| | | | |  | | By Matt Friedman | | Presented by |  | | | Good Thursday morning! In case you missed it from Monday, I reported that the NJEA has dumped $2 million into its president’s gubernatorial campaign. Or, excuse me, I mean the fight to "protect" democracy. Allow me to riff on that a little. “Protecting Our Democracy” the name of the group the NJEA is funding that has some lofty stated goals, but based on its mailers and TV ads is really just a way for Sean Spiller to get his face before New Jersey in what’s obviously the prelude, or at least trial balloon, for a gubernatorial race. I didn’t see any specific policies in those ads. Just vague progressive ideas with Spiller’s face all over them. While “Protecting Our Democracy” hasn’t publicly disclosed its donors, it’s a pretty safe bet that most if not all of its money comes from the union. So you have to wonder whether that’s a good use of its money. On one hand, you’ve got a whole bunch of Democrats sponsoring what is not technically but is effectively a school voucher bill that would indirectly put public funds into private schools. So it might seem strange for the union to spend $2 million on this when that’s going on. On the other hand, there’s little chance the NJEA-friendly Gov. Phil Murphy would sign that bill if it gets to him, and if this union president becomes governor, there’s even less chance. But really, is this a great time for Sean Spiller to run for governor? He’s leaving office in Montclair along with most of the governing body after a whistleblower said he and most councilmembers received benefits — or payments in lieu of them — that they were not entitled to as part-time workers. He pleaded the Fifth during a deposition of said lawsuit, which was recently settled for $1.25 million. It’s not exactly a strong position from which to launch a statewide campaign — especially when the state is prosecuting the mayor of Wildwood over similar allegations. TIPS? FEEDBACK? Email me at mfriedman@politico.com. QUOTE OF THE DAY: “That proves a meeting. That proves a bribe delivery. That shows that Fred Daibes was at their house with doughnuts and a kilo of gold.” — Federal prosecutor Paul Monteleoni during an exchange with defense attorneys at the Menendez trial Tuesday. HAPPY BIRTHDAY: Iris Delgado, Laura Matos, Jennifer Taylor.
| | | | THE GOLD STANDARD OF POLICY REPORTING & INTELLIGENCE: POLITICO has more than 500 journalists delivering unrivaled reporting and illuminating the policy and regulatory landscape for those who need to know what’s next. Throughout the election and the legislative and regulatory pushes that will follow, POLITICO Pro is indispensable to those who need to make informed decisions fast. The Pro platform dives deeper into critical and quickly evolving sectors and industries—finance, defense, technology, healthcare, energy—equipping policymakers and those who shape legislation and regulation with essential news and intelligence from the world’s best politics and policy journalists.
Our newsroom is deeper, more experienced, and better sourced than any other—with teams embedded in the world’s most active legislative and regulatory power centers. From Brussels to Washington, New York to London, Sacramento to Paris, we bring subscribers inside the conversations that determine policy outcomes and the future of industries, providing insight that cannot be found anywhere else. Get the premier news and policy intelligence service, SUBSCRIBE TO POLITICO PRO TODAY. | | | | | |  | MENENDEZ CORRUPTION TRIAL | | SUPERMENENDEZ — A constitutional fight is brewing in Menendez’s corruption trial, by POLITICO's Ry Rivard: The federal judge overseeing Sen. Bob Menendez’s corruption trial could soon blow a hole in prosecutors’ ability to prove their central claim: that he took bribes to help send billions of dollars of American military aid to Egypt. Menendez’s attorneys are arguing that some of the most damning evidence against him cannot be shown to jurors without violating lawmakers’ constitutional “speech or debate” privileges. Now prosecutors worry a pending ruling by Judge Sidney Stein could create a class of “super citizens” in Congress who are above the law. Stein is considering whether jurors can see text messages and phone records that prosecutors say will show Egyptian officials were “frantic about not getting their money's worth” and Menendez’s wife boasting about her husband’s influence over arms sales. The constitutional fight has been brewing for months and will come up again and again during Menendez’s trial, which started last week and is expected to last through June.
