| | | | |  | | By Matt Friedman | Presented by McDonald's | Two weeks ago I told you that the Camden Redevelopment Agency voted to hire attorney Robert R. Simons — a former county assistant prosecutor with a background in criminal law — for “special counsel services.” The agency gave no clue at the time as to the reason for the hiring, but it came months after we learned from NJ Advance Media and The Philadelphia Inquirer that state authorities were looking into real estate deals tied to power broker George Norcross. The newly available resolution on Simons’ hiring and his contract agreement tell us a little more info. He’s being paid $200 per hour to represent James Harveson, who retired in 2019 as the agency’s director of economic development, relating to “documents produced by the Agency and the knowledge of Mr. Harveson as to certain CRA projects.” I’m told from several sources that Harveson was subpoenaed for grand jury testimony. And while I haven’t confirmed others have as well, it’s doubtful they’d call up just one person. Harveson has been long retired but his tenure coincides with the agency’s part in a dispute with Victor Lofts developer Carl Dranoff that reportedly is part of this investigation. Haverson is mentioned in a lawsuit Camden filed against Dranoff, who as part of a long-running legal fight around property surrounding it, which was recently settled — not happily, at least in Dranoff’s case. I couldn’t find a contact for Harveson, but I called around about this and got a statement from Camden Mayor Vic Carstarphen: “We hope that as part of this process, the AG will soon visit us in Camden to learn about the great things the Dranoff settlement will do to benefit our city after years of inaction.” We’ll see where this leads, but it’s clear this investigation didn’t die on the vine. Grand jury testimony seems like a big escalation. TIPS? FEEDBACK? Email me at mfriedman@politico.com | | | | A message from McDonald's: From 2021 to 2022, the McDonald’s System contributed over $830 million to New Jersey’s economy, supporting over 17,000 jobs statewide. McDonald’s presence in local communities throughout New Jersey generated nearly $150 million in federal, state and local tax revenue, providing funding for public schools, infrastructure, parks and more. Learn more about McDonald’s impact on local communities in New Jersey and nationally by visiting https://www.mcdeconomicimpact.com/state-impacts/nj. | | |
QUOTE OF THE DAY: “My wife and I recently took a walk through the park (and) counted one bird.” — Famous former youth basketball coach Bob Hurley, who’s on the payroll of a foundation funded by Paul Fireman, who wants to see Liberty State Park host a massive sports complex and has tried to expand his neighboring golf course into wildlife sanctuary parkland.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY — George Washington WHERE’S MURPHY? — In Washington. Acting Gov. Way is in Newark for a Black History Month celebration at noon, then in Garfield at 7:30 p.m. to speak at an African American Chamber of Commerce of New Jersey event. |  | WHAT TRENTON MADE | | |
RASING THE STAKES — Housing, baby bonds and reparations: Newark Mayor Ras Baraka lays out progressive overhaul for New Jersey, by POLITICO’s Daniel Han: Newark Mayor Ras Baraka is charting out an unabashedly progressive lane in the primary to succeed Democratic Gov. Phil Murphy, eschewing what he described as incremental centrist politics. During an hour-long event at Rowan University Tuesday night, Baraka hinted at what his gubernatorial agenda for New Jersey would look like: Affordable housing, reparations, baby bonds, desegregating schools and increasing taxes on corporations and the wealthy. “We’re still in a moderate kind of slow-paced walk,” he said. “And we have not gone as far as we can go.” … When asked at the event if Newark should continue to be a "sanctuary city" — where local officials limit their cooperation with federal immigration authorities, a policy that the Murphy administration has also implemented — Baraka was unequivocal. “I mean, that's like asking me: ‘Should America continue to be a democracy?” he said.
