| | | | |  | | By Matt Friedman | | | The feds just wished Sen. Menendez a super belated birthday. A second superseding indictment against New Jersey’s senior senator was returned Tuesday, just a day after his 70th birthday. It charges that Egypt wasn’t the only Middle Eastern country he used his former position as chair of the Committee on Foreign Relations to aid. Now, they charge, he also made comments favorable to Qatar as his co-defendant, Edgewater developer Fred Daibes, was seeking a huge investment from a fund led by a member of that wealthy nation’s royal family. Menendez, according to the indictment, even sent Daibes a heads up that the statement was about to come out in case Daibes wanted to let the Qataris know. What did Menendez get in return? Most of the alleged bribes didn’t come from the Qatari government, though the indictment says they twice provided Formula One Miami Grand Prix tickets at Menendez’s request to a relative of his wife’s. The indictment alleges Daibes was the one doing the bribing, through the cash and gold bars that have been mentioned in previous indictments. This indictment also alleges Daibes sent Menendez photos of luxury watches ranging from $10,000 to $24,000 and messaged him, “How about one of these” — though the indictment never explicitly says he bought them for him. Read more about these new allegations here. TIPS? FEEDBACK? Email me at mfriedman@politico.com HAPPY BIRTHDAY — Gabriela Mosquera, Grace Power, Andrea Katz, Hilary Chebra, Melanie Croce-Galis QUOTE OF THE DAY — "Our position in Edison Township is that they’re not welcomed here. They’re not. They’re illegal and they belong on the other side of the border. ... We don’t want them in Edison, period. That’s the bottom line.” — Edison Mayor Sam Joshi, a Democrat WHERE’S MURPHY? — In Newark at 11 a.m. for a roundtable discussion on the minimum wage, then Fairview at 5 p.m. for a swearing-in, then Hackensack at 6 p.m. for another swearing-in.
| | | | A message from AARP: New Jersey’s older residents deserve quality, affordable options for care services at home. But too many can’t afford to pay out of pocket, and they’re left waiting for Medicaid approval for services to start. While they wait, seniors who are likely to qualify for Medicaid are often forced out of their homes and into nursing homes which costs taxpayers more money. Tell Governor Murphy: Seniors can’t afford to wait. Support A4049/S3495. | | | |  | WHAT TRENTON MADE | | THE TEXAS TWO STOP — Migrant drop-offs in N.J. and Chicago escalate border wars heading into 2024, by POLITICO’s Emily Ngo, Daniel Han and Shia Kapos: New York City Mayor Eric Adams had advice Tuesday for fellow mayors experiencing an influx of migrants: Set limits like he did. After Texas Gov. Greg Abbott bused hundreds of migrants to transit stations in New Jersey’s suburbs over the weekend — an end-run around Adams’ restrictions on new arrivals — Democratic leaders in the Garden State were seriously considering the advice. The mayor of one of New Jersey’s largest municipalities [Edison] even said he arranged for a chartered bus to send migrants back to the southern border should more arrive in his town. ... New Providence, a suburb around 30 miles away from Manhattan, became the most recent New Jersey municipality with migrants bused to there from Houston, according to that town's mayor. …In Trenton, the state’s capital, Mayor Reed Gusciora said there were four buses of migrants that came to the city train station in recent days, with nearly all migrants en route to New York City. Gusciora said he was considering an executive order similar to the one Adams issued to limit migrant drop-offs, although he said he is holding off on the idea after consulting with Gov. Phil Murphy’s office. ELEC — 'Nothing I can criticize': Advocates cautiously optimistic about reshaped ELEC, by POLITICO’s Matt Friedman: Less than a year after the controversial Elections Transparency Act reshaped the Election Law Enforcement Commission in a way some feared would politicize it, the newly reorganized agency has shown signs of independence and is taking an aggressive stance in interpreting the state’s new campaign finance law. The agency hastened the release of campaign finance reports before the last election, kept key leadership in place and decided to weigh in on a controversial lawsuit that could help shape New Jersey’s new campaign finance law. While they say it’s too early to judge, the few advocates who focus on the obscure but important agency have had no complaints with the way it has handled its campaign finance watchdog role in the months since the governor and Legislature vastly increased contribution limits while dramatically shortening the amount of time ELEC had to act on alleged violations. The agency is responsible for keeping campaign finance records, enforces restrictions and runs the gubernatorial public financing program. “I’m very encouraged by the tack that the commission is taking right now,” said Antoinette Miles, interim state director of the progressive New Jersey Working Families Party. LATE TO THE PARTY — “N.J. GOP loses 40 delegate seats to ’24 national convention,” by New Jersey Globe’s David Wildstein: “New Jersey Republicans will see the size of their delegation to the 2024 Republican National Convention drop from 49 to 9 for violating a national party rule requiring delegate selection to be completed by May 31, the New Jersey