Massive Hindu temple raided – POLITICO – Politico

Good Wednesday morning!

From The New York Times we learn that federal agents raided a massive Hindu temple in Robbinsville of the Bochasanwasi Akshar Purushottam Swaminarayan Sanstha (BAPS) sect, which appears to be related to a lawsuit accusing it of using low-caste laborers from India and paying them about $1 a day for “grueling” labor.

It’s a human trafficking story — the workers allegedly came over on religious visas for volunteers, had their passports taken an were confined to the grounds— a class story and yes, even a political one. And not just because New Jersey’s growing South Asian community is starting to see its numbers reflected in political representation.

BAPS has close ties to Indian Prime Minster Narendra Modi, according to the article. It’s a politically influential sect. Gov. Murphy visited the Robbinsville temple — which aims to be the biggest Hindu temple in the U.S. — when he was running in 2017 and visited one of its temples during a 2019 trip to India. So this is a story worth keeping an eye on.

WHERE’S MURPHY?: In Trenton for a 1 p.m. coronavirus press conference

QUOTE OF THE DAY: “This lady simply introduced me because she knew me because of my role in the Legislature. What she did outside of that, I have absolutely nothing to do with that.” — Assemblymember Jamel Holley (D-Union) trying to draw distance between himself and accused Capitol rioter Stephanie Hazelton, who introduced him at a Statehouse anti-vaxx rally as a “superstar” and once prominently featured a photo with him on her Facebook profile.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY: Senate Democrats’ Jack Barnes, former U.S. Rep. Frank LoBiondo, NJAIJ’s Viri Martinez. Missed yesterday: State Sen. Brain Rumpf

CORONAVIRUS TRACKER: 858 newly-reported positive PCR tests for a total of 881,171. 31 more deaths for a total of 25,841 confirmed or probably deaths. 1,107 hospitalized, 263 in intensive care. 3,664,496 fully vaccinated, or about 39.4 percent of the population.

1.47 MASTROS — Pro-Murphy group details $13.2M in spending, by POLITICO’s Matt Friedman: A nonprofit run by Gov. Phil Murphy’s closest allies spent nearly $13.2 million during most of his first term to boost the Democrat’s agenda. New Direction New Jersey, which is organized under Section 501(c)(4) of the federal tax code, quietly disclosed all of its donations and spending to the state Election Law Enforcement Commission in February. Details of the group’s spending has not been previously reported. The group’s expenditures show how it effectively acted as Murphy’s reelection campaign arm even before the governor announced he would seek reelection to a second term. The total spent by the group over the previous three years is nearly as much as the $15.6 million Murphy’s campaign will be permitted to spend in this year’s general election, assuming it takes part in the state’s public financing program.

AS LONG AS THEY DIDN’T TRY TO INTRODUCE HER — Senate Republicans spar with Persichilli over pandemic response, reopenings, by POLITICO’s Sam Sutton: Senate Republicans didn’t waste their opportunity to grill state Health Commissioner Judith Persichilli on Tuesday over Gov. Phil Murphy’s Covid-19 response, using the bulk of their time during a 2 1/2-hour budget hearing to tear into the administration’s management of outbreaks at nursing homes, its economic reopening guidance and limited public transparency. “I don’t want to put words in your mouth, but it seems like [your testimony is saying] we couldn’t have done better in New Jersey,” said state Sen. Mike Testa (R-Cumberland), a former Trump campaign surrogate who harangued Persichilli for her refusal to testify before a Republican panel earlier this year. “Is there any way we could have done something better in New Jersey?”

EDNA MAHAN — “Despite law, NJ prison oversight on hold,” by NJ Spotlight’s Colleen O’Dea: “To ensure some level of dignity to the incarcerated, legislators last year passed a reform law that gave broad powers to the corrections ombudsman and created an advisory board to assist those efforts. At the moment, New Jersey has neither. The current ombudsman said he would retire on Aug. 1, but he is on an extended leave until then, using up paid time off. Seats on the advisory board remain open, and members of that board have been unable to meet both because they lacked a quorum and because there is no ombudsman to coordinate with.”

