| | | | |  | | By Matt Friedman | | Presented by |  | | | Bill Spadea, a Republican candidate for governor in 2025, has a right to say anything he wants and support to anyone he wants. And I have a right — I think a responsibility — to acknowledge the message Spadea’s sending: That bigots are perfectly welcome under his tent. You can call me a scold, but I’m not passing a moral judgment. Don’t get me wrong: I think calling people the N-word and F-word is repulsive. I also understand that we’re all human and make mistakes. But using your public and political persona to defend people who do it is another matter. During congressional redistricting in 2021, the Republican team took issue with Princeton Professor Sam Wang, who aided tiebreaker John Wallace Jr. They said Wang was biased. One example they used was Wang’s 2018 tweet that some Trump supporters are racist and “the rest are okay with racists in their coalition.” New Jersey Republicans can prove Wang wrong right now. Clark Mayor Sal Bonaccorso, a Republican, was caught on tape using the N-word with no mitigating context and saying, among many other things, “We fucking hang the spooks up there.” He only apologized after NJ Advance Media wrote about it following the town council’s attempt to keep the tapes secret with a $400,000 lawsuit settlement. Most Republicans were quiet on the controversy, but the mayor maintained party support and is on a glide path to reelection. This also happened: A Red Sox player with no known connection to New Jersey politics called a taunting fan a “fucking faggot.” Neither of those things is a crime. But you’re not under an obligation to defend the honor of the people who said them. After Bonaccorso’s slurs surfaced, Spadea hosted him on his radio show, marched with him in a parade and raised money for him. On his show, Spadea brought the Red Sox player up unprompted to lament that the player was suspended for two games — two whole games! — and then tried to vaguely connect the exchange to New Jersey state law. If you look at Spadea’s campaign, he has plenty of support and at the very least tolerance among mainstream New Jersey politicians and some organizations. Most of them just ignore his rhetoric. That’s how the Overton window has shifted. This stuff would once be relegated to the fringe. No longer. At the same time, Spadea is using a kind of double-speak. You’re not going to hear him explicitly state that he welcomes racist and homophobic rhetoric, even while he does exactly that. Everyone should look at what Spadea’s doing — not just the people who like it. Face the reality and decide if you're cool with it. Read more about it here. TIPS? FEEDBACK? Email me at mfriedman@politico.com. QUOTE OF THE DAY: “We’re planning to go to war with these other unions. In the labor movement, there are a lot of old white dudes who have been around forever, and they look like management, they sound like management, they dress like management.” — UAW Region 9’s Daniel Vincente, who represents casino workers fighting for a smoking ban HAPPY BIRTHDAY — Derek Harper, Paul Mulshine, Benjamin Steltzer, Henrique Ferreira, Joseph “Rudy” Rullo WHERE’S MURPHY? Canada for a trade mission
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DISNEY'S THE (ALLEGED) RACKETEER — "Philly developer Carl Dranoff sues George Norcross and his brother Philip following criminal racketeering indictment," by The Philadelphia Inquirer's Jeremy Roebuck and Andrew Seidman: "A key potential witness in the racketeering case against George E. Norcross III has sued him, less than three months after a state grand jury accused the New Jersey power broker of using threats and intimidation to secure the rights to lucrative waterfront property in Camden. The lawsuit, filed Wednesday by Philadelphia developer Carl Dranoff in Camden County Superior Court, includes many of the same allegations in the criminal indictment New Jersey Attorney General Matt Platkin unveiled in June. It also mirrors accusations Dranoff previously lodged against Norcross in a separate 2018 civil suit against the City of Camden, which ended in a settlement last year. ... The complaint, which also names Norcross’ brother Philip as a defendant, asks the court to award Dranoff more than $50 million in damages on claims including civil conspiracy, tortious interference, and racketeering."
SEGUCATION — “Facing entrenched school segregation, New Jersey tries something new,” by The New York Times’ Tracey Tully: “The next mediation session is set for Friday, just as a new school year is beginning for New Jersey’s 1.4 million public school students. The state’s negotiating team, led by the attorney general’s office and education department officials, has been in talks with the plaintiffs now for nearly 10 months. People with knowledge of the confidential discussions say they are nearing a pivotal moment and that success is far from certain. The shake-up contemplated, according to legal filings, would be voluntary for families and would be likely to include a number of remedies, including an expansion of a program that lets a small number of children attend schools outside their home districts and adjustments to the state’s vocational school network. New magnet schools, based in cities with specialized curriculums, would be expected to attract an economically and racially diverse group of students from the surrounding region. If implemented, the changes would reflect the most consequential shift in education policy in decades in a state already known for taking strides toward addressing school inequities.” TO BE ANNOUNCED ON A FRIDAY AFTERNOON BEFORE A HOLIDAY WEEKEND — “Rutgers president not expected to seek contract extension, could leave next year,” by new jersey Globe’s David Wildstein: “There is increased speculation that Rutgers University President Jonathan Hollway will not seek a contract extension and will depart at the end of his five-year contract next year. Hollway could inform Rutgers Board of Governors members as early as this month, three sources with knowledge of Holloway’s internal conversations had told the New Jersey Globe on the condition of anonymity. Two Rutgers spokespersons did not immediately respond to calls and emails seeking comment. It’s not immediately clear if Holloway has applied for another position. It’s also unclear whether the Rutgers board is prepared to incentivize Holloway That could set up a national search for a new state university president with a budget of over $5.4 billion, nearly 70,000 students, and over 10,000 employees.”
