| | | | |  | | By Matt Friedman | Good Wednesday morning! Sue Altman is both outraising Tom Kean Jr. and being outspent against Tom Kean Jr. — in both cases, by a lot. On Tuesday — the deadline to file third quarter fundraising reports with the FEC — Kean announced he raised $1.1 million during the period. Last week, Altman announced she had raised $2.1 million during those three months. Nevertheless, Kean has $2.8 million in the bank to Altman’s $1.4 million. How’s that? It’s at least partly because he’s had millions of dollars in help from the NRCC and Congressional Leadership Fund, while — at least when it comes to campaign ads — their Democratic counterparts have yet to come to Altman’s aid. Poll-wise, all we have to go on in the district is two Democratic internal polls — one from the DCCC and one from Altman’s campaign — that show her trailing Kean by 2 points. Presumably, if the race really is this close, national Democrats will jump in soon. But it’s just as possible, and has been suggested elsewhere, that other internal polling isn’t as rosy for Altman as what’s been released. But here’s the good news: Monmouth plans to release a poll in the district today. So we’ll finally get an independent poll to assess this race. The lack of national help for Altman so far is kind of fitting when you think about how this district’s very shape comes from Democrats abandoning a Democrat. But for New Jersey Democrats’ decision in 2021 to make the district slightly more Republican in order to shore up other swing district incumbents that had better relationships with the party machinery than then-U.S. Rep. Tom Malinowski, Malinowski likely would have beaten Kean in the 2022 midterms. Instead, he lost by just under 3 points. TIPS? FEEDBACK? Email me at mfriedman@politico.com. HAPPY BIRTHDAY — Tom Curran, Rich Lee. Missed yesterday: Zoe Baldwin. Missed Monday: Marlene Asselta. QUOTE OF THE DAY: “Whether you’re actually in the Mafia or not, hiring the mob to assault someone because of your marital problems is abhorrent.” — U.S. Attorney Phil Sellinger on Brownstone co-owner and Real Housewives ex-husband Thomas Manzo’s’s seven-year prison sentence for hiring a mob soldier to rough up his ex-wife’s boyfriend and paying for it with a free wedding ceremony WHERE’S MURPHY? No public schedule. |  | WHAT TRENTON MADE | |
THE END OF THE LINE — The Union County Democratic Party on Tuesday filed to withdraw from and settle litigation to defend the county line.
The court filing reflects similar settlements submitted by other county parties, which say that they will leave the litigation and not defend the county line in state or federal court. Clerks and county parties have been steadily settling lawsuits after an injunction barring the use of the county line in the 2024 Democratic primary. On Friday, the Essex County clerk submitted a proposed settlement to leave the lawsuit and use office block ballots unless the state Legislature creates a new ballot design law. In court filings on Friday, attorneys for the Somerset County clerk said that their “recommendation will be to enter into a proposed settlement.” All settlement proposals must be approved by United States District Court judge Zahid N. Quraishi, who has approved similar settlements. On Friday, Quraishi approved settlement agreements from the GOP county parties in Union, Warren and Cumberland counties. They were represented by law firm McCarter and English and GOP insider Bill Palatucci. — Daniel Han A GARG-ANTUAN MOVE — Murphy chief counsel plans to depart, by POLITICO’s Matt Friedman: Gov. Phil Murphy’s longtime top attorney is preparing to depart, according to two people with knowledge of his plans. Parimal Garg, who’s served as chief counsel since 2020 and has been in the governor’s inner circle since his first campaign, is expected to leave the administration but the timing is unclear. Garg’s likely replacement is Kate McDonnell, who served as Murphy’s deputy chief counsel and, in 2022, went on to become chief counsel to Attorney General Matt Platkin. She is currently deputy commissioner at the Department of Community Affairs. NJ TRANSIT — “Family of train operator killed in River Line crash plans to sue NJ Transit and others for negligence,” by The Philadelphia Inquirer’s Thomas Fitzgerald: “The family of the train operator killed Monday in a collision with a tree on the River Line light rail in Burlington County has filed notice to sue New Jersey Transit and others, charging a failure in their duty to keep the tracks clear of debris. Jessica Haley, 41, of Levittown, was a single mother with three young boys, family members said in a statement. She had been an operator on the River Line, which runs for 34 miles between Trenton and Camden for about 20 years. Haley ‘lost her life due to the failure of the responsible parties to inspect these tracks and keep them clear,” Kila Baldwin, the attorney for the family, said in a statement. … Baldwin … said trees along the tracks Mansfield Township were known to be in weakened condition and prone to fall.” —“Drone video shows aftermath of deadly, early-morning New Jersey train accident” —“ 77K patients of NJ hospital network will have medical debt erased. Do you qualify?” —“ Essex bound to draw the eyeballs of opportunity-seeking guv candidates” | | | BIDEN TIME | | |
NOT MUCH SPICE IN HERB RACE — “As Andy Kim seeks promotion to Senate, new boundaries leave little competition in 3rd District,” by New Jersey Monitor’s Nikita Biyrukov: “New Jersey Republicans face a narrow path to victory in the 3rd Congressional District after a new map and a decade of surging registrations leave Democrats with a steep advantage in party affiliation. Two physicians — Assemblyman Herb Conaway (D-Burlington) and Republican cardiologist Rajesh Mohan — are the front-runners competing for a House seat in this Burlington County-centered district, which has seen partisan control shift more often than in any other New Jersey congressional district over the past two decades. But new boundary lines created in 2021 have made it friendlier terrain for Democrats. ‘The redistricting commission was trying very hard to make this a safe Democratic district, and they did a heck of a job doing that. This district was a Republican-leaning district. Now it is very much a Democratic-leaning district,’ said Dan Cassino, executive director for the Fairleigh Dickinson University Poll.”