—“N.J. still months away from getting body cameras to all officers at troubled women’s prison, top official says,’ by NJ Advance Media’s Blake Nelson: “All officers at New Jersey’s only women’s prison should have body cameras by the fall, Corrections Commissioner Marcus Hicks said Tuesday during his first public appearance before state senators since those lawmakers voted overwhelmingly for his ouster. Hicks also defended his department’s soaring overtime costs before the Senate Budget and Appropriations Committee”

OFFICIALS STRUGGLE TO INTRODUCE NEW JERSEYANS TO NOVEL CONCEPT OF ‘BRIBERY’ — “With NJ COVID vaccine goal at risk, ‘bribe people’ an option to get more shots in arms,” by The Record’s Scott Fallon and Kristie Kattafi: “New Jersey’s daily rate of COVID vaccinations has plummeted so much in recent weeks that it’s casting doubt on whether Gov. Phil Murphy will meet his goal to fully vaccinate 4.7 million adults by the end of June. New Jersey needs to administer 280,000 first doses each week in May to reach that goal, which is key to ushering in a return to normalcy this summer, said Health Commissioner Judy Persichilli. But in the first seven days of May, only 121,000 first doses of Pfizer and Moderna were administered, according to a review of state data. That represents a 64% decline from the first week of April, when 340,000 first doses were administered. ‘We’re going to have to scrap to get there, almost certainly,’ Murphy said of his goal at a briefing Monday.”

LD37 — “Dierdre Paul ‘insulted and hurt’,” by InsiderNJ’s John Van Vilet: “Paul has accused Assemblyman Gordon Johnson of inappropriate sexual conduct in 2008 … A recent communique from Paul to Huttle through social media, however, exposed the intensely personal nature of their feud. The former friends and colleagues are split over Johnson, with Paul accusing Huttle of using her experience with Johnson for her own political leverage, trying to undermine the off-the-line contender’s campaign. Johnson has served in the Assembly for nearly two decades. The Huttle campaign attacked Johnson in more than one statement, while not specifically mentioning Paul in those exact statements, but referring to the incident in some detail and demanding the assemblyman ‘come clean.’”

—“Murphy appoints three to Corrections ombudsperson’s advisory board”

—“Assembly panel to weigh bill allowing 17-year-olds to vote in primaries Wednesday”

—“NJ asks Facebook to abandon ‘harmful’ tween version of Instagram”

—“How ‘historic’ judge shortage could overwhelm state’s judicial system”

—“NJ considers $10M to manage lakes, including algal bloom fight”

DEEP DISH AND DEEP DEBT — “Treasury rescue won’t bail out Chicago, New Jersey from debt,” by Bloomberg’s Shruti Singh and Amanda Albright: “The U.S. Treasury Department is sending a message to states and cities that the billions in aid from the American Rescue Plan should provide relief to residents, not their governments’ debt burdens. The department on Monday released guidance on how state and local governments can use $350 billion in funding from President Joe Biden’s $1.9 trillion rescue package. The funds are intended to help states and local governments make up for lost revenue, curb the pandemic, bolster economic recoveries, and support industries hit by Covid-19 restrictions. In a surprise to some, these funds can’t be used for debt payments, a potential complication for fiscally stressed governments that had already etched out plans to pay off loans … The rule could also affect New Jersey, which sold nearly $3.7 billion of bonds last year to cover its shortfall during the pandemic. Assembly Republican Leader Jon Bramnick, a Republican, in April had called for Governor Phil Murphy, a Democrat, to use some of the federal aid to pay down the state’s debt.”

NEW JERSEY COLLEGES TO HIRE 223 FOOTBALL COACHES — New Jersey colleges will get $895M from American Rescue Plan, by POLITICO’s Carly Sitrin: New Jersey‘s colleges and universities are set to get more than $895 million from the latest pot of coronavirus rescue funds from the federal government. The U.S. Department of Education announced Tuesday that more than $36 billion in emergency grants will go out to public and private colleges under the American Rescue Plan Act for emergency financial aid for students and funding for institutions. New Jersey’s 78 higher education institutions will be splitting the the state’s share federal grant money between all public four-year universities, private colleges, county colleges, vocational technical school districts and degree-granting religious institutions. The total amounts range from $65,523 for the New Brunswick Theological Seminary to nearly $148 million for Rutgers University.

