| | | | |  | | By Matt Friedman | Presented by Honeywell | Good Thursday morning! The Board of State Canvassers met yesterday and certified the results of the November state legislative elections. That included the Newark-dominated 29th District, where in its two Hudson County towns the clerk’s office neglected to put perennial independent candidate Pablo Olivera on the ballot even though he fully qualified. (h/t to David Wildstein for first reporting the Hudson County elections audit that found this problem). Let’s be real: Ruiz won with almost 85 percent of the votes, and Olivera got just 2 percent in the larger Newark portion of the district, where he was on the ballot. He had about as much a shot winning the election, or making a significant difference, as I would have at getting Taylor Swift to stage a private concert for my dog. Still, while both scenarios are extraordinarily unlikely, they’re not impossible. There are about 10,000 registered voters between the district’s two Hudson County towns of Harrison and East Newark. Ruiz won the election with about 6,500 votes. So if you had incredible turnout in those towns and voters overwhelmingly went for the Olivera, he could have won. (Ms. Swift, if you’re reading this, and I’m sure you are, please email me to discuss your fee.) But this is all about adherence to fair election principles. If the election were invalidated, it would cost a significant amount to hold a special election, with Ruiz almost certain to win again. But you could argue it would be worth it just to uphold the principle of fairness in elections — to the extent New Jersey abides by that, anyway. This may not be over. Olivera or someone else could still file a lawsuit challenging the results, and then it would be up to the courts. But will anyone want to go through all that just to temporarily reduce Democrats’ Senate majority from 25 to 24? This also raises a another question: Why hasn’t Hudson County publicly released its post-election audit? Every county conducted audits, but Hudson County’s the only one not available on the state Division of Elections’ website. TIPS? FEEDBACK? Email me at mfriedman@politico.com HAPPY BIRTHDAY — Mary Pat Angelini, Christopher J. Brown, Ethan Hasbrouck QUOTE OF THE DAY: “He had no concern for traffic and no regard for our traffic safety laws.” — Deptford Detective Sgt. Bob Jones on an escaped pig the cops named Albert Einswine WHERE’S MURPHY? — Nothing on his public schedule
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'NYC RESIDENT' GOSH JOTTHEIMER SIGNS UP TO TESTIFY AGAINST IT — MTA to send congestion pricing out for public comment, by POLITICO’s Ry Rivard: The New York Metropolitan Transportation Authority's board voted 9-1 on Wednesday to put out for public comment a plan to increase tolls for drivers heading into parts of Manhattan. The vote moves the landmark congestion pricing plan closer to reality after decades of debate about how to curb traffic in New York City, but there are still changes that could be made to the plan, which creates new tolls of $15 or more for most drivers coming into Manhattan south of 60th Street. … New York City Mayor Eric Adams has asked for further exemptions for taxis, which are already set to get a discount. He’s but one player asking for a carve out to the plan the MTA voted to advance
JUST AS UNION COUNTY IS NOT CENTRAL JERSEY, ROCKLAND AND ORANGE COUNTIES ARE NOT UPSTATE NY — “Upstate NY pol threatens to back New Jersey lawsuit against congestion pricing,” by The New York Post’s Vaughn Golden and Nolan Hicks: “State Sen. James Skoufis (D-New Windsor) is demanding the MTA make a carve out for his Orange and Rockland County commuters in the scheme that would put a $15 per day fare on entering Manhattan below 60th Street. ‘If a major toll offset is not advanced for Orange and Rockland county residents, all of whom live in a transit desert, I will be supporting New Jersey’s lawsuit to strike down congestion pricing,’ Skoufis said.” BABY GOT BACK THE BLUE — “Vulgar police training conference taught N.J. cops to violate the law, watchdog says,” by NJ Advance Media’s S.P. Sullivan: “A New Jersey-based police training company has been teaching officers unconstitutional tactics at sessions in which officers regularly mock women and minorities and denigrate police reform efforts, a new report from a state watchdog found. The New Jersey Comptroller’s Office on Wednesday released findings in its investigation into Street Cop Training, which hosted a 2021 policing conference in Atlantic City attended by nearly a thousand cops, including about 240 from the Garden State. … Street Cop’s founder, Dennis Benigno, acknowledged ‘profanity and other inappropriate or embarrassing language’ at the conference in a statement following the report’s release, but said nothing the report uncovered was ‘inconsistent with quality policing.’ … The comptroller’s investigation found Street Cop’s instructors were often training officers to become rogue cops, drawing attention to the unregulated world of private police training and calling. … The comments include instructors remarking on the size of their penises, mocking suspects and motorists with lewd images and memes and complaining about police reforms and internal affairs investigations.” THE DOMES ARE PAVED WITH GOLD. THE STREETS, NOT SO MUCH — “The Trenton just a few blocks from the gold dome,” by InsiderNJ’s Bob Hennelly: “Several of the attendees at the Trenton CBT rally were making the case that the $1 billion the surcharge generates would be better spent on stabilizing the shaky finances of NJ Transit that provides the bus and rail service upon which the state’s low wage essential workers and poor rely. In a state where politicians spend several millions of dollars on campaigns to win a state office that pays only $49,000 a year, there’s a real disconnect between the politicians and the people that worry about their bus fare. These two cohorts are on different planets and there is nowhere in the nation where that is more evident than in the historic city of Trenton where well-heeled legislators can drive into their parking spaces in the bowels of the Capitol Complex avoiding entirely the dire economic circumstance of the people that actually inhabit the state’s capital, most of whom are people of color and often depend on mass transit.” AG — “Nicodemo faces more allegations of prosecutorial misconduct,” by New Jersey Globe’s David Wildstein: “Embattled Deputy Attorney General John Nicodemo faces new allegations of prosecutorial misconduct in an explosive court filing claiming that he purposely edited out portions of a statute during his grand jury presentment seeking the indictment of a charter school business administrator in Atlantic County. Nicodemo, who faces claims of other ethics violations in other state prosecutions, is alleged to have presented ‘explicitly false testimony to the grand jury’ and deliberately hiding exculpatory evidence from them before indicting Michael Falkowski, a contract consultant who worked remotely, for awarding a $115,000 furniture contract to the founder of the Principle Academy Charter School.” —Stile: “Can Steve Fulop have it both ways on nepotism? Can he attack Menendez and support Murphy?” —“Judiciary committee to weigh largest wave of judges since May 2022” —“New Jersey officials vote to ban competitive events that kill wildlife” —“Asbury Park cop says department retaliated against him for his complaints about racism” —Moran: “Burned by Murphy, Roginsky scores a big win for women”
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TALK TO STEVE ROTHMAN — “Will Andre Sayegh challenge Rep. Bill Pascrell Jr. for Congress in 2024's NJ primary?” by The Paterson Press’ Joe Malinconico: “Political insiders in Passaic County say there’s growing speculation that Paterson Mayor Andre Sayegh may take on 27-year incumbent Rep. Bill Pascrell Jr. in June’s Democratic primary for Congress. ‘Right now, I’m just focused on being mayor of Paterson,’ Sayegh told Paterson Press on Tuesday when asked whether he would run against Pascrell. When told he could put the congressional speculation to rest by simply saying he had no plans to run in the Democratic primary, Sayegh only repeated his initial statement. … Sayegh supporters said privately that the mayor has not made a decision on a primary run. Sayegh’s campaign has been making unprecedented donations to Bergen County Democrats and groups since April — particularly to local candidates in towns in the 9th Congressional District. … Political insiders saw Sayegh’s trip last weekend to attend a climate change conference in Dubai as a sign he is eyeing something more than holding office in Paterson City Hall.”
CAPE MAYBE — “New Republican emerges as possible U.S. Senate candidate,” by New Jersey Globe’s David Wildstein: “A prominent South Jersey real estate developer and hotelier is mulling a bid for Bob Menendez’s U.S. Senate seat, the New Jersey Globe has confirmed, setting up a possible fight in the Republican primary. Curtis Bashaw, a former executive director of the New Jersey Casino Reinvestment Authority, has begun speaking with GOP county chairs as part of a due diligence effort to explore whether he wants to enter the race. The 63-year-old Cape May resident is well-known in South Jersey as a co-founder and co-managing director of Cape Advisors and Cape Resorts Group, where he led the restoration of the landmark Congress Hall hotel and other hotel projects.” THE NATIONAL MEDIA LEARNS ABOUT ‘THE LINE’ — ”The weird gimmick that may decide new jersey’s next senator” —“'It's about time' - Rep. Mikie Sherrill blasts Tuberville for blocking military promotions” —“An interview with Chris Smith”
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VIRTUAL INSANITY — “While most towns have gone back to in-person meetings, Lakewood remains virtual,” by The Asbury Park Press’ Joe Strupp: “last time the Lakewood Township Committee met in person Donald Trump was president, recreational marijuana was illegal in New Jersey, and there were only 11 confirmed cases of Covid-19 in the state. That was March 5, 2020. Since then, the governing body has only met virtually, with all meetings held via Zoom, requiring those who wish to speak to log on and wait their turn. Much has changed since 2020, but the township committee shows no signs of returning to in-person gatherings, officials said. ‘It started with Covid and we realized that we actually get more participation this way than we were getting when it was live,’ Mayor Ray Coles said.”
