| | | | |  | | By Matt Friedman | | Presented by |  | | | Good Tuesday morning! There’s been a lot of investigations and indictments involving South Jersey government and politics lately. There’s obviously the George Norcross and Friends indictment. There’s the SJTA. And who knows whether authorities are still looking into “Jersey Freedom”? Here’s a new one. Federal authorities conducted a search last month of Gloucester County government offices related to Covid contracts. And apparently, this investigation goes beyond just Gloucester. I reached out to Gloucester County Counsel Eric Campo, who responded with this statement: “The County of Gloucester is aware of a federal investigation that appears to be focused on COVID-related cleaning contracts awarded by governmental entities in Gloucester County, Camden County, Burlington County and Cumberland County. Gloucester County is fully cooperating with the investigation.” Cumberland County Counsel John Carr told me over the phone: “I’m cognizant there’s an investigation, and I can tell you that Cumberland County is cooperating as well.” Details at this point are pretty sparse, but based on my reporting it appears this investigation is centered on contracts with a Marlton-based company named Germ-Nix, which provides sanitary and property management services for facilities. Its incorporation documents show that it’s founded by Robert and Thomas DiNunzio, the latter of whom retired as a captain in the Camden County Prosecutor’s Office a few years ago. I reached out to the company but haven’t heard back. This may or may not be a politically juicy investigation, but the fact that it extends to four counties — three controlled by Democrats and one by Republicans — seems significant. TIPS? FEEDBACK Email us at dracioppi@politico.com and rrivard@politico.com QUOTE OF THE DAY: “It affirms a simple but powerful principle: You have the freedom to choose what you want to read. Parents have the freedom to decide what their children read. They always have and they always will. But no one in New Jersey will ever get a chance to make that choice for you.” — State Sen. Andrew Zwicker at the signing ceremony for the “Freedom to Read Act” HAPPY BIRTHDAY: Adam Beder, Tyler Honschke, Idida Rodriguez, Maryann Spoto, Christine Stearns WHERE’S MURPHY? No public schedule
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HE DID NOT KILL MURPHY — Corbett to leave NJ Transit, by POLITICO’s Ry Rivard: Long-time New Jersey Transit CEO Kevin Corbett is stepping down from the agency in mid-January, he said Monday. In a resignation letter obtained by POLITICO, Corbett said he wants to spend more time with his family and has accepted an opportunity at one of the state’s universities. “The ultimate goal for any CEO is to leave their organization stronger than they found it,” Corbett wrote. “I know we have achieved that together.” When Gov. Phil Murphy came to office, the agency was in shambles, and while it continues to face criticism from commuters for delays, Corbett listed a series of major moves he made since taking the job in 2018, at the start of Murphy’s first term.
—“Kris Kolluri will head N.J. Transit for remainder of Murphy’s term” FREADOM — Murphy signs ‘Freedom to Read Act’, by POLITICO’s Matt Friedman: Gov. Phil Murphy on Thursday signed the “Freedom to Read Act” — New Jersey Democrats’ answer to the conservative furor that has gripped school boards. The law, NJ A3446 (24R), will next year immunize school and public librarians from any potential civil or criminal liability if their actions were in “good faith” and directs boards of education to adopt book procurement policies, including procedures to deal with requests to remove books. “I received hate mail, shunning by colleagues, antagonism by administrators, and calls for my firing and arrest. I’ve even been confronted on the street and my car has been vandalized,” Martha Hickson, the recently-retired librarian for North Hunterdon-Voorhees Regional High School who helped spur the legislation, said during the signing ceremony in the children’s section of the Princeton Public Library. “The students I serve feel the pain, too. When the books that describe their lived experience were called ‘disgusting, obscene and depraved,’ students recognized those insults were also intended for them.” —“Librarian Amanda Jones files new defamation lawsuits” DRONING ON — “NJ lawmakers demand action and answers concerning recent drone sightings around the state,” by The Record’s Amanda Wallace: “New Jersey lawmakers are demanding action and answers from Gov. Phil Murphy and other state officials regarding numerous sightings of drones across the state in recent weeks. Sen. Doug Steinhardt sent a letter to state Assembly Speaker Craig Coughlin and Senate President Nicholas Scutari on Friday, calling on them to take action by convening a bipartisan panel to address the situation. Also on Friday, Assemblymen John DiMaio and Erik Peterson sent a letter to Murphy, calling on him to ‘take immediate action and address growing concerns over unexplained drone activity.’”