| | WHAT TRENTON MADE | | IS IT TOO LATE TO FOR THEM TO CHANGE THEIR VOTES? — “Political consequences for OPRA votes, transparency advocates warn,” by NJ Spotlight News’ Colleen O’Dea: “The bill to amend OPRA is the second major attack on democracy in the state in the last year, according to critics. Many of the same activists argued against the passage last spring of a law that weakened campaign finance statutes, doubled campaign contributions and severely restricted state and local pay-to-play rules. They argued that people would remember in November, when the entire Legislature was on the ballot. … ‘Let me be clear: Don’t be surprised if Assemblymembers lose their seats next year if they vote yes on the bill to gut OPRA,’ Amol Sinha, executive director of ACLU-NJ posted on X before the final vote in the lower house last Monday. 'The government might try to end transparency, but we are being transparent and clear about the political consequences.'" THEY HAPPEN TO BE RUNNING FOR GOVERNOR — “Gov. Murphy should veto public records bill, say mayors of N.J.’s two biggest cities,” by New Jersey Monitor’s Sophie Nieto-Munoz: “The mayors of the state’s two largest cities are calling on Gov. Phil Murphy to veto a controversial bill sitting on his desk that would revamp the state’s public records law. Newark Mayor Ras Baraka and Jersey City Mayor Steve Fulop, who are both running for the Democratic nomination for governor in 2025, criticized the bill as a step backward for government transparency and accountability. The measure would make numerous changes to the Open Public Records Act that critics say are tantamount to gutting the law.” “Declaring victory: DEP’s redesign plan for Liberty State Park survives, despite billionaire’s efforts,” by The Jersey Journal’s Mark Koosau: “In spite of months of pressure from some members of his own task force and hundreds of thousand of dollars in outside lobbying efforts, the state official refused to bend. The Liberty State Park redesign project — which could cost the state as much as $1 billion when completed — will move forward with a delicate balance of athletic facilities, passive recreation areas and environmentally friendly tideland areas, state Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) Commissioner Shawn LaTourette said Tuesday night after the final redesign task force meeting.” — “Inside the Department of Labor’s collaboration with New Jersey to overhaul unemployment programs” — “Atlantic City casino profits declined by nearly 10% in first quarter of 2024” — Opinion: “Honoring Louisa Carman’s legacy: Let’s pass the Medical Debt Relief Act” — “Mother left her newborn at the hospital. That’s not neglect, N.J. top court says” — “State child protection caseworker pleads guilty to underage porn charges”
| | | | A message from Uber: Are roads safer with Uber?
Research has found that ridesharing options like Uber prevented more than 600 drunk driving deaths in a single year.* That’s because Uber drivers are the ultimate designated drivers, helping people get home safely so they never have an excuse to drink and drive. *Source: Review of Economics and Statistics | | | | | BIDEN TIME | | THE MONICA — McIver again survives petition challenge in 10th congressional district, by POLITICO’s Matt Friedman: Newark Council President LaMonica McIver should remain on the ballot for the 10th District Democratic congressional primary, an administrative law judge ruled Wednesday. It’s the second time the judge, Kim Belin, said that McIver should remain on the ballot following a remand Monday from Secretary of State Tahesha Way regarding a challenge to her petition signatures. … McIver opponent Brittany Claybrooks — who’s facing her own ongoing challenge to her nominating petitions — said that it would be impossible for McIver’s mother, Robin, to have collected all 1,081 of McIver’s signatures over the course of one weekend. Robin McIver was the only person who signed an affidavit stating she collected the signatures. Later, city council aide Hassan Abdus-Sabur said in a text message thread and to a reporter that he helped collect signatures for LaMonica McIver’s candidacy. After that stirred controversy and led to a new hearing, Abdus-Sabur texted McIver and another city council aide that he “lied and misspoke.” But despite being