Say his name, say his name

Sep 03, 2024

Gov. Phil Murphy has blamed the press for creating "middle school drama" between him and Andy Kim.

Uh, governor, I don’t think we’re the ones implying it.

To date, Murphy still hasn't endorsed Kim for Senate — in fact, he rarely ever brings up his name.

Take this recent interview in Semafor, where he mentioned we have “two very good candidates running” and stated “I’m a Democrat, so you can imagine where I’m going to be.”

(There are actually six candidates running, so we can’t be sure if the two he thinks are Andy Kim and Curtis Bashaw.)

Of course Murphy was asked about that. “Just because I say that somebody’s a nice person doesn’t mean that that’s where my allegiance is going to fall,” Murphy said Friday.

TIPS? FEEDBACK? Email me at mfriedman@politico.com.

QUOTE OF THE DAY: “I think he’s been doing a good job, besides what’s being said here.” — Troy Archie, attorney for Camden School School Board President Wasim Muhammad, after more than 25 speakers called on him to resign or be fired over the city paying $2 million to settle with a former student who alleged he sexually abused her

WHERE’S MURPHY?

WHAT TRENTON MADE

800MILLIONERS — “State, in aggressive push, giving Sixers details of massive Camden arena project proposal — and huge incentives that come with it,” by ROI-NJ’s Tom Bergeron: “Officials from the state of New Jersey on Tuesday will send the owners of the Philadelphia 76ers details on an opportunity to use state-owned land in Camden for a massive mixed-use development that would include a world-class arena as well as commercial, residential and retail offerings, ROI-NJ has learned. The multibillion-dollar project, championed by Gov. Phil Murphy and supported by the Legislature, would be built on the former state prison site area that is adjacent to the Delaware River and north of the Ben Franklin Bridge. The project, which would be self-financed by Harris Blitzer Sports & Entertainment (the entity that owns the Sixers), would be eligible for hundreds of millions of dollars in tax incentives. Because the project would contain both an arena and a full-scale mixed-use component, HBSE could be eligible to receive two Aspire tax credits worth up to $400 million each. In addition, the Governor’s Office aims to work with the Legislature to enable the structuring of up to $500 million of special-purpose bonds supported by fees and surcharges on tickets, concessions and parking (meaning there will be no impact to New Jersey taxpayers) to support the development of an arena.”

STILL SMOKIN' — Judge dismisses lawsuit that sought to stop smoking in casinos, by POLITICO’s Daniel Han: A state judge on Friday afternoon denied a request for injunctive relief from a group of casino workers in a lawsuit that sought to ban smoking inside of Atlantic City’s casinos. State Judge Patrick Bartels also dismissed the legal challenge, the latest chapter in the decades-long debate over whether to allow smoking in New Jersey’s casinos. Background: The lawsuit was filed in April by the local United Auto Workers union affiliate — which represents casino dealers in Atlantic City — and a group of casino workers known as CEASE as legislation on a smoking ban stalled in Trenton. The plaintiffs said in a statement that they plan to appeal the judge’s ruling to the state Supreme Court. "The workers exposed to toxic secondhand smoke every day are extremely disappointed in the Judge’s decision siding with Governor Murphy, who chooses to endanger the health of casino employees in deference to the casino industry,” attorney Nancy Erika Smith said in a statement on behalf of the plaintiffs.

POUTINE AT THE RITZ — “Oh Canada! Murphy going north of the border to try to lure jobs to N.J.,” by NJ Advance Media’s Susan K. Livio: “Gov. Phil Murphy this week will embark on his sixth international trade mission, this time to lure jobs and investment from Canada to New Jersey. Canada is already the state’s largest trade partner, with $17.6 billion worth of commerce exchanged. Canada is also the state’s largest market for exported goods, according to information from the New Jersey Economic Development Authority. Companies are always looking for talent, and with New Jersey’s highly rated public schools and universities and its solid pharmaceutical financial technology and TV, film and digital media industries, “we think we have a great story to tell,” said Tim Sullivan, executive director for the Economic Development Authority. Murphy will depart for Ottawa on Saturday, Sept. 7, arrive in Toronto the following day and attend the Toronto Film Festival, where the documentary Road Diary: Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band by longtime Springsteen videographer Tom Zimny will premiere. The last stop on Tuesday is Montreal, before returning on Sept. 10.”