MEMBER OF CONGRESS IS TOTALLY FOCUSED ON CONGRESSIONAL STUFF, 45 MILES FROM HER DISTRICT — “ Sherrill with time ticking down to Election Day: ‘All hands-on deck’,” by InsiderNJ’s Fred Snowflack: “Mikie Sherrill journeyed south Tuesday morning to talk about lowering food prices by helping independent grocers survive. The congresswoman from CD-11 in north Jersey stood outside Compare Fresh of Trenton, a supermarket on Hamilton Avenue, to trumpet proposed federal legislation to give tax credits to grocers operating in areas with ‘moderate to high market concentration.’ Or in other words, small businesses threatened by large, corporate-owned supermarkets. … Not surprisingly, Sherrill was asked after the event about any plans she has to run for governor. … Sherrill was joined by Dan Benson, the Mercer County executive. … Asked why she was holding her event in Mercer County, Sherrill said that’s because the area is overly-threatened by the market concentration her bill is designed to combat. She deflected any gubernatorial inquiries by remaining focused on getting reelected on Nov. 5 and also on the larger task on the horizon. ‘Right now … we have 21 days left until the election, so it’s sort of all hands-on deck for getting Kamala Harris into the White House and getting all our congressional candidates into office, including our red to blue candidate, Sue Altman.’” ENOUGH FOR 21,000 RIBEYES AT MORTON’S, WITHOUT TIP — “Bob Menendez’s campaign account is down to its last $1.5 million,” by New Jersey Globe’s Joey Fox: “Former U.S. Senator Bob Menendez has nearly run out of cash from his campaign donors to pay his legal fees. For the last year, the money in Menendez’s campaign fundraising account has steadily dwindled as he’s tried – unsuccessfully so far – to fight off the federal corruption charges that have been levied against him. Now, after another quarter of heavy legal spending, Menendez is down to his last $1.5 million. Menendez reported spending nearly $1.8 million during the 3rd quarter of 2024, most of which went towards a bevy of lawyers defending him from the charges of which he was convicted in July. He raised exactly $0 during the same time period; even the small number of recurring donations that had previously still been flowing into his coffers ceased. (The account did accrue around $21,000 in interest during the 3rd quarter.)” —“NJ Decides 2024: A conversation with New Jersey’s U.S. Senate candidates” — “A war for hearts & minds: Extremists want your kid. How hate groups are recruiting N.J. teens” —“ Newark Mayor Ras Baraka fires up voting rally at Atlantic City church” —“GOP challengers confront tough map, battle-tested incumbents in N.J. House races ” —Moran: “Kean is lying. He’s not pro-choice” —“ NJ’s US Senate race: Republican candidate Curtis Bashaw” —“NJ’s US Senate race: Democratic candidate Andy Kim ” | | | LOCAL | | |
VINELAND — “Vineland police chief suspended over alleged assault incident,” by The Press of Atlantic City’s : “The city's police chief has been suspended and is facing assault charges after an alleged incident that took place over the weekend, according to a city spokesperson. Pedro Casiano was charged with simple assault Saturday, records show. … He was charged on a summons and is due in court for a first appearance at 9 a.m. Nov. 14. The spokesperson declined to comment further and referred all questions regarding the matter to the Prosecutor's Office. Prosecutor Jennifer Webb-McCrae offered no comment. The female victim sustained injuries but refused treatment, according to the affidavit of probable cause. No other details about the incident were in the affidavit. It is unclear as to the relationship between Casiano and the victim, however, court documents indicated the incident involved domestic violence.”
