| | | | |  | | By Matt Friedman | Presented by Honeywell | Good Friday morning! You may have been there. You’re having a house party. Or you just like to drink alone. But you didn’t plan ahead, and now it's past 10 and you've run out of beer and wine. That’s tough in New Jersey. With few exceptions, liquor stores, which are also for the most part the only places you can buy "off-premise" beer and wine, close at 10 p.m. (Some bars sell “package goods” after 10, which is for some reason what we call beer and wine-to-go). But there’s reason for hope. State Sen. Gordon Johnson’s (D-Bergen) got your back. He proposed a bill Monday that would allow gas stations and convenience stores to sell beer and wine. So now you can impress your guests with a bottle of Boone’s Farm Strawberry Daiquiri Flavored Apple Wine. The 2023 vintage. It might not surprise you that the convenience store and gas station lobby is pushing this bill. The liquor store lobby is, of course, opposed. | | | | A message from Honeywell: Under the Significant New Alternatives Policy (SNAP) the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) lists HFOs as “acceptable substitutes for ozone depleting substances.” Learn more at honeywell.com/hfofacts | | |
Johnson told me that while he’s never personally needed to buy beer after 10 p.m., advocates told him about hotel guests in Bergen County who have been surprised to not be able to buy drinks at the gas station next door.
This idea was discussed in the Legislature as recently as 2019, though I'm not sure the legislation has been introduced recently. Johnson told me he doubts the bill will pass in lame duck. That seems likely, especially considering how hard it is to summon the political will to tweak New Jersey’s liquor laws, as Gov. Phil Murphy just discovered. Full disclosure: I now live in New York, and I can get beer at the gas station or supermarket at almost any time. But I went to college in New Jersey and found these restrictions pretty annoying. TIPS? FEEDBACK? Email me at mfriedman@politico.com HAPPY BIRTHDAY — Missed yesterday: Tahesha Way, Chris Bollwage. Saturday for Marilyn Piperno, Micah Rasmussen, John Carroll, Tricia Enright. Sunday for Adam Beder, Tyler Honschke, Idida Rodriguez, Maryann Spoto, Christine Stearns QUOTE OF THE DAY: “You went to that Confession … You could tell them you murdered somebody. And they couldn't tell your parents. They couldn't tell the police. They can't tell anyone. Parental rights? I know I had a conversation with my clergy about things that I wasn't sure about. But Father Tom never called my parents.” — Old Bridge Superintendent David Cittadino on affirming New Jersey’s transgender student policy WHERE’S MURPHY? — Nothing on his public schedule |  | WHAT TRENTON MADE | |
STEPHEN VS. STEVEN — “Sweeney will enter governor’s race on Monday,” by New Jersey Globe’s David Wildstein: “Former Senate President Steve Sweeney will announce on Monday that he will seek the Democratic nomination for governor, becoming the second candidate in the race to replace term-limited Gov. Phil Murphy in 2025. Sweeney would not confirm the Monday announcement. “I’m leaning toward an announcement shortly,” he told the New Jersey Globe. Sweeney has been widely expected to run. He spent months in 2021 meeting with county political leaders, but then unexpectedly lost his own Senate to Republican Ed Durr. Still, weeks later, he told the New Jersey State Association of Pipe Trades convention in Atlantic City that he intended to run anyway. Jersey City Mayor Steve Fulop is the lone Democrat who has formally entered the race.”
—@StevenFulop: “Glad to see you in. It was getting lonely. I think we both share the sentiment (and are hopeful) that no random millionaires show up this time.” | | | | A message from Honeywell:   | | |
HOYLIER THAN THOU — New York senator asks judge to step aside from tolling case because of Murphy ties, by POLITICO’s Ry Rivard: A federal judge overseeing the fate of New York’s landmark congestion pricing plan should recuse himself because of New Jersey political ties, according to a letter sent Wednesday by New York Senate Judiciary chairperson Brad Hoylman-Sigal. In a letter to the court, Hoylman-Sigal, a Democrat who represents part of Manhattan, flagged that U.S. District Judge Brian Martinotti is married to an ally of New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy, whose administration has a case pending before the judge that seeks to upend federal approval of New York’s tolling plan … The judge’s wife, Dana Martinotti, is a councilwoman in a North Jersey town and was a Murphy nominee to the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey. She left the Port Authority earlier this year, but it’s been reported that Murphy would seek to give her a spot on another prominent board. “How could New Yorkers expect this case to be handled in a fair and impartial manner with those facts alone?" Hoylman-Sigal said in an interview.
