| | | | |  | | By Matt Friedman | Good Monday morning! Last night's New Jersey U.S. Senate debate started with a shocking moment followed by a short display of humanity. Just as he was talking about “dealing with affordability in a sensible way,” Curtis Bashaw seized up and leaned into his podium. Just five seconds later, a concerned-looking Andy Kim approached Bashaw and asked "Are you OK?" Bashaw indicated he was, Kim returned to the podium and, from what I could tell (the video feed froze), suggested they pause. They took a short break and Bashaw, looking better, had a quick rejoinder to explain what happened (see quote of the day below). More on the substance of the debate below. I checked with Bashaw's campaign, which said he just hadn't eaten and that no underlying medical issue caused the episode. Meanwhile, this is only going to reinforce the “nice guy” reputation Kim took on when a photo of him cleaning up at the U.S. Capitol after the Jan. 6 rioters went viral. TIPS? FEEDBACK? Email me at mfriedman@politico.com. HAPPY BIRTHDAY — Erick Ford, Tim Carroll, Michael Hotchkiss, Jessica Stewart QUOTE OF THE DAY: "I got so worked up about this affordability issue that I realized I hadn’t eaten so much food today." — Curtis Bashaw WHERE’S MURPHY? No public schedule |  | WHAT TRENTON MADE | |
DOWN THE DRANOFF — “How power broker George Norcross may try to undercut ‘iconic’ developer Carl Dranoff’s credibility in racketeering case,” by The Philadelphia Inquirer’s Andrew Seidman and Jeremy Roebuck: “To hear prosecutors tell it, perhaps no single person faced greater harm from the decade-long criminal enterprise they say South Jersey power broker George E. Norcross III led than Philadelphia developer Carl Dranoff … In court papers and media statements, Norcross and his allies have labeled Dranoff a villain masquerading as a 'do-gooder' — a savvy negotiator who 'lined his own pockets' at the expense of Camden’s taxpayers, then, once caught, concocted wild theories of a Norcross-led vendetta against him. ‘Dranoff, himself a sophisticated real estate developer, did not wilt as soon as George Norcross dropped a few "f-bombs,"' Norcross’ lawyers wrote in a filing last month seeking the dismissal of the racketeering case. It claimed, among other things, that Norcross — not Dranoff — was the real victim of an attempted shakedown while ‘the fate of Camden’s renaissance hung in the balance.’ Those attacks are likely to heat up as the defense team seeks to discredit testimony Dranoff might give in court. But the developer is sticking by prosecutors’ version of the story.”
MAYBE YOU SHOULD HAVE ANSWERED THE PHONE ONCE IN A WHILE? — “NJ E-ZPass operator protests award to competitor it says will cost toll payers millions,” by NJ Advance Media’s Larry Higgs: “The company that’s operated the state’s E-ZPass system for 22 years before being ousted last month when the contract was awarded to a competitor has filed a protest, questioning why a company whose bid was $250 million more was selected. Conduent, Inc. of Newark, formally challenged the New Jersey Turnpike Authority’s Sept 27 vote to award the 11 year contract to run the E-ZPass customer service operations to Transcore, which bid $1.73 billion … ‘We submitted a proposal which provides for an immediate implementation of AI-powered customer experience technologies and high-quality services with more agents to NJTA and its customers for $250 million less than the vendor that was selected without the need for risky conversion activities,’ said Sean Collins, Conduent vice president, External Communications and Analyst Relations.” — “State urges judge to reject lawsuit targeting new hemp regulations” — “NJ speeds up Anchor payments” — “Healthcare costs in N.J. are among the nation’s highest. What’s the state doing to help?” — “N.J. Supreme Court Removes Judge Accused Of Drunkenly Touching Court Employees At Holiday Party” | | BIDEN TIME | |
DEBATE — Democratic Rep. Andy Kim and Republican hotelier Curtis Bashaw met for the first debate of the Senate election Sunday night, disagreeing on American foreign policy and border control but finding relative agreement on reproductive rights.
