Association filed in May to overturn the ‘Temp Worker Bill of Rights.’ … The lawsuit argues the law is unconstitutional, vague, ‘unreasonably exercises police power’ and will ‘lead to insurmountable problems, resulting in paralysis within the temporary staffing industry’ and does ‘not ensure a higher wage’ for these workers. O’Hearn, however, wrote in her ruling Wednesday that the groups were ‘unlikely to succeed on the merits of their claims.’ Her decision does not end the lawsuit. It simply allows the law to take effect until the judge issues a final ruling.”

“22 Unregistered Employment Firms Will Pay $62K After Settlement: NJ AG”

THE PORK ROLLS ON — “Republicans are dead right about this secret spending by Democrats,” by The Star-Ledger’s Tom Moran: “New Jersey Republicans stirred from their slumber this week to skewer Democrats over their habit of grabbing huge sums of money for pet projects hours before passing a budget, all behind closed doors. They went with satire, posting a YouTube video that skewers Gov. Phil Murphy and his pals for showering at least $700 million on pet projects, including a cheerleading program in Hoboken, a dog park in Rahway, a zoo in Essex County, and an art museum in Jersey City – all of it set to the tune of ‘My Favorite Things’ from The Sound of Music … Even today, Democrats are breaking the law by failing to release information on these last-minute spending items, like the sponsor and the rationale … There is an easy fix for this, offered recently by Peter Chen at New Jersey Policy Perspective, a liberal think tank. It’s quite simple: Require the Legislature to present a draft of its budget by June 1, so we all have a month to review it, comment on it, and hopefully improve it before the July 1 deadline set out in the Constitution. You know, democracy.”

SCHARFENBERGER: HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS CAN HAVE EMOTIONAL SUPPORT FURRIES — “Can landlords bar emotional support animals? Not in NJ, attorney general says,” by The Record’s Gene Myers: “Landlords in Bergen, Morris and Union counties violated the rights of tenants to live with emotional support animals, the state Attorney General's Office alleged Tuesday, in an announcement saying it would move ahead with five discrimination cases … Three of the cases included findings of probable cause against housing providers who denied tenants' and prospective tenants’ requests to live with emotional support animals. One case involved a Bergen County-based condo association that delayed a person’s move-in date because of her request to live with a service animal. The housing provider required extensive documentation to prove her dog was a service animal even after she ‘presented sufficient evidence,’ the announcement said. Another involved a Morris County tenant whose move-in date was delayed when the leasing agent refused to accept medical documentation that should have allowed her to move in with her emotional support animal.”

CONSPIRACY THEORISTS: 'OK, WE SEE WE WERE WRONG. WE'LL STOP NOW' — “New law aims to bring uniformity to how New Jersey clerks report election results,” by New Jersey Monitor’s Sophie Nieto-Munoz: “Gov. Phil Murphy signed a bill into law Thursday that will make reporting of election results more uniform statewide. Supporters said they believe the changes will bring clarity to the reporting of election results and restore faith in the elections process that may have been undermined by recent claims of widespread voter fraud nationwide. It won nearly unanimous support in the Legislature. ‘A clear and open election process is one of the foundations of our democracy,’ Sen. Andrew Zwicker (D-Middlesex), prime sponsor of the bill, said in a statement … Under the new law, county clerks will be required to post election results online by 11:59 p.m. on the day of primary and general elections and continue to post them daily by 9 p.m. until all the ballots are counted and the election is certified.”

—Opinion: “This is why New Jersey's minimalist AI regulations are problematic”

—“N.J. colleges with money problems will get more state monitoring”

—Fulop snags a health care union endorsement

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BIDEN TIME

THE 2022 OCEAN CLUB HOMEOWNERS ASSOCIATION BOARD OF DIRECTORS ELECTION WAS RIGGED! — “Hirsh Singh Is running for president. And no, it’s not a joke – at least not to him,” by New Jersey Globe’s David Wildstein: “Perennial candidate Hirsh Singh, who has lost six bids for office in New Jersey since 2017 – the last a failed run for a condo board seat in Atlantic City – today announced that he would seek the Republican nomination for president. The 38-year-old manchild, who had lived at home with his parents until recently, has been an unabashed supporter of former President Donald Trump. ‘While President Trump was undoubtedly the greatest president of my lifetime and had my support as a MAGA Republican since day one. America needs more,’ he said. 'I’m the only pure-blood candidate for president because I never gave in to the Covid vaccinations.’ Singh ran for governor in 2017, U.S. Senate and Congress in 2018, U.S. Senate in 2020, and governor in 2021, but never made it out of the Republican primaries”

—“Kean gets ‘One Seat Ride Act’ through House committee”

—“[Hudson] Community college president: Despite setbacks dealt by Supreme Court, our resolve is ironclad”

A message from Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield of New Jersey:

LOCAL

TO TRAIL APPALACHIA — “Crisis in Cumberland: This forgotten N.J. county is worse off than parts of Appalachia. How can that be?” by NJ Advance Media’s Susan K. Livio: “Cumberland County is located on the pristine southwest shore of the Garden State, dotted with acres of produce and nursery farms, warehouses and prisons. But it is also notable for what it doesn’t have. Money. Cumberland is New Jersey’s poorest county. And it has long been considered the state’s least healthy county. Its median household income is 35% lower than the state’s and no county — not even the ones with big city urban blight — has a higher percentage of people living below the federal poverty line. Cumberland has among New Jersey’s highest unemployment rates, the highest incarceration rate and the highest crime rate. With a lack of opportunity, people are leaving even as the state’s population grows … In a state considered among the richest in America, Cumberland County is worse off than even some Appalachian counties in rural Georgia and Tennessee in key indicators for health and poverty … There is no concerted plan of attack to address Cumberland’s unique problems, no coordinated rescue effort like the one launched a decade ago for Atlantic City or the ongoing targeted investments in Camden.”