subpoenaed, Abdus-Sabur did not show up to testify at an administrative law hearing on Tuesday. UPDATE — It looks like both McIver and Claybrooks will be on the ballot in the July primary. Secretary of State Tahesha Way late last night affirmed Belin's decision to keep McIver on the ballot. Barring a successful appeal from Claybrooks, she'll be there. No word on that yet. A few minutes later, Administrative Law Judge Susana Guerrero for the third time recommended to Way that Claybrooks be on the ballot. Way could reverse Guerrero or remand the case again, but that just seems unlikely. SERRANO WANTS THIS WRAPPED — Senate GOP candidate tried to persuade some county chairs to change endorsements after Trump rally, by POLITICO’s Katherine Dailey: State Sen. Michael Testa expected to be congratulating U.S. Senate candidate Christine Serrano Glassner on earning the former president’s endorsement when she called him. Instead, Testa said, “she became very aggressive, and she needed to know whether I was going to be with her or against her.” Testa, who is chair of the Cumberland County GOP and of the campaign for her rival for the Republican Senate nomination, is one of at least five party chairs who told POLITICO they’ve received calls from Serrano Glassner asking them to change their county endorsements since getting Trump’s support in next month’s primary. MY BLUE STATE HEAVEN — “Another provocative flag was flown at another Alito home,” by The New York Times’ Jodi Kantor, Aric Toler and Julie Tate: “Last summer, two years after an upside-down American flag was flown outside the Virginia home of Justice Samuel A. Alito Jr., another provocative symbol was displayed at his vacation house in New Jersey, according to interviews and photographs. This time, it was the ‘Appeal to Heaven’ flag, which, like the inverted U.S. flag, was carried by rioters at the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021. Also known as the Pine Tree flag, it dates back to the Revolutionary War, but largely fell into obscurity until recent years and is now a symbol of support for former President Donald J. Trump, for a religious strand of the ‘Stop the Steal’ campaign and for a push to remake American government in Christian terms. … During the period the Appeal to Heaven flag was seen flying at the justice’s New Jersey house, a key Jan. 6 case arrived at the Supreme Court, challenging whether those who stormed the Capitol could be prosecuted for obstruction. In coming weeks, the justices will rule on that case, which could scuttle some of the charges against Mr. Trump, as well as on whether he is immune from prosecution for actions he took while president.” RUTGERS — House GOP to grill college leaders for negotiating with protesters, by POLITICO’s Bianca Quilantan: A pair of university presidents testifying Thursday on Capitol Hill managed to quell their campus protests without calling in the police — only to make themselves a target for House Republicans who are lambasting their tactics as defeats. Once praised in some circles for finding less chaotic ways of diffusing tensions over the Israel-Gaza war, Northwestern University and Rutgers University presidents are now facing GOP backlash for making deals with students to disband their pro-Palestinian encampments. The hearing about campus antisemitism is the latest in a litany of conservative reprimands for the way colleges balance free speech and public safety. BALLOT AIMS — RFK Jr. submits petitions to get on New Jersey ballot, by POLITICO’s Daniel Han: Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s campaign for president submitted petitions Tuesday afternoon to get on New Jersey’s November ballot. Kennedy needs only 800 signatures to make the ballot but his campaign submitted 2,648, according to records from the state’s Division of Elections. Kennedy is running as an independent, which has raised the prospect of him being a spoiler candidate — although it is unclear whether he will siphon more votes from former President Donald Trump or President Joe Biden. It’s no surprise that Kennedy is trying to get on the ballot in New Jersey — his campaign is looking to do so in all 50 states. — Snowflack: “The Public Resurgence of Andy Kim” — “Booker says he opposes new Senate border bill” — “3rd Congressional District tightening for Democrats?”