(OUT ON THE) STREET (FORMER) COP — “Controversial police training firm files for bankruptcy, blames New Jersey investigations,” by New Jersey Monitor’s Dana DiFilippo: “Street Cop, the police training company under investigation for a controversial conference it hosted in Atlantic City in 2021, has declared bankruptcy. Owner Dennis Benigno filed the petition late last month, one day after he said the state Attorney General’s Office warned him it would seek monetary penalties as part of its probe into a Street Cop conference the state Comptroller’s Office said glorified violence, encouraged insubordination, and promoted unconstitutional policing tactics.’ … Benigno founded Street Cop in 2012 after stints as an officer in the Woodbridge police department, Middlesex County Department of Corrections, and U.S. Park Police … In court filings this month, Benigno cited as his reasons for filing bankruptcy the Post’s ‘politically motivated hit piece,’ other media coverage, and the comptroller’s investigation.’ | | | | SUBSCRIBE TO GLOBAL PLAYBOOK: Don’t miss out on POLITICO’s Global Playbook, the newsletter taking you inside pivotal discussions at the most influential gatherings in the world, including WEF in Davos, Milken Global in Beverly Hills, to UNGA in NYC and many more. Suzanne Lynch delivers the world's elite and influential moments directly to you. Stay in the global loop. SUBSCRIBE NOW. | | | | |
RAPE KITS — “NJ has large backlog of untested rape kits, despite state's claim of no backlog,” by News 12’s Walt Kane: “A Kane In Your Corner investigation finds three out of four rape kits in New Jersey are backlogged, even as state officials claim there is no backlog. And some advocates say New Jersey’s policy of allowing prosecutors to choose not to test kits, even when victims want them tested, is leaving dangerous criminals on the street … Attorney General Matt Platkin made the claim in an interview with Kane In Your Corner in March 2023. A 2018 audit by the Office of Legislative Services reached the same conclusion. But when Kane In Your Corner analyzed three years of data on rape kit inventories in New Jersey, they found 74% of rape kits .. take longer than 30 days to test. That’s the definition the federal government uses to classify a kit as ‘backlogged.’ … Patricia Teffenhart, who heads the Division of Violence Intervention and Victim Assistance at NJOAG, says the agency did not accept the federal government’s definition of a kit as backlogged after 30 days but declined to provide a definition of its own.”
HEALTH — “N.J. psychiatric hospitals are like prisons that put patients in danger every day, lawsuit says,” by NJ Advance Media’s Susan K. Livio: “An advocacy group for people with disabilities sued the Murphy Administration Tuesday for running the state’s public psychiatric hospitals like prisons, where patients have been sexually and physically assaulted, deprived of basic necessities like water and kept months — and even years — beyond their discharge date. Disability Rights New Jersey, a federally funded advocacy organization, described grim conditions for many of the 1,150 patients at the Ancora Psychiatric Hospital in Winslow, Greystone Park Psychiatric Hospital in Parsippany, Trenton Psychiatric Hospital and Ann Klein Forensic Center in Trenton and Ewing … The lawsuit highlighted seven ‘unexpected deaths’ that Disability Rights said warranted further investigation … The lawsuit described one patient at Ancora who was sexually assaulted by another patient and an employee while she was waiting to be discharged.” | | | | A message from McDonald's:   | | |
CALLING A SPADEA A SPADEA — “Ex-Trump advisors form super PAC to curb Spadea,” by New Jersey Globe’s David Wildstein: “Former top advisors to Donald Trump have formed a new super PAC aimed at cutting off Bill Spadea’s ability to expand his coalition heading into the 2025 GOP gubernatorial primary, a move that potentially boosts the electoral prospects of Jack Ciattarelli. Kitchen Table Conservatives will include Kellyanne Conway, a Bergen County resident who served as Trump’s 2016 campaign manager and White House advisor, and Larry Weitzner, a New Jersey native who was the lead ad maker for Trump’s 2016 and 2020 presidential races … Their first digital ad will go up [Thursday], with a clip of Spadea criticizing Trump.”
