| | | | |  | | By Matt Friedman | | Presented by |  | | | Good Tuesday morning! The question on everyone’s mind has been answered: Who will the next Senate president be come January 2026? Senate President Nicholas Scutari on Monday released a list of 18 other Democratic caucus members who support him to remain Senate president — a vote that's well over a year away. Apparently Scutari decided that it was more important to squash any potential challenge than to avoid exposing a rift within the caucus. Because prior to this announcement, nobody had reported on any effort to oust Scutari. So the most notable thing was who was not listed among the Scutari supporters: All five Democratic senators from Middlesex County and Scutari’s fellow Union County Democratic senator, Joe Cryan, who works as executive director of the Middlesex County Utilities Authority. There had been some speculation about a challenge to Scutari, but nothing advanced enough to leak. I’m told Scutari acted because he believed Sen. Joe Vitale was gunning for him. I doubt Scutari would have released this list if he didn’t feel there was something that could grow into something more serious he didn’t take care of it. Notably, senators aligned with organizations backing four declared or potential gubernatorial candidates signed on to back Scutari. That includes South Jersey Democrats, despite George Norcross’ fight with the Senate president last year. TIPS? FEEDBACK? Email me at mfriedman@politico.com. HAPPY BIRTHDAY — Lisa Kaado, Dan Kline, Kevin Watsey QUOTE OF THE DAY:’ “If the liberal do-gooders on the county board of commissioners move forward on this, we will take legal action against them." — Toms River Mayor Daniel Rodrick about a potential plan by the county, completely controlled by Republicans, to put a Code Blue warming center for the homeless in his town. REMINDER — Today is the special general election to replace the late U.S. Rep. Donald Payne in the 10th District. Democrat LaMonica McIver faces Republican Carmen Bucco. In a district with about seven times more registered Democrats than Republicans, it’s not expected to be a nail-biter. WHERE’S MURPHY? In Atlantic City at 2 p.m. to speak at the Governor’s Conference on Housing and Economic Development
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SWAYZE’S LAW: BANK ROBBERS TO FACE EXTRA CHARGES UNLESS THEY WEAR WOODROW WILSON OR GROVER CLEVELAND MASKS — “NJ gubernatorial candidate clarifies intent of bill prohibiting masks in public,” by The Record’s Kyle Morel: “A New Jersey candidate for governor revised legislation he introduced last week that would prohibit certain citizens from wearing masks in public. Sen. Jon Bramnick, a Republican from the 21st District, clarified Monday that the ban would only apply to people who wear a mask during the commission of a crime. The proposed law would include a subsequent charge for defendants wearing a mask while committing a crime. "This secondary charge gives law enforcement an extra tool to hold masked criminals accountable," Bramnick said in a statement on the New Jersey Senate Republicans website.”
ANCHOR — “State blocked nearly 1M fraudulent applications for Anchor property-tax relief last year,” by The Record’s John Reitmeyer: “New Jersey’s Division of Taxation last year blocked more than 900,000 attempts to fraudulently obtain Anchor property-tax relief benefits. That was a “significant increase” compared to the year before, officials said in budget documents. Now, many taxpayers applying for state-funded Anchor benefits are being asked to go through an additional level of identity checks as part of ongoing efforts to prevent fraud. The new verification measures, including a state partnership with the ID.me identify verification firm, have been put in place following the high volume of fraud attempts thwarted last year by the agency that administers the roughly $2 billion relief program.” —“Sixers’ $1.5B arena plan stokes ‘rendering wars’ across New Jersey, Delaware and Pennsylvania” —“Racial disparity in births: Black women in NJ 25% more likely to get unplanned C-section”
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BASHAULT WEAPONS — “This NJ Republican wants to pass commonsense gun laws. Can he do it if elected?” by The Record’s Charles Stile: “Not long after the Sept. 4 mass shooting at a Georgia high school, Republican U.S. Senate candidate Curtis Bashaw called for ‘commonsense reforms we can all agree on’ to curtail gun violence. Those included closing gun show loopholes, mandatory background checks and bipartisan legislation to reinstate the ban on bump stocks, devices that effectively convert a semiautomatic rifle into a machine gun. … Absent from his original statement, however, was a call to ban or curtail the sale of assault-style weapons, like the AR-15 that the alleged teenage assailant. … When prompted last week about the absence of any reference to these weapons in his statement, Bashaw amended it, saying, ‘I would consider reasonable bipartisan legislation to restrict the sale of assault weapons.’ … Bashaw is following the playbook that successful New Jersey Republicans have used in the past, which is boiled down to this: Sound sensible, distance yourself from the party’s harsh right wing as much as possible, but do so without alienating the smaller but crucial GOP base of voters”