JERSEY CITY — “Lawsuit seeks to void Jersey City’s new tenant friendly right-to-counsel law,” by Jersey Digs’ Chris Fry: “An ordinance that has been hailed as a big win for renters by Jersey City officials is subject to a legal challenge as a property rights group claims a right-to-counsel law for tenants is unconstitutional. Last month, Jersey City’s Council voted unanimously to adopt a right-to-counsel program. The initiative will provide free legal representation for tenants facing evictions, with the program’s funding coming from a 1.5-2.5% fee on new developments … The legal complaint was filed by the Jersey City Property Owners Association.”

THE CONTROVERSIAL ISSUES POLICY IS AMONG THE CONTROVERSIAL ISSUES FORBIDDEN FROM DISCUSSION — “Discuss 'controversial issues' in school? Westwood board says you need approval first,” by The Record’s Stephanie Noda: “The Westwood Regional School District board has voted to require superintendent approval for classroom discussions of any ‘controversial issues’ not specified in the district curriculum, drawing criticism from those who warned that the change will stifle conversations about real-world topics. At a meeting last week, the board voted 7-2 to adopt a change to its long-standing ‘controversial issues’ policy … Critics of the proposal, including some teachers in the K-12 district, said they were concerned it was too vague and that educators may fear discussing sensitive topics that arise organically during discussions with students … No one spoke in support of the policy at the public hearing before the vote, and Board of Education members who voted for it did not hold a discussion about the policy.”

TAMEWOOD — “Wildwood proposes underage curfew to be ‘proactive’ against potential teen gatherings,” by The Philadelphia Inquirer’s Henry Savage: “The trend of nightly curfews in Jersey Shore towns this summer continues as Wildwood becomes the next town to propose a curfew on teens. But this time, it’s in case of potential misbehavior instead of responding to disruptive gatherings like in Ocean City. ‘We’re just being proactive based on some of the activity here and what the other shore towns have experienced,’ said Wildwood Mayor Peter Byron … If passed, a nightly curfew between midnight and 6 a.m. will go into effect, making it unlawful for anyone under 18 years old to be out in public places without a parent or guardian.”

SEASIDE LOOKS TO RESTORE IMAGE AS HAVEN FOR UNRULY ADULTS — “Seaside Heights may ban post-prom motel rentals for people under 21, but risks lawsuit,” by The Asbury Park Press’ Jean Mikle: “Planning to come to Seaside Heights for a post-prom or after-graduation holiday next year? You'll have to make sure at least one person in your group is 21. The Borough Council agreed last week to raise the age for short-term rentals from 18 to 21 during prom season, defined as April 15 to June 30. During that time, no one under 21 will be permitted to rent a room, condominium, apartment or house in the borough; that person must also be the primary occupant of the short-term rental. Each violation could incur a $2,000 fine. The council also introduced a similar measure raising the age to rent a hotel or motel room from 18 to 21. The moves are the borough's response to a Memorial Day weekend that Mayor Anthony Vaz described as he worst he's seen in 56 years in town … Christopher Shea, a Toms River lawyer who represents a group of anonymous hotel owners, said he plans to file a lawsuit challenging the ordinance, saying it is a ‘blatant violation’ of New Jersey's Law Against Discrimination.”

R.I.P. — “Young [Mansfield] officer who died unexpectedly was looking forward to fatherhood”

—“Jersey City bus company to close on Halloween, giving officials 3 months to find new option for riders”

—“East Brunswick police officer cleared in fatal pedestrian crash”

—“Edison Animal Shelter 'absolutely overrun' by pandemic pets being returned”

—“Why was the accused leader in a $1M Paterson fentanyl operation released from jail?”

—“He was star student who suffered from mental illness and drug addiction. But he shouldn’t have died in [Essex County] jail, suit says”

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EVERYTHING ELSE

GET WELL SOON, LEGEND — “Uncle Floyd hospitalized with stroke; full recovery expected,” by NJArts’ Jay Lustig: “Beloved New Jersey comedian Floyd 'Uncle Floyd' Vivino has reportedly been hospitalized after suffering a stroke, with a full recovery expected. His brother, saxophonist and former Conan O’Brien talk show band member Jerry Vivino, posted on Facebook: ‘For those of you wondering about Floyd he is improving each day and his doctors are expecting a full recovery from his stroke! Your concerns and love for my brother is greatly appreciated.’”

—“Tweet this: @NJGov account shares choice emoji after Twitter releases new name, logo”

—“Curious about UFOs after Wednesday hearing? Here are some of NJ's most famous sightings”

A message from Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield of New Jersey:

For more than 90 years, Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield of New Jersey has been helping make New Jersey healthier by building stronger communities and improving health equity, quality, affordability, and convenience. Horizon is the only health insurer with a dedicated charitable foundation for New Jersey, focused exclusively on partnering with and investing in local organizations that make a difference. We have contributed more than $125 million across New Jersey since 2004 and The Horizon Foundation for New Jersey has awarded more than 1,800 grants across the state. We are New Jersey’s health solutions leader and the top choice of our state’s businesses and consumers. We are all one community - we care because we are New Jersey.