| | | | |  | | By Matt Friedman | Presented by Atlantic Shores Offshore Wind | Good Thursday morning! They say the house always wins. Even, it turns out, at the Statehouse. Even though the majority of state lawmakers are at least co-sponsors of the bill to ban smoking in parts of Atlantic City casinos, the bill’s top backer told me he doesn’t expect it to move in lame duck. The ban, which stalled on Nov. 30 in the Senate Health, Human Services and Senior Citizens Committee when several members who had been supportive of it balked, was scheduled for another try today. But the committee’s chair and smoking ban’s biggest backer, state Sen. Joe Vitale, said he’s pulling the bill from the agenda because it still doesn’t have the votes. "There were several co-sponsors who have decided to take their names off the bill for reasons that are unknown to me. Other than that I’ve heard from one or two members, particularly on the other side of the aisle, that they wanted to consider some of the amendments being offered by the industry,” Vitale said in a phone interview. “They’re the same idiotic ideas that have been floated for years." Those “idiotic” ideas include enclosed smoking rooms — an idea that UAW President Shawn Fain, whose union represents the workers most affected by second-hand smoke — has called “preposterous.” This comes despite a recent poll commissioned by CEASE, the main advocacy group for the ban that found three-quarters of Philadelphia-area residents said they’d be more likely to visit a casino if it were completely smoke-free, which cuts against the casino industry’s argument that they’d lose business. In a statement Wednesday evening, CEASE refused to give up during lame duck, urging Senate President Nick Scutari to send the bill directly to the floor and saying they were stunned that state Sen. Vince Polistina refused to sub in on the committee and cast a key vote in favor of the bill. “. He has been with us at rallies for the last two-and-a-half years, he’s said all the right things, and he was supposed to be there for us when the rubber met the road. Instead, he’s MIA,” the group said in a statement. Polistina, for his part, announced he would introduce a bill with some compromises requested by the industry — which , again, doesn’t bode well for the bill. TIPS? FEEDBACK? Email me at mfriedman@politico.com HAPPY BIRTHDAY — My cousin Kevin QUOTE OF THE DAY: “I think the Texas Supreme Court was wrong. And I think that, in a situation like this, you’re not protecting any life because the child clearly has been diagnosed with having a fatal illness. So all you’re doing is putting the life of the mother at risk by making her carry it to term.” — Chris Christie on the Texas abortion case making headlines WHERE’S MURPHY? — In Trenton to speak at an ARRIVE Together event
| | | | A message from Atlantic Shores Offshore Wind: Atlantic Shores Offshore Wind is developing the most economically, environmentally, and socially responsible renewable energy solutions for New Jersey. While a misinformation campaign is trying to muddy the waters, the reality is simple. The team is led by purpose-driven professionals with deep roots in environmental science who follow the data and place the environment first. Offshore wind is being developed responsibly, in a way that protects marine life and their habitats. Learn more. | | | |  | WHAT TRENTON MADE | |
AND THEY WOULD HAVE GOTTEN AWAY WITH IT IF IT WASN’T FOR YOU MEDDLING COMMISSIONERS —“N.J. cannabis industry faces showdown between regulators and Big Weed. Top Dem is unhappy,” by NJ Advance Media’s Jelani Gibson: “New Jersey cannabis regulators last week once again fined a large cannabis operator and chastised others for alleged union violations, while legislative sources say the president of the state Senate has been unhappy with those moves by the Cannabis Regulatory Commission and may seek to change how it’s structured. State Senate President Nick Scutari, D-Union, has mulled pushing a bill to revamp parts of the commission — including possibly making it part-time — during the state Legislature’s current lame-duck session, according to two legislative sources … Scutari, who primarily authored the state’s cannabis legalization bill, feels there has been too much ‘meddling and obstruction,’ the source said.”