WHEN MASTRO SAID HE WAS PRO BONO HE JUST MEANT HE LIKED U2 — “N.J. makes more arguments against $15 fee to enter N.Y.C., after Gov. Hochul hints at its return,” by NJ Advance Media’s Larry Higgs: “The legal team leading New Jersey’s opposition to New York City’s congestion pricing plan have made more arguments hoping to convince a judge to overturn federal approvals of the $15 fee to enter lower Manhattan. The additional written arguments to a senior federal judge came after Gov. Kathy Hochul hinted a replacement congestion pricing plan could return late this year or early next year. She made the comments in an Aug.19 interview with Politico … Papers and a copy of a District of Columbia Appeals Court ruling overturning federal approval of a natural gas pipeline and terminal in Port Isabel, Texas, were filed on Aug. 20 by Attorney Randy M. Mastro, who is representing the state in the suit filed against the Federal Highway Administration in July 2023 in U.S. District Court. Mastro argued that the appeals court’s Aug. 6 decision that overturned a Federal Energy Regulatory Commission approval of the Port Isabel pipeline applies to the congestion pricing case. In the Texas case, the court overturned the federal approval because a supplemental Environmental Impact Statement examining environmental justice issues wasn’t issued for public comment.”

THE RULE OF FLAW — “Judges toss false-arrest claims against federal marshals in mistaken-identity case,” by New Jersey Monitor’s Dana DiFilippo: “A New Jersey woman who spent two weeks in jail for someone else’s decades-old parole violation has lost her bid to hold the federal marshals who arrested her accountable. A three-judge appellate panel ruled Thursday that the marshals who hauled Judith Maureen Henry to the Essex County Correctional Facility in 2019 acted on a ‘constitutionally valid’ warrant and were entitled to qualified immunity, a legal protection that insulates law enforcement officers from liability …. Henry repeatedly told marshals they had the wrong person and asked officers to compare her fingerprints to the absconder’s, but no one did that until she was transferred to Pennsylvania 10 days after her arrest, according to the ruling. It took a few more days for her to be released.”

—Opinion: “Summer ending with no action on bill to protect outdoor workers from heat”

BIDEN TIME

THE MOST POWERFUL GEORGE IN NEW JERSEY — From ‘a nobody’ to the Senate: George Helmy is ready to replace Bob Menendez, by POLITICO’s Daniel Han: George Helmy will soon become one of the shortest-serving senators in American history. Helmy’s tenure in the upper chamber will last only around three months after being appointed by Gov. Phil Murphy due to the resignation of disgraced Sen. Bob Menendez, who was found guilty in his corruption trial. In a recent interview at a North Jersey diner, Helmy said he plans to advance the goals of the Democratic caucus and even introduce legislation despite such a brief stint in Washington. And, he said, it’s OK if his bills don’t get done under his watch. “Something with my name [on it] is not important,” he said. “It’s that I use the platform I have for three months to help advance a conversation.”

