| | | | |  | | By Matt Friedman | Good Tuesday morning! In August, right before Bob Menendez resigned his Senate seat in disgrace, The New York Post reported that Menendez was “negotiating a pardon from Joe Biden before the president leaves office at the end of the year.” We’ll see if the Post is proven right, but I don’t buy it. Because if anyone has shown they might have an inclination to pardon Menendez, it’s Donald Trump. And here we are. Jersey City Mayor Steve Fulop once again raised the idea in a tweet over the weekend. “Knowing Bob Menendez, how he acts, do I think he’s thinking about this? 100 percent,” Fulop told me in an interview. “Do I think he has probably thought or started reaching out? I would believe the answer to that is yes. And the question is really what is Trump willing to do?” This would not be without precedent. Trump, of course, commuted the 17-year Medicare fraud sentence for Menendez’s former corruption co-defendant, Salomon Melgen. I never saw Trump give a reason. And Trump — who once praised Menendez to a comedian pretending to be the then-senator — characterized the devastating and evidence-full indictment of Menendez as a political attack. But there are a couple things Menendez doesn’t have going for him: He has no leverage and little money. And he was convicted of all 16 counts against him, which included almost cartoonish gold bar bribes and acting as an unregistered foreign agent. “Being accused of being a foreign agent and the gold bars probably makes it more complicated from an optics standpoint, but when has Donald Trump ever cared about optics?” Fulop said. Indeed, Trump never really caught much flak for the last-minute clemency move before leaving office in 2021. He even pardoned a convicted pyramid schemer from New Jersey who allegedly went right back to pyramid scheming. But amid all the chaos, it was barely a blip in the news. TIPS? FEEDBACK? Email me at mfriedman@politico.com. QUOTE OF THE DAY: “We have nearly one million more Democrats in this state. New Jersey should be a proving ground for bold, forward-thinking policy. We are the heartbeat of the northeast corridor — one of the greatest economic engines in the world. New Jersey has everything going for it except the political will.” — Rep. Bonnie Watson Coleman, endorsing Ras Baraka for governor in an op-ed HAPPY BIRTHDAY: Mikhail Varshavski WHERE’S MURPHY? Returning from the U.K. Acting Gov. Way has no public schedule. | | | | The lame duck session could reshape major policies before year's end. Get Inside Congress delivered daily to follow the final sprint of dealmaking on defense funding, AI regulation and disaster aid. Subscribe now. | | | | | |  | WHAT TRENTON MADE | |
MAY THE SCHWARTZ BE WITH YOU — Finance mogul on Rutgers board has missed almost all its meetings, by POLITICO’s Matt Friedman: A prominent financial executive who was confirmed to the Rutgers Board of Governors nearly two years ago has been to just two meetings since then — including the one in which he was inducted. Harvey Schwartz was confirmed for the board by the state Senate in December 2022. But shortly after Schwartz’s confirmation, he missed the board’s January 2023 meeting, according to minutes made available through a public records request. Schwartz was present to be inducted during a virtual meeting in February 2023, and in October 2023 attended a meeting in person. He has been listed as absent in the minutes of every meeting since. Schwartz, who was nominated by Gov. Phil Murphy, has attended just two meetings the board has held since his confirmation. His term expires in 2028. "As a public governor, Harvey Schwartz is a gubernatorial appointee to the Board of Governors," the university said in a statement. "Rutgers is appreciative of the many contributions, insights, and expertise that Schwartz, a Rutgers alumnus, has provided the university."