—“Offshore wind farms off NJ, NY scrutinized over environmental impacts” —“Some New Jersey patients can’t access medicine due to insurance hurdles. A new law is trying to speed up the prior authorization process” —“Baraka candidacy could mean trouble for two Essex lawmakers” —“Making NJ more affordable, but for whom?” | | BIDEN TIME | |
BLURRED LINES — “Dueling county endorsements for Senate might create headaches for N.J. congressional candidates,” by New Jersey Globe’s Joey Fox: “[Andy] Kim and [Tammy] Murphy have already each won one county line and are set to win several more, creating an awkward balancing act for potentially as many as four Democratic members of Congress running for re-election this year – three of whom have endorsed Murphy. For one such congressman, Rep. Frank Pallone (D-Long Branch), that predicament is not hypothetical. Pallone is a strong Murphy backer, but at the Democratic convention in Pallone’s home of Monmouth County, Kim beat Murphy 57%-39%, forcing Pallone to choose between bracketing with Kim or rejecting the Monmouth Democratic line in order to stick with Murphy.”
GOTJOHNSON’SBACKHEIMER — “House Democrat floats Mike Johnson protection measure,” by Axios’ Andrew Solender: “A moderate House Democrat is circulating a resolution to protect Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) from a potential removal attempt by one of his party's hardliners, Axios has learned … Centrist Democrats have floated protecting Johnson to give him room to put bipartisan legislation on the floor. The resolution, authored by Rep. Josh Gottheimer (D-N.J.), would require Democratic or Republican party leadership to sanction any vote to vacate the speaker's chair, according to a copy obtained by Axios.” | | | | A message from McDonald's: McDonald’s is an economic engine for the state of New Jersey, contributing over $830 million to our state’s economy, directly employing nearly 13,800 New Jerseyans and supporting an additional 3,200 jobs statewide. It’s also an engine of opportunity: 1 in 8 independent McDonald’s operators in New Jersey began their careers as restaurant crew members, generating wealth for their families and local communities. We are proud to support New Jersey through public schools, parks and more from the nearly $150 million in federal, state and local tax revenue generated by the McDonald’s System’s activities. And thanks to the generosity of McDonald’s customers and owner/operators, the $660,000 raised through Ronald McDonald House Charities in 2022 provided over 6,600 overnight stays for families with children receiving medical care in New Jersey. Learn more about McDonald’s impact on local communities in New Jersey and nationally by visiting https://www.mcdeconomicimpact.com/state-impacts/nj. | | |
—“Kean retreats to ‘hiding hole’ with Speaker Johnson,” by InsiderNJ’s Fred Snowflack: “Mike Johnson, the Speaker of the House, emerged from the Grain House restaurant at about 1:30 p.m, hopped into an SUV and was off; his fundraising duties for Rep. Thomas H. Kean Jr. apparently complete … The [Bernards Township] fundraiser reportedly was originally scheduled for Springfield, prompting an opposition rally by Democrats and liberal groups in a township park …Altman said of Kean: ‘You get to go to Congress – the honor of a lifetime. … And yet, you go to Washington and you never come out of your little hiding hole. You never come to meet your constituents.’ On one hand, this is political rhetoric. Yet, it is also true that dating back to the 2022 campaign, Kean has avoided most interviews with the press and public interactions of just about any kind. His office has not yet responded to a request for comment on the Speaker’s visit.”
—Sherrill: “The SALT deduction cap hurts N.J. families. I'm fighting to repeal it” —“Ponzi schemer Eliyahu 'Eli' Weinstein indicted in swindle involving war-torn Ukraine” —“Fox News considers advice from Atlantic City's Callaway” —“Former U.S. Attorney Paul Fishman represents James Biden” | | LOCAL | |
THE FISCAL CLIFFS OF DOVER — “Auditor: Worst bookkeeping 'I've ever seen' leaves North Jersey town in financial pain,” by The Daily Record’s William Westhoven: “The Dover council absorbed a sobering report last week from an auditor who said the 2022 financial reports he reviewed from the Morris County town are in ‘by far the worst condition of any records I've ever seen in 27 years.’ The council will have ‘difficult choices’ when it comes to its budget, he said. ‘I don't want to be a bad guy, but I'm being as blunt as possible because I think you need to understand where Dover was so I can see a path forward,’ said John Mooney of Nisivoccia, the Mount Arlington-based auditing firm that provides similar services to more than 200 municipalities.”