BRING OUT THE HELMY — “What George Helmy did his first week in Washington,” by NJ Spotlight News’ Benjamin J. Hulac: “In his first week in the Senate, Helmy introduced legislation to add the name of Bill Pascrell, the late Democratic congressman, to facilities of Paterson Great Falls National Historical Park. He filed another bill about cancer prevention and firefighters. Helmy attended committee hearings. He assumed the Senate desk of former Sen. Bob Menendez. And he reconstituted Menendez’s offices in New Jersey and Washington, carrying over ex-Menendez staffers. But the bulk of Helmy’s voting duties until he departs after the election in November is likely to consist of confirming judicial nominees of the Biden administration, which is racing to match or surpass 234 — the total the Trump administration reached in four years — before a new Senate is seated in January.” I TOLD YOU GOTTHEIMER IS THE PRO-MACHINE CANDIDATE — “Machinists union pledges support for Gottheimer in governor’s race,” by New Jersey Globe’s David Wildstein: “The 20,000-member New Jersey State Council of Machinists will back Rep. Josh Gottheimer (D-Wyckoff) for governor if he runs next year in another signal that labor unions are split between multiple candidates in the 2025 Democratic primary to replace term-limited Gov. Phil Murphy. ‘Josh Gottheimer is the best choice to be our next governor,’ said Cristino Vilorio, the union president. ‘He helped write, negotiate, and pass the Bipartisan Infrastructure Bill and has been a strong and consistent fighter for good-paying union jobs and economic growth in Jersey.’” —“Pallone in a drug cost-reducing zone”
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GILMORE MONEY GILMORE PROBLEMS — “Ocean County GOP’s Gilmore to co-host McGreevey for Jersey City mayor event,” by Hudson County View’s John Heinis: “Ocean County GOP Chair George Gilmore, who received a pardon from then-President Donald Trump for a $1 million tax evasion case, will co-host an event for former Gov. Jim McGreevey’s bid for Jersey City mayor later this month. ‘I think it would be smart politics for McGreevey to be transparent about why they offered and he accepted their help,’ Rebovich Institute for New Jersey Politics Director Micah Rasmussen said about the $1,000 a ticket event in Bayville on September 25th. … Rasmussen’s take is notable since he served as press secretary for McGreevey’s administration before he resigned in scandal in November 2004. McGreevey, who spoke on Gilmore’s behalf during his sentencing and also supported his pardon (as did three other former governors from both parties), did not shy away from teaming up with his old friend. ‘I have known George for over 20 years and he wanted to be helpful,’he said, joking that he knows Gilmore never voted for him.”
PROHIBITION CITY — “Could the redevelopment of Gillian's open the door for liquor in Ocean City?” by The Press of Atlantic City’s John O’Connor: “A new large-scale hotel could have a significant impact on the city’s economy, traffic, views, accommodations market and multiple other aspects of life. But most people seem to only want to talk about alcohol. There have been no new proposals for a large-scale hotel in the community, but the pending closure of Wonderland Pier at Sixth Street and the Boardwalk have supercharged speculation in the community about the potential for alcohol sales. State law allows a liquor license to be issued to a hotel or motel with more than 100 rooms, even if the community in which the hotel exists already has its allowable number of licenses based on year-round population. On social media pages and in neighborhood conversations, some residents have sought to raise an alarm about the possibility.” RUTTS HUT AND ROAD RUTTS — “Clifton is not paving roads, buying needed firefighting equipment? Here's why,” by The Record’s Matt Fagan: “The city has not paved any of its roads in the last two years. The issue is complicated, some say, but others say it's due to a failure by the City Council to adopt a bond ordinance that would allow it to borrow money to pave roads and complete other capital improvement projects. In the past, the city has borrowed on average about $10 million per year to pay for its annual capital improvements, and of that, an average of $3 million to $5 million has been allotted to pave and maintain its 150 miles of roadways, excluding county and state roads. In 2023 and so far in 2024, the City Council failed to adopt an ordinance to bond or borrow for improvements. The roadways are not the only projects to suffer as a result. Members of the city's administration say they are also dealing with equipment shortages, especially within the Fire Department.” IT IS WHAT IT IS — “West Orange Council President falls short of making ballot for re-election