| | | | |  | | By Matt Friedman | Good Monday morning! Just two days following his disastrous debate performance, President Joe Biden traveled to no-nonsense New Jersey, where the unvarnished salt-of-the-shore residents tell it like it is. Well, not really on the Navesink. At Gov. Phil Murphy’s home on that estuary, where Biden attended a fundraiser they said raised $3.7 million, the governor did not display any of the panic that’s racking much the party, according to pool reports. “You’re on fire and we are all with you 1,000%,” Murphy said to Biden. Murphy called the 81-year-old Biden “America’s Comeback Kid,” called the debate “a bad night,” but said accounts “buried the lede of how awful Trump is.” I’m hesitant to write much on the presidential race. I cover New Jersey politics. There are plenty of people writing about national politics, and not enough in Jersey. But since Biden came to New Jersey right after the debate, I guess I have to reflect on Murphy playing defense. Words and pledges are easily forgotten in politics. Already, post-debate polls show decreased faith in the president’s mental acuity. There’s a lot of people motivated to vote by “how awful Trump is,” as Murphy put it. But anti-Trump sentiment has worked better for Democrats in elections when Trump has not been on the ballot. Thirty-four felony convictions, the "Access Hollywood" tape, praising Putin — none of that seems to change anyone’s opinions about Trump. Biden just doesn’t seem to defy political gravity the same way. Despite Murphy’s reassurances, I don’t think most Democrats really feel cool and collected. TIPS? FEEDBACK? Email me at Mfriedman@politico.com. QUOTE OF THE DAY: “Nope … I do not have any thoughts on that.” — Senate President Nick Scutari in response to a question from Daniel Han about the Norcross indictment. WHERE’S MURPHY? — No public events. PROGRAMMING NOTE — New Jersey Playbook will not publish Thursday for the July Fourth holiday or Friday because, come on, just let me have that one. | | | | 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.
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THE GOLDEN FLEECING — Prosecutors rest their case against Sen. Bob Menendez, by POLITICO’s Ry Rivard: Federal prosecutors rested their case Friday against Sen. Bob Menendez and two men accused of bribing him as they began it — focusing on the fishy amounts of cash and gold bars they found in his home stuffed almost comically into bags, boots and jackets. Defense attorneys are expected to call their own witnesses and the trial is unlikely to end until mid-July. But the trial of a U.S. senator who led the Foreign Relations Committee until his indictment last fall is also looking to end as it began in another way: drowned out by other news. The New Jersey Democrat’s trial began as former President Donald Trump’s hush money trial was going on a block away in Manhattan. It is reaching its end after President Joe Biden’s disastrous debate appearance the night before set off a massive conversation about the future of the Democratic Party that Menendez, who was once floated as Al Gore’s running mate, will have no significant part of …
The extent of Menendez’s defense, which is expected to include a handful of witnesses, is still uncertain and awaiting rulings by U.S. District Court Judge Sidney Stein on what jurors can see. Friday ended with one of several repeated — and often extremely tedious — fights over the age and provenance of cash found in the Menendez home. These arguments, which have gone on several times with several witnesses, focus on when cash found in the Menendez home was printed and put into circulation by the U.S. government. —“To catch a senator: The feds are closing in on Bob Menendez. Why convicting him may be harder than it looks,” by NJ Advance Media’s S.P. Sullivan: “It’s a high-stakes legal drama with massive, international consequences, one that’s already rattled the halls of power in Trenton and Washington. It’s also no slam dunk. … Even if this trial ends like the last one, observers of the case so far say it’s exposed the political underbelly of Trenton and Washington, highlighting behavior that, if not criminal, sure seems gross. ‘It really doesn’t matter what the legal hairs are that Sen. Menendez can split,’ said Micah Rasmussen, director of the Rebovich Institute for New Jersey Politics at Rider University. ‘I’m sure it matters for him. I’m sure it matters in terms of his guilt or innocence. But there is no justification for accepting gold bars and wads of cash from people, for things that you’re doing as senator.’” | | | WHAT TRENTON MADE | | |
POLITICIAN SHOCKINGLY VIOLATES CAMPAIGN PLEDGE — NJ governor signs tax hike for transit in new budget, by POLITICO’s Daniel Han: New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy late Friday signed a $56.6 billion spending plan and a tax hike on the state’s largest corporations to fund public transportation. The tax increase on businesses is among the most closely watched parts of the spending plan, which takes effect July 1. The new fee would impose an additional 2.5 percent tax on corporations with more than $10 million in profits and would be on top of the state’s 9 percent corporate business tax rate. The new transit fee would make New Jersey the state with the highest business taxes in the nation. NJ Transit, one of the country’s largest transportation networks, has been beleaguered with cancellations and delays during a recent heat wave. It’s also raising fares on riders by 15 percent beginning next week to try stabilizing its finances. Speaking with reporters about the tax hike on businesses, Murphy said that “you don’t pull that lever happily.” Murphy compared the business tax to fund transportation to the now-paused congestion pricing plan in New York City, which would have charged commuters extra for driving into lower Manhattan.
