| | | | |  | | By Matt Friedman | Good Tuesday morning! The biggest takeaway from the last lame-duck session was a go-away. About a quarter of state legislators had their final voting sessions yesterday, with most retiring and some unseated in the election. But one stuck out. The one who’s been there longer than anyone, ever: Dick Codey (DEssex). The former Senate president is best known for his 14 months as governor following Jim McGreevey’s resignation. It’s been 50 years since Codey, a mortician, became a legislator, and 42 since he arrived in the Senate. Codey was popular with the public during his short time as governor, something I think was at least partly because he was a stabilizing force after what for the time was a huge political scandal — but also because New Jerseyans could identify with him. Recall his threat to “take out” shock jock Craig Rossi after he made fun of Mary Jo Codey’s postpartum depression. Sure, nobody wants their politicians threatening violence, but given the context I think people saw it as a simply human reaction. Reporters loved to quote Codey because he was funny and one of the few high-profile politicians in the state to rant against its political boss system. He had plenty of detractors inside New Jersey politics, but the public saw him as one of their own — even if their recognition of him faded in the years after his governorship, and after he was ousted as Senate president 14 years ago. He had plenty of accomplishments, like the indoor smoking ban and his undercover work. Still, Codey’s exit is somewhat ironic for a person who decried the boss system. He was thrown into the same district as state Sen. Nia Gill (D-Essex), an erstwhile ally, and easily dispatched her in the June Democratic primary without campaigning while suffering some health issues. “I’m not sick. I’m not dying or any of that bullshit,” Codey told Nikita Biyrukov in August. But Codey announced his retirement following his primary win, allowing political insiders — not primary voters — to select his replacement. It seemed briefly that Codey would even outlast his biggest foe, South Jersey Democratic power broker George Norcross, who told POLITICO he was “stepping back” from politics. But given recent events, dark money shenanigans and the South Jersey Democratic delegation’s increased relevance following the November elections, it doesn’t look that way. For a nice profile of Codey, check out Brent Johnson’s piece here. TIPS? FEEDBACK? Email me at mfriedman@politico.com HAPPY BIRTHDAY — Daniel Goodman, Alex Roarty QUOTE OF THE DAY: “In the immortal words of 'The Terminator,' I'll be back." — Outgoing state Sen. Ed Durr (R-Gloucester) WHERE’S MURPHY? — In Trenton at 3:30 p.m. to deliver the State of the State address. There will also be three local news hits this morning to talk about the incoming storm. |  | WHAT TRENTON MADE | | |
THE VERLINA REYNOLDS-JACKSON NEW CAR FUND — Pay raises for lawmakers, next governor hits Murphy's desk with little debate, by POLITICO’s Matt Friedman: A major pay raise for state legislators, the next governor and other top New Jersey officials is just one step away from becoming law. The Assembly and Senate on Monday approved the legislation, 46-26 and 26-7, respectively. State lawmakers, who are officially part-time and haven’t voted themselves a raise since 2000, would starting in 2026 get the largest proportional bump with an annual increase from $49,000 to $82,000. Only a handful of states, including New York and Pennsylvania, pay their state lawmakers more. … No Democrats, who pushed the bill, spoke on the floor in support of it in either house. A few Republicans in the Assembly criticized it. But the debate was notably muted considering how contested public officials’ pay raises often are.