bid,” by New Jersey Globe’s David Wildstein: “A West Orange councilman failed to get enough signatures on his nominating petition and won’t be able to seek re-election to a second term in the November 5 non-partisan municipal election. Bill Rutherford, the council president, filed with 391 signatures, three or four – it depends on how the municipal clerk rounds up the number – short of what he needed to get on the ballot. ‘The statute is what the statute is,’ Superior Court Judge Robert H. Gardner said after a brief court hearing today.” UNFORTUNATE LANGUAGE — “Targeted schools list is actually Excel document of state school improvement plan, superintendent says,” by The Press of Atlantic City’s John O’Connor: “A list claiming several schools in the resort were being targeted is actually a Microsoft Excel document from the state's comprehensive and targeted schools improvement plan, Superintendent La'Quetta Small said Monday. … Police said an investigation began when several parents contacted the department to report what they believed to be a threat being shared on social media.” PIRATES OF THE CARIDIOT — “Porch pirates call 911 on themselves: Wayne case is latest example of US problem,” by The Record’s Philip DeVencentis: “An emergency caller reported a burglary in progress on Ratzer Road. He said two men were in his home garage and that a third was in his backyard. Detective Capt. Daniel Daly said the caller told a dispatcher that the burglars then fled in a black sedan. Things got really weird after that. … The captain said the Mercedez-Benz driver and his accomplice called police to tattle on their competition because they wanted to snatch up the device for themselves. All five men — from East Orange, Irvington, Jersey City, Union City and West New York — were arrested on charges ranging from misuse of 911 to possession of burglary tools.” —“Judge makes no decision on whether to find Atlantic City Housing Authority in contempt” —“Atlantic City 5th Ward special election now set for Nov. 5 general” —“Speakers at Teaneck rally decry Israel land sale event scheduled for Monday in NJ” —“Conflict rages between Orthodox ambulance crew, competitor in Lakewood” —“N.J. mall’s makeover ‘full steam ahead’ with $415M in new loans, Kushner exec says” —“Register your short-term rentals or face fines, Newark says” —“Jersey Shore gymnastics coach indicted on sexual assault against teen athletes: Prosecutor” | | EVERYTHING ELSE | |
PIZZA POLL — Amid a spat between Gov. Phil Murphy and Connecticut Gov. Who Cares about which state is the world’s “pizza capital,” Coach USA VP of Public Affairs Dan Rodriguez surveyed his company’s drivers. His reasoning? “They know great pizza.” The result: Neither. While New Jersey was competitive, New York won with 54 percent of the vote. New Jersey came in second with 42 percent. And Connecticut had a pathetic showing at 4 percent. My take: I don’t think there really is a difference between New York and New Jersey pizza if you’re under 100 miles or so from New York City. And I don’t have enough experience with Connecticut pizza to judge. But Connecticut is technically part of New England. And I had the worst slice my life in Maine, which is also in New England. So I hereby judge Connecticut is guilty of bad pizza by association.
PIZZA PUGILISM — “Assault involving a knife and a pizza box ends in arrests at Atlantic City casino,” by NJ Advance Media’s Eric Conklin: “A woman was left unconscious and a man accompanying her was nearly stabbed when they were attacked by two people inside an Atlantic City casino on Saturday. Atlantic City police said Monday that Damian Pineyro, 35, of Hazlet, and Keila Diaz, 47, of Freehold, began fighting with the man and woman inside the Tropicana hotel and casino early Sunday morning. … At one point, an unknown woman strikes another female over the head with a pizza box while a group of men continue to hurl punches nearby.” DEAR GEORGE NORCROSS, PLEASE STOP SWIMMING AROUND WITH A FIN ON YOUR HEAD — “Shark in NJ river? Kayaker’s photo has social media talking,” by Gannett’s J. Staas Haught: “Is there a shark in a South Jersey river? A kayaker who was paddling the Cooper River, in Camden County, Sunday snapped pictures of a black fin circling in the murky waters. Chris Pajak posted to the South Jersey Kayakers Facebook page Sunday evening that he had been kayaking with his wife in the river earlier in the day and spotted a fin roughly 3 inches tall. … Pajak asked other group members if they had thoughts on what the fin was. Some argued it was a carp or even a sturgeon. Many, though, insisted it was a bull shark.” —“New Jersey internet gambling sets new record at $198M in revenue, but land casinos lag” —“Do dental records clear crime figure in 1984 Toms River mob hit? How the judge ruled” —“Gas prices dip below $3 a gallon in the Garden State” —“North Jersey resident raising money for a $27M museum celebrating Black inventors” —“Virginia is for lovers, is New Jersey the state for haters? Maybe, don't worry about it!”
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