| | | | |  | | By Matt Friedman | | Presented by |  | | | Good Monday morning! When I think about important historical figures in New Jersey politics, I think of the bombast of Chris Christie, the gentlemanly appeal of Tom Kean Sr., the thorn-in-the-side relentlessness of Loretta Weinberg or the golden-tongued celebrity of Cory Booker. So when the mild-mannered Andy Kim, arguably best known before now for his janitorial exploits, moved back to South Jersey from Washington to run for a House seat in 2018, I just thought of him as one of many Democrats who saw opportunity in the backlash of the Trump midterm election. But if Judge Zahid Quraishi’s stunning decision Friday to eliminate the line for this year’s Democratic primary holds on appeal, and if Quraishi eventually rules that the county line is altogether unconstitutional, Kim’s name belongs among the most transformational figures of recent New Jersey political history. The line is not dead yet, as Republicans saw just one day after Quraishi granted Kim’s request for an injunction, when he ruled that it only applied to Democrats. While it’s been wielded by bosses of both parties, the legal challenge to it has been entirely from progressive Democrats. And since there were no Republican plaintiffs, Quraiishi said his ruling didn’t apply to them. Of course, if he finds the line unconstitutional altogether, Republicans will lose it in future elections. So the June 4th primary could be a bit of a mess, with Democratic ballots using the office block system every other state uses and Republicans using the traditional system. On a personal note, i’d like to request that New Jersey politicians and judges keep their news breaking to weekdays, and preferably not Friday afternoon. Attorney General Matt Platkin’s letter against the line came on a Sunday evening. Tammy Murphy’s candidacy ended the following Sunday afternoon. Quarishi’s ruling came at lunch time Friday, and his subsequent clarification that it only applied to Democrats came down early Saturday evening — while I was attending an event at a farm without cell service or wifi. I didn’t find out about it for two blessed hours. You can catch up on these momentous events through POLITICO’s coverage of Quraishi’s initial ruling, the immediate political fallout, Kim’s reaction and Quraishi’s subsequent clarification. TIPS? FEEDBACK? Email me at mfriedman@politico.com QUOTE OF THE DAY “We still are not allowed to pump our own gas, should we follow the rest of the country in that too?” — Hudson County Democratic Chair Anthony Vainieri doubling down on a statement opposing the preliminary injunction on the line. A PERSONAL ANNOUNCEMENT: This will be my last edition of New Jersey Playbook. I’m embarking on a new adventure. I have been named press secretary for Sen. Robert Menendez’s independent Senate campaign. PUBLIC SERVICE ANNOUNCEMENT — April Fools! I hope you didn’t believe the above item. Remember to be extra careful today in what you believe and what you retweet. HAPPY BIRTHDAY — Kenneth Esser, Cid Wilson WHERE’S MURPHY? — Nothing
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R.I.P. — “Peter Shapiro, political groundbreaker in New Jersey, dies at 71,” by The New York Times’ Sam Roberts: “Peter Shapiro, who as a 23-year-old insurgent was the youngest person ever elected to the New Jersey General Assembly and who later became the first Essex County executive, died on Thursday at his home in South Orange, N.J. He was 71. The cause was respiratory failure after long being treated for lung disease, his wife, Bryna Linett, said. As a young assemblyman, Mr. Shapiro helped streamline the way local government worked after successfully campaigning in 1977 for a charter change that coupled Essex County’s nine-member Board of Chosen Freeholders. … with a strong county executive in what was the state’s most populous county, which includes Newark. He ran for the newly created position the next year, defeating a Democratic organization candidate for the nomination and overpowering a Republican rival, Robert F. Notte, by a record margin … After cruising to re-election in a landslide, Mr. Shapiro concluded that he could replicate his success in Essex as governor. In 1985, he challenged Mr. Kean, who had entered office on shaky ground during a recession. But by then, the state’s economy was booming again, and Mr. Shapiro lost the race, 71 percent to 24 percent, the largest margin in a New Jersey governor’s race.”