MURPHY RE-ROUTES BUSES TO SAM JOSHI’S DRIVEWAY — New Jersey’s Murphy asks bus companies sending migrants to state for advance notice, by POLITICO’s Daniel Han: New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy is asking bus companies sending migrants to the state to provide advance notice of arrivals, mirroring a similar rule recently implemented by New York City Mayor Eric Adams. In a public letter Monday, Murphy asked about two dozen bus companies that he said were sending migrants from the southern border to New Jersey to provide 32 hours advance notice to the state’s Office of Emergency Management, as well as an estimated time of arrival and total number of passengers. According to Murphy, around 1,800 migrants have been sent to the state since about the start of the new year with “nearly all” passengers headed to New York City. Murphy’s letter to bus companies does not mention how the request will be enforced, but it said that “we reserve all rights to take appropriate action against any person acting in violation of any applicable laws.” #STONGERTHANANWHATEVERSTORMTHISIS —“Gov. Phil Murphy declares state of emergency for NJ in advance of major storm Tuesday,” by The Record’s Katie Sobko: “Gov. Phil Murphy declared a state of emergency in advance of a drenching storm expected to hit New Jersey late Tuesday night. Murphy warned that just because the approaching weather system was not forecasted to include snow, it was still expected to be a strong storm. New Jersey residents, the governor said, should take heed of the potential for rain, high winds and flooding.” A WELL-STUFFED BILL — Fast-tracked bill to loosen pension law stalls, by POLITICO’s Matt Friedman: Lawmakers last week took what had been narrowly tailored legislation to loosen pension restrictions and vastly expanded it to include many other officials, including the governor’s chief of staff, in a fast-tracked attempt to pass the bill in the final day of the legislative session. However, the bill stalled shortly before it was scheduled for a vote in the full Senate and Assembly, according to its sponsor. … The original two-page bill was substituted for a 17-page one during lengthy legislative hearings with little public notice or explanation of the changes. “This is totally insane,” Assemblymember Brian Bergen (R-Morris) said Thursday during an Appropriations Committee meeting. “The only reason why there’s not a line of people here who care is there’s so much other crazy stuff going on today. Nobody probably even knows about this one.” PACKAGE MEHS — “N.J. acts to change booze laws. Critics doubt it will revive state’s restaurant scene,” by NJ Advance Media’s Brent Johnson: “A compromise plan to make relatively small changes to New Jersey’s much-debated, Prohibition-era liquor license laws and ease controversial restrictions on the state’s craft breweries gained overwhelming approval from state lawmakers Monday. But reactions — like drinks — were mixed, and the prospect of future reform remains uncertain. … Asked after Monday’s vote if this is the end of liquor license reform, state Senate President Nick Scutari, D-Union, told reporters he ‘wouldn’t say this is the end of anything.’ ‘But in terms of the opening up of additional license, doesn’t a whole heck of a lot more on that end,’ Scutari said. … Downtown New Jersey, a group that has pushed for far-reaching liquor license changes, supported the brewery provisions but called the compromise ‘marginal at best,’ saying it does ‘nothing to address the affordability issue that makes New Jersey’s current system so inequitable and puts us at a competitive disadvantage to our neighboring states.’” JUDGE NOT — “NJ Senate advances 10 new judges in latest effort to stem judicial vacancy crisis,” by The Record’s Katie Sobko: “In the waning hours of the legislative session, the state Senate Judiciary Committee met one more time to advance 10 potential judges to seats in New Jersey courtrooms. Of the 10 people interviewed, one was being reappointed and nine were new candidates. They were all approved Monday afternoon by the full state Senate. These new appointments bring the number of vacancies down to 47. That number reached as high as 75 just 18 months ago. … One recognizable name cleared the committee as well. Little Ferry Councilman Thomas Sarlo — brother of state Sen. Paul Sarlo — received support for his nomination.” —Murphy: No fines for kids caught drinking ——“Six Things to know about Chris Bastardi, the founder of Jersey Freedom” —“Eleven judicial nominees won’t get confirmed before Senate session expires” —“Have more than $500 in unpaid tolls? NJ bill could provide chance to arbitrate” —“NJ can skip low bids in $37 million beach renovation, court says” —“Student drivers in N.J. will need to log more practice hours under new law” —“In light of killings of Seabrooks & Washington, N.J. Senate OKs $12M for advisory council” | | BIDEN TIME | |
SO PATRIOTIC THE FBI FOUND BEN FRANKLINS STASHED ALL OVER HIS HOUSE — “Has 'Gold Bar Bob' really 'always been a patriot'? Don't buy it,” by The Record’s Charles Stile: “The question of Menendez’s patriotism was brought to the fore last week, when his lawyer, Adam Fee, issued a blistering defense of his client after the United States attorney for the Southern District of New York appended the bribery indictment against Menendez with the outlines of a new cash-for-influence scheme, this time to secure an investment from Qatar for a Bergen County developer. … Fee said there was nothing inappropriate about ‘interactions’ Menendez had with officials from Qatar, Egypt and other countries during his tenure as chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. ‘Those interactions were always based on his professional judgment as to the best interests of the United States because he is, and always has been, a patriot,’ Fee asserted. … But the portrait of Menendez that emerges from the Southern District's 50-page indictment is not likely to leave the reader swelling with national pride but rather with disgust. It's hard to see what’s so patriotic about handing Egyptian intelligence officials ‘sensitive’ information about the personnel at the U.S. Embassy in Cairo.”
