| | | | |  | | By Matt Friedman | | Presented by |  | | | Good Friday morning! Katie Brennan is back. The former Murphy administration staffer rocked state politics with her allegation that colleague Al Alvarez sexually assaulted her during the governor’s 2017 campaign, and was still hired into the administration despite officials’ knowledge of the allegations. Now she’s running for Assembly in Hudson County’s 32nd District. Brennan left her job as chief of staff at the New Jersey Housing and Mortgage Finance Agency and worked across the river in the Bill DeBlasio and Kathy Hochul administrations before joining a PR firm in January. (Alvarez was never charged). “As a survivor of a sexual assault, I pledge to be a fighter for those who feel forgotten by their representatives. As a woman who was unafraid to speak truth to power even in my darkest days, I pledge to make our government more accountable and transparent,” Brennan said in a statement, which also touted her work on affordable housing. Max Pizarro first reported Brennan’s potential candidacy in September, writing that the Hudson County Democratic Organization was “mulling” her as a potential candidate. But Brennan’s announcement didn’t indicate any HCDO backing. In fact, it didn’t even say she’s running in the Democratic primary — though we can probably assume she is, given that no Republican or independent has a realistic shot at winning there. | | | | A message from Johnson & Johnson: We’re restoring the true meaning of healthcare— Championing and supporting nurses on the frontline of delivering quality patient care. See how we’re connecting the best of Health&Care for every patient and provider. Learn more. | | |
According to numerous reports , Hoboken Mayor Ravi Bhalla is also expected to run for an Assembly seat as his confidant, freshman Assemblymember John Allen, is widely expected not to seek reelection.
This will also be the first time in a very, very long time that the primary will be conducted without county lines, so the backing of the vaunted HCDO — or occasionally a rival slate backed by political bosses on the outs with the organization — won’t be quite as big a deal. With a crowded gubernatorial primary, things could get messy. TIPS? FEEDBACK? Email me at mfriedman@politico.com. HAPPY BIRTHDAY — Alicia D'Alessandro, Eric Holliday, the late Alfred E. Driscoll. Saturday for Janice Campbell Fuller, Mike Beson, Ted Brennan, Taffy Brodesser-Akner, Fred DeAndrea, Michael Pock, Eitan Webb. Sunday for Eric Scott, Rick Tighe. QUOTE OF THE DAY: “I don’t want that Jew’s kid in the State Police helicopter … Tell him not to land” — NJ State Police Lt. Col. Sean Kilcommons, allegedly, referring to Attorney General Matt Platkin and his son during a “Bring Your Child to Work Day” event. WHERE’S MURPHY? |  | WHAT TRENTON MADE | |
FOR THE LOVE OF MONEY — “ New Jersey loves the money from online sports betting, but fears addictive consequences,” by The AP’s Wayne Parry: “Online sports betting is reaping new revenue for New Jersey but also raising concerns about gambling addiction and potential harm to the finances of Atlantic City’s casinos that depend on in-person gamblers, sports books and problem gambling treatment workers testified Thursday. The state Legislature held a hearing to examine the impacts of online sports betting, where New Jersey is a national leader. The testimony alternated between praise for the industry’s economic benefits and concern about its harmful potential. ‘One can lose tens of thousands of dollars within minutes simply by picking up a cell phone,’ said Felicia Grondin, executive director of the Council on Compulsive Gambling of New Jersey. More than 90% of sports betting is done online in New Jersey. But Jeremy Kudon, president of the Sports Betting Alliance, highlighted the additional money and jobs that online sports betting have brought to the state. The group consists of sports betting companies FanDuel, DraftKings, BetMGM and Fanatics, which together have 89% of New Jersey’s sports betting market. 'It’s a tremendous economic success story,' he said.”