| | | | REGISTER NOW: As the 118th Congress ends, major decisions loom, including healthcare appropriations. Key focus: site neutrality. Can aligning hospital and clinic costs cut federal spending, reflect physician costs, and lower patient expenses? Join policymakers and providers to discuss. | | | | | —“N.J. had 49 ‘mystery drone’ sightings in one night, but not all were legit, Murphy says” —@VoteBergen: “Borrow me an Apache helicopter from the PA National Guard and I'll put an end to this drone problem myself” —“Ocean County sheriff on hunt for mystery drones; Monmouth releases drone map” —“Meet the 10 candidates looking to be the next New Jersey governor” —“Small N.J. buses that serve majority Hispanic areas may be hurt by congestion hike, riders say” —Snowflack: “Spadea not good enough, says guv-run-exploring mega MAGA Crispi” —Abelow and Eristof: “Fusion voting would encourage coalitions, decrease polarization” ALWAYS A JERSEY ANGLE — Luigi Mangione, the suspect arrested in the assassination of United Health CEO Brian Thompson, allegedly used a New Jersey driver’s license fake ID that shows him as a Maplewood resident | | BIDEN TIME | |
ALT IN THE DEM MACHINE'S WOUND — “Sue Altman, Amy Pfeiffer to take top roles on Andy Kim staff,” by New Jersey Globe’s Joey Fox: “Andy Kim, whose term as a United States Senator begins today, has announced ten members of his new Senate office’s senior staff, with two familiar names at the top: Amy Pfeiffer will be Kim’s chief of staff, and Sue Altman will be his state director. Pfeiffer, like Kim a Burlington County native, is the only chief of staff Kim has ever known, having led Kim’s office since he was first sworn into the House in January 2019 .… Altman, meanwhile, is a former leader of the progressive New Jersey Working Families Alliance who has long seen eye-to-eye with Kim on one key issue in particular: the county line, the primary ballot design system that helped New Jersey’s county parties retain their power for decades. … Altman has been considering a potential second campaign against [U.S. Rep. Tom] Kean, and today’s staff announcement does not mean that she’s taking herself out of the running. But it does change her timetable for a potential decision; given her high-ranking role in Kim’s office, she’s unlikely to launch a campaign in the coming months, opening a window for other candidates to get in the race for the 7th district in the meantime.”
—Andy Kim sworn in to the Senate WHAT POSITION WILL JAMEL HOLLEY GET? — “Can NJ's Cory Booker accept Robert F. Kennedy as America's health czar?” by The Record’s Charles Stile: “As Robert F. Kennedy Jr. seeks to quell Republican nerves as President-elect Donald Trump’s choice to lead the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, he may have found one potential supporter among the Democrats: Sen. Cory Booker of New Jersey. ‘I have concerns about the nominee,’ Booker told reporters in Washington last month, offering what sounded like an obligatory expression of concern. ‘But, I tell you, when (Kennedy) speaks about the issues I was just speaking about, we’re talking out to the same playbook.’’ Those ‘issues’ are Booker's and Kennedy's mutual railing against the generous subsidies that underwrite junk and processed foods that have flooded the national bloodstream, leading to a skyrocketing of diabetes, cancer and other diseases. … The same evangelist for healthier food for children also peddles conspiracy theories that could lead to sickness and harm of children. … Clearly, Booker is aware of that dilemma. ‘I have real concerns about anybody who is going to put information out there that's going to undermine the safety of our kids,’ the senator said.” OH LORD, WON’T YOU BRIBE ME A MERCEDES BENZ? — Nadine Menendez trial still on track for January, by POLITICO’s Ry Rivard: The trial of former Sen. Bob Menendez’s wife is on track to begin in January after a federal judge on Monday rejected an attempt to delay it. Nadine Menendez appeared at a Manhattan courthouse with her right arm in a sling and with an attorney who said she would continue to face medical issues during the trial. She was originally expected to be tried with her husband earlier this