| | | | |  | | By Matt Friedman | Presented by New Jersey Wind Works | Good Thursday morning! The Philadelphia Inquirer on Wednesday published a piece that details just what state and federal authorities are investigating pertaining to Camden: Alleged schemes in which George and Phil Norcross “used their political influence to corruptly acquire” buildings and land around the Cadmen waterfront “by muscling out rival developers.” The stories detailed in the article are, for the most part, not new. They’ve been detailed in The Inquirer, other publications and filings in a long-running lawsuit between Camden and developer Carl Dranoff. But the fact that reporters Andrew Seidman and Jeremy Roebuck spoke to over a dozen people familiar with the investigation suggests it’s quite wide. And there are a couple new pieces of information: That investigators are asking questions about Norcross/Camden attorney Bill Tambussi, and that potential witnesses are being asked questions regarding “construction costs.” The article doesn’t elaborate on that further. As the Inky piece makes clear, Norcross has attracted a lot of scrutiny from investigators before but has not been charged. But this looks like a big effort. Between this and the Menendez investigation, some very important New Jersey Democrats appear to be in authorities’ crosshairs. TIPS? FEEDBACK? Email me at mfriedman@politico.com QUOTE OF THE DAY: “I’m speechless that this is what you really think people want to read about in a town where kids are now starting their summer … They want things to do, and you want to go through where the money is in foundations?” — Bob Hurley, a legendary former local high school basketball coach, to a Jersey Journal reporter asking him about his previously undisclosed $100,000 salary for running the “People’s Park Foundation,” which is funded by billionaire Paul Fireman and is pushing his plans for Liberty State Park. HAPPY BIRTHDAY — Claire Swift, Mike Risoli, Adam Gussen WHERE’S MURPHY? — No public schedule
| | | | A message from New Jersey Wind Works: New Jersey is fighting climate change with a dynamic and responsible offshore wind industry that will deliver clean, renewable energy for generations to come. Ocean Wind, Atlantic Shores and more upcoming projects have been in planning stages for years and, when online, will contribute to reversing the extreme weather, sea level rise, and flooding that we have seen in recent years. Let Trenton know that you want New Jersey to continue to grow offshore wind! | | | |  | WHAT TRENTON MADE | | BUDGET — Late last night, with not much time to spare without creating a procedural headache, the Senate and Assembly Budget Committees approved the roughly $54 billion budget — more than a billion over the budget Murphy proposed. They came close to blowing a deadline that requires the bill to sit on desks for a full calendar day before the planned Friday vote. MASTRO? NEVER HEARD OF HIM — “Another sexist joins Team Murphy!” by The Star-Ledger’s Tom Moran: “When the Bridgegate scandal blew up in Chris Christie’s face, he found an incredibly expensive lawyer to produce a widely ridiculed report that cost taxpayer more than $11 million, at an hourly rate of $650. The lead lawyer, Randy Mastro, found that Christie did nothing wrong, which is what he was hired to do. In the words of Sen. Loretta Weinberg, it was “a report to prove that the dog really ate my homework.” So, it’s a strange hire to begin with. But for Gov. Phil Murphy to choose Mastro, assigned to help negotiate with New York over congestion pricing, makes it even stranger. Because several of the state’s leading feminists had another problem with Mastro’s report: They felt it was sexist, since it speculated about the romantic life of Bridget Kelly, the woman at the heart of the scandal, suggesting she was emotionally off her rocker when she sent the famous e-mail. … How did Mastro know? He relied on office gossip. … ‘Nobody knows what was going on except Bill Stepien, me, and my mom,’ Kelly said Tuesday. “‘he fact that Mastro put my mental state at the center of his report is just inexcusable. Women are still being maligned, still being cast as emotional. None of that was said about any male.’ Murphy’s decision to hire Mastro, she says, rubs salt in it.” IT’S SO SWEET THAT THOSE CHEMICALS FOUND THEIR FOREVER HOMES — “Company to pay N.J. $393M in historic ‘forever chemical’ pollution case,” by NJ Advance Media’s S.P. Sullivan: “The owners of a notorious New Jersey industrial plant will pay nearly $393 million to clean up harmful chemicals and restore damaged natural resources in a 37-square-mile area around West Deptford under a settlement agreement announced Wednesday. State authorities say the deal with Solvay Specialty Polymers resolves a bitter dispute over the company’s responsibility for cancer-causing toxins in the area, home to several industrial sites.” —Lawmakers: Online gaming reauthorization to be five years, up from two —Caddle lawyer argues for 9 year sentence for murder-for-hire —Lawmakers holding off on bill to expand eligibility for Medicare savings program —Oroho to step down as minority leader this weekend —“This new law seeks to boost transparency for NJ election results” —“With federal approval, NYC now must decide how much congestion pricing toll will be” —“Spit, assaults and tantrums. Riders have lost ‘basic civility,’ NJ Transit says”
| | | | A message from New Jersey Wind Works:   | | | | | BIDEN TIME | |
—Stile: “What do NJ Democrats, once Christie targets, think of his assault on Donald Trump?”
