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 | | By Matt Friedman |
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Good Monday morning! With two weeks to go before the election, we’ll soon find out whether
national Democrats will get significantly involved in the 7th District to help Democrat Sue Altman. If they’re going to do it, this is really the last chance. Altman allies are getting restless in the wake of a Monmouth poll that shows a 2 point race and a negative ad blitz
by Republican U.S. Rep. Tom Kean Jr. Former Rep. Tom Malinowski, now the Hunterdon County Democratic chair, said this to New Jersey Globe on Friday about national Democratic super PACs. “I think they made their standard mistake of not coming in earlier,”
Malinowski said. “I think they’re looking at the same polling that we’ve seen in the last couple of weeks. And my hope, based not just not purely in wishful thinking, is that they will come in for the last two weeks.” Malinowski, who said he thinks the PACs will come in during the final stretch, is an appropriate spokesperson for disgruntled Democrats. He was, after all, thrown under the bus by his own state party in redistricting a few years ago. You could argue the district was literally drawn for Kean.
Last I checked, House Majority PAC had reserved almost $3 million for TV advertising in the district, but that money could easily be diverted to other competitive races in the region. TIPS? FEEDBACK? Email me at mfriedman@politico.com
. HAPPY BIRTHDAY — Elizabeth Coulter QUOTE OF THE DAY: “Thanks for making us the most famous cafe in New Jersey." — A sign
outside The Baklava Lady restaurant in Englishtown, after a previous pro-Palestinian sign that began with the words “we only serve” attracted protesters and counter-protesters. WHERE’S MURPHY? — No public schedule.
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 | WHAT TRENTON MADE | |
R.I.P. — “N.J. lobbyist killed in Nashville after being struck in crosswalk,” by New Jersey Globe’s David Wildstein:
“Michael O’Connell, a highly respected attorney and lobbyist from Belmar, was struck and killed on October 19 in a crosswalk in downtown Nashville, The Tennessean reported. He was 58. … O’Connell was a partner Pringle Quinn Anzano, where he was part of their government and regulatory affairs practice.”
—From The Tennessean
: “Police said 36-year-old Joey Nixon of Waverly, Tennessee, was driving the truck and initially left the scene before returning. Witnesses told police Nixon had been spinning the truck's tires and speeding before the accident. Nixon did not show any signs of impairment, according to MNPD. He was cited with a failure to yield right of way.” BURGLARY —
Murphy approves upgraded penalties for home burglary, by POLITICO’s Daniel Han:
Gov. Phil Murphy on Friday signed into law a bipartisan bill to upgrade penalties for home break-ins. The bill Murphy signed, S3006, cleared the entire state Legislature with only a single “no” vote, underscoring widespread support for the measure. The bill signing was done in a solidly Democratic town and also had Senate Minority Leader and top sponsor Anthony Bucco in attendance, although it has caused pushback from criminal justice advocates who said the measure will “fuel mass incarceration.” The bill signing comes among broader concerns around crime in the state. Earlier this week a detective with the Cumberland County Prosecutor's Office was killed in
a home invasion, and Assemblymember Paul Kanitra this month had his home broken into. Lawmakers have also debated how to deal with auto thefts (last year Murphy signed into law bills to crack down on them). THE RIVER LINE — “A New Jersey train crash highlights a failing transit system
,” by WNYC’s Stephen Nessen:
“Train crashes, especially fatal ones like the one that killed a train operator this week in New Jersey, are quite rare. But when there is a calamity on the rails, it often means something is wrong with the system. Take the NJ Transit Hoboken crash in 2016, which killed one person and injured dozens. It was later determined to have been caused by an operator with sleep apnea who dozed off as the train was pulling into the station. Afterward, NJ Transit lowered the speed limit for trains entering the station and issued regulations requiring train operators to be accompanied by another crew member as they pull into Hoboken. So, could anything have been done to prevent this
week’s fatal crash on the River Line, which killed a 20-year veteran train operator who hit a downed tree?” —DePhillips: “NJ Transit’s new customer advocate won’t be its savior”
PAUL MOONSHINE — “Give Phil Murphy an 'A' for alcohol,” by The Star-Ledger’s Paul Mulshine:
“I disagree with the governor on just about everything. But he got that one right. That reform was long overdue. As part of my studies, I visited a brewpub that came into existence because of Murphy’s reforms, the Heavy Reel in Seaside Heights. A friend had told me that on weekends the brewpub often hosts Grateful Dead cover bands that attract big crowds. In any other state, that wouldn’t be a big deal. But before Murphy came along, microbreweries had to follow strict rules that forced the pub to give each patron a brewery tour before getting down to the business at hand. Live performances were also restricted.”