| | | | A message from Uber:   | | | ALL YOUR BASKETBALL BELONG TO US — “New Jersey Is Prompting a New Sports Identity Crisis in Philadelphia,” by The New York Times’ Andrew Keh: “Frank Capece felt a twinge of nostalgia last week when he heard New Jersey officials were trying to convince the Philadelphia 76ers to cross state lines and establish a new home in Camden, N.J. A lawyer and deep-dyed sports fan from Cranford, N.J., Capece owned New Jersey Nets season tickets for two decades before disavowing the team, swiftly and permanently, when it became clear that it was moving to Brooklyn. So when the owners of the 76ers announced that they were at least pondering the offer, Capece, 74, could only laugh. ‘Been there, done that,’ he said. ‘It’s like a divorce, and when a divorce happens, you don’t look back.’ The rumblings have caused consternation and curiosity on both sides of the state border. Sports fans are often knocked for being capricious, but owners can be, too. And a move, should one happen, would represent only the latest episode in the enduring history of professional teams unceremoniously fleeing their longtime homes.” —“While In Bucks County, Gov. Shapiro says he wants 76ers to stay in PA,” by The New Hope Free Press’ Tom Sofield: “At a Lower Bucks County event Tuesday morning, Gov. Josh Shapiro stated he wanted the Philadelphia 76ers to remain in Pennsylvania. Shapiro’s comments came in response to a question from Penn-Capital Star reporter John Cole about a report that New Jersey officials were trying to lore the basketball team to Camden. The Democratic governor, a basketball fan himself, said team owner Harris Blitzer Sports and Entertainment wants to remain in the city, as evidenced by them proposing a stadium and mixed-use development in Chinatown near Center City. ‘I love the Sixers and they belong in Philadelphia … and they shouldn’t go anywhere,’ he said.” CANADA SEEKS TO TAKE 76ERS, RENAME THEM 1812ERS — “Mission notebook: A flight to Toronto — for a different kind of Bruce show,” by ROI-NJ’s Tom Bergeron: “The four-day New Jersey-Canada Economic Mission trip led by Choose New Jersey and featuring Gov. Phil Murphy is intended to help the governor pitch the state’s assets to numerous business and elected officials — particularly those connected to the TV/film, fintech and artificial intelligence sectors — to see how Canada can better play in the state. But, that doesn’t mean the governor and the nearly three dozen delegates are going to pass up a chance to see how Jersey plays in Canada. Sunday night, the delegation will do that at the Toronto International Film Festival, where it will see the world premiere of the documentary, ‘Road Diary: Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band,’ produced by longtime Springsteen collaborator Thom Zimny.” —“N.J. lawmaker [Andrea Katz] wants to create an office to combat eating disorders” —“Why an old terminal at Newark Airport and a defunct N.Y.C. tunnel toll plaza are still standing”
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—“Newest U.S. Navy submarine — named after N.J. — makes dramatic arrival in Sandy Hook Bay”
—“Rep. Andy Kim attends Fort Lee roundtable on public safety after Victoria Lee shooting” —“Kennedy tried to get off N.J. ballot, but deadline tied officials’ hands” | | LOCAL | |
SICK OF MY HEADLINES? $400,000 AND I’LL GO AWAY FOR AT LEAST A WHILE — “Westwood settles with school superintendent who refused to retire. How much did she get?” by The Record’s Stephanie Noda: “The Westwood Regional School Board has agreed to pay $400,000 to now-former superintendent Jill Mortimer, ending a months-long dispute that began when she abruptly reversed a plan to retire. The board voted 5-1 at an emergency meeting Thursday to approve the deal with Mortimer, who sued the district and three current and former board members in June for allegedly creating a hostile work environment.”