—“The Qatar-NJ link: Developer Daibes had Menendez multitasking for gold bars, feds say” —“How Fred Daibes spent big on politicians long before being indicted in the Menendez case” GOLDMAN’S STACKS — “Tammy Murphy raises behemoth $3.2 million for U.S. Senate bid,” by New Jersey Globe’s David Wildstein: ”In her first six weeks as a U.S. Senate candidate, First Lady Tammy Murphy has raised a whopping $3.2 million, surpassing rival Andy Kim’s $2.75 million raised during his first fourteen weeks as a candidate. Murphy has $2,727,090 cash-on-hand, about $127,000 more than Kim, a three-term congressman and former Obama White House staffer. Murphy’s haul is the largest in state history for a non-incumbent U.S. Senate candidate who wasn’t self-funding their campaign in the same timeframe of about half of one fundraising quarter.” —“Kim gets second big labor endorsement” —“Mysterious injuries, ‘dungeons': NJ parents alarmed by state developmental facilities” | | LOCAL | |
PASSAIC COUNTY — “Passaic municipalities implore Pascrell to support Israel-Hamas cease-fire. Can it help?” by The Record’s Hannan Adely: “New Jersey’s third-largest city and two of its boroughs have unanimously adopted resolutions calling on their congressman to support a cease-fire to end the war in Israel and Gaza. In Paterson, Haledon and Prospect Park, all part of Passaic County, the council measures adopted in December implore Rep. Bill Pascrell Jr. to support a cease-fire resolution now pending in Congress. … ‘Pascrell should be echoing the voice of our community that elected him,’ said [Al] Abdelaziz, the first Palestinian American councilman in a city of 158,000 people. … Council members in Paterson and Prospect Park called on Pascrell to support Resolution 786 in Congress, which urges the Biden administration to immediately call for and facilitate a cease-fire and de-escalation.”
—“Edison's mayor has touted and embraced the township's diversity. Now he's being criticized” —“'Boots on the ground work': Paterson closes 2023 with major reduction in crime” —Snowflack: “In the cornfield of Morris, you can hear more than just Krickus” —“Interest rates challenge Jersey City development. Fulop, ever campaigning, remains optimistic” —“'Stealth' move by Wayne officials in housing case costs township tens of thousands” | | EVERYTHING ELSE | |
BREATHE. IT MAY BE OK. — “N.J. pizzeria fire update: After ‘total nightmare,’ Santillo’s gets good news,” by NJ Advance Media’s Jeremy Schneider: “‘I’m thinking everything’s going to be okay,’ [Al] Santillo said. … Part of the reason for Santillo’s optimism is the news he got Monday morning when inspectors came to assess the damage to the building. They determined the building is still structurally sound and does not need to be demolished. … Avoiding demolition was the first step on the journey to saving Santillo’s. The next will be salvaging the legendary oven. Santillo once called it ‘a gift from the gods’ and said Monday losing it would be like a death in the family. Firefighters had to put hoses into the oven (much to Santillo’s chagrin) and remove bricks to contain the blaze. But having conferred with oven and brick experts, Santillo is hopeful that it can be repaired. But before they start rebuilding the shop, they’ll have to strip it down to the studs.”
—“No, it’s not an abandoned overpass. The story behind N.J.’s wildlife bridges” —“Pro-Palestinian demonstrators block N.Y. bridge and tunnel traffic”
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