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| BIDEN TIME | |
THE BASHAW SEE-SAW — The Republican who wants to be NJ’s next senator has a familiar problem: Donald Trump, by POLITICO’s Matt Friedman
: “When New Jersey hotelier Curtis Bashaw decided in January to run for the Senate, he had never donated to Donald Trump and instead helped fund Christie Christie’s anti-Trump presidential run. But within three months of declaring, he endorsed Trump and shook hands with the former president at a rally in South Jersey. He did so even as Trump endorsed Bashaw’s Republican primary rival, a MAGA loyalist, at the same event. Now Bashaw is once again attempting to put distance between himself and Trump as he tries to become the first New Jersey Republican in half a century to win a Senate seat. Bashaw’s see-sawing support illustrates the challenge for blue state
Republicans trying to simultaneously win over the MAGA base and moderate voters. It’s a struggle that’s become familiar in the GOP since Trump’s ascendance a decade ago and can now be seen in competitive congressional races from New York to California: Candidates need Trump to win the general election, but won’t go so far as to embrace him. “Each one of us as citizens has a binary choice in our elections and our vote. I think people struggle with their choices at the top of the ticket each year,” Bashaw said in a phone interview. “I don’t think we can have four more years of the same. That’s why I’m doing that.”
I’M A SEOUL MAN — “With a Korean American on the ballot, a push in the community to register new voters,” by NJ Spotlight News:
“According to one recent count, there were 38,190 registered Korean American voters in New Jersey as of the November 2023 general election, just 51% of all Korean American citizens 18 years of age and older in the state. There has not been much increase over the last decade, according to the count by the Korean American Civic Empowerment (KACE) group, and that’s compared to an overall voter registration rate in New Jersey of close to 70%. But over the last several months, voter and community activists in New Jersey have been working to reverse that pattern for this fall’s elections — and with a special opportunity to do so. On the ballot statewide for one of
New Jersey’s two U.S. Senate seats is U.S. Rep. Andy Kim, a first-generation Korean American who has represented the 3rd Congressional District since 2019. ‘Most of the reasons [for low turnout] is they’re not used to this kind of system, and many of the times, they don’t know who the candidates are,’ Kapsong Kim of the MinKwon Center for Community Action, an advocate nonprofit organization for immigrant rights based in Palisades Park, said of Korean Americans. ‘So when there is a Korean candidate, the interest will be much higher. But if there is no Korean candidate, people don’t know who to vote for.’”
—“Congress is up for grabs. Inside the [7th District] race with huge national consequences” —Snowflack: “
Kean goes into negative overdrive in battleground contest with Altman” —Moran: “On Israel, Altman stands with Biden -- not The Squad
” —“Democrats in two key races question pro-choice bona fides of GOP opponents”
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| LOCAL | |
BERGEN COUNTY — “Retired chief of Bergen County Sheriff's Office arrested on child pornography charges,” by The Record’s Mary Ann Koruth:
“A retired Chief of the Bergen County Sheriff's Office was arrested Thursday on charges of possessing child abuse material, the Bergen County Prosecutor's Office has confirmed. Stephen Bojekian, 69, a resident of Franklin Lakes, was arrested for allegedly using the Internet ‘to view, download, and possess items depicting nude and/or sexually explicit prepubescent and pubescent children,’ the office said in a statement. Bojekian, a veteran in Bergen County law enforcement, started his career as a corrections officer at the county jail, climbing the ranks to investigate arson and homicide and worked in the Detective Bureau, until then Sheriff Joe Trella promoted him
to the chief's post in 2002. He was known in New York and New Jersey as a forensics expert, according to news reports.”
