| | | |  | | By Matt Friedman | | Presented by |  | | | Good Friday morning! It’s been two days since a judge dismissed the state’s corruption case against George Norcross, and this much is clear: Only a few gubernatorial candidates have anything substantive to say about it. First, the Democrats. Steve Sweeney, Norcross’ childhood friend, had what I consider one of the most clear positions. He called Norcross and his co-defendants “innocent” and the prosecution “political.” On the opposite side of the Democrats was Steve Fulop, who complained that Norcross got off on “technical legal reasons vs what is actually right/wrong.” Sean Spiller was also a bit more critical of Norcross, saying the dismissal “leaves many unanswered questions that will only build distrust.” Josh Gottheimer did some political jujitsu, turning the judge’s decision into criticism of Trump rather than express how he felt about the case itself: “Today’s decision speaks to how the justice system is built to work — a judge, making decisions by the book without fear or favor. It’s the opposite of what President Trump is now doing with the Department of Justice — actively undermining the rule of law,” he said. Mikie Sherrill said less: “As a former prosecutor, I have been monitoring this case and will continue to do so should the AG appeal.” Ras Baraka said nothing at all, which is puzzling considering his usual outspokenness and appeal to progressives, though he is endorsed by Camden Mayor Vic Carstarphen. On the Republican side, the two top candidates, Jack Ciatarelli and Bill Spadea, also chose not to comment, perhaps showing Norcross’ influence isn’t limited to the Democratic Party. Jon Bramnick told the Inquirer that “rough and tumble politics is not a crime.” Only Ed Durr said something critical of Norcross, telling me that while he was not intimately familiar with the case itself, that “just like [with] Bob Menendez, there’s always been a lot of smoke. So is there fire with George? I can’t say, because I don’t have all the evidence sitting in front of me.” Gottheimer’s avoidance of Norcross criticism strikes me. Sweeney has most South Jersey Democratic machine support in the race, but Gottheimer — who had Hudson County Democrats lined up for his campaign but lost them, and who unsuccessfully courted Middlesex County early on — looks like he’s positioning himself as the Norcross machine’s backup choice should Sweeney drop out. Note his attendance with Sweeney, Gov. Murphy and four former governors at the January Cooper groundbreaking/Norcross fealty fest. HAPPY BIRTHDAY: Alexandra Acosta, Brenda Kelly. Saturday for Jay Webber, Virginia Long, David Bailey Jr. Sunday for Christian Hetrick. WHERE’S MURPHY? Out of state. Acting Gov. Way has no public schedule. QUOTE OF THE DAY: “Did we subsidize the 8-track cassette industry when it was going out of style? No, we didn’t. Did we subsidize the pager industry? No, we didn’t. Did we subsidize the mimeograph industry when copiers (came)? We did not.” — Assemblymember Jay Webber, on legislation that gained final passage yesterday to further delay a resolution on newspaper legal notice publication requirements. TIPS? FEEDBACK? Email me at mfriedman@politico.com | | | | A message from Uber: Uber Expands Safety Features. New Jersey residents can ride with ease thanks to safety features in the Uber app. Riders can share their trips with loved ones and reach 911 directly through the app. Plus, Uber's RideCheck feature automatically checks in case something may be wrong. Learn about Uber's commitment to safety. | | | |  | WHAT TRENTON MADE | |
THAT'S WHY THEY CALL IT CRAPS — “Platkin rolled dice on Norcross and came up empty. Can NJ politics ever change?” by The Record’s Charles Stile: “On paper, Platkin’s bombshell indictment named [George] Norcross, and five other codefendants, including his brother, Philip. In reality, the 39-year-old Platkin was putting on trial the New Jersey political system that allowed Norcross and other party bosses to convert hardball power into profit for decades. But on Wednesday, state Superior Court Judge Peter E. Warshaw Jr. tossed out the entire indictment. It was a slam-dunk rejection to Platkin’s sweeping case, which Democratic Party activists and progressives had hoped would serve as the long-sought breakthrough, a building block for lasting reform … Now the unsettling question for the progressive activists who challenged the Democratic machine in Camden, Norcross’s base of political and community operations, and for the neighborhood residents who fought for redress and recognition in the shadow of office buildings rising along the Delaware River, is this: Will New Jersey’s corroded system ever change?”