HIGHER FARES FORWARD — “At State House, concern over long-term health of state finances,” by NJ Spotlight News’ John Reitmeyer: “How well New Jersey’s budget is set up for the long term is a key topic of discussion this year during legislative budget hearings now underway in earnest. Gov. Phil Murphy has proposed increasing overall spending to a record high during the fiscal year that begins July 1, even as state revenue collections appear to be “stagnating,” according to nonpartisan fiscal analysts. That’s creating a notable gap between projected expenditures and revenues, something some lawmakers have raised as a concern as they begin to evaluate Murphy’s proposed spending. … For now, the Murphy administration is proposing to spend down budget reserves, or surplus, to fill the gap baked into his overall $55.9 billion proposed budget for the 2025 fiscal year. But the nonpartisan analysts have noted doing so will deplete those resources in a matter of years.” “New Jersey, Lyft at odds over employment status of drivers,” by New Jersey Monitor’s Sophie Nieto-Munoz: “New Jersey is battling another ride-share giant it accuses of owing millions in back taxes because it has been misclassifying its workers as independent contractors. The state, which settled a worker misclassification claim with Uber in 2022 for $100 million, is now challenging Lyft, alleging the company owes the state about $17 million. The fight comes as the Biden administration has moved to make it harder for companies like Uber and Lyft to classify their workers as independent contractors instead of full-time employees.” CARTOON BREAK — ”Phil Murphy made an unforced error,” by Drew Sheneman
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FLORENCE, N.J. AND THE MACHINE — “Here’s how Andy Kim’s bombshell court win will remake Jersey politics,” by The Star-Ledger’s Tom Moran: “Bad actors won’t be so well-protected by strong machines that rally around them. Start with Sen. Gold Bar Menendez, who had machine support for years, even after he conceded in his first corruption trial that the benefits of his office included free flights on private jets and luxury vacations in Paris and the Caribbean, all paid for by a 'friend' he showered with favors from his office. … Bad actors with machine support are braided throughout New Jersey politics. In Clark, Republicans just awarded 'the line' to Mayor Sal Bonaccorso, who was caught on tape using the N-word, then secretly using taxpayer funds to cover up a lawsuit that would have exposed it. In Jersey City, Councilwoman Amy DeGise smashed her car into a bicyclist who bounced off her front windshield last year, then fled the scene without even tapping the brakes. She turned herself in to police six hours later, time enough for drugs or alcohol to be cleansed from her bloodstream. The machine rallied to defeat calls for her resignation. This list goes on, but you get the idea.”
—“NJ's ballot line system is dead — the 'magnitude' will reverberate across politics” —“A judge’s decision is sending shockwaves through N.J., where politics is ruled by backroom deals” BASHAWFUL — “Bashaw ducked debate to avoid talk of Trump opposition,” by New Jersey Globe’s David Wildstein: “Republican U.S. Senate candidate Curtis Bashaw pulled out of a debate next week to avoid uncomfortable questions about his party’s presumptive presidential nominee, Donald Trump. Bashaw has a history of opposing Trump and didn’t want his rival, Mendham Mayor Christine Serrano Glassner, to question him on it, a South Jersey Republican leader involved in the Bashaw campaign told the New Jersey Globe. … On Friday, Bashaw chickened out of a debate with Serrano Glassner sponsored by the New Jersey Globe, On New Jersey, Save Jersey, and Rider University. The debate was to have aired on C-SPAN. (The April 3 debate will continue without Bashaw, with Serrano Glassner and an empty chair.)” —“Recalls aren't enough to fight 'gas station heroin,' NJ lawmaker Pallone insists”
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MORE THAN JUST A SMALL PROBLEM — “Atlantic City Mayor Small confirms he'll address search warrants Monday morning: 'We are good over here',” by The Press of Atlantic City’s Selena Vazquez and John Russo: “Mayor Marty Small Sr. on Monday morning will address the search warrants that were executed at his home, the city confirmed in a news release Saturday. The release said Small Sr. will be with attorney Ed Jacobs at 9:30 a.m. Monday inside City Hall's council chambers. Search warrants were executed at Small's Presbyterian Avenue home Thursday. Authorities have not released details of the search or any findings. The same day law enforcement served Small a search warrant, Constance Days-Chapman, the principal of Atlantic City High School, was charged with official misconduct and other charges for allegedly failure to report child abuse. … Small said he and Jacobs will discuss Monday morning ‘the (sensationalized) and unheard of nature of The Raid by The Atlantic County Prosecutors Office and other matters. When you hear (what) they did and what they were looking for you will see it for what it is. We are good over here... See y'all Monday.’”