THE BRIAN STACK MORALITY POLICE — “New Union City legislation bans picnics, inappropriate swimwear and more in public parks,” by The Jersey Journal’s Mark Koosau: “Anyone aiming to host a picnic, relax with a beverage or bring their scooter or roller skates to a park in Union City will have to look elsewhere. Union City last month adopted an ordinance restricting multiple activities in its public parks and recreation areas. … You can’t even take a load off and sit down in your own chair in a Union City park. … The new restrictions ban scooters, roller skates, e-bikes and e-scooters, on top of the current ban on bicycles. It also bans any eating, drinking (with the exception of water), picnics and lunches. … Clothing that is deems inappropriate is banned, although the ordinance does not say who the arbiter will be in such cases.” NEWARK — “N.J. district tried to fire teachers for union activity, rulings say,” by NJ Advance Media’s Steve Strunsky: “In separate but related rulings, state arbitrators rejected attempts by the Newark Public Schools district to fire two tenured teachers after concluding they were victims of retaliation for their union activities. The pair of rulings, issued in September and last week, come more than a year after their school principal, with the district’s backing, sought to revoke the tenure and terminate the employment of teachers Sanyka Montague and Jennifer Ferrara of the Pre-K through 8 Rafael Hernandez School in June 2022.” THEY’RE HISTORY — “Ridgewood may replace historians who oppose Schedler property plan,” by The Record’s Marsha A. Stoltz: “The appointment of a new village historian is on the agenda for Wednesday's council meeting, which will replace existing historians who last week sent a letter to the State Historic Preservation Office to protest the plan for the development of the Schedler property. The letter was sent last week to Katherine Marcopul of the State Historic Preservation Office by municipal historians Peggy Norris and Joe Suplicki who are from Elmwood Park. Suplicki is also chairman of the village's Historic Preservation Commission. However, village officials say this is not retaliatory and that the appointments had already been under discussion and on the Nov. 8 meeting agenda, which was before the historians' letter was sent.” DAMN. THIS WOULD’VE SOLVED THE PROBLEM — “Jersey City council’s Gaza cease-fire resolution is doomed by five abstentions,” by The Jersey Journal’s Joshua Rosario: “A Jersey City City Council resolution calling for a cease-fire in Gaza between Israeli forces and the terrorist group Hamas failed Wednesday afternoon when five councilmembers abstained from the vote. Councilmen Yousef Saleh, Richard Boggiano and Frank Gilmore supported the symbolic resolution calling on U.S. President Joe Biden and Hudson County’s congressional delegation to demand a cease-fire in Gaza. The special meeting was called when a vote last week was postponed after dozens of residents spoke in favor of the resolution at the regular council meeting.” —“'Discriminatory and derogatory' public commentary led to Jackson lawsuits, attorney says” —“[Seaside Heights] with just 1 school considers merger with regional district” | | EVERYTHING ELSE | |
THE POWDER BROKER — “‘They’re just predators.’ How brokers make big money off people seeking addiction treatment,” by NJ Advance Media’s Karin Price Mueller: “An underground network of patient brokers impersonates reputable substance abuse treatment facilities to get referral payments, or kickbacks, that can be as high as $10,000 per patient, experts in the addiction treatment industry and patient advocates said. They operate here in New Jersey and across the country, flouting state and federal laws to deceive addicts — treating them as cash cows — at a time when they are desperate for help. ‘They are preying on people in their most vulnerable time,’ said Rachel Wallace, senior director of substance use treatment services at Carrier. … . Instead of seeing a potential patient as a sick person who needs treatment, the brokers see dollar signs, experts said.” BUCKING THE TREND — “I was attacked by a crazed deer on my wedding day, N.J. groom says,” by NJ Advance Media’s Rob Jennings: “Kevin Van Arsdale was walking his two dogs in Sussex County on the morning of his wedding last month when he says he was attacked and pinned for several minutes by a male deer. The deer — known as Melvin and several other names by its fans in parts of Andover Township — had lost its instinctive fear of people after being fed, petted and even welcomed into neighborhood homes for nearly a year, according to police. ‘He put his head down and charged me. He put me down,’ Van Arsdale, 37, told NJ Advance Media on Monday. Van Arsdale said he lost a fingernail and had a ‘pretty large scrape’ and bruising across his stomach.” —“Dead dolphin washes ashore in Sandy Hook; Investigation ongoing” —“North Jersey ADs call on NJSIAA to create spectator policy that addresses fan behavior” —“Chris Christie's niece charged in drunken scuffle with deputies at New Orleans airport”
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