WHOOPS! — “Huge budgeting error forced N.J. school district to cut 93 staff, including teachers,” by NJ Advance Media’s Tina Kelley
: “East Orange Superintendent Christopher Irving told WABC-TV the school board mistakenly thought it would receive a larger increase in state funding to balance its budget. But, East Orange did not receive the same increases in state aid that some neighboring districts received for the 2024-25 school year. ‘Around us, Newark received $100 million, and our colleagues in Irvington and Orange received almost $15-30 million respectively,” Irving said. ‘And we got $200,000. And for us, we know that’s unfair.’ Irving did not explain why it took until October for the school board to address the budget problems when projected state aid numbers were
announced in March, and the state budget was approved in June. According to a budget presentation given to the school board March 28, board members had a clear picture of how much aid the district was expected to receive. The presentation also said the district asked the state Department of Education for additional aid and ‘received a denial letter’ in February.” — “
East Orange plans teacher layoffs. Paterson, with 123 vacancies, says 'Come on over!',” by The Paterson Press’ Joe Malinconico: “
The East Orange school district’s budget crisis may become an educational windfall for Paterson. Struggling with 123 vacant teaching positions six weeks into the school year, Paterson officials are now looking to recruit educators who will be losing their jobs in East Orange’s impending layoffs. ‘We are collaborating with the East Orange School District to identify opportunities for their educators impacted by recent changes,’ said a statement issued by Paterson superintendent Laurie Newell” SCOURGEIO — “
Police report: Dover councilman shoved assault victim to ground, knocking him out,” by The Daily Record’s William Westhoven:
“A police report obtained by the Daily Record has revealed startling details of the Sept. 25 aggravated assault arrest of Dover Councilman Sergio Rodriguez, alleging the victim was knocked unconscious after the Ward 2 Democrat shoved him to the ground, causing him to hit his head on a concrete wall. The report, obtained from the Morris County Prosecutor's Office through the Open Public Records Act, states that the first-term councilman ‘caused significant bodily injury’ to the unnamed victim during an incident on West Dickerson Street just after 11 a.m. Rodriguez was arrested later that day. … Aggravated assault in New Jersey is a third-degree crime that
calls for a prison sentence of three to five years, if convicted, and a fine of $15,000, but also ‘a presumption of non-incarceration.’ But Rodriguez, a local lightning rod who has posted social media videos of his confrontations with alleged public drunks on public streets, and has publicly clashed with Police Chief Jonathan Delaney, is still facing charges for a similar alleged assault on another man during a street confrontation in February.” —“
East Orange families outraged over 75 teacher and staff layoffs” —“Visit Atlantic City announces leadership changes
” —“Paterson settles with former Marine not hired as firefighter over PTSD diagnosis”
—“Jersey City council puts off vote on amending cannabis rules, will take second swing at tree ordinance” —“
Newark’s high school of architecture, design expected to open next fall after three-year delay” —“Wall resident charged with confronting Howell High football player after game
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| EVERYTHING ELSE | |
THE STRIDENCE OF THE GRAMS — “
Loretta Weinberg documentary: ‘Love letter to women’,” by NJ Spotlight News’ Brianna Vannozzi:
“Some know her as the ‘feisty grandma’ who served in the New Jersey Legislature, but former Senate Majority Leader Loretta Weinberg was also a no-nonsense advocate who wasn’t afraid to take on the political establishment or their bullies. Weinberg is now the subject of a new documentary, ‘Politics is a Mother, Raising Hell is Part of the Job,’ directed by her daughter Francine Weinberg Graff and premiering at the Montclair Film Festival this weekend. From marriage equality to reproductive rights and her work uncovering the Bridgegate scandal, Weinberg’s career is captured through her daughter’s lifelong lens. ‘This really
started when I was about 5 years old, and I am an observer of life,’ said Graff. ‘And even at that young age, I would look at my mother and I would say, she is not like all the other mothers. She was not a Girl Scout leader. She did not join the PTA. She did not take us to the park after school… ‘I just knew someday. This story needed to be told.’”
THE CHRONIC — “
More people are using cannabis to manage pain. But doctors aren’t as convinced — yet.,” by NJ Advance Media’s Jackie Roman:
“Healthcare providers want to learn more about how cannabis can be used to treat chronic pain, new research shows, as a growing number of people turn to the drug for relief. The study, from Rutgers Health and other institutions, surveyed more than 1,600 people with chronic pain and 1,000 physicians in states with medical cannabis programs. Researchers found 71% of patients and 50% of physicians supported federal legalization of medical cannabis. ‘Whether or not the evidence is there, people are using cannabis for chronic pain,’ said Elizabeth Stone, a faculty member at the Rutgers Institute for Health, Health Care Policy and Aging Research and lead author of the
study. ‘So, with this survey, we wanted to see where providers were at with that interest. The main takeaway for us is this need for education.’” STILL A BETTER ‘STUDY’ THAN UNITED VAN LINES’ — ”New Jersey named one of most-haunted states in America. Here's one especially spooky spot
,” by The Asbury Park Press’ Ilana Keller:
“Just in time for spooky season, New Jersey has been named one of the most haunted states in America. That's according to a report from memorial product company Affordable Urns, which analyzed data on paranormal sightings to find the top haunted places across the U.S. If one believes in such things, of course … The study looked at data from reported sightings at the paranormal website theshadowlands.net/places, then combined that with the area of each state in square miles to determine a ‘Paranormal Activity Score.’ The study found that New Jersey ranks fourth-most-haunted.”
—“NJ detective, shot dead by criminals in her home, was a grandmother and trailblazer” —“
N.J. record 770-pound black bear killed by bow hunter” —“Overdose deaths are on the decline. Let’s keep the momentum going | Opinion
” —“Bruce Springsteen says he's not a billionaire: 'They got that real wrong'”
—“Watch N.J.’s Dionne Warwick and Kool & the Gang join the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame”
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