—“Abandoned NJ amusement park to be demolished, returned to natural green space” HOUSING — “NJ speeds up giving out mortgage aid to prevent foreclosures but still trails other states,” by The Record’s Ashley Balcerzak: “New Jersey is starting to pass out money more quickly to help struggling homeowners avoid foreclosure and working out some of the earlier kinks in a federal mortgage aid program. Overall, the Garden State distributed about a third of the multimillion-dollar pot of federal money over the nearly two years the fund has been operating … ‘We get the impression that HMFA is making an effort to make this go better,’ said Maryann Flanigan of Legal Services of New Jersey, who helps clients having problems with the application process. We see the difference, and it seems like the response times are moving faster.’” —“New Jersey homeowners call tax foreclosure law unconstitutional,” by Bloomberg’s Richard Tzul: “Former homeowners alleged in a proposed class action lawsuit that New Jersey owes them damages for unlawful takings of their homes under tax foreclosure sales that didn’t provide them just compensation. The plaintiffs said the US Supreme Court’s May ruling in Tyler v. Hennepin County found that a tax foreclosure amounts to an illegal taking when the excess value of the property’s tax delinquency isn’t passed to the former homeowner. The complaint requested the New Jersey Superior Court find that a statute that governs tax foreclosures … to be unconstitutional.” —“Millville man can’t be charged with decades-old sexual assault, N.J. Supreme Court rules” —“Devine turns down probation, charges that he filed fake petitions now heads to a grand jury”
| | | | A message from Atlantic Shores Offshore Wind:   | | | | | BIDEN TIME | |
HIGH STEAKS — “Did Bob Menendez’s donors know they were paying for $64 steaks?” by The NEw Republic’s Ken Silverstein: “When it comes to the art of living well on political contributions, though, Menendez operates at masterclass level, and Morton’s is merely the proverbial tip of the iceberg. During the past two decades, he dished out about $4.3 million from his campaign treasuries and New Millennium Leadership PAC for food, drink, catering, travel, and other lifestyle enhancers. That works out to an average of more than $200,000 per year, well above his current annual Senate salary of $174,000 ,... Even better, the money appropriated by Menendez … to cover the cost of these indulgences is effectively tax-free income, so its true value is far higher than the per capita figure … Expansive use of New Millennium’s treasury on Menendez’s part is unlikely to run afoul of campaign finance laws if only because the FEC is an utterly feckless political watchdog”
THE STRAW POLL THAT BROKE THE MURPHY’S BACK — “Andy Kim beats Tammy Murphy in straw poll Of Monmouth Dem leaders,” by New Jersey Globe’s David Wildstein: “In the first straw poll conducted among Democratic Party establishment leaders in Monmouth County for New Jersey’s U.S. Senate race, Rep. Andy Kim defeated First Lady Tammy Murphy by a 2-1 margin. Monmouth could be an important early battleground between Kim, whose congressional district includes ten municipalities in western Monmouth County, and favorite daughter Murphy, who lives in Middletown with her husband, Gov. Phil Murphy. The vote suggests that while Murphy has secured endorsements from many of the state’s most powerful Democratic insiders, she has not closed the deal on a group of Democratic influencers sitting in the middle between powerbrokers and rank-and-file Democratic primary voters.” KEAN THEN SPRINTED TO THE ELEVATOR — New Jersey House members vote along party lines in impeachment inquiry vote, by POLITICO’s Lawrence Ukenye: Reps. Chris Smith, Jeff Van Drew and Tom Kean Jr. joined 218 Republicans in passing a party-line resolution to formalize an impeachment inquiry into President Joe Biden. Van Drew, who sits on the House Judiciary Committee that's participated in investigations into Biden, also appeared in a video produced by the Republicans explaining the party’s inquiry. —“Progressives want every Senate candidate from NJ to back a change to state's ballot designs”
| | | | A message from Atlantic Shores Offshore Wind: Atlantic Shores Offshore Wind is developing the most economically, environmentally, and socially responsible renewable energy solutions for New Jersey.
While a misinformation campaign is trying to muddy the waters, the reality is simple.
Atlantic Shores is led by a team of purpose-driven professionals with deep roots in environmental science who believe how the work is done is as important as the work itself. The team knows that progress toward New Jersey's energy future is made by following the data and placing the environment first.
The truth is that offshore wind is being developed responsibly, in a way that supports fishing and fisheries and protects marine life and their habitats. To ensure harmony with the environment, science drives every decision.
The current project is the first phase of a long-term commitment to New Jersey that will help set the standard for the offshore wind industry across the country. Learn more. | | | | | LOCAL | |
JACKSONIAN DEMOCRACY — “Jackson was sued for antisemitism. At settlement meeting, residents blame Orthodox Jews,” by The Asbury Park Press’ Mike Davis: “More than six years ago, a standing-room-only crowd erupted into applause when the Jackson Township Council approved ordinances banning the construction of new schools and dormitories. The crowd on Tuesday night was even bigger — so big that the meeting was moved to the high school auditorium. But this time, there was little applause as those 2017 ordinances were replaced by new regulations reclassifying schools, dormitories and other religious developments as permitted uses. There were groans. And booing. Residents shouted down any suggestion that it was their own antisemitic rhetoric — in public meetings or online — that led to these new ordinances, the settlements that required them and the lawsuits that preceded them. Even as they painted the town's booming Orthodox Jewish community — the only people looking to build schools or dormitories — as guilty of ‘getting everything they want.’ Of a ‘hostile takeover.’ Even a ‘cultural genocide.’”