Globe has confirmed. The New Jersey primary is scheduled for June 4. Bob Hugin, the GOP state chairman, had sought a waiver to allow the state to have its full complement of delegates, but the Republican National Committee rejected it That means New Jersey will go to the convention in Milwaukee with the same number of delegates as Guam and American Samoa. … In September, the Republican State Committee voted 34-0 against Hugin’s plan to cancel the primary and replace it was a state convention where roughly 650 party insiders would select the delegates. Hugin’s hands had been tied: Only the Democratic-controlled legislature and Democratic Gov. Phil Murphy could move the date of the primary.” THE PHANTOM OF THE OPRA — Republicans and some advocates were pretty excited when the Election Law Enforcement Commission voted to file an amicus brief in the Republican State Committee’s lawsuit against Jersey Freedom, the shadowy group that promoted phantom “conservative” independent candidates and didn’t disclose its funding source from South Jersey Democrats until after the election. But they must have missed that line about being careful what you wish for. ELEC filed its amicus brief Tuesday and said that the proper venue for the case is with them, not with the court. Jersey Freedom attorney Bill Tambussi had made a similar argument. “A trial court’s interpretation of the Act may lead to confusion among the regulated community, has the potential to create inconsistent and vastly different penalty outcomes for similar violations, and creates uncertainty in the Commission’s investigative and enforcement Process. To avoid disparate results for similar violations, the Commission is the appropriate authority to interpret and apply the Act,” the agency wrote in its brief. From a public perspective, we’d probably learn a lot more about Jersey Freedom if this all played out in court instead of within the agency. I hope to have more on this today. —“ELEC is investigating Jersey Freedom”
| | | | A message from AARP:   | | | PROPERTY TAXES — “NJ 2024: What about that big promise for more property-tax relief?” by NJ Spotlight News’ John Reitmeyer: “A former state treasurer and the chief data officer for a key state department are among the policy experts Gov. Phil Murphy and lawmakers picked to advance a planned overhaul of state-funded property-tax relief for New Jersey seniors. The formation of the six-member tax-relief task force in early December capped off an eventful year in New Jersey’s state efforts to ease the burden of property-tax bills that now average close to $9,500 across the state. … But among the biggest questions facing Murphy and lawmakers at the start of this new year is whether the state can continue to afford such generous property-tax relief initiatives — and to also make good on a promise to do even more. For starters, state tax collections are already showing some signs of weakness.” —“Norcross v. Polistina feud spills into public view” —“895 migrants traveled to 5 N.J. train stations, including Secaucus, before heading to NYC” —“Water beads could be banned soon. Why you should keep this toy away from kids” —“In Shore district, incumbent-toppling rabbi brings a fresh voice to the Assembly” — “NJ legal weed: 4 predictions for 2024, from better prices to home grow”
| | | | A message from AARP: New Jersey’s long-term care system is broken.
Older residents deserve quality, affordable options for care services at home—where they want to be. But too many can’t afford to pay out of pocket for this care, and they’re left waiting for Medicaid approval for services to start. While they wait, seniors who are likely to qualify for Medicaid are often forced out of their homes and into nursing homes, which costs taxpayers more money.
AARP is fighting for legislation that allows residents who are likely to qualify for Medicaid to begin receiving services in their homes when they need them. It’s time to transform our long-term care system and make it easier for New Jerseyans to age in their homes and communities. Seniors who need care should not be forced from their homes because Medicaid approval takes too long. Tell Governor Murphy: Seniors can’t afford to wait. Support A4049/S3495. | | | | | BIDEN TIME | |
‘UNITY TICKET’ IS RESERVED FOR POTENTIAL QUEEN LATIFAH CANDIDACY — South Jersey Democrats push for Biden-Murphy unity, by POLITICO’s Dustin Racioppi: Leaders of two Democratic organizations in South Jersey are urging county committees to back a unified ballot line with President Joe Biden and U.S. Senate candidate Tammy Murphy as they enter the 2024 party conventions. The joint letter from the chairs of the Camden and Gloucester Democratic committees could have broader ballot implications in the primary between Murphy and Rep. Andy Kim (D-N.J.) to replace Sen. Bob Menendez, who has not said whether he intends to seek reelection amid federal corruption charges. That's because some county committees may endorse Kim over Murphy, setting up the prospect that Biden and Murphy run "off the line" — posing a choice for local candidates and a test of New Jersey's unique ballot design system. … If he were to win the endorsement of Democrats in his home county of Burlington, for example, it's plausible that Biden and Murphy opt to run off the line. If they did, down-ballot candidates backed by their party committee would be faced with choosing to run with Kim or with Biden and Murphy.