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FIREMAN’S PLANS FOR LIBERTY STATE PARK: LOTS OF ASTROTURF — “Legendary coach Bob Hurley got $100K to promote billionaire’s plan for sports complex at Liberty State Park,” by The Jersey Journal’s Mark Koosau: “Hall of Famer Bob Hurley has personally received $100,000 to push a billionaire golf course owner’s grand plans for a sports complex at Liberty State Park in Jersey City. The People’s Park Foundation (PPF), which is headed by the legendary coach, has received $1.1 million from Paul Fireman to advocate for a major overhaul of Liberty State Park, but so far none of that money has been spent on recreation or helping to acquire the playing fields the group says are so desperately needed, tax filings show. … ‘I’m speechless that this is what you really think people want to read about in a town where kids are now starting their summer,’ Hurley yelled when asked about donations by Fireman to both the People’s Park Foundation and his own Hurley Family Foundation. ‘They want things to do, and you want to go through where the money is in foundations?’ The Hurley Family Foundation, which runs a free basketball program in Jersey City, has received at least $250,000 from Fireman’s charity. It was earmarked for another $375,000 in 2020 “for future payment.” Hurley does not draw a salary from his own foundation, according to the tax records. … Fireman’s charity had also donated $25,000 each to nonprofits run by state Sens. Brian Stack and Nicholas Sacco. Both supported fast-tracked legislation last year that established an advisory task force on redeveloping Liberty State Park.”
CAR 420 WHERE ARE YOU? — “Administrative law judge rules for Jersey City police officer, setting up legal battle over cannabis use,” by The Jersey Journal’s Ron Zeitlinger: “An Office of Administrative Law (OAL) decision has set up a potentially monumental legal battle between Jersey City and the state Attorney General’s Office over whether law enforcement officers will be allowed to use cannabis. In a 13-page ruling released last week, an Administrative Law judge reversed the March 2023 termination of Jersey City Police Officer Norhan Mansour, who had been fired for a positive cannabis test, in spite of state law that says employees, including police officers, cannot be fired for a positive test unless it is determined the employee used cannabis on the job or was under the influence while on the job.” ANOTHER GILMORE GETS A SECOND CHANCE — “Paterson's David Gilmore returns to work, 18 months after he was fired,” by The Paterson Press’ Joe Malinconico: “David Gilmore didn’t disappear 18 months ago when he was fired from his job as Paterson’s community improvements director over accusations of sexual harassment. Gilmore — who strikes an imposing figure at 6-foot-5 and 290 pounds — continued being blunt, outspoken and opinionated. Week after week, he attended City Council meetings, unleashing relentless attacks against Mayor Andre Sayegh and his administration. ... Gilmore was ready to go back to his city job on Wednesday, reinstated after an administrative law judge and the state Civil Service Commission overturned the city’s termination, dismissing the harassment allegations as the work of one of Gilmore’s workplace adversaries and an overly sensitive clerk.” SIEG FAIL — “Nazi salute and pride flag lead to vote to censure Rochelle Park mayor, committee member,” by The Record’s Kristie Cattafi: “A Nazi salute from a committee member and outbursts from the mayor over the approval of raising the pride flag led the majority of the Township Committee to condemn both and remove the mayor from his position. The committee members voted to censure then-Mayor Perrin Mosca and Committee Member Linda Boniface for their behavior during the May 24 public Township Committee meeting. Tempers flared during the meeting, at which Mosca tried to rescind a resolution allowing the township to raise the pride flag on June 1. … While Mosca talked of rescinding the resolution, Boniface placed a pride flag in front of her on the dais and followed it with a Nazi salute. About seven minutes later, Mosca's wife handed him a Virgin Mary flag to hang in front of him on the dais. The residents in attendance at the meeting were divided and spoke on the issue for about 90 minutes … During the May 24 meeting, Boniface responded to Mosca's speech to rescind the flag ordinance with a one-handed salute, associated with Nazis, and can be heard on video calling the mayor ‘Hitler.’” THE SKILLS TO PAY THE BILLHIMER — “Why Ocean County Republicans are endorsing this Democrat,” by The Asbury Park Press’ Erik Larsen: “In a rare act of nonpartisanship, the all-Republican Ocean County Board of Commissioners will ask Gov. Phil Murphy to appoint Prosecutor Bradley D. Billhimer to a second, five-year term this year … ‘I think he’s one of the best prosecutors we’ve ever had,’ said longtime Commissioner Jack Kelly. … The local partisan rancor that followed Murphy’s decision not to appoint Coronato to a second term and nominate Billhimer to the office instead, led to a controversial farewell by [Joseph] Coronato, whose final act as prosecutor was to take the office’s estimated 22,000 Facebook followers and 2,400 Twitter followers with him after his staff scrubbed the office’s social media accounts. Five years later, there is no rancor.” WAYNE WORLD! PARTISANSHIP TIME! NOT EXCELLENT! —“How Parents outraged by library books, diversity initiatives and sex ed transformed one New Jersey school board,” by ProPublica’s Nicole Carr: “The woman at the podium was 14 seconds into reading a passage from a library book by a nonbinary author — an attempt to prove that the county board of education “promotes obscene material and porn,” as she’d described it — when school board president Catherine Kazan cut her off. ‘I don’t think that’s appropriate,” Kazan said. ‘There’s young people in the audience.’ ‘Of course it’s appropriate!’ the woman, Pamela Macek, countered, raising her voice to be heard over the cacophony of cheers from the people seated behind her in the auditorium … Moments later — just as one of the board members finally responded to Kazan’s entreaties, saying, ‘I second the motion, madam president’ — the parent, Mark Faber, made a beeline for Kazan, who sat perched on the dais. Pointing his finger toward her, Faber yelled, ‘This is our outlet as parents to express our dissatisfaction with what’s going on. “End the meeting and it’s going to happen in front of your fucking house.’ As three officers directed him back to his seat, Kazan leaned into her microphone. ‘I take that as a threat,’ she said." Parents who cheered for Macek and Faber during the meeting would soon find more allies on the school board. A little more than a year later, the majority of the officials who’d sat on the dais with Kazan would be gone, replaced with candidates favored by frustrated parents who hoped to gain more control over Wayne’s schools.