— Assembly Republicans move to impeach Platkin, by POLITICO’s Matt Friedman: Assembly Republicans moved to impeach Attorney General Matt Platkin on Thursday, just one day after the biggest case of his three years in office collapsed. The five-page impeachment resolution, introduced after a Superior Court judge tossed the state’s case against Democratic power broker George Norcross, alleges Platkin has used his office for political ends. It cites numerous botched cases overseen by the Office of Public Integrity and Accountability, some of which began before his tenure, and Platkin’s oversight of the State Police. “Platkin has undermined people’s trust in our police and the office of the Attorney General. We’re starting the impeachment process to balance the scales of justice,” Assembly Republican Leader John DiMaio said in a statement. “He is not above the law.” In a statement, Platkin said: “I am not going to respond to partisan political attacks. I am focused on the same priorities I have had since day one: driving gun violence down to historically low levels, holding social media corporations accountable for the harms they’re inflicting on our children, and protecting our residents — including by standing up to threats from Washington and fighting corruption, no matter who it offends.” — “Kim stands with Platkin amid Norcross indictment backlash” THE WHEELS OF GOVERNMENT GO ROUND AND ROUND VERY SLOWLY — “NJ school bus system problems mount. New safety chief hired but state mum on details,” by The Record’s Colleen Wilson and Mike Davis: “In January 2022 … Gov. Phil Murphy signed a law to create an Office of School Bus Safety that would employ a team of people to increase oversight and accountability of private school bus contractors seeking lucrative contracts to transport children. But it took the state Department of Education about two years to hire anyone to staff the new office and begin that accountability work. The office became ‘operational’ in December 2023, said Michael Yaple, a DOE spokesman … While that process stalled, private bus companies continued to operate without the extra oversight. And the consequences can sometimes be harrowing.” — Ballot redesign bill clears state Legislature — “Portal bridge on track for mid-2026 opening” — “The $1 billion in tax hikes that Murphy wants” — “Is Murphy's proposal to increase NJ's 'mansion tax' a good thing? Experts have concerns” — “Bid to make NJ police more accountable in use-of-force incidents” — “Officers union objects to governor’s proposal to close East Jersey State Prison” — “NJ Transit launches plan to improve commuter experience” — “Governor’s new budget plan proposes school funding tweaks” | | | | Donald Trump's unprecedented effort to reshape the federal government is consuming Washington. To track this seismic shift, we're relaunching one of our signature newsletters. Sign up to get West Wing Playbook: Remaking Government in your inbox. | | | | | | | TRUMP ERA | |
IMMIGRATION — Trump administration reopening immigrant detention facility in Newark, by POLITICO’s Daniel Han: The Trump administration will reopen a Newark immigrant detention facility, creating a new hub in the Northeast as federal officials continue their mass deportation efforts. The Delaney Hall facility, which is owned by private prison contractor the GEO Group and has 1,000 beds, won a 15-year contract to detain immigrants, the company announced Thursday. The contract is estimated to bring in $60 million during its first full year and will be worth approximately $1 billion over its entire duration, according to company officials. The decision is already causing pushback among Democrats in the state, with Gov. Phil Murphy saying he was “disappointed” in the move and a local Congress member calling it a “step in the wrong direction.” … Murphy signed a bill into law in 2021 that prohibited state and local governments and private detention facilities from holding immigrant detention agreements with ICE. A federal judge, however, allowed the Elizabeth immigrant detention center to operate — paving the way for other private facilities to open in the Garden State.
BRIDGE AND TROUBLE — Trump wants congestion pricing dead by March 21. New York won’t budge,” by The New York Times’ Stefanos Chen and Winnie Hu: "In the furor and confusion over the Trump administration’s move to kill congestion pricing in New York City, a major question remained unanswered: If the president had his way, when would the tolling program end? Federal officials, it turned out, had a date in mind: March 21. The battle over congestion pricing, which the state-run Metropolitan Transportation Authority is counting on to fund billions of dollars in mass transit repairs, is expected to play out in federal court in Manhattan. While many legal experts say that the March deadline is not binding, some question whether President Trump might resort to other tactics, including withholding federal funding for other state projects, to apply pressure. In a letter last week to New York transportation leaders, Gloria M. Shepherd, the executive director of the Federal Highway Administration, said they 'must cease the collection of tolls' by that date." JEFF VAN DOGE'S DISTRICT — “Musk’s SpaceX antennas installed at South Jersey FAA building where DOGE spurred federal worker firings,” by The Philadelphia Inquirer’s Alfred Lubrano: “Following recommendations from Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), the Trump administration has fired 15 or more workers at the Federal Aviation Administration facility in Egg Harbor Township. At the same time, Musk, the world’s richest man who helped lead a Trump Cabinet meeting this week, is poised to take over $2 billion contract currently held by Verizon to run the FAA’s communications system for all of U.S. air traffic, according to reports from the Associated Press and other outlets. Workers at the William J. Hughes Technical Center, 10 miles west of Atlantic City, said they saw two Starlink antennas from Musk’s SpaceX company being erected on one of the center’s buildings last Saturday. On Monday, the FAA confirmed on Musk’s X social media platform that it’s testing a Starlink terminal at Hughes.” — “‘Pray for us, pray for us,’ pleads South Jersey restaurant owner who was arrested by ICE with his wife” | | | | A message from Uber:  
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I THANK GOD EVERY DAY THAT SOCIAL MEDIA DIDN’T EXIST WHEN I WAS A TEEN — “Paterson’s newest councilman called out by colleague over racist joke from 2010,” by The Paterson Press’ Joe Malinconico: “Councilman Michael Jackson is calling for the removal of his newest colleague on Paterson’s governing body, Ibrahim Omar, over a racist joke that Omar posted on his Facebook page in 2010 ... Jackson said it shouldn’t matter that Omar was a 15-year-old in high school when he posted the off-color joke about Black people committing robberies … ‘It's hard to even properly express how very sorry and embarrassed I am for these cringeworthy posts and I would like to sincerely apologize to anyone I may have offended,’ Omar said … Mayor Andre Sayegh, who pushed hard for Omar’s council appointment, said the ‘inappropriate joke’ should be denounced. But the mayor also defended his political mentee … Sayegh recalled Jackson’s public comments during a televised City Council meeting in 2019, when he said a property owner was trying to ‘Jew us down’ on the price of a proposed deal … Paterson Press on Wednesday asked Jackson about the 2019 comment, seen by many as an antisemitic slur, in the context of his call for Omar’s removal. ‘Some Jews may feel complimented by that and their ability to negotiate,’ Jackson said.”