PAY TO PLAYERVILLE — “Former Sayreville political boss gave orders to top cop in Club 35 probe, lawsuit alleges ,” by MyCentralJersey’s Suzanne Rusell: “An Old Bridge woman whose husband's family owns the Club 35 strip club, the subject of an ongoing criminal case, has filed another lawsuit alleging the borough's police chief and a detective sergeant violated her civil rights when officers conducted a search of her home two years ago. Brooke Acciardi was five months pregnant when a search warrant was executed at her home and she was restrained for hours, even while a male police officer conducted a ‘rough and abusive’ hand search of her body, including her breasts, vagina and buttocks, the lawsuit in Middlesex County Superior Court alleges. Although Acciardi was never arrested, she was restrained during the search with zip ties and handcuffs which were not removed until, the lawsuit alleges, Thomas Pollando, the former Sayreville Democratic Party chairman, contacted Police Chief Daniel Plumacker and told him to have the handcuffs on Acciardi removed. … The lawsuit alleges Pollando had advance notice of the search warrant from Sayreville Police Lt. David Sivilli, president of Sayreville PBA Local 98.” TOMS RIVEN — “ 'Smoke and mirrors': Toms River mayor, school district bash each other over tax vote,” by Thee Asbury Park Press’ Jean Mikle: “A letter mailed by Mayor Daniel Rodrick to all township taxpayers has become the centerpiece of a spat between Rodrick, the Toms River Regional Board of Education and school Superintendent Mike Citta, with less than a month before early voting starts in what is likely to be a hotly contested school board election. It's led Rodrick to charge that Citta is attempting to interfere in both the school board and township council elections and ‘intimidate’ two school board candidates whom the mayor supports — Marisa Matarazzo and Diane Oxley — who are seeking seats representing Toms River on the nine-member board. Citta, for his part, said Rodrick is again interfering in a nonpartisan school board election, and has previously threatened to ‘get rid’ of the superintendent, removing him from the top school leader's post by getting candidates elected to the school board who do not support him.” PROTECTING THE SACK — “Hackensack to swear in first police chief 14 years after Zisa was charged with misconduct ',” by The Record’s Megan Burrow: “The city will swear in Capt. Mike Antista, the department’s officer in charge, as police chief at a special meeting Tuesday night. Antista will be the department’s first chief in 14 years, since former Chief Ken Zisa left after being charged with fraud official misconduct. Since then, the department has been led by a series of police directors and officers in charge. Ray Guidetti, the current police director, was appointed to the role in 2022 after an independent assessment found overtime abuses by some of the department’s ranking officers and a drop in arrests. He said naming a chief is a ‘historic step’ for the department.” JABBOKEN — “With Bhalla eyeing Assembly seat, Jabbour ready to declare bid for Hoboken mayor,” by Hudson County View’s John Heinis : “With Hoboken Mayor Ravi Bhalla eyeing a state Assembly seat, Councilwoman-at-Large Emily Jabbour is ready to announce a mayoral run, sources familiar with the situation told HCV. “‘lease join me tomorrow – Wednesday, October 16 from 6-8pm at the beautiful Antique Loft (33 Newark Street, Penthouse Level) for a sunset reception overlooking Hoboken. For the past seven years, I have dedicated myself to public service on the City Council in Hoboken,’ she wrote in an email blast [Tuesday] morning. While Jabbour could not immediately be reached for additional comment, the email, which she also posted a version of on Instagram and Facebook, seems to speak for itself, especially when considering that Bhalla has already put his stamp of approval on the event.” R.I.P. — “Longest-serving Long Branch councilwoman in history, Mary Jane Celli, dies at 90” —“ Northfield Mayor Chau on medical leave; council told not to discuss charges against him” —“ Paterson sends warning letter to developers to collect $1M in unpaid sewer fees” —“Manasquan Reservoir water levels at 'record low' with no rain in sight” —“Bayonne and neighbors at odds with scrapyard over alleged safety violations, dust” | | EVERYTHING ELSE | |
— “ Twice-jailed N.J. bear hunt protester, 80, gets arrested again”
—“Hunters kill 90 bears by archery on first day of New Jersey hunt” —“Therapy dogs bring comfort to Clifton teachers, students after death of principal”
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