VOTEMASTER FLEX — New Jersey Democrats once again flex their power in choosing Pascrell replacement, by POLITICO’s Matt Friedman and Daniel Han: “The late Rep. Bill Pascrell (D-N.J.) had not yet been buried before his heir apparent became, well, apparent. In the days after the fiery 87-year-old congressmember’s death, four seasoned elected officials opted to run in an ultra-abbreviated contest to replace him as the 9th Congressional District’s Democratic nominee this November. Then the three Democratic chairs of the counties that make up the North Jersey district settled on a consensus choice, once again showing the influence of a handful of party bosses while voters haven’t even had time to digest the news — though state law forced a quick process. They backed state Sen. Nellie Pou, a 27-year lawmaker whose calm, pleasant demeanor stands in stark contrast to the cantankerous Pascrell. Pou also gave New Jersey’s Hispanic communities another foothold in power following the corruption conviction and resignation of Sen. Bob Menendez, the state’s most politically prominent Latino ever. Pou has chaired the state’s legislative Latino caucus since 2006 and is the former president of the National Hispanic Caucus of State Legislators.

ALSO THE VAN DREW METHOD: COMPLAIN ABOUT VOTER FRAUD, HIRE ALLEGED VOTER FRAUD ARTIST— “The Van Drew method: Get funding, vote against bill, celebrate funding,” by NJ Spotlight News’ Benjamin J. Hulac: “Over the past three federal budget cycles, through a funding process called earmarking, one New Jersey congressman has brought significantly more money back to his district than any of his state colleagues did to theirs. That member, Republican Jeff Van Drew, who represents about 780,000 people in the state’s 2nd Congressional District, secured $92.3 million for the district since Congress brought back earmarks in 2021 after they were banned in 2010. That sum placed him ahead of the 13 other people who have represented New Jersey in the House since 2021, and near the totals for Sen. Cory Booker and former Sen. Bob Menendez. Van Drew, however, voted against all the bills that contained his earmarks. Yet he has touted his work to get his earmarks passed into law, including in January, when his office announced about $10 million in funding for seven projects in his district. ‘The bottom line is that I assured that my district and the state of New Jersey would be taken care of,’ Van Drew said in a recent interview with NJ Spotlight News”

—Moran: “Kamala fever could help Sue Altman beat Tom Kean Jr.”

LOCAL

WILDWOOD — “Woman run over on Wildwood beach by police truck,” by The Press of Atlantic City’s Bill Barlow: “A vacationer was badly injured late Wednesday afternoon after being run over by a police truck while lying on the beach. She was airlifted to the AtlantiCare Regional Medical Center, City Division. The Wildwood Fire Department transported her to Maxwell Field, where the helicopter landed. Wildwood Police Chief Joseph Murphy described the woman’s injuries as serious, but said on Friday that she is expected to make a full recovery, based on an update he received the evening before. ‘We’re hoping she makes a speedy recovery,’ he said. Murphy said he could not release many details of the incident, which is under investigation. He did not identify the officer, but said he was on duty, responding to an ordinance violation. The officer is regularly assigned to the beach, and was operating a police Ford F-150, a full-sized pickup truck.”

CLERKS — “Cumberland clerk returns ballot to party line; GOP gets Column A,’ by New Jersey Globe’s Zach Blackburn: “Office-block ballots arrived in Cumberland County earlier this month. Two weeks later, they’re gone. The Cumberland’s Clerk’s office unveiled an initial ballot earlier this month, but the design garnered controversy for two reasons: the transition to an office-block format, and the complete randomization of the drawing instead of featuring the two major parties at the top of each box. Friday’s redraw showed a retreat on both issues: The party-line ballot has returned, and the GOP and Democratic Party are columns A and B, respectively. The Cumberland GOP filed suit against the Democratic-controlled Clerk’s office earlier this week, and the clerk quickly signaled it would redraw the ballot positioning. But until the unveiling of Friday’s ballot, it was unclear whether they would revert to the party line. Deputy County Clerk Sandra Olbrich — who is officially in charge of election matters this year, since County Clerk Celeste Riley is on the ballot and has recused herself — led the drawing.”