IS THAT WHAT YOU GET FOR YOUR MONEY? — “What’s holding up ‘world-class’ park on banks of Hackensack River? Plan to plant trees for COVID-19 memorial was nixed,” by The Jersey Journal’s Ron Zeitlinger: “A grove of trees planned as a tribute to COVID-19 victims at a proposed Jersey City waterfront park has been rejected and a memorial garden will be created instead, according to draft plans for long-delayed Skyway Park. Initial plans for the park, on the former toxic PJP Landfill site on the banks of the Hackensack River, included hundreds of trees, but the city was forced to alter the project when the state Department of Environmental (DEP) refused to allow trees there because the roots could eventually impact the cap over the contaminated soil.” | | | | Don’t sleep on it. Get breaking New York policy from POLITICO Pro—the platform that never sleeps—and use our Legislative Tracker to see what’s on the Albany agenda. Learn more. | | | | |
FREE PARK — “Longport votes to accept the two beach block lots willed to them by Dorothy McGee,” by The Philadelphia Inquirer’s Amy S. Rosenberg: “The Shore borough of Longport said thank you very much Wednesday and officially accepted the gift of two valuable beach block lots from the estate of longtime resident Dorothy McGee, agreeing to build a park in her name with flowers, benches and a 3-foot-high fence. McGee’s requirements in her will were relatively few for the property bordered on one side by a golden-colored brick sidewalk, on a street with a grassy median and a bird feeder. And her price was equally golden for the two lots, each valued at about $1.7 million: zero, though the borough and any donors will fund the park’s construction.”
YOUR TAX BUCKS AT WORK — “Raging deer causes Howell students to shelter in place, say police,” by The Asbury Park Press’ Amanda Oglesby: “Students and staff of the Griebling School were told to shelter in place on Tuesday when a four-legged intruder attacked one of the school's doors, according to Howell Township Police. A deer rammed the door hard enough to leave a spider web pattern in the cracked glass, police said in a Facebook post. ‘This just goes to show how good the quality of education is at Griebling… the deer are trying to break in to join the kids,’ police wrote. The deer was stunned, but not seriously injured, authorities said.” —“Hoboken council members agree to pull competing agenda items about cannabis” —“Shabazz wants Atlantic City Housing Authority leaders held accountable for conditions” —“Long Branch cop cleared by state grand jury in death of woman in crash following burglary” —“Average Spring Lake home costs $3M. Here's how they're trying to build affordable housing” —“Edison won't create public advocate post this year. Here's what it'll do instead” —“Sayreville sued after rejecting tax plan for massive industrial park” | | EVERYTHING ELSE | |
ALTURISTIC — “N.J. man spends hours each day picking up cigarette butts,” by Bill Duhart for NJ.com: “Jim Alturo said he often spends nearly 3 hours a day walking the streets around his retirement community in Cinnaminson, near the busy Route 130 corridor in Burlington County. Alturo, 70, said his mid-afternoon walks became a habit about 2 years ago after he noticed how much trash, especially cigarette butts, littered the sidewalks around his apartment building. He decided to do something about it … He decided to donate a penny to the American Lung Association for every cigarette butt he collected. He also set a goal of 15,000 when he started in August of 2022. But when he ended up collecting 24,185, his wallet was a little lighter, but it inspired him to aim higher. His goal is to collect 35,000 this year and he promotes the campaign through a website linked to the Lung Association to get others to donate for his effort to raise $35,000.”
—“Authorities seize nearly 100 maltreated dogs from Vernon rescue group” —“N.J. man sentenced after using COVID loan he shouldn’t have gotten to buy a Lamborghini”
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