MIDDLE CLASS ON A BAD DAY — “The state where unemployment is rising the fastest is having trouble filling jobs,” by The Wall Street Journal’s Gabriel T. Rubin: “New Jersey’s unemployment rate is rising faster than any other state’s as more people are seeking work, but not enough are able and willing to fill the jobs available … The Garden State’s experience could be a harbinger for the nation: rising unemployment and slower job growth overall, coupled with continued worker shortages in specific areas … New Jersey’s unemployment rate rose to 4.6% in October, up 1.3 percentage points from a year earlier, according to the Labor Department. Nationally, the rate increased by just 0.2 point to 3.9% over the same period. The state’s increase partly reflects a surge of 94,100 people into its labor force … in the year through October, a 2% increase as the pandemic ebbed and wages climbed. Meanwhile, the state’s employers added 29,700 jobs over the same period, a 0.6% gain—around one-third of the national increase.” —“NJ extends Medicaid palliative care for poor and elderly” —“GOP lawmaker wants indicted officials like Sen. Menendez removed from office” —“Lawmakers advance bill to allow some 17-year-olds to vote in New Jersey primaries” —“Predator coaches can hide in college sports. N.J. official aims to stop it” | | Biden's Beltway | |
HERB LOOKS TO SPICE THINGS UP — Conaway launches candidacy for Kim's House seat, by POLITICO’s Matt Friedman: Assembly running mates Herb Conaway and Carol Murphy are now rivals. Conaway (D-Burlington), a medical doctor who leads Burlington County’s health department, on Thursday announced his Democratic U.S. House campaign in the 3rd District, where three-term incumbent Andy Kim is vacating his seat to run in the Democratic primary for Senate. Murphy (D-Burlington) declared her campaign in October. “Unfortunately, and sadly, we have a Congress that thrives on division and chaos, and they’re not focusing on the needs of the American people, more locally the people of New Jersey and even more locally the people of the 3rd Congressional District,” Conaway said in an interview. “I have been fortunate to enjoy the reputation of one who is calm and works against division and chaos.”
HAVING TO PAY BACK A LOAN, AND WITH INTEREST? NOW I’VE HEARD IT ALL — MWW, the PR firm run by major Democratic fundraiser Michael Kempner, has agreed to pay back $2.29 million with interest for taking out and getting forgiveness for a $2 million PPP loan it allegedly did not qualify for, according to the New Jersey U.S. Attorney’s Office. The reason: MWW was registered under the Foreign Agent Registration Act (FARA), which made it ineligible for the PPP loan it took out in 2021. MWW cooperated in — the process, the U.S. Attorney’s Office said. The foreign work was for the Israeli Ministry of Tourism. MWW in a statement called it a “minor FARA filing.” It should be noted that MWW received no revenue nor did any employee of the company work on the engagement during the period in question,” the statement read. “Further, given the ambiguity of the FARA statute, it is in question whether MWW was actually required to file the FARA report during these periods and if it was, in fact, ineligible for the loan. Nonetheless, MWW has voluntarily agreed to reimburse the equivalent of the loan to avoid any appearance of impropriety whatsoever.” The person who tipped the government off, Aidan Forsyth, will receive a $229,000 bounty. —“Sen. Robert Menendez, facing bribery charges, stumps bank CEOs by asking how much their firms paid in settlements for allegedly ripping off consumers” | | LOCAL | |
CLARKKK — “After 3 years and $1.5M, cops in N.J. racism scandal could face discipline,” by NJ Advance Media’s Riley Yates: “Surveying a racism scandal in Clark Township, Attorney General Matthew Platkin last month called for the firing of two police officials caught on tape using racial slurs, saying their words and deeds disqualify them from wearing a badge … [O]n Monday, Township Council bowed to Platkin’s pressure and voted to hire an independent hearing officer in connection with the disciplinary charges. They did so as Platkin threatened to seek changes in state law if the township failed to appoint someone outside of Clark’s government to decide whether Matos and Teston should keep their jobs”