—“Carpenters endorse Tammy Murphy for U.S. Senate” | | LOCAL | |
LITERALLY TRUE BECAUSE IT’S A LEAP YEAR — “2024 politics in Hudson: ‘It’s going to be a long year’,” by The Jersey Journal’s Mark Koosau: “The 2024 priorities for the Hudson County Democratic Organization will be helping the younger Menendez win re-election in the 8th District and helping Tammy Murphy, wife of Gov. Phil Murphy, win the primary for the elder Menendez’s Senate seat, HCDO Chairman Anthony Vainieri said. Rob Menendez faces a high-profile challenge in the June Democratic primary from Hoboken Mayor Ravi Bhalla, who officially launched his campaign last month in the wake of Menendez Sr.’s indictment. Some political insiders say Bhalla faces an uphill battle, with one observer telling The Jersey Journal that Bhalla’s challenge could cause him to be isolated from the rest of the HCDO. ‘Bhalla is running against the organization, and that’s not a way to win friends,’ the insider said. ‘If he loses the primary, I would expect to see significant support for opposition to him in the 2025 Hoboken mayoral race if he’s a candidate (there).’”
R.I.P. TIDE — “A Longport woman left her beloved Shore town two beach block lots, but will Longport accept them?” by The Philadelphia Inquirer’s Amy S. Rosenberg: “Dorothy McGee, 88, was a Longport stalwart: beach block resident, secretary of the borough’s board of education, a Miss America hostess and member of the Garden Club, second mom to the local kids who ran around the Shore town with her children. After McGee died on Nov. 18, Longport found out she had bequeathed one more gift to them: two vacant beach block lots on 22nd Avenue next to her home. Her basic stipulation: a park in her name, with a gazebo. “It caught me totally by surprise,” said Mayor Nick Russo. The current assessment for each lot is at least $1.7 million, though most likely worth more in the current Shore real estate market. The borough collects $17,500 in taxes on each undeveloped lot. A developed lot would likely yield twice that.” —“Dodd says it’s not over in Dover” — “Hernandez jumps right into purple Parsippany” —“Wyckoff Township Committee member resigns after one year in office” —“Atlantic City and Pleasantville municipal courts merge” —“Lower Township, Wildwood Crest combine municipal courts” | | EVERYTHING ELSE | |
BOBCATS RECOVERING BUT BOBMENENDEZES NOW ENDANGERED — “Endangered since the 1990s, NJ's bobcat population is now on the rise,’” by The Record’s Manahil Ahmad: “New Jersey’s bobcat population has witnessed a significant surge, pointing to positive strides in conservation efforts, according to a recent study by the Department of Environmental Protection. The study, delving into the habitats and population density of bobcats, estimates a striking increase, indicating there are 200 to 400 bobcats thriving in the Garden State. This marks a substantial rise from previous statistics and indicates a successful response to conservation initiatives. Historically, bobcats faced challenges in New Jersey stemming from habitat loss, hunting, human conflicts and road accidents.”
MEOWAH — “Who lives in NJ college dorms these days? Cats, dogs, gerbils, rabbits. But no tarantulas,” by The Record’s Scott Fallon: “Frank Kouadio couldn't bear to leave his cat, Cléo, at his Maryland home when it was time to move to Ramapo College's campus last year after taking online courses during the pandemic. So Cléo traveled with Kouadio to Mahwah. Kouadio requested a letter from a therapist saying his gray-and-white tabby is an emotional support animal who eases his anxiety. Cléo has now lived for more than a year in a dormitory … Pets have long comforted those with anxiety, depression, phobias or other mental health issues, and under the Fair Housing Act, owners have a right to live with their emotional support animals anywhere — including dormitories — so long as a clinician signs off on it. … Montclair State has about 25 emotional support animals in dorms each year, mostly dogs, cats, gerbils, rabbits and birds. One student requested permission to bring his tarantula to live on campus. Administrators declined because it was a spider. … Kouadio is one of 31 students at Ramapo this fall with emotional support animals.” GUTTENBERG RESIDENTS GUTTED — “Who invented the printing press? Not who you think. NJ student aims to set record straight,” by The Record’s Ricardo Kaulessar: “[Nicholas] Yoo, a senior at the private Delbarton School in Morris Township, created the Historia Project after being inspired by an assignment in his Advanced Placement world history class in the spring of 2022. … In doing research for the class, Yoo found that although 15th-century German inventor Johannes Guttenberg is known as the ‘father of the printing press,’ an article published by MIT led him to consider otherwise. Woodblock printing dates back to the ninth century in China, although historians do credit Guttenberg with creating a technology for mass-producing books that triggered an information revolution. The printing press ‘was actually from China, long before it had even reached Europe,’ Yoo said.” —“NJ hospitals reinstate masking and visitor restrictions as COVID, flu and RSV spread” —“Invasive blue catfish threaten marine ecosystems in Delaware River Watershed” —“Holiday flu and COVID-19 cases slam NJ”
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