TRUSTEE MISTRUST — “Jersey City school board dumps Barkouch as vice president,” by The Jersey Journal’s Joshua Rosario: “Jersey City Board of Education allies turned the tables on Vice President Younass Barkouch, demoting him back to the rank of member just two weeks after he helped lead the removal of the prior leadership team. ‘We did make a mistake last (meeting),’ Trustee Chris Tisdale said Wednesday about selecting Barkouch as vice president. ‘You dangled your vote against all of us. You had no intention of working with the group. This was always about you. As a result, you are out.’ The surprise removal came after board members DeJon Morris, Afaf Muhammad, Paula Jones-Watson, Tisdale and Barkouch pushed out previous leaders Natalia Ioffe and Noemi Velazquez over the past two school board meetings. Morris was then voted in as president and Barkouch as vice president. Morris said board members shared discomfort with having Barkouch in a leadership position because of the amount of ‘venom’ he spread after trying to become president. Morris confirmed board insiders’ prior claims that Barkouch attempted to swipe the presidency from Morris after agreeing to be vice president.” JAMEEK LOWERY — “He didn’t trust police but sought their help anyway. Two days later, he was dead,” by The AP: “Due to weak public information laws and other restrictions, it can be difficult to find out what happened in such incidents. Officials in New Jersey, like those in some other states, inconsistently release information about deaths related to police action. In Lowery’s case, AP obtained an autopsy report, a prosecutor’s statement, police reports and a 10-page report prepared by an expert hired by the family that offers considerable new detail not yet made public about police actions in the ambulance. … They hired Dr. Michael Baden, a former chief medical examiner for New York City who also conducted the second autopsy on George Floyd, to review the documents and perform a second autopsy on Lowery … Officer Mucio Lucero told investigators he punched Lowery two or three times in the rib cage in response to the man’s behavior, according to Baden’s report. Baden added that Officer Kyle Wanamaker said he hit Lowery in the face ‘more than once.’ … In his report, Baden wrote that his own autopsy revealed Lowery had suffered ‘traumatic blunt force’ injuries to his face, jaw, arm and chest and found evidence of “compressive choking … Baden wrote that lab tests showed only recreational levels of bath salts in Lowery’s blood, enough to cause bizarre behavior but not to stop his heart. Baden concluded that Lowery died from cardiac arrest and kidney failure from being restrained and beaten by police. The death wasn’t accidental, Baden wrote. It was homicide.” OCEAN COUNTY’S 11 — “Thieves steal $1 million jewelry jackpot from Ocean County Mall in cutting edge heist, police say,” by CBS Philadelphia’s Bdandon Goldner: “Approximately $1 million worth of jewelry was stolen from a store inside the Ocean County Mall in an overnight heist, according to Toms River Police. Sometime Wednesday night into Thursday morning, investigators said at least one thief broke into Venzio Jewelers by first cutting a hole in the wall of an adjacent empty storefront. ... Fred, a mall customer who declined to give his last name, said crime doesn't usually happen in the mall area. ‘Obviously, it was well-planned, that was for sure. They knew exactly what they were doing. It wasn't a spur of the moment,’ Fred said. ‘It took some time to decide how to get in there and make the robbery successful.’”
| | | | Access New York bill updates and Congressional activity in areas that matter to you, and use our exclusive insights to see what’s on the Albany agenda. Learn more. | | | | | WHEN YOU ELECT HANS GRUBER TO THE COUNTY COMMISSION — “Cape May has doubts about naming rest stop for Bruce Willis,” by The Press of Atlantic City’s Bill Barlow: “In television comedies, blockbuster action movies like ‘Die Hard’ and ‘Pulp Fiction,’ and even as a recording artist, Bruce Willis won worldwide fame. But does he deserve a Garden State Parkway rest stop in Dennis Township named in his honor? ‘I’ve seen a lot of his movies, and his TV shows,’ said Len Desiderio, director of the Cape May County Board of Commissioners, during the county’s Tuesday meeting. ‘I don’t know what he’s done for Cape May County to have a rest area named after him.’ Instead, Desiderio is calling for the rest stop to be named for Civil War veteran Andrew J. Tomlin, originally from the Goshen section of Middle Township. Desiderio sent a letter to Gov. Phil Murphy with the request, county officials said Thursday. On Tuesday, the Board of Commissioners approved a resolution asking the New Jersey Turnpike Authority ‘to strongly consider naming of the Ocean View Service Plaza after a local veteran or community leader from Cape May County.’” —“Hudson County Clerk Maldonado is first in N.J. to withdraw appeal of county line case” —“‘Citizen complaints’ filed against Union City police chief, YouTube antagonist after scuffle at Stack event” —“Laying down the law: Rubino retiring after 27 years at Hudson County Prosecutor’s Office” —“Sayreville man charged with murder after son found dead inside burning car” —“Willingboro deputy mayor gets time to look at options in mortgage fraud case” —“With a law degree from Harvard and a hammer, this [Irvington] man wants to fix public housing” —“Newark OKs $1.5B school budget, raising taxes for first time in 3 years”
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—“New Jersey youth wrestling coach sentenced to more than 7 years in child sex abuse images case”
—“Car dealers in N.J. are ready to sell more electric vehicles. There’s just no demand” —“After the bridge collapse, some ships will dock in Newark. What that means for you” R.I.P. — “[Cape May County Zoo’s] red panda, said to be oldest female of the species in North America, dies”
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