—“The N.J. men accused of assaulting Capitol Officer Brian Sicknick will remain in custody until trial”

—States won’t get Johnson & Johnson vaccines next week

COLLINGSWOOD — “Camden-backed Democrats win by wide margin in Collingswood,” by New Jersey Globe’s Nikita Biryukov: “A slate led by longtime Mayor James Maley defeated progressive challengers by a 2-1 margin Tuesday, dealing a blow to the Democratic insurgents in the one Camden County town where they have a grip on the local Democratic party. Maley and his running mates, Commissioner Robert Lewandowski and local business owner Morgan Robinson, a political newcomer, faced challenges from Democratic Municipal Chairwoman Kate Delaney, county committeeman Bill Johnson and local education advocate Jen Rossi … The loss is a major blow to progressive opponents of South Jersey powerbroker George Norcross.”

—“Sciortino wins a seat In Bordentown”

DON’T DRINK THE WATERFORD — “Foodborne illness sickens 60% of N.J. district’s teachers after school luncheon,” by NJ Advance Media’s Jeff Goldman: “A New Jersey school district has shifted to remote learning for the next two weeks after 60% of its teachers became ill due to a ‘foodborne illness’ they contracted at a staff luncheon last week, officials said. Waterford’s 900 or so students won’t return to their three buildings until May 24, Superintendent Brenda Harring said in a letter to the school community. The teachers in the kindergarten to 6th grade district got sick after attending an event catered by an outside vendor, Harring said.”

CROWNED VIC — “A Camden question for mayoral candidate Victor Carstarphen,” by InsiderNJ’s Max Pizarro: “Certainly, we know the unseen circuitries of power sustaining public imagery in Camden through rapid-fire press releases deriving from the political infrastructure otherwise known as the Camden County Democratic Committee, resoundingly want him to be mayor. But just as Frank Moran resigned without any deep explanation, so Carstarphen materializes — and awaits transition — as his sloganeering successor, preordained for a June 8th victory as a consequence of his position on the Camden County Democratic line. We have reached out to Carstarphen numerous times in the interest of having him speak on behalf of his candidacy, put his own vigorous explanation point on his vision for the city, and engage the same forum of ideas as those largely written-off anti-establishment alternatives in the mayoral contest. We called, sent emails, text messages, engaged subordinates, and tried to find him in person. He ducked all of it, apparently preferring a fire-blanket opening statement to suffice, or others to write his words for him (or not!), and finally trusting in the durable comfort zone of the party line.”

TRANSGRESSION — “‘Action’ taken against Neptune vice principal involved in transphobic rant,” by The Asbury Park Press’ Joe Strupp: “School district officials have taken ‘swift and serious action’ against the middle school vice principal who threw a beer at fellow diners during a videotaped transphobic meltdown last month that went viral, according to a district notice. Superintendent Tami Crader stopped short of revealing exactly what action was taken against Neptune Middle School Vice Principal Michael Smurro, whose conduct during the April 24 skirmish were caught on cellphone video and widely shared. Crader cited legal restrictions barring the disclosure of any discipline, but made plain the district did not look the other way. ‘Our response to the well-publicized incident involving a Neptune Board of Education staff member has been swift and serious but cannot be made public,’ Crader wrote online Thursday.

90.4 MASTROS — “Jersey City BOE approves fully funded $814M budget at uncharacteristically brief meeting,” by Hudson County View’s Daniel Ulloa: “The Jersey City Board of Education approved a fully funded $814,051,708 budget for the 2021-2022 scholastic year at an uncharacteristically brief meeting last night that lasted just over an hour … The spending plan, which narrowly passed on first reading back in March, comes with a $278,019,494 local tax levy — which includes a bank cap of $85,000,000 — and an annual tax increase of approximately $996 per homeowner with an assessed value of about $460,000.”

