| | | | |  | | By Dustin Racioppi | Good Monday morning! Attorney General Matt Platkin has quickly become one of the most prominent people in New Jersey politics. He took the rare step of weighing in on the lawsuit brought by Rep. Andy Kim against the “county line,” a courtroom shiv to the Senate prospects of first lady Tammy Murphy. And last week, Platkin shook the state by securing an indictment against longtime Democratic power broker George Norcross in a potentially career-defining case. Both actions have enormous ramifications for the state’s political machinery. One could help diminish highly influential county parties and the other could take down a kingmaker. But Platkin’s rising star has a cost: his close relationship with his political benefactors, Gov. Phil Murphy and Tammy Murphy. Platkin’s involvement in the line lawsuit was viewed as unnecessary by the Murphys and the couple felt “personally betrayed” by it, I’ve been told. Platkin's office declined to comment. No one is more responsible for Platkin’s ascension than the Murphys, first bringing him on to what was a long-shot but ultimately successful campaign for governor, then naming him chief counsel, followed by making him the state’s top law enforcement official — all before the age of 40. To be clear, none of that should be taken into consideration since the attorney general is by definition independent and constitutionally protected. One could argue that Platkin’s involvement in the line lawsuit shows prosecutorial autonomy at work, especially at a time of deep distrust in government. In public, Murphy holds no hard feelings. After Platkin secured an indictment against Norcross — a foe turned friend for Murphy — the governor said that “Matt Platkin has my complete confidence, period.” The natural speculation in Trenton is that Platkin must have some higher ambition. There’s even a bill pending in the Statehouse to keep him from running for office for three years after he leaves his post. Unless Platkin wants to run for Murphy’s job next year, it’s hard to see what office might appeal to someone already in one of the most prized positions in the state. “I don't know if Matt has any intention of ever seeking office,” said a person close to the Murphy administration who was granted anonymity to speak candidly. “What I can tell you with certainty is that it plays no role in his decisions.” Norcross doesn’t quite think so. He and his lawyer spent last week trying to discredit the indictment by calling it a “political vendetta” dating back to Platkin’s days as Murphy’s chief counsel. Norcross attorney Michael Critchley told me that he believes Platkin “is trying to basically use his position to run for elected office” in the future. “He’s gonna be around a year and he’s gonna be gone,” Critchley said. In the meantime, the spotlight is on Platkin now, and so is the heat from it. — With help from Daniel Han TIPS? FEEDBACK? Email me at dracioppi@politico.com. QUOTE OF THE DAY: “I always had a feeling like once we hit the first heat wave, sh*t was going to go down. Here we are in the first heat wave, and things are going down.” — Assemblymember Clinton Calabrese after last week’s transit meltdown. WHERE’S MURPHY? In Washington for the SelectUSA Investment Summit.
| | | | 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. | | | | | |  | WHAT TRENTON MADE | | NJ TRANSIT IS FIXED — Corporate tax hike to last five years, no sales tax increase as part of budget talks, by POLITICO’s Daniel Han and Matt Friedman: The state’s most profitable businesses are expected to pay higher taxes for the next five years to fund transportation in the state, according to three people familiar with budget negotiations. The preliminary agreement on the corporate tax rate, which is also expected to be applied retroactively, is part of a principal budget agreement between state lawmakers and Gov. Phil Murphy's office, according to the three people, who were granted anonymity to discuss ongoing negotiations. Other details are still being finalized on the proposed $56 billion spending plan. JERSEY COMEBACK — “Politics in New Jersey has gone off the rails — even by New Jersey standards,” by NJ Advance Media’s Brent Johnson: “New Jersey politics have a reputation for being wild. But this? This is something else. Even by our standards, what’s going on in the Garden State these days is head-spinning. Earth-shattering, in fact.” STATE LAWMAKERS DON’T DO THIS — “Norcross indictment shows how NJ looks the other way on conflicts of interest, ethics expert says,” by WNYC’s Nancy Solomon: “At the center of the criminal case against longtime Democratic Party boss George Norcross is a fight with a real estate developer who owns a luxury loft building on the Camden, New Jersey waterfront. The indictment says a lawyer who worked for both Norcross and the city of Camden used his role with the city to coerce and bully the developer on Norcross’ behalf. The state attorney general indicted the lawyer, Bill Tambussi, on Monday along with Norcross, former Camden Mayor Dana Redd, Norcross’ brother Philip and two business partners on charges of racketeering, extortion and financial crimes. The inclusion of Tambussi, who is the Norcross brothers' longtime personal attorney and also represents dozens of government entities, highlights what ethics experts say is a serious shortcoming in New Jersey’s ability to flag and deal with conflicts of interest: He was able to represent clients on different sides of a transaction for many years.” GOLDEN HEAT DOME — “As NJ swelters, pols push bill to protect workers from the heat,” by NorthJersey.com’s Daniel Munoz — “Amazon workers at warehouses across New Jersey have complained of heat-illness symptoms in recent years, and one died in 2022. Similarly, U.S. postal workers in several New Jersey locations were hospitalized with dehydration or heat exhaustion that year. A New Jersey trash collector died in 2022 after working in temperatures that reached 96 degrees. And in Bedminster, a roofer who was found unconscious on the ground after toiling away in 101-degree heat that year later died at the