IT WOULD ONLY BE HYPOCRITICAL IF HE RAN AS PRO-TAX — “The new anti-tax Paterson school board member faces a tax lien sale on his home,” by The Paterson Press’ Joe Malinconico: “Political newcomer Mohammed Rashid emerged as the top-vote getter in last month’s school board election with help from a series of anti-tax campaign mailings put out by a Washington-based super PAC. It turns out the tax issue was closer to home for Rashid than the campaign fliers supporting him had revealed. Rashid’s house on James Street was among 1,569 properties in Paterson included on the city government’s list for a Dec. 20 tax lien sale. The list published on the municipal website said Rashid owes the city $1,135. ‘I’m going to pay that,’ Rashid said. ‘It’s not property taxes. It’s a sewer bill.’” IT’S GETTING HARDER FOR MYSTERY INC. TO OPERATE IN NJ — “Shuttered Jersey Shore amusement park will be torn down after being sold for $5.9M,” by NJ Advance Media’s Matthew Enuco: “Land that was once occupied by an amusement park in Ocean County’s Berkeley Township will be preserved as open space. Ocean County, with the blessing of township officials, recently approved the $5.9 million purchase of 27 acres of land off Route 9 that was once home to Blackbeard’s Cave. The county plans to maintain the land as open space.” | | | | A message from Honeywell: HFOs offer a higher level of safety compared with other industrial refrigerants such as CO2, ammonia and propane. Learn more at honeywell.com/hfofacts | | |
DISHONEST ABE — “Zimmer: Jersey City’s Rebuild by Design easements are being blocked for developer,” by Hudson County View’s John Heinis: “In a letter to the Hoboken City Council, former Mayor Dawn Zimmer asserts that Jersey City’s Rebuild by Design easements are being blocked to protect the financial interests of a private developer … ‘[T]t appears Mayor Fulop is blocking this vital regional resiliency project to protect the financial interests of Lincoln Equities, a private developer with a 2021 approval to build ‘Holland Park’ an 800 residential unit development project along the light rail tracks that would include a new light rail station. The easements would be located on the Jersey City-Hoboken border along Grove Street, Marin Boulevard, and Jersey Avenue, and Zimmer states that the appraised value is $2.1 million, which was determined after the DEP exercised eminent domain. ‘It appears that Jersey City is withholding the public easements to strong-arm the DEP into paying Lincoln Equities a higher price for the private easements, rather than to negotiate a fair price for the public easements on behalf of Jersey City residents and taxpayers,’ she wrote.”
THE CRC’S WAR ON TERRA — New Jersey's cannabis commission hits TerrAscend with another fine, by POLITICO’s Daniel Han: The Cannabis Regulatory Commission hit cannabis operator TerrAscend with a $20,000 fine on Thursday, which company executives said they would appeal. The five-figure fine is on top of a $100,000 penalty state regulators brought against TerrAscend in September and underscores the commission’s aggressive penalties for noncompliance. The commission, in a 3-1 vote with one abstention, voted to bring the penalties against TerrAscend despite the recommendation of CRC staff, who said there should be no financial penalties for the latest violation. If the commission were to levy a fine, CRC staff said, it should have only been $10,000. Thursday’s penalties stem from an instance where state regulators say TerrAscend directed a medical cannabis patient to purchase cannabis from their recreational menu versus their medical menu. —“In Newark bribery case, ex-Hoboken Assemblyman Garcia gets 4th continuance of ’23” —“Paterson cop indicted in 2022 shooting of a fleeing gun suspect” —“[Edison] middle school teacher found with child porn, sexually assaulted student, officials allege” —“NYPD officer charged with kidnapping in Paterson domestic violence investigation” —“Former South Toms River official remains jailed on sex assault charges” | | EVERYTHING ELSE | |
STUNNING NEWS — “When Tasers fail: The stun guns are failing N.J. cops. The cost? Lives, futures, careers,” by NJ Advance Media’s Rebecca Everett: “In New Jersey, the device successfully resolved dangerous incidents — ranging from impossibly strong assailants to the barricaded and armed — only about two-thirds of the time officers reported using the weapon, according to an NJ Advance Media review of deployments from its first use in 2012 through 2022. Then consider most cops in New Jersey don’t even have the device. Only 40% of law enforcement agencies in the state use Tasers, according to the most recent survey in 2020. And most officers who deployed the weapon were utilizing it in the field for the first time, the reports showed. But officials in the Garden State don’t appear to know if the failures stem from training deficiencies, complex use policies, a lack of practice or the weapon itself” —“New Jersey gun permit requests skyrocket statewide since start of Israel-Hamas war” —“N.J. test scores show slight improvement, but not for third graders” —“N.J. university and union closer to deal after strike vote”
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