— “Angry commuters say NJ Transit service doesn’t rate a fare increase. Here are their stories” — “NJ state budget includes money for StayNJ. Here’s what we know” THE TOWNSQUARE BULLHORN — NJ radio station not doing enough to separate host’s show from his gubernatorial campaign, agency says, by POLITICO’s Matt Friedman: New Jersey’s campaign finance watchdog said Friday that the state’s largest radio station isn’t doing enough to ensure that drive-time host Bill Spadea doesn’t use the four-hour show he hosts on weekdays to promote his newly announced gubernatorial campaign. But it’s not trying to stop Spadea from hosting the morning show, at least for now. Following nearly three hours of arguments by attorneys representing Spadea, the station and two Republican gubernatorial candidates during a hearing in Trenton, Election Law Enforcement Commission Chair Thomas Prol stopped short of a ruling on whether Spadea’s air time counts as an in-kind contribution from New Jersey 101.5 and its parent company, Townsquare Media. “The radio program can go on, but we will be monitoring this vigorously,” Prol said, adding the agency would issue a written decision this week. “We hear the concerns of the public, but we also need 101.5 and the candidate to address these concerns as well.” A MULVHILL TO DIE ON — “Battle lines drawn over State Board of Education seats,” by NJ Spotlight News’ Hannah Gross: “The fight over ‘parental rights’ on the state Board of Education is coming to a head as Gov. Phil Murphy gets closer to replacing one of the loudest opponents of recently updated sex education standards and the code for equity in schools. Murphy’s nomination of Claudine Keenan, interim vice provost of Stockton University, cleared the Senate Judiciary Committee and could come up for a vote in the full Senate this week. Keenan would replace Vice President Andy Mulvihill, who supporters say has been a strong voice for ‘parental rights’ on the board. Keenan cleared the judiciary committee without any Republican support earlier this month." — Bill scrapping cost-sharing for abortion, family planning services fails to reach governor's desk — Scutari: Senate to reconvene in summer for state Supreme court nominee | | BIDEN TIME | |
COLTS NECK 45 — “New Jersey to hold hearing on 2 Trump golf course liquor licenses following felony convictions,” by The AP’s Wayne Parry: “New Jersey regulators will hold a hearing next month on whether two golf courses owned by former President Donald Trump should have their liquor licenses renewed following his felony convictions in May in New York. His company, the Trump Organization, predicted the licenses will not be affected, and cautioned against an investigation that it claimed could be ‘political in nature.’ The licenses for Trump golf courses in Colts Neck and Bedminster expire on Sunday. The state Division of Alcoholic Beverage Control said Friday it is not renewing the licenses, but it is issuing temporary 90-day permits to allow them to continue serving alcohol until a hearing on the licenses is held on July 19 in Trenton. The hearing is scheduled for after Trump’s sentencing on July 11. … At issue is whether Trump’s conviction on 34 felony counts of falsifying business records to hide payments of hush money to a porn star violate New Jersey’s prohibition on anyone holding a liquor license who has been convicted of a crime involving ‘moral turpitude.’”