year, but her case was separated as she entered treatment for breast cancer. … Her trial is expected to begin on Jan. 21 and feature much of the same eye-popping evidence that condemned her husband and two co-defendants. … Judge Sidney Stein rejected an attempt to delay her trial, which her legal team requested in part because of medical issues and were discussed behind closed doors, and in part because her attorney, Barry Coburn, is also defending Nathaniel Noyce, who is charged with assaulting a law enforcement officer during the breach of the Capital on Jan. 6, 2021 —“Helmy’s short stay offers glimpse into Senate life” —“[Alina Habba] named as Trump's counselor to the president” —“Conflict of interest for Trump’s ambassador to France pick in Jersey City Pompidou? | Jersey Journal editorial”
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ARTHUR TREACHEROUS — “Camden City Councilman Arthur Barclay enters pretrial intervention for hitting a pedestrian while on a suspended license,” by WHYY’s P. Kenneth Burns: “Camden City Councilman Arthur Barclay was accepted into the Pretrial Intervention (PTI) Program, allowing him to avoid having a criminal record. His application was submitted before his Monday morning hearing, during which Judge Gwendolyn Blue confirmed its approval. ‘The good thing, Mr. Barclay, sir, is that you do everything you’re supposed to do, you will not have a criminal record,’ Blue told Barclay. Barclay, who was charged last year with seriously injuring a pedestrian while driving with a suspended license, was indicted in October. After processing, Barclay left the Camden County Hall of Justice with his attorney, Shawn Huber. Also at Barclay’s side was disgraced former Camden school advisory board president Wasim Muhammed, who said he was there to offer support. Barclay was accused of striking a 37-year-old woman with a car, leaving her with a shattered right femur, fourth-degree burns and injuries to her right hip, according to the probable cause statement”
MONMOUTH COUNTY —“Farmingdale crossing guard-school board member charged with child porn,” by Patch’s Karen Wall: “A member of the Farmingdale Board of Education and crossing guard in the borough has been charged with possession of child sexual abuse materials, the Monmouth County Prosecutor's Office said Friday. William L. Shaffer, 47, was arrested Friday and is being held at the Monmouth County jail pending a detention hearing, Prosecutor Raymond S. Santiago said. Shaffer's name had been removed from the list of school board members on the Farmingdale Public School website as of Friday evening. He had just been elected to another term in the Nov. 5 election.” ANTI-SEMITISM — “How brazen antisemitism became a way of public life in these Jersey Shore towns,” by The Asbury Park Press’ Mike Davis, Jean Mikle, Joe Strupp and Ken Serrano: “The Lakewood area is the epicenter for antisemitism in New Jersey, where bigotry against the region's sizable Jewish community has become meaner, more open and more frequent than ever before. The annual rate of bias incidents against Jewish people is as much as three times higher than the statewide rate, cementing the region as one of New Jersey’s most fertile breeding ground for antisemitic outbursts, according to data analyzed by the Asbury Park Press. Fueled by long-simmering culture shock over one of the world’s largest and fastest-growing Orthodox Jewish communities, there were nearly eight bias incidents with an anti-Jewish motivation per 10,000 people in Lakewood and its surrounding towns from January 2019 through October 2024, according to data. ... Last year, Jackson residents spoke openly of a ‘cultural genocide’ and ‘hostile takeover’ perpetrated by the town's Orthodox Jewish community. On social media, it's even more blatant: Comments posted in response to one recent Press article referred to ‘blood-sucking Jews,’ ‘scumbags’ and urged ‘U.S. citizens to push this nasty smelling cult back, beyond Lakewood.’” —“What it really means when people refer to 'Lakewood-style development'” —“Watchdog or 'antisemite'? Jackson's Elenor Hannum would like a word” —“These NJ towns were sued and fined over Orthodox land use. Have they learned their lesson?”