TRENTON TAKES — “Former Trenton employees facing federal charges for conspiracy to commit overtime fraud,” by The Trentonian’s John Berry: “Questionable overtime pay is nothing new in the Capital City. Two more Trenton employees are charged for allegedly scamming overtime pay involved with federal grant money. A criminal complaint filed in U.S. District Court in New Jersey outlines how the FBI says that Martin Moore and Andre Trott are being accused of a conspiracy to steal from a federal program. The FBI alleges they had a scheme to charge the city excessive hours for a lead abatement program paid for from a federal grant through the City of Trenton’s Bureau of Environmental Health (BEH), a subdivision of the city’s Department of Health and Human Services (HHS).” LAST FINANCIAL ENTANGLEMENT FROM PARIS — “Jersey City’s Pompidou can still move forward despite losing NJEDA’s support,” by Steve Fulop for Hudson County View: “It was a historic opportunity for our community to have the North American location of a global institution invested in our city in a manner that doesn’t exist today. Five years ago, we started this important project because we believed a world-class cultural arts center would put Jersey City on the global map and enhance so many aspects of our community as a result. … It is also true that, unfortunately, Governor Murphy reversed his support for the project after I didn’t support his wife for the US Senate. He stripped us of crucial state funding, dealing what many viewed as a lethal blow to the project. I called it out publicly, while privately, I was committed to finding a solution without him. At the next City Council meeting, the Council will introduce an ordinance for our first tax abatement to be granted in seven years to allow the full construction of the Centre Pompidou cultural arts center in Jersey City without state support.” —Ward E Councilmember James Solomon: “”I want to make world-class arts and culture available to all in Jersey City as much as anyone who calls our city home. But we are in a budget crisis fueled exactly by the kinds of tax breaks to wealthy developers proposed to fund this museum. This is not a good deal for Jersey City residents.” POINT PLEASANT — “5G poles coming down in Point Pleasant Beach after settlement,” by The Asbury Park Press’ Mike Davis: “The 5G wireless poles under construction across the borough will be removed under the terms of a settlement announced Tuesday. In a Facebook post, Point Pleasant Beach Mayor Doug Vitale said the borough would pay ‘limited compensation’ to developer Munisite Networks, who began construction on 5G wireless poles earlier this year. … The financial terms of the settlement were not immediately available, but are expected to be prepared for approval by the Point Pleasant Beach Borough Council at its Sept. 3 meeting. … Construction was halted, at the borough's request, after neighbors complained about the aesthetic designs and potential health impacts of the wireless poles.” —“Hillsdale council fills seat vacated by woman charged in embezzlement scheme” —“Lakewood Township tax hike may double last year's increase” —“Newark Public Schools’ $17.5 million AI camera project delayed until the end of the school year” —“Salem County, a rural N.J. cycling destination, grapples with safety issues after death of Gaudreau brothers” —“Dominici announces bid for Jersey City’s Ward D council seat on O’Dea’s slate” | | EVERYTHING ELSE | |
NURSING HOMES — “Nursing homes fined millions for violating staffing quotas complain it’s impossible to find workers,” by NJ Advance Media’s Susan K. Livio and Ted Sherman: “So far this year, the Department of Health has hit 52 nursing homes with $2.93 million in proposed fines, still being challenged, for failure to comply with New Jersey’s minimum staffing law. But despite national and state regulations that were aimed at addressing requiring more caregivers in nursing homes across the country — including rules imposed in April by the Biden Administration that for the first time mandated how many hours of care residents must receive — many nursing homes are still failing to provide enough nursing staff and CNAs for the residents under their care, data shows. Meanwhile, a growing number of court filings have sought to challenge those mandates. In late August, the Health Care Association of New Jersey, which represents the state’s long-term care industry, joined by six nursing homes, filed a complaint against the health department challenging the constitutionality of the law setting staffing requirements.”
OMG!-YN — “Con artist-turned-doctor is practicing NJ gynecologist — despite being outed as chronic catfish in bombshell book,” by The New York Post’s Chris harris: “A con artist-turned-doctor is a practicing gynecologist in New Jersey — despite being outed as a chronic catfisher in one of this summer’s hottest beach reads. The Ethan Schuman described in sociologist Anna Akbari‘s “There is No Ethan” is actually Dr. Emily Marantz, 39, who lives in Livingston, N.J., and works at the Jersey City Medical Center, owned by RWJBarnabas Health. The non-fiction book, which is also part memoir, recounts how three accomplished, well-educated women — including Akbari, who taught sociology at NYU — banded together to track down and expose the online predator who cruelly toyed with their emotions over several years, using the anonymity of the internet to pull off her perverse scheme.” —“Why Six Flags has a new chaperone policy for kids, teens” —“Highway memorial for fallen N.J. trooper damaged by impaired driver, cops say” —“‘Sopranos' creator talks new documentary, why prequel movie wasn't a 'cash grab'” —“This Drexel business professor spent the summer studying lifeguards by being one” — 70-year career: "Charlie McGill leaves an indelible legacy in the world of North Jersey sports"
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