DA’ DIP — “ Appellate court allows rapacious new judge to double dip,” by New Jersey Globe’s David Wildstein: “A panel of state appellate court judges will allow Jill Mayer to keep her $127,000 annual state pension while earning $211,00-per-year as a Superior Court Judge. The State Senate confirmed Mayer, a former Camden County Prosecutor and deputy attorney general, to her judgeship in January 2022, but she has delayed taking the oath of office for 33 months while she mounted a legal battle to double dip. The state Public Employees’ Retirement System (PERS) turned Mayer down three times .... ‘After a careful review, we determine the Board mistakenly applied the regulation to these specific circumstances’ … Since Mayer has not yet been sworn in and the 180 days have passed she left her old state job, the judges found that she was clear to take her pension while collecting her salary. In the meantime, the 55-year-old Mayer had been camping out at a politically powerful South Jersey law firm, Parker McCay, while squatting on a judgeship the state judiciary no longer considers to be vacant” | | | | A message from Johnson & Johnson:   | | | |
RAPE KITS — “NJ’s rape-kit backlog to be cleared? ” by NJ Spotlight News’ Raven Santana : “State Sen. Joe Cryan (D-Union) knows firsthand how the evidence from rape kits is vital to catching sexual predators or even freeing those wrongly convicted. ‘I saw firsthand victims in their most vulnerable moments. That never leaves you,’ said Cryan, who is pushing legislation to clear the state’s rape kit backlog and make sure all collection kits are tested. The legislation, which has advanced through the Senate Law and Public Safety Committee, also requires testing facilities to notify law enforcement within 24 hours of a test being taken. The measure is supported by state Attorney General Matt Platkin, who over the summer announced a separate directive requiring all kits to be tested, regardless of how old they are.”
1-877-KARS-4-KILLS — “Consumer advocates: Bill to require used car dealers to notify customers about recalls is flawed,” by News 12’s Walt Kane: “New Jersey lawmakers are considering a bill that they say will protect used car buyers. But many consumer advocates say the bill could have the opposite impact, giving buyers little recourse if they buy a used car with an open, potentially dangerous recall … A new bill, under consideration in Trenton, would require used car dealers to notify the consumers if a car has one or more open recalls, but they would not be required to fix it. Consumer advocates say this bill might actually make things worse for consumers. ‘It makes it easier for car dealers to get away with selling unsafe vehicles that have potentially lethal safety recall defects,’ says Rosemary Shahan, president of Consumers for Auto Reliability and Safety. ‘Why should a dealer be able to sell a car that has bad brakes or a steering wheel that could come off into your hands?’ Shahan says if lawmakers really want to protect car buyers, they should just require used car dealers to fix any recalls … DiMaio defends the legislation, saying, ‘The consumer groups have this all wrong.’ He says requiring car dealers to fix all recalls on used cars would be a mistake, because dealers would simply refuse to accept cars with recalls as trade-ins.” DEEP SHBP — Fast-tracked accounting maneuver seeks to head off another health benefits increase, by POLITICO’s Matt Friedman: Fast-tracked legislation to plug a potential hole in one of New Jersey’s public worker benefit programs was quickly approved by committees in both houses of the Legislature on Thursday … “This is to balance costs and it seems like they’re losing too many healthy people and retaining a lot of not-so-healthy people,” said the committee’s chair, James Beach … Without the transfers, local workers were staring at a potential race increase just months after the State Health Benefits Commission recommended a 17.2 percent rate hike. —“Newark airport takes step toward replacing its oldest terminal” —“ NJEA-affiliated group has spent more than $600k to boost Kamala Harris, Andy Kim… and Sean Spiller” —“Suit over baby blood storage must go on to end ‘double layer of deceit,’ attorney says ” —“Lawmakers advance bill to ban landlords’ use of rent-setting software” —“Officials announce election security efforts before early voting” | | BIDEN TIME | |
CRYPTID INDUSTRY GETS BEHIND JERSEY DEVIL FOR GOVERNOR — “Cryptocurrency industry pours money into federal races ,” by NJ Spotlight News’ Benjamin J. Hulac: “A trio of cryptocurrency super PACs — outside political groups permitted under federal law to spend unlimited sums of money on politics — has flooded airwaves and websites nationwide and in New Jersey with campaign ads. One of those PACs, Fairshake, has spent $112,688 to reelect Rep. Josh Gottheimer (D-5th), while another, called Protect Progress, has spent $120,103 on his reelection, according to federal records, and cut an ad for him. Protect Progress has spent $215,063 in support of Rep. Rob Menendez (D-8th) and ran a campaign ad in Spanish touting his work. A third crypto super PAC, Defend American Jobs, has spent tens of millions this cycle, but none on New Jersey lawmakers.”