WITH RFK JR. IN CHARGE, HOSPITAL WAITING ROOMS WILL BE KNOWN AS CONSUMPTION LOUNGES — “ Retailers still waiting for cannabis officials to move forward with consumption lounges,” by New Jersey Monitor’s Sophie Nieto-Munoz: “It’s been nearly 10 months since the state Cannabis Regulatory Commission approved rules for the operation of cannabis consumption areas in New Jersey, but the commission has yet to discuss the process or open applications for retailers who want to run lounges. Critics say this has led to a lot of frustrated retailers and some to risk-taking business owners using loopholes to host events anyway. In New Jersey, there are few places for people to smoke besides their own homes, and their options are even more limited if their landlords ban vaping or smoking or if someone lives in federally subsidized housing, said Jessica Gonzalez, a cannabis attorney. It’s not just an economic issue, but also an issue of social justice, social equity, and patient access, she stressed.” IN THE YEAR 2025 — “Gonged by Trump, Dems will ‘be damned’ to lose governorship,” by InsiderNJ’s Fred Snowflack: “Elections are a never-ending cycle. When one ends, another begins. So, as hard as it obviously is, Amalia Duarte is looking ahead. 'I’ll be damned if a Republican wins the governorship,’ the Democratic chair in Morris County told party members at a Sunday breakfast designed to plan for the future, but also to cope with the specter of another Donald Trump presidency. ‘I don’t have an analysis,’ she said. ‘We are feeling a lot of emotion.’ Duarte said she gave herself Wednesday to grieve, but come Thursday, the future beckoned. Hence, the breakfast at party headquarters just off the famous Morristown Green.” — Sidamon-Eristoff: “Op-Ed: A third party? In New Jersey, don’t hold your breath” — “ New Hudson assignment judge may have obfuscated truth while under oath” — “ Ex-prosecutor Andrew Macurdy will take on Muñoz and Matsikoudis” — “Cryan to Dems: ‘The national election should serve as NJ self-reflection’” — “Is congestion pricing dead? One restart option has Jersey roots” — “ Hispanic leaders pledge to back Gottheimer for governor” | | BIDEN TIME | |
DEMOCRATS MUST NOT UNDERESTIMATE MURPHY’S ABILITY TO TALK SOCCER AND ITALIAN VILLAS WITH BLUE COLLAR WORKERS — More Democrats fear the party’s image isn’t just damaged – it’s broken , by POLITICO’s Holly Otterbein and Megan Messerly: Democrats are having a full-blown identity crisis. Days after Kamala Harris’ defeat, the extent of their party’s failure is becoming increasingly clear. It’s bad enough that Democrats are still losing working-class whites, as they have in recent elections. Now, exit polls show blue-collar Latinos and some Black men, long a core part of the Democratic base, are abandoning the party, too, fueling electoral shellackings. Republicans flipped the Senate and are padding their majority. Democrats’ path to a majority in the House is narrowing. And Donald Trump won in what could only be described as a landslide in the modern era … In interviews with 16 elected officials, party leaders and strategists, Democrats from both wings of the party agreed they have stopped knowing how to talk to the working class, once the very core of their identity … The fight over the next chair of the Democratic National Committee is one of the first arenas where the party will hash out its future under Trump 2.0. Some progressives are floating Wisconsin Democratic Party leader Ben Wikler. Jayapal said she’d “love to see somebody” who is “like a Ben Wikler.” New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy and Minnesota Democratic Party head Ken Martin are also rumored potential candidates.
— “New Jersey senator [Helmy] with governor on Trump’s ‘sobering’ blue-state gains” MERCURY RISING — It’s worth noting that Donald Trump’s incoming chief of staff, Susie Wiles, had worked at Mercury Public Affairs — a PR and lobbying firm with a lot of New Jersey connections. Those include Michael Soliman, who’s advising Democratic Rep. Josh Gottheimer on his gubernatorial run, as well as former Cory Booker Chief of Staff Mo Butler and others I could name but I might leave some out and annoy them. | | LOCAL | |
IF ONLY THERE WERE CHILDREN’S BIBLE CLASSES ON A DAY WHEN REGULAR SCHOOL WAS NOT IN SESSION — “ Bible study proposed for Ocean City students,” by The Press of Atlantic City’s Bill Barlow: “Local group wants to establish a religious study program for children attending the district’s schools, during the school day. The Ocean City LifeWise Steering Committee has reached out to school Superintendent Christian Angelillo and members of the Board of Education requesting a meeting … As proposed, parents could sign their children up to be excused from other classes during the school day to attend the Bible study. The LifeWise website states there is no cost to participating families, with the program funded by private donations … While the matter has not been discussed at public meetings, pushback is already brewing. ‘We see it as another affront to the separation of church and state, as a way to get religious doctrine inside the structure of a school day,’ said Michael Gottesman, founder of New Jersey Public Education Coalition.”