| | A message from Alibaba: New Jersey-based businesses are growing globally on Alibaba’s online marketplace. Dr. Eddie Omar, CEO of New Jersey-based Phyto-C, said that his company “experienced a 600% increase in revenue since selling globally on Alibaba.” According to NDP Analytics research company, those sales contributed millions to New Jersey’s GDP, and supported thousands of local jobs in just one year.
Learn how global sales by New Jersey-based businesses are supporting the local economy in our state. | | | HE CAN FINALLY TAKE ONE OF THOSE TOURS — “100-year-old N.J. mayor won’t seek re-election,” by New Jersey Globe’s David Wildstein: “The 100-year-old mayor of Tinton Falls will not seek re-election to a third term in 2025. Vito Perillo became a centenarian on September 22 and is the oldest mayor in the U.S. He’s decided to retire and will leave office at the end of next year at age 101. If he had sought re-election, he would have remained in office until age 105. He was born in 1924, 43 days before Calvin Coolidge was elected president, and served in World War II. When he was elected mayor in 2017, Perillo was a 93-year-old retired civil engineer.” JESUS IS A HOT TOPIC — “Preacher says Paramus mall, cops violated his rights. Why he faces a lifetime ban,” by The Record’s Stephanie Noda: “A Christian street minister who preaches via a loudspeaker is suing Paramus, borough police and the owners of Bergen Town Center mall for allegedly interfering with his free speech rights to spread the Gospel outside the shopping center. Jersey City resident Richard ‘Yokas’ Stephens filed a lawsuit last week after he was allegedly removed by borough police and given a’"lifetime ban’ from the mall. The suit, filed in state Superior Court, names Paramus and its Police Department, Officers Matthew Orefice and Nicholas Bucci, and Bergen Town Center owner Urban Edge Properties. … According to the suit, Stephens regularly uses a microphone and speaker when preaching in ‘congested urban areas.’ … This past Sept. 11, Stephens was broadcasting his message outside the mall in a “publicly accessible space” at the intersection of Forest Avenue and Bergen Town Center Drive, the suit says. That's when two mall security guards arrived and allegedly told the preacher he had to pack up his audio equipment and leave immediately, Stephens' complaint says. The only reason given by the guards was that Stephens was “preaching on the private property of the mall,” it says.” —“Bergen police civilian employee claims racial discrimination by high-ranking officers” —Snowflack: “No landing in sight for Monmouth airport spat” —“Point Pleasant didn't have its own flag, so this 12-year-old fixed that problem for good” —“District overspending main focus for new Atlantic City school board member Ron Bailey” —“Solomon announces Griffin as 2nd running mate for Jersey City council-at-large” —“Restoration of historic [Camden] home linked to MLK kicks off with groundbreaking ceremony”
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THANKS FOR THE TAX REVENUE — “My gambling addicted husband lost $942K on DraftKings, estranged wife says in lawsuit,” by NJ Advance Media’s Jelani Gibson: “The estranged wife of a New Jersey man who lost more than $942,000 gambling on DraftKings has filed suit accusing the online betting site of fueling his addiction to wagering. The Nutley resident filed the suit in Superior Court in Essex County last week claiming Boston-based DraftKings provided her husband with with gifts and incentives ‘to create, nurture, expedite, and/or exacerbate his addiction’ to betting on sports. … For nearly four years, DraftKings failed verify the source of the money the husband deposited into his account as is protocol with gamblers who bet large amounts of money, his wife said in the suit. They also worsened his addiction by making him a “VIP” member, the suit says.”
—“FanDuel to sponsor free tolls Dec. 18 on Atlantic City Expressway” —“Hundreds of NJ Syrians gather in Wayne to celebrate Assad's overthrow, end of brutal rule”
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