JERSEY CITY — “State’s star witness tied Fulop to pay-to-play scheme, AG’s office declined to pursue case,” by HudPost’s Michael Shurin: “Back in December 2019, under the leadership of then-Attorney General Gurbir Grewal, the AG’s Office announced criminal charges against five public officials and political candidates … Court documents obtained by HudPost reveal that the state’s cooperating witness, attorney Matt O’Donnell, confessed to multiple schemes and identified numerous co-conspirators that were never prosecuted …. On February 16, 2018, in a proffer session with the NJOAG, O’Donnell told investigators that straw contributions … to Fulop’s first mayoral campaign were part of a pay-to-play scheme that resulted in him becoming Jersey City’s tax appeal attorney after Fulop took office in 2013, according to Det. Kristin Maier’s report. The Jersey Journal reported that the ‘lucrative gig’ made $260,720 for O’Donnell’s law firm in 2015 alone. O’Donnell said he was initially approached by ‘campaign manager’ Ray Ferraioli of H&P Consulting in 2011 about giving money towards Fulop’s first mayoral campaign, per Maier’s report … In response to questions from HudPost, the mayor’s press secretary stated Fulop was unaware of O’Donnell’s admission to investigators, claimed ‘at no point did [Fulop] ever have a conversation with Matt O’Donnell or Ray Farioli [sic],’ and said contracts in Jersey City are awarded via a fair and open process, which ‘undermines’ O’Donnell’s claim.” WARREN COUNTY — “‘Startlingly high’ levels of PFAS pollution found in Warren County hot spot,” by NJ Spotlight News’ Michael Sol Warren: “A private well at the heart of a pollution hot spot in Warren County has levels of toxic ‘forever chemicals’ that appear to be the highest recorded in New Jersey and among the highest ever seen in the nation. Records from the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection show that a drinking water sample from a private well at a self-storage facility in the area of South Lincoln Avenue in Washington Township had a total concentration of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances — PFAS — of 18,997 parts per trillion. The sample was pulled from the well on June 13, 2023.” ANTS MARCHING IN PROTEST — “Toms River fires 20-year veteran animal control officer in cost-saving move," by The Asbury Park Press’ Jean Mikle: “The township's last animal control officer has been let go in what Mayor Daniel Rodrick described as a cost-saving move. Dave Matthews, who had worked for the township for nearly 20 years, was laid off last week. He was the only animal control officer left working directly for Toms River after Rodrick's administration privatized most animal control services last year.” — “Teaneck's 'protest' ordinance failed to pass, heads for constitutional attorney review” — “Former teacher sues Burlington Township schools on asbestos exposure claim” — “O’Dea calls for separating Jersey City police & fire depts., de-escalation center” — “Newark school board members disputing ethics complaint will not get attorneys fees paid, state says” | | | | A message from Uber: Rider safety ensures peace of mind on every trip
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PASTA TRANSGRESSIONS — “Neighboring Middletown eateries in saucy food fight over rights to serve Italian cuisine,” by The Asbury Park Press’ Kathleen Hopkins and Sarah Griesemer: “When breakfast and lunch restaurant Tatum's Table was preparing to open in the Lincroft Plaza strip mall last September, the veteran restaurateurs who operate neighboring Luigi's Famous Pizza welcomed the new business with open arms. ‘We would send over pizzas while they were trying to get ready to open,’ said Kelly Emerson, who owns Luigi's with husband Jason … But a social media post in recent weeks announcing [Tatum] Menake's intentions to open Tatum's Table for dinner shattered the relationship. The problem, according to the Emersons, is that Tatum's Table's proposed dinner menu contained some Italian dishes that Luigi's claims to have exclusive rights to sell, under the terms of its lease.”
— “South Jersey in an 'extreme' drought, monitor says” — “Significant new ‘void’ opens up under I-80 eastbound lanes in N.J.” — “New measles cases linked to NJ patient who may have spread virus at 3 health facilities” — “Man hid submerged in freezing brook after shoplifting from N.J. Target, police say” | | | | 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 | | | |