The 90-minute debate got off with an apparent hitch, though, when Bashaw paused and appeared to lean forward at his podium while answering a question, prompting Kim to walk across to see if he was OK. The debate was then paused for several minutes. When Bashaw returned, he said he’d gotten “so worked up” about the issue of affordability in New Jersey “that I realized I hadn't eaten so much food today.” Once he returned, he sparred with Kim on border security and economic policy, saying there should be more border protections to stem the flow of migrants crossing the border and restrained government spending to rein in inflation. They broadly agreed on abortion rights. Bashaw, who is openly gay, said he doesn’t think the government should get involved with household matters like same-sex marriage or a woman’s right to choose, something that’s been curtailed in some red states after the U.S. Supreme Court overturned the abortion protections of Roe v. Wade. “I certainly believe that a woman has a right to choose and make a determination about her own body and her own family,” Bashaw said. “I don't think the government should be in our homes telling us who we marry, what to do about an unwanted pregnancy, about their health decisions. So I am pro-choice, and I agree and would work on federal legislation to enshrine a woman's right to choose in this country.” Kim, who supports abortion protections, criticized Bashaw for holding that view while also backing former President Donald Trump, whose Supreme Court nominees helped overturn Roe. “We've seen three justices put on the Supreme Court from Donald Trump. We've seen the Supreme Court take the most extremist turns, certainly in my lifetime, and something that is going against so many of the fundamental beliefs that people in New Jersey hold,” Kim said. “So I am worried about Mr. Bashaw’s ability to make decisions about Supreme Court justices, as we've seen him make a decision about who should be the next president.” The debate was sponsored by the New Jersey Globe, On New Jersey and the Rebovich Institute for New Jersey Politics at Rider University. At least two more debates are scheduled before the Nov. 5 election to fill the seat of former Sen. Bob Menendez. — Dustin Racioppi KEAN TOWN HALLS START WITH A MOMENT OF SILENCE THAT DOESN’T END — “Altman acknowledges Kamala Harris’ ‘Great gift to the district’,” by InsiderNJ’s Fred Snowflack: “Sue Altman had just bemoaned Donald Trump’s torpedoing of a bipartisan immigration reform bill, saying the former president would rather campaign on the issue than solve the problem. A few minutes later, a woman in the back of the room said that was a ‘lie.’ … Altman, the Democratic candidate challenging Republican Rep. Thomas H. Kean Jr., was in this Sussex County town for her fourth ‘town hall’ meeting of the campaign. More are scheduled. These are wide open events. None of this nonsense about writing down questions and submitting them to a moderator. People raise their hands and if picked, ask anything they want. In the end, even Republicans who show up seem to appreciate what Altman is doing. About 100 people attended the event at the local ambulance squad building. The contrast is the real story. Kean doesn’t do live town halls. Nor does the incumbent interact with the press, or hold public events. Messages to his campaign go unanswered. A fascinating video making the rounds shows the congressman resembling a statue in not acknowledging a series of questions from a D.C.-based reporter.” POLITICAL BOSS — “Bruce Springsteen Harris endorsement gets rave reviews, continues prickly Trump history,” by the Asbury Park Press’ Chris Jordan: “Springsteen's endorsement clocked in at just under three minutes. It was filmed this week by Thom Zimny at Roberto's Freehold Grill, which is a short 15 minute drive to Springsteen’s Colts Neck home and to Trump National Golf Club Colts Neck … Springsteen hasn't mentioned Trump from the stage of the E Street Band's shows over the last two years, but Trump has invoked the Boss and the size of his audience, a few times in recent months. ‘I love these Saturday evenings. Is there anything better than a Trump rally?’ said Trump from a stage in Wildwood on May 11. ‘If some of these wackos came along, you know, these liberal singers, they'd actually vote for me. You know they'd all vote for me. You know, like Bruce Springsteen. We have a much bigger crowd than Bruce Springsteen. Right?’ That is an issue of dispute. Estimates of Trump's crowd in Wildwood range from 30,000 to 107,000. More than 180,000 came out to three Springsteen shows at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford Aug. 30 and Sept. 1 and 3 in 2023.” — Moran: “Tom Kean Jr., a foot soldier for Trump, is the extremist in District 7” — “Prison for N.J. man who stormed the Capitol on Jan. 6, helped attack cops” — “Retired New Jersey State Police trooper who stormed Capitol is sentenced to probation” — “Murphys, Bon Jovi join Emhoff in presidential fundraiser” | | LOCAL | |
DON’T GO TAINTING WATERFALLS — “Asbestos cleanup next to one of the largest waterfalls in U.S. is causing some headaches,” by NJ Advance Media’s Steven Rodas: “When it opens, Quarry Lawn Park will be an urban oasis for parkgoers visiting one of the largest waterfalls in the U.S. with its walkway next to the river, sprawling grass for picnics, and benches next to the remains of brick factory walls. Even though the park is complete, visitors will have to wait until at least 2025, when a massive asbestos cleanup of an abandoned textile facility just 100 feet away is complete. The timeline for disposing of the harmful asbestos and other hazardous substances at the Allied Textile Printing site has collided with plans by the city of Paterson to open the $7.6 million national park expansion next to the Great Falls.”