— “Does hate have a home here? Monmouth, Ocean towns see high number of bias incidents in 2022,” by The Asbury Park Press’ Ken Serrano: “In April of last year, a 60-year-old Black Toms River man took a wrong turn on the way to a quarry in Manchester and ended up looking down the barrel of a loaded shotgun wielded by a 54-year-old white woman, police said. By both state and federal standards, bias and hate like the Manchester incident are thriving, especially in places in Monmouth and Ocean counties. Howell, Ocean and Lakewood saw three out of the four highest bias incident totals in New Jersey last year, according to statistics maintained by the New Jersey State Police.” A MONDAY NIGHT AT THE ROXBURY — “Roxbury Board of Ed gives thumbs up to state transgender policy,” by InsiderNJ’s Fred Snowflack: “For the second time in a few weeks, a board of education has reaffirmed a state policy that protects transgender students. The Monday night vote in this Morris County town followed a similar action late last month in Old Bridge in Middlesex County … It’s hazardous to read too much into one election, but last month’s results tell us state voters are not nearly as unhappy with New Jersey public schools as the GOP’s campaign rhetoric suggested. In Roxbury, the board agreed to get rid of the policy at an earlier meeting, but when it came to a final vote on Monday – it backed keeping the policy intact in a 6-3 vote.” PROTECT YA TEANECK — “The Israel-Hamas war tears at Teaneck's inclusive tradition. Can it be fixed?” by The Record’s Mike Kelly: “For Teaneck, which promotes itself as welcoming all manner of religions, races and ethnic groups and once had a Muslim mayor and a Jewish deputy mayor, such a scene raises questions that some say challenges the soul of the community. Long touted as a national model of inclusiveness — it was the first U.S. community to voluntarily desegregate its schools through busing in 1965 — Teaneck suddenly finds itself struggling to find the right way to address the Middle East crisis. During several weeks of interviews, many residents, ranging from religious and political leaders to students, pointed to a suddenly thorny conundrum: How can a town which boasts of finding common ground for its 39,000 residents on all manner of local issues now find the key to respectful discussions of a faraway problem that seems elude common ground and yet affects so many residents?” PATERSON — “Attorney General won't pair cops with mental health pros on Paterson 911 calls,” by The Paterson Press’ Joe Malinconico: “Facing criticism from local social justice activists, the New Jersey Attorney General’s Office won't have Paterson police officers team up with mental health professionals on 911 calls.. The program, called Arrive Together, won praise in a study earlier this year by the Brookings Institution take … as a way to defuse volatile encounters between cops and people going through emotional crisis. … But after the fatal Paterson police shooting of Najee Seabrooks on March 3, activists faulted the Arrive Together program because of its law enforcement involvement and asserted that mental health workers should go out on those 911 calls without cops.” COLLEGE STUDENTS’ HOPES FOR A SEMESTER IN SECAUCUS HAVE BEEN DASHED — “Secaucus puts limit on hotel stays to prevent guests from overstaying their welcome,” by NJ Advance Media’s Mark Koosau: “Secaucus has a message for visitors: Thanks for coming, now thanks for leaving. In a move to ensure people don’t overstay their welcome at the town’s hotels, the town unanimously adopted an ordinance Tuesday that limits hotel and motel stays in town to 90 days, and also prevents any hotels from being used as emergency shelter or housing unless authorized by the town. Town officials say the ordinance was not approved to keep hotels from accepting migrants who are seeking asylum from other locations. But it was created as the new operator of the currently closed Empire Hotel — who was accused of attempting to house migrants in its Rockland County, New York hotel earlier this year — attempts to reopen the hotel.” —“Voters reject plans to renovate schools in 3 N.J. districts” —“Belmar bar fight over claims of political intimidation ends with $2.81M payout” —“Judge tosses 'fishing expedition' lawsuit in battle over marijuana farm in Hunterdon” —“McGreevey promises overhaul of Jersey City’s 911 center, new technology, new departments if elected” | | EVERYTHING ELSE | |
TUITION WENT UP 6% THIS YEAR — “Rutgers football coach Greg Schiano receives contract extension, pay increase,” by The Record’s Chris Iseman: “Rutgers football coach Greg Schiano has agreed to a contract extension that will keep him at the helm of the Scarlet Knights through 2030, the University announced Wednesday. Schiano had four years left on the original eight-year contract that he signed in December, 2019. … Schiano, the program’s winningest coach, has led the Scarlet Knights this season to a 6-6 record, their best season since 2014. … Under terms of the new contract, Schiano’s compensation will rise to $6.25 million from $4 million in 2024. Schiano will receive pay increases each year, up to $7.75 million that he'll receive for the 2029 season.”
—“Students for Justice in Palestine decries ‘double standard’ after Rutgers suspends chapter” BURYING THE LEAD: APPARENTLY MTV STILL EXISTS — “MTV salutes NJ hip-hop with big 'Celebration' featuring Queen Latifah, Wyclef Jean,” by The Asbury Park Press’ Chris Jordan: “Queen Latifah, Wyclef Jean, and Treach from Naughty by Nature will perform in the star-studded “MTV Unplugged Presents: A Hip-Hop 50th Celebration of Jersey’s Finest,” which airs at 9 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 14, on MTV. Redman. Poor Righteous Teachers, Heather B, the Sugarhill Gang, Lady Luck and Lords of the Underground will also take the stage. The performance was taped in November at Newark Symphony Hall on Broad Street." —“Please don’t let Bell Labs and Murray Hill fade from history | Opinion”
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