TOMS RIVER — “Homeless warming centers open in South Toms River, Toms River despite mayor lawsuit threat ,” by The Asbury Park Press’ Jean Mikle: “ Just Believe Inc., the advocacy group for the homeless that was evicted from Toms River's Riverwood Park building, will open a new Code Blue warming center at South Toms River's Recreation Center. Just Believe Inc. President and Chief Executive Officer Paul Hulse said the organization recently signed an agreement with South Toms River … Ocean County recently announced that a county building at the Ocean County Career Center, 1959 Lakewood Road (Route 9) in Toms River has been designated as a warming center for this winter … Toms River Mayor Daniel Rodrick threatened to sue the county in September if plans for the Route 9 Code Blue facility moved forward. ‘Toms River will no longer be a depository for the county's homeless,’ Rodrick said at the time … ‘If the liberal do-gooders on the county board of commissioners move forward on this, we will take legal action against them.’” THE SOUTH JERSEY VERSION OF SNOWPIERCER — “South Jersey voters may have OKed rail line expansion in at least one town. What we know ,” by The Courier-Post’s Jim Walsh: “Residents of two South Jersey towns appear to have split over a plan for a passenger rail line in their communities. With all districts counted in the Nov. 5 election, almost 54% of Glassboro voters favored a light-rail line between their borough and Camden, unofficial results show. Residents cast 4,030 ballots in favor of the rail project, compared to 3,452 against it, according to preliminary results. In Brooklawn, opponents are leading by just 29 votes — 350-321, according to unofficial results counted by Nov. 11 … The non-binding votes in Brooklawn and Glassboro — with official results due Nov. 20 — were intended to assess the public's views on an 18-mile line in an existing rail corridor … Last year, voters in Mantua and Woodbury Heights rejected the rail line by much larger margins.” — “Wildfire smoke sets off fire alarms, carbon monoxide detectors across [Glassboro]” SEWER POLITICS — “As Paterson sewer fees go unpaid, utility racks up $2M deficit,” by The Paterson Press’ Joe Malinconico: “A $2.17 million sewer utility deficit has forced Mayor Andre Sayegh’s administration to revise the city's budget for 2024 with less than two months remaining in the year. Administration officials said the deficit stems from uncollected sewer user fees in 2022 and 2023. Officials said they learned exactly how large the sewer deficit had become only from a belated 2022 audit, which was recently completed. The sewer deficit will be covered by surplus municipal funds, officials said. The deficit represents the Sayegh administration’s latest challenge involving the city’s sewer finances, including a festering controversy over more than $700,000 in uncollected connection fees.” MARTHA, MARTHA, MARTHA — “Martha Stewart gets a surprise tribute from her North Jersey hometown as cameras roll,” by The Record’s Manahil Ahmad: “Nutley officials honored one of their most renowned former residents last week, with a surprise tribute to Martha Stewart along the street where she grew up. The celebration unfolded live during a recording Wednesday of ‘The Drew Barrymore Show,’ in a segment in which township officials appeared remotely from Elm Place. As Stewart and Barrymore watched from a studio in Manhattan, the street was ‘honorarily renamed’ as ‘Martha Stewart Place,’ according to a statement from the town. The episode was set to broadcast Tuesday on CBS-TV, Nutley officials said via email. It comes as Stewart is also featured in a new Netflix documentary that follows the ups and downs of her long career in the public eye.” — “How Jackson NJ incumbents Nino Borrelli, and Mordechai Burnstein won re-election” — “Accused killer of Sayreville councilwoman challenges theory that there was only 1 gunman” — “ Water bills in [Hawthorne] likely to spike by 18% in next two years” — “Make the Road NJ hosts Jersey City rally where activists & elected vow to fight Trump ” | | | | Policy change is coming—be the pro who saw it first. Access POLITICO Pro’s Issue Analysis series on what the transition means for agriculture, defense, health care, tech, and more. Strengthen your strategy. | | | | | | | | EVERYTHING ELSE | | |
DISINHERIT THE WIND — “Trump has vowed to kill US offshore wind projects. Will he succeed?” by The AP’s Wayne Parry: “Opponents of offshore wind energy projects expect President-elect Donald Trump to kill an industry he has vowed to end on the first day he returns to the White House. But it might not be that easy. Many of the largest offshore wind companies put a brave face on the election results, pledging to work with Trump and Congress to build power projects and ignoring the incoming president’s oft-stated hostility to them … Bob Stern, who headed an office in the U.S. Energy Department responsible for environmental protection during the Ford, Carter, and Reagan administrations, said Trump can get Congress to reduce or eliminate tax credits for offshore wind that were granted in the Biden administration’s Inflation Reduction Act … But Tina Zappile, director of the Hughes Center for Public Policy at New Jersey’s Stockton University, noted that in 2018, Trump Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke voiced strong support for offshore wind. And even though the president-elect has bashed the technology, she predicted he won’t just make it go away.”
— “ Update: Strong winds to complicate Jennings Creek wildfire that has burned 5,000 acres” — “Ocean County Marine veteran tells story of losing dog that saved his life in Afghanistan ” — “What's New Jersey's air quality? Improvements noted in South Jersey amid wildfire fights” | | | | Follow us on Twitter | | | | Subscribe to the POLITICO Playbook family Playbook | Playbook PM | California Playbook | Florida Playbook | Illinois Playbook | Massachusetts Playbook | New Jersey Playbook | New York Playbook | Ottawa Playbook | Brussels Playbook | London Playbook View all our political and policy newsletters | | Follow us | | | | |