2,514 STUDENTS TO LEARN WHAT IT’S ACTUALLY LIKE TO BE BORED IN SCHOOL — “Ramsey has a plan to get phones out of students' hands during school hours. See details,” by The Record’s Marsha A. Stoltz: “The district has announced that it is working toward an innovative solution to the problem of cellphones in the hands of students during school hours. The Board of Education is trying to implement an Away for the Day policy that would cover students' cellphones, smartwatches and other electronic devices by Jan. 2. If it adopts the plan, it is believed that it will be the first district in Bergen County to do so. The Ramsey policy, to be developed in stages toward a Jan. 2 implementation date at the high school, would require all 2,514 students in the preschool-to-grade-12 district to turn off and store away their electronic devices for the entire school day in some manner.”

—“NJ has new guidance for schools regarding student cellphone use. What it says”

GOD SENDS JOE D A MESSAGE — “Turtle Back Zoo building catches fire after being struck by lightning,” by NJ Advance Media’s Jeff Goldman: “No animals were badly injured when a building at Turtle Back Zoo in West Orange caught fire after it was struck by lightning during a storm Wednesday night, authorities said. West Orange police and firefighters were called to the Sea Turtle Recovery building at about 9:45 p.m. where firefighters extinguished a blaze, a township spokesman said Thursday. No people were inside the building after the zoo closed at 4 p.m. While the five sea turtles in the building were exposed to heavy smoke, all were fine after the fire, Sea Turtle Recovery officials said in a statement on social media.”

—“Longtime East Rutherford councilman steps down from town, county positions”

—“Bergen County wants to regionalize 911 services to its towns — for free. How it works”

—“Fines to pile up after court denies Jersey City motions in ‘cannabis cops’ cases”

EVERYTHING ELSE

GAUDREAU TRAGEDY — “Accused drunk driver in Johnny Gaudreau death is U.S. Army major, works at rehab center,” by NJ Advance Media’s Eric Conklin: “The driver who allegedly was intoxicated when he hit and killed National Hockey League star Johnny Gaudreau and his brother, Matthew, is a high-ranking military officer also employed at a substance abuse treatment network headquartered in Pennsylvania. Gaudenzia, which operates a collection of treatment facilities in the Northeast, confirmed Sean Higgins, 43, of Pilesgrove Township, works for the nonprofit company, adding that he was placed on leave in light of the charges against him. Higgins is also a major in the New Jersey Army National Guard, where he has served since 2008 … Johnny Gaudreau, 31, and Matthew Gaudreau, 29, were bicycling in Oldmans Township, Salem County, near their parents’ home Thursday night when they were killed. Both were pronounced dead at the scene. The brothers grew up in Salem County, starring on youth hockey teams before high school. They were preparing to appear as groomsmen in their sister’s wedding in the Philadelphia area on Friday.”

HIGHEST CORPORATE TAX RATE IN THE NATION LEADS TO CORPORATIONS FLEEING NEW J… — “Samsung will move headquarters to Englewood Cliffs in 2025 as Unilever plans to leave,” by The Record’s Daniel Munoz: “Samsung Electronics is planning to move its North American headquarters from Ridgefield Park to Englewood Cliffs in 2025, just months after consumer goods company Unilever plans to move out …Later on, several news outlets reported that Unilever would occupy three stories at 111,000 square feet at SJP’s Waterfront Corporate Center 1 in Hoboken.”

ONLY BECAUSE THE COVID VACCINE TURNED THEM INTO VAMPIRES— “People in N.J. are living longer, new report finds,” by NJ Advance Media’s Jackie Roman: “People who live in New Jersey are among the healthiest in the nation and living longer, according to a new report on longevity. At 79 years, New Jersey has one of the highest life expectancies in the nation, as of 2021. That’s fifth in the United States, according to the latest National Vital Statistics Report released Aug. 21 by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.”

R.I.P..— “'Remember Anchor fondly': Shark fans mourn the passing of an Adventure Aquarium staple”

—“Operating company takes control of Monmouth Park with massive development set to break ground”

—“North Jersey man sues law and accounting firms, says they padded his bills to nearly $2M”

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