SUSPICIOUSLY SURREPTITIOUS — “One of N.J.’s largest school districts dropped its transgender policy with no public debate, critics say,” by NJ Advance Media’s Tina Kelley: “The Edison Township Board of Education dropped its policy protecting transgender students from being outed to their parents by school staff in a vote this week that several advocacy groups said lacked any input from the public. The policy, known as 5756, says school staff are not required to notify parents if a student identifies as transgender in school … The Edison school board board voted 5-3 to rescind the policy. But, some critics said Monday’s vote did not appear on the school board meeting agenda and was not opened to public comment. ‘They really did it in stealth mode,’ said Michael Gottesman, head of the New Jersey Public Education Coalition … Garden State Equality, the state’s leading LGBTQ+ organization, also said it notified the Edison board and superintendent Monday night that they had not proceeded in a transparent manner, but received no response. The Edison superintendent and the state Attorney General’s office did not return messages requesting comment on Thursday.” ENGLEWOOD FISCAL CLIFFS — “After a decade-long battle, Englewood Cliffs settles affordable housing suit for millions,” by The Record’s Megan Burrow: “The borough has agreed to pay $7 million to the developer of 800 Sylvan Ave. to settle a lawsuit over affordable housing at the site. It will pay $1.3 million more to 800 Sylvan Avenue LLC to settle a tax appeal on the property. The developer had claimed in the suit the borough had violated the terms of an affordable housing agreement and was seeking $66.5 million in damages … The Borough Council voted in September to approve the settlement and seek approval for an emergency budget appropriation to fund it. The borough is seeking approval from the state Department of Community Affairs to issue bonds to pay the $8.3 million to 800 Sylvan.” DISINHERIT THE WIND — “'He knows we're here': Wind power critics protest Murphy to keep cables out of Sea Girt,” by the Asbury Park Press’ Joe Strupp: “More than 100 protesters who oppose a plan to connect offshore wind power cables through this beachfront community descended on the area Sunday during a visit by Gov. Phil Murphy, urging him to stop the project and claiming it's a health hazard. Murphy was in town attending the New Jersey National Guard’s annual military review at its training center located just blocks from the Sea Girt beach. Supporters of the group Stop The High-Risk Power Cables, which represents homeowners in Sea Girt, Wall, Manasquan and Howell, chose the event to let Murphy know of their objections. ‘It’s a high-rise power cable,’ said Kimberly Paterson one of the organizers. ‘People are upset.’” — “The mystery of two dead minke whales found along the Jersey Shore” — “In Hoboken, a referendum on rent control is a month away. The fight is getting heated” — “'Monumental achievement': Big changes for Lipari Landfill in Mantua, Alcyon Lake in Pitman” — “Union City sues Hoboken, again, now over partial settlements in Western Edge case” — “The little hot dog stand that could: Boulevard Drinks stands tall amid Journal Square’s high-rise transformation R.I.P. — “‘Devoted’ former Bayonne schools Superintendent Patricia McGeehan dies” — “Paterson developer to remove playground from park where addicts shoot up” — “After being kicked from city council, an Atlantic City Democrat faces election interference allegations” | | EVERYTHING ELSE | |
THE CHARMIN BEARS DIED AFTER MURPHY AUTHORIZED THE HUNT — “No reason for panic buying of toilet paper, experts say, as port strike comes to a swift end,” by NJ Advance Media’s Larry Higgs: “Experts said the 72-hour walkout at ports from Maine to the Gulf Coast is unlikely to have a detrimental effect on the critical holiday shopping season for retailers or customers and added there was no reason for the panic buying that saw shoppers strip some stores of toilet paper … Friday morning, there were 24 vessels off Sandy Hook waiting to enter the ports, 19 of them container ships and another 35,000 containers in the port, loaded with all types of consumer goods, she said. Ships waiting to unload are being prioritized by the U.S. Coast Guard and Customs, in conjunction with state and local emergency management offices with those containing health, life safety, food and anything that would cause a manufacturing plant to close given top priority to unload, Rooney said … Despite reassurances from officials including New York Gov. Kathy Hochul telling consumers not to stock up for fear of food and consumer goods shortages, that did not stop some people from panicking and stripping some stores bare of toilet paper, a throwback to the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic … ‘The hoarding of toilet paper is interesting, since it really shouldn’t have been a concern for consumers. The toilet paper we buy is produced in the United States,’ [Rutgers’ William] Brucher said.”
NOVEMBER IS DEMOCRACY BUTTERFLY MONTH THANKS TO LOCAL PATRIOTS’ EFFORTS — “October is Monarch Butterflies Month in NJ thanks to local teen's efforts,” by The Record’s Amanda Wallace: “Over the last few years, a North Jersey Girl Scout has turned a pandemic project into a statewide effort to promote awareness for monarch butterflies as well as protect and improve wildlife habitats in her town and around the state ... Monarch butterflies are currently listed by the NJDEP as a species of interest. During the pandemic in 2020, Elizabeth Gillen, 17, of Mountain Lakes joined a competition with her friends to improve something within the community. Although it was challenging as much of life was still virtual, they decided to turn to social media and connect with butterfly enthusiasts around the state. The group created a Facebook page called Morris Monarchs and shared a survey in online gardening groups, offering free milkweed seeds to anyone who wanted to plant them before the winter of 2021.” — “'Oct. 7 changed everything' for an Israeli orphan and an NJ counselor. How they'll move on” — “New Hughes Center director a public policy wonk, Girl Scout leader, open-water swimmer” — “Moulick out as CEO of struggling NJ hospital system as new managers move forward” — “A ride into infamy: This N.J. horse was a college football villain. Can the truth clear his name?”
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