hospital. As New Jersey swelters once again under a week-long heat wave, both the Biden administration and New Jersey state lawmakers are pushing for what’s known as a “heat standard,” a way to protect workers from overheating on the job.” — “The County Apparently has Strict Rules Against Strictland” — “‘Jersey City Payroll Tax Coalition’ Calls on Legislature to Pass Payroll Tax Measure” | | BIDEN TIME | | STOCKHEIMER — “The biggest stock trades in Congress revealed: Nancy Pelosi tops list ... but who are the other culprits who have raked in billions and are facing more scrutiny?” by the Daily Mail’s Jon Michael Raasch and Morgan Phillips: “Former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi is notoriously wealthy from massive stock trades while in Congress, but she's not the only lawmaker cashing in. Officially, lawmakers are not allowed to trade stocks using information learned on Capitol Hill. But that rule has been hard to enforce. Congressional stock trades have caught the public eye since the pandemic, when some lawmakers raised eyebrows by selling shortly after closed-door COVID-19 briefings before the stock market crashed. Pelosi, Rep. Josh Gottheimer, D-N.J., Rep. Dan Mueser, D-Pa., Sen. Rick Scott, R-Fla., and Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Ga., for example, have all traded over a million dollars in securities this year, according to federal data compiled by politician trade tracker Quiver Quantitative.” MOOCHER STATE — “NJ Rep. Josh Gottheimer wants to allocate $620M for World Cup security. Here's how and why,” by NorthJersey.com’s Katie Sobko: “While state officials have begun preparations for the 2026 FIFA World Cup at MetLife Stadium, one New Jersey congressman thinks steps should be taken on the federal level as well. Rep. Josh Gottheimer, D-Bergen County, held an event in Hackensack Thursday to talk about the work he wants to do before eight matches — including the tournament’s final — arrive in East Rutherford. He told those in attendance that he plans to introduce legislation to allocate $620 million for World Cup security to host cities and law enforcement as part of the upcoming Homeland Security appropriations package. The money would be used to increase policing, fire and medical services and other needed improvements.” | | LOCAL | | SOMETHING’S THONG IN NEWARK — “Canceled Hoops Contest of Thong-Wearing Women at School Wasn’t Newark’s First,” by TAPInto Newark’s Matt Kadosh: “Before the since-canceled 'Nuttin’ But Azz' basketball game planned for West Side High School created a stir, Newark saw another, similar hoops contest involving thong-wearing women. It was held at a facility that serves young people. Pastor Steffie Bartley, the founding president of NAN Newark Tech World, a community center that is part of the Rev. Dr. Al Sharpton’s National Action Network, confirmed on Friday that a third party held a 'Buns and Basketball' tournament at his facility on Hawthorne Avenue last year.” SILK CITY SWEEPERS — “'Paterson is Picking Up’ initiative aims to keep streets litter free,” by News 12 New Jersey’s Amanda Eustace: “Garbage is being picked up along Main Street in the City of Paterson piece by piece — part of the city's new effort to keep the streets clean and litter free. It's called 'Paterson is Picking Up.' City officials say the initiative is modeled off a similar cleanup effort in Texas. It's funded by the Paterson Urban Enterprise Zone and aims to boost the cleanliness of commercial corridors across all six wards.” NEWSBURY — “CNN’s Alisyn Camerota Pens ‘Love Letter to Shrewsbury’,” by Two River Times’ Eileen Moon: “Shrewsbury Borough Hall was full last Friday night as old friends and former neighbors of CNN broadcast journalist Alisyn Camerota welcomed her back to her hometown. Camerota visited Shrewsbury on a book tour supporting her new memoir, 'Combat Love.' It is, she said, the story of a girl who loved a band. But it is also an exploration of the meaning of home, the importance of belonging, and a testimony to the fact that even rocky roads can lead in the right direction.” | | EVERYTHING ELSE | | WESTWOOD ALWAYS UP TO NO GOOD — “Fights erupt at New Jersey HS graduation in caught-on-camera chaos: ‘Egregious behavior,’” by New York Post’s Patrick Reilly: “Several fights broke out at a New Jersey high school graduation, sending one person to the hospital and injuring several others, according to police. As the graduation ceremony for Westwood High School in Bergen County ended Thursday night, multiple scuffles erupted on the school’s football field, according to the Washington Township Police Department. 'This was supposed to be an enjoyable night that the Westwood High School Senior class worked hard for and have been waiting for, which has been tainted due to the egregious behavior by some,' police said in a statement. Video shared on social media showed two separate fights on the football field as shocked students in their robes and their families looked on.” FORT LEE MAN CAUGHT FIBBING — “Adams Filings Contradict His Claim He Paid for Foreign Trips,” by The City’s Greg B. Smith and Katie Honan: “Back in October, Mayor Eric Adams made very clear that he was personally footing the bill for a trip to Mexico, Ecuador and Colombia to take a 'boots on the ground' look at the tide of migrants flowing across the border and winding up in Gotham. 'The cost of this trip, I’m paying my own way, and you know my rule: my dime, my time, don’t whine,' he told reporters during his weekly media briefing on Oct. 3, 2023. He repeated his claim about the payments the following week after returning from the trip. 'Our entire team picked up their own costs except for Kayla, who was dealing with media. Kayla had to come down to deal with, you know, part of the role of the media,' he said about his deputy press secretary. 'But Tim Pearson paid his own way, I paid my own way, Ed Mermelstein paid his own way. You know, the team picked up their own costs.' Financial disclosures released Monday by the city Conflicts of Interest board tell a more complicated tale.”
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