—“This is where NJ U.S. Senate candidates Andy Kim and Curtis Bashaw stand on key issues” —“ Analysis: Tom Kean Jr. and Sue Altman congressional race carries national significance” —Snowflack: “ Bashaw tries to be more than a face in the GOP crowd” —WATCH: “U.S. House of Representatives CD-2 Debate” | | LOCAL | |
BAYONNE — “ Human shield: Fearless Bayonne teacher sacrifices body to protect boy from vicious attack,” by The Jersey Journal’s Ron Zeitlinger: “A selfless Bayonne teacher sacrificed her own body, throwing herself on top of a defenseless boy to protect him from a vicious attack by at least four other boys Wednesday afternoon as dozens looked on in disbelief. The teacher, 56-year-old Cathy Hurley, is credited with possibly saving the boy’s life in the incident outside the William Shemin Midtown Community School, where she teaches special education. Her daughter, Frankie Sielski, said she was told the boy was rushed to a local hospital with serious injuries. A 28-second video of the incident shows four boys ― believed to be Bayonne High School students ― punching and kicking the victim on the ground as a group of people, mostly students look on … As the beating continues, Hurley is seen running toward the kids in a futile attempt to stop their intense blows and kicks. She then is seen throwing herself on top of the boy and the attackers take off down the street.”
BONG, JAMES BONG. THE WEED IS NOT ENOUGH — “ CRDA asks again, when will Atlantic City approve enough weed stores?” by The Press of Atlantic City’s Bill Barlow: “Does a city known for having 48 blocks have room for 50 cannabis operations? In 2023, some members of the Casino Reinvestment Development Authority Board of Directors began to balk at the number of weed stores brought before them. The state agency has planning authority within the city’s Tourism District. At one point, the city agreed to slow things down, but applications were soon back in force … Board member Mike Beson has been the most consistent critic of the expanding cannabis market in Atlantic City, and with each application, asks CRDA Planning and Development Director Lance Landgraf how many applications the CRDA has received. Landgraf said the authority has approved more than 30, and all told, including the ones yet to be approved, there are about 50 applications so far. ‘I think it’s enough,’ Beson said. ‘It’s unfair to these business owners that are putting their hard-earned savings, in some cases to operate next to each other.’” —“Galloway Township pauses acceptance of new pot applications ” —“Will West Windsor voters ditch their nonpartisan elections?” —“House where N.J. prosecutor’s office detective was killed was burglarized before, cops say” —“ [Bethlehem Township] withdraws legal challenge to state's affordable housing requirements” —“Voters in this [North Haledon] will decide how it pays for school-based police on Nov. 5 ” —“Billy's Midway Arcade in Hawthorne fighting for survival: 'It's a mess'” —“Exchange student with revoked visa sent bomb threat to N.J. private school, cops say” —“ Embattled Bayonne scrapyard is cited by Hudson County agency for air pollution” —“Zuppa punches at Boggiano as he makes Jersey City Ward C rematch official ” —“These are the candidates vying for the unexpired Clifton City Council seat” | | EVERYTHING ELSE | |
GEORGE NORCROSS TO BECOME LARGEST DONOR TO... ANYONE ELSE — “Prominent lawyer enters N.Y.C. mayor’s race against Adams,” by The New York Times’ Emma G. Fitzsimmons: “Jim Walden, a prominent and well-regarded lawyer who has represented causes across the political spectrum, will announce on Thursday that he is entering the New York City mayor’s race. Mr. Walden, a former federal prosecutor, plans to focus on cleaning up city government and will propose a ‘zero-tolerance policy on corruption.’ He is a political independent, and has not decided which party’s nomination to seek in the June primaries. He is the sixth prominent candidate to challenge Mayor Eric Adams, a Democrat who was indicted last month on federal corruption charges. If Mr. Adams were to resign, party affiliation would not matter since a special election would be nonpartisan.”
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WE DID START THE FIRE — “ Backyard fire pit, campfires banned in N.J. as ‘some of the driest conditions ever’ spread across state,” by The Philadelphia Inquirer’s Frank Kummer: “With fire danger at an “extreme,” New Jersey officials have enacted a statewide mandatory ban on wood and charcoal fires, whether on public or private property. ‘We are currently experiencing some of the driest conditions ever, making our forests, in particular the sprawling Pinelands region of southern New Jersey, especially vulnerable to wildfires that could spread very quickly and threaten property,’ New Jersey Department of Environmental Commissioner Shawn LaTourette said in a statement this week … The ban, enacted Monday, prohibits fires unless they are in an elevated stove that uses propane, natural gas, or electricity.”
— “Are campus protests being silenced? Colleges, students spar over new rules" — “ N.J. drought turns severe in more areas. Red flag fire warnings issued” —“Once this filmmaker landed on Planet Bruce, there was no escape ”
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