THE BEACH BOY SENDING OUT BAD VIBRATIONS — “Beach excess: Jersey City Mayor Steve Fulop puts his foot in it again,” by The Star-Ledger’s Paul Mulshine: “The news report was that the council had taken the side of the surfers and permitted the parking. Did the mayor issue a graceful concession statement attesting to his willingness to work this out with the residents who — like his own constituents — like to go to the beach on occasion? Nope. Instead Fulop had his spokesman blame the media for reporting his foolishness … [Wetsuit wholesaler] Conrad Ferla cut to the heart of the matter. ‘Imagine you bought a house at Killington Ski Resort and said, ‘I don’t want those skiers around,’ Ferla told me. ‘Didn’t he run on a campaign on being inclusive?’ Fulop has indeed pushed for inclusiveness — in New Jersey.”

—“Deal public beach access: Would new parking rules keep out those who don’t live here?”

THE MASKLESS MARTYR — ”Stafford school board will not renew contract of nurse who rebelled against mask mandate,” by The Asbury Park Press’ Erik Larsen and Ken Serrano: “The township school board has decided not to renew the contract of a school nurse who stopped wearing a facemask to work and who remains suspended without pay, according to the nurse, Erin Pein. Pein said she was notified by Superintendent George Chidiac through an email following Monday night’s school board meeting. Chidiac did not immediately return messages. Her protest centered around what she called the ineffectiveness of face masks in preventing the spread of COVID-19 and their harm to children. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the World Health Organization have found that face masks are effective in reducing the spread of the disease.”

—“A year living in a hotel with 3 kids. Inside Newark’s affordable housing crisis”

—“$15M in rent, utilities assistance coming to [Essex County’s] tenants”

—“Bayonne council pres. won’t support eminent domain, wants to negotiate BMC deal with HRH”

THE CHURCH — “Former Newark Archbishop sexually abused 5-year-old in church rectory, lawsuit claims,” by NJ Advance Media’s Kelly Heyboer: “A former Newark resident went to the Archdiocese of Newark last year with an explosive claim. In 1976, Newark Archbishop Peter Leo Gerety befriended her family and sexually abused her on multiple times in his bedroom in the church rectory when she was 5 years old, she said. ‘Do not say anything about this because it will hurt your mother,’ she recalled Gerety, then the highest ranking church official in New Jersey, saying. ‘This is our secret.’ The New Jersey Independent Victim Compensation Program, a board created by the Catholic Church to settle abuse claims out of court, reviewed the woman’s allegations last year, her attorney said. The panel told the woman it could not find any evidence to independently verify her claims of abuse by the well-known archbishop, who died five years ago. But the compensation board offered her a settlement — $5,000. The woman turned down the church’s offer and filed a $50 million lawsuit in March alleging Gerety’s sexual abuse led to a lifetime of mental health issues. Her suit, filed in Essex County Superior Court, is believed to be the first to claim one of New Jersey’s best known and longest-serving Catholic targeted a child for abuse.”

CLOSE CALL — “Swift action kept outbreak of COVID variant in NJ facility from spreading into community,” by The Record’s Lindy Washburn: “The Hackensack Meridian Health system squelched an outbreak of COVID-19 late last year that infected 81 staff and patients at the Carrier Clinic, a behavioral health facility it owns in Somerset County — and prevented the virus from spreading further. The achievement took on added significance when researchers discovered that the outbreak had been sparked by a new, highly transmissible variant of the virus never previously identified in New Jersey. ‘This could have been a very serious outbreak,’ said Dr. Barry Kreiswirth … The virus attacked 93% of the patients and staff in the affected unit at the Carrier Clinic and would have been more difficult than the original strain to treat. But it was contained to 50 health care workers and 31 adult patients at the facility, none of whom developed serious illness or was hospitalized, he said.”

—“How the closed pipeline and truck driver shortages could affect N.J. gas pumps”

R.I.P. — “N.J.’s famous Delaware River hot dog man, Greg Crance, dead at 56 from COVID”