— “Poll shows close U.S. Senate race in N.J. with Menendez on the ballot” — “[Roseland] man admits selling subpar parts to the Department of Defense” | | | | Understand 2024’s big impacts with Pro’s extensive Campaign Races Dashboard, exclusive insights, and key coverage of federal- and state-level debates. Focus on policy. Learn more. | | | | | | | LOCAL | |
REPLACE IT WITH A POMPADOUR CENTER — “N.J. pulls funding for Jersey City French museum project, calling it ‘no longer viable’,” by New Jersey Monitor’s Sophie Nieto-Munoz: “The state Economic Development Authority sent a letter Saturday to the president of The Centre Pompidou museum in Paris telling him the North American location Pompidou wants to open in Jersey City’s Journal Square section will not receive the tens of millions in aid New Jersey has promised. Lawmakers have reallocated state funds previously set aside for the Jersey City Pompidou outpost, a state official wrote in a separate letter to the head of the Jersey City agency overseeing the project. 'Due to the ongoing impact of COVID and multiple global conflicts on the supply chain, rising costs, an irreconcilable operating gap, and the corresponding financial burdens it will create for New Jersey’s taxpayers, the Legislature has rescinded financial support, leaving us to determine that this project is unfortunately no longer feasible,' Economic Development Authority chief Tim Sullivan wrote in a Saturday letter to Laurent Le Bon, the Pompidou’s president. … The city’s mayor, Steve Fulop, maintains that New Jersey officials were taking funding away from the Pompidou to retaliate against him for retracting his endorsement of first lady Tammy Murphy’s now-scuttled bid for the U.S. Senate.” CAMDEN — “Woman in civil sex assault case against Camden school board president comes forward: ‘I want people to see my face’,” by The Philadelphia Inquirer’s Melanie Burney: “When the woman filed a blockbuster civil lawsuit accusing Wasim Muhammad, a top Camden school official, of sexually assaulting her when he was her teacher 30 years ago, she wanted to make her 14-year-old self proud. For three years, she was identified only as Jane Doe in court documents, her name never publicly spoken — until now. A week after reaching a $2 million settlement with the Camden School District and Muhammad, the Camden School Advisory Board president, Salema Hicks Robinson disclosed her name in an interview with The Inquirer. Previously, she had not been identified because The Inquirer does not identify victims in sexual assault cases without their consent. ‘I feel brave ... in saying my name,’ she said. ‘I want people to see my face because I look like women in this community ... hearing my voice, seeing my face as a person, a woman, a mother, a grandmother, a friend that somehow people will see the tangible nature of what happened to me.’” DUPRE ‘NOTDOINGTHIS’ KELLY — “Newark’s Chigozie Onyema wins West Ward Democratic Committee co-chair seat,” by TAPIntoNewark’s Matt Kadosh: “Chigozie Onyema, a former City Council candidate, was named co-chair of the West Ward Democratic Committee following a vote by district leaders. Of the district leaders, 35 voted for Onyema, while 20 voted for West Ward Councilman Dupre ‘DoItAll’ Kelly last week.” DOGGYBROOK — “Fight that shut down Clifton street involved business dispute over hot dogs. What happened,” by The Record’s Matt Fagan: “Hot dogs are at the heart of a fight that shut down Van Houten Avenue on Thursday night, police said. Officers responded to the 700 block of Van Houten at about 8 p.m. on a report of a fight between the owners of Jumbo's Italian Ices and the owner of The Original Jumbos. Both locations sell hot dogs. Police said on one side of the physical altercation was a 74-year-old man and a 70-year-old woman from Woodland Park who own Jumbo's Italian Ices, and on the other, the 63-year-old owner of The Original Jumbo's, a former Clifton resident who lives in Seaside Park … The owners have had a contentious relationship for two years since Dave Martina, the owner of The Original Jumbo's, opened his hot dog stand across the street from Jumbo's Italian Ices … The feud escalated in recent weeks, Martina said, after he told the Italian ice owners to remove their Sabrett hot dog sign. Martina, who makes hot dog carts for the Sabrett hot dog company, said he has exclusivity on the name.” — “North Wildwood’s new beach 'saved summer'” — “Hawthorne budget cuts dialed back after state restores $400K in aid. See details” — “Hoboken rent control referendum advances on second try, setting up potential November vote” — “Pa. woman made false report of a boy with a gun at Jersey Shore, cops say” — “Paterson settles with man arrested protesting Jameek Lowery's death in 2019. See details” — “Freehold Borough teacher charged with sexual assault of middle school student” R.I.P. — “Bergenfield principal, known as 'dedicated' and 'exceptional,' dies” | | EVERYTHING ELSE | |
MESSI SERVICE — “What’s it like to take NJ Transit trains to MetLife Stadium for Copa America?” by NJ Spotlight News’ Taylor Jung: “Tens of thousands of people descended on MetLife Stadium on Tuesday for the Chile-Argentina Copa America game, which marked a rare appearance in the Northeast of Argentina’s celebrated player, Lionel Messi. State officials have touted New Jersey Transit’s trains as a good option to get to the stadium, especially as New Jersey gears up for the 2026 World Cup. Tuesday’s game happened right after a stretch of significant transit delays that left New Jersey riders stranded in New York City during the June heat wave … Could New Jersey deliver on its transit promise? NJ Spotlight News took the train from New York City to see what the ride would be like amid crowds.”
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