| | | | A message from New Jersey Wind Works: Climate change has hit our state hard in recent years. New Jersey homeowners will see a 100-year storm over the course of their 30-year mortgage. Offshore wind is helping us to fight back. We are a national leader in building home-grown offshore wind to not only benefit our state, but also our neighbors up and down the east coast. With our hundreds of miles of shoreline and strong wind flows in the Atlantic, we are taking advantage of our perfect position to build a network of responsibly developed offshore wind projects that can provide renewable and reliable energy to power New Jersey’s homes and businesses – AND fight back against climate change – for years to come. Future generations are depending on us to provide them with a healthy planet and New Jersey’s planning for offshore wind is the best first step. Tell Trenton to keep investing in New Jersey offshore wind! | | | COLTS NECK CONSIDERS CHANGING NAME TO FILLYS NECK — “Colts Neck schools look to adopt new transgender student guidelines on transparency,” by News 12’s Lanette Epsy and Jim Murdoch: “Colts Neck School District is looking to pass new rules on how teachers can notify parents if a student comes out as transgender. A board of education meeting will be held Wednesday night at Conover Road Primary School. The board will vote on new guidelines on transgender student policies dealing with transparency. Part of the guidelines posted on the district's website says, 'The Principal or designee should also discuss with the student, parent/guardian, and any other individuals at the student’s request, the risks associated with the student’s transgender status being inadvertently disclosed.’” GOOD RIDDANCE TO THE IMPOSTER — “Friday is the last day for Ocean City superintendent Matt Friedman” —“Bailey seeks recount in Atlantic City's 2nd ward primary race” —“Vigilante opponents sue to force Gloucester GOP chair election this year” —“TAPinto Newark files suit against district for withholding public info” —“Proposed Newark budget would raise average city tax bill by $109” —“Marc Lemieux named Monmouth County assignment judge”
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PAT FOYE AND RANDY MASTRO BACK IN THE NJ NEWS AT THE SAME TIME — Former MTA boss unveils plan for Penn Station. The current MTA head stands in the way, by POLITICO’s Ry Rivard: A development team led by the former head of New York’s Metropolitan Transportation Authority has a new $6 billion plan to redo Penn Station. The plan’s main obstacle? The current head of MTA. ASTM, an Italian design firm whose North American CEO is former MTA chair Pat Foye, unveiled its design Wednesday to make a “graceful public realm” out of the maligned and dreary Manhattan train station … The key to the whole plan is gutting space beneath the Madison Square Garden arena currently occupied by the Hulu Theater. By buying the theater and working with the Garden, the plan could remove Madison Square Garden as a thorn in the side of attempts to redo Penn Station. … But one key critic is the current chair of MTA, Janno Lieber, who calls ASTM’s plan a “bail out” for Madison Square Garden because the company plans to use public money to pay hundreds of millions of dollars for the theater.
SUSPECT IS CONSIDERED ARMED AND HILARIOUS — “Ohio man wanted in theft of Jersey Devil statue from Stafford restaurant, cops say,” by The Asbury Park Press’ Jenna Calderon: “A warrant has been issued for the arrest of an Ohio man who allegedly stole the Jersey Devil statue from a restaurant in Stafford, police said Tuesday. On Saturday, June 24, Stafford Township Police received a report that the 'Iconic Jersey Devil Statue' had been stolen from Lucille's Luncheonette - County Cooking in Warren Grove, police said. After an investigation by the Stafford Township Detective Bureau, a warrant was issued for the arrest of Thomas L. Bintz, 52, of Chandlersville, Ohio for fourth-degree criminal mischief and third-degree theft.” —“Airport expansion protested by Yardley, Lower Makefield Twp” —“N.J. lawyer tied to rapes by DNA left on drinking glass is accused of 5 more attacks” —“‘Jeopardy!’ category ‘It Came From New Jersey’: See if you can get them all”
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