| | | | POLITICO invites you to learn more about POLITICO's coverage of politics, policy and power in Albany. Join us on Wednesday, May 29 to connect with fellow New Yorkers over drinks and appetizers. RSVP HERE. | | | | | | | LOCAL | | “Former exec testifies in Congress on 'corruption' at Atlantic City Housing Authority,” by The Press of Atlantic City’s Michelle Brunetti Post: “Calling it ‘the biggest slumlord in Atlantic City’ at a House Financial Services Committee meeting Wednesday, the fired former executive director of the Atlantic City Housing Authority described what he called ‘corrupt’ practices that waste millions of dollars while residents live in unsafe and unhealthy conditions. ‘If it was a private concern it would have been out of business a long time ago,’ Matt Doherty said during the meeting to address how to improve the performance of problematic housing authorities … Doherty said he saw mismanagement involving about $7.4 million allocated to no-bid contracts, ‘which brought about very limited improvements.’ ‘There were instances of invoices being paid for uncompleted work, purchase orders with no contracts or scope of work, contracts that were never bid out and bids that were rigged,’ he said.” “'Never seen a mess like this': NJ police chiefs blast Spotswood administration,” by MyCentralJersey’s Susan Loyer: “About 20 police chiefs and deputy chiefs came to Monday's Borough Council meeting to deliver a simple message – bring suspended borough Police Chief Philip Corbisiero back to work. And South Brunswick Police Chief Raymond Hayducka, past president and board member of the New Jersey State Association of Chiefs of Police (NJSACOP), said Acting Capt. Nicholas Mayo and Officer Richard Sasso Jr., who are also suspended with pay, should be brought back to work too. ‘I’ve been a police officer for 36 years and 18 years as chief of police and I can tell you I have never seen a mess like this in my life,’ said Hayducka, who was also speaking on behalf of the Middlesex County Chiefs of Police Association. … Hayducka said the suspensions are 'political' because Corbisiero and Mayo refuse to be ‘puppets’ and do the bidding of [Mayor Jackie] Palmer and Business Administrator Brandon Umba.” “City councilwoman accused of reckless, intoxicated driving,” by New Brunswick Today’s Charlie Kratovil: “In the aftermath of a one-car crash, a councilwoman is facing charges of driving recklessly and intoxicated at a level more than three times the legal limit. On March 8 at approximately 11:39pm, Councilwoman Suzanne Sicora-Ludwig crashed her 2014 Range Rover sport utility vehicle into a tree near her home, according to city records. Police responded, Sicora-Ludwig was hospitalized, and the councilwoman was later charged with five violations … Sicora-Ludwig’s sample came back with a blood alcohol content (BAC) of .26%, more than three times the legal limit for drivers of .08%. When questioned about the crash after a recent City Council meeting, Sicora-Ludwig repeatedly declined to comment.” “Meet the puppies tasked with keeping public spaces in Bergen County clear of geese,” by The Record’s Kyle Morel: “Bergen County residents may notice a group of puppies patrolling an area near them soon. The animals are friendly and will happily accept some affection and words of encouragement from the public. But they are also on the clock, so to speak, performing an important environmental duty: keeping lands clear of geese. The dogs are 'employees' of ReduceGoose, a company that helps control the bird's population in counties throughout North Jersey and into New York. … The puppies are trained to harmlessly ‘haze’ geese, or force them to relocate to other areas.” — “Anti-Hate Vote [in Howell] Framed By Israel-Palestine Tensions” — “Levchuk holds narrow lead in Ocean City 3rd Ward race” — “Jersey Shore’s controversial cross-shaped pier partly reopens with new fence” | | | | A message from Uber:   | | | | | EVERYTHING ELSE | | “A transgender swimmer broke records. Then came the firestorm,” by NJ Advance Media’s Steve Politi: “[A]s Caleb Baron, a swimmer for Ramapo College that day, put more bluntly: 'Nobody gives a s--- about Division III swimming.’ And yet, well, plenty of people were behaving like they really, really cared. Riley Gaines, a former swimmer turned activist, demanded that the women about to dive into that pool ‘stop participating in the farce,’ while Martina Navratilova — yes, that Martina Navratilova — declared on the social media site X, formerly known as Twitter, that it was ‘quite frankly a mockery.’" — “Parents claim Seton Hall University was negligent in daughter's death” — “After 3 weeks, Rutgers-Newark tells Palestinian supporters to break camp” — “Film takes new look at case of ex-Rutgers professor accused of sexually assaulting disabled student” — “Bruce Springsteen dedicates 'My Hometown' to his 'homies' in Freehold and Ireland”
| | | | A message from Uber: How Uber reduces drunk driving
Every year drunk driving accidents kill over ten thousand people in America. But with Uber available in most cities in the U.S., there’s never an excuse for choosing to drive drunk.
Research shows that options like Uber help prevent drunk driving deaths, saving more than 600 lives in a single year, according to the Review Economics and Statistics. That’s why Mothers Against Drunk Driving has partnered with Uber to continue to stop drunk driving before it happens.
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