SENATE votes to strip MURPHY of certification power — ANTI-HUGIN ads funded by Texas billionaire …
By Matt Friedman (mfriedman@politico.com; @mattfriedmannj):
Good Friday morning!
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It’s not as cute as the bog turtle, but New Jersey could soon be on its way to having a state microbe.
The state Senate yesterday voted 32-0 to pass a bill (
I’m sure everyone knows what that is already, but I’ll explain it anyway straight from my mind and definitely not just rehashing nearly verbatim what’s written in the bill: In 1943, Rutgers professors Albert Schatz and Dr. Selman Waksman used it to create streptomycin — the first antibiotic for tuberculosis. It saved millions of lives, and Waksman won the 1952 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine.
The push to make the bog turtle the official state reptile was pushed by fourth graders and their teachers. State Sen. Sam Thompson told me this one was pushed by Rutgers professors.
“Of all the state things we have, nothing is more important to humanity than this development — the lives that they saved,” the bill’s sponsor, state Sen. Sam Thompson (R-Middlesex), who has a Ph.D in physical chemistry, told me.
The bill hasn’t passed the Assembly yet. If it doesn’t, I think it’s safe to assume that the Assembly is in favor of tuberculosis. By the way, Oregon has its own state microbe: Brewer’s yeast. Ours would be far more noble.
Some other stuff happened yesterday, too. More below if you care about anything else.
WHERE’S MURPHY? No public schedule.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY — Saturday for Assemblywoman Yvonne Lopez, Millennium Strategies’ Ed Farmer. Sunday for Bergen County spokesman Michael Pagan, Camden County Democratic Executive Director Mike Porch
QUOTE OF THE DAY: “We need him now more than ever. He’s the fiercest of advocates. Just look at yesterday, the way he was grilling the Secretary of State on Russia. Look at the role he’ll play on the Supreme Court nomination of a guy we need to defeat. Look at his advocacy across a whole range of issues. We couldn’t have a better advocate. I don’t know where we’d be without him. The electorate understands that and they’ll vote with their feet in November.” — Gov. Phil Murphy on Democratic Sen. Robert Menendez, who is up for reelection despite surviving a corruption trial last year. More here.
WHAT TRENTON MADE
AS YOU CAN SEE, SWEENEY AND MURPHY DEFINITELY GET ALONG AND THEIR DISAGREEMENTS ARE EXAGGERATED BY THE PRESS — Senate approves measure to strip governors of power to certify revenues, by POLITICO’s Katherine Landergan: The state Senate on Thursday took another step toward allowing voters to decide whether to strip the executive branch of one its most significant powers: certifying revenue projections. The upper house voted, 28-3, in favor of the constitutional amendment, NJ SCR132 (18R), clearing the three-fifths majority needed to help get the proposal onto the November ballot. The Assembly must act by Aug. 6 for the measure to go before voters this year, but Speaker Craig Coughlin has not yet indicated whether he will call his members in for a vote. The lower house would also have to approve the proposal by a three-fifths majority. The amendment, sponsored by Senate President Steve Sweeney and opposed by Gov. Phil Murphy, would create a three-person panel to certify state revenue forecasts — a responsibility that’s rested with the governor since New Jersey’s constitution was enacted more than seven decades ago. Read the report
SURELY MURPHY WILL TAKE ON THE PUBLIC SECTOR UNIONS — “As retiree health costs squeeze budget, Phil Murphy advocates baby steps,” by The Record’s James Nash: “The taxpayer tab to cover the cost of health care for state employees and retirees is on track to hit $4.7 billion within six years, crowding out money for schools, transit and other priorities and possibly forcing more tax increases. Like governors before him, Phil Murphy is considering changes to cut costs. But where Republicans like Chris Christie embraced measures to save billions by cutting benefits, Murphy, a Democrat backed strongly by unions, has moved to save a fraction as much by disqualifying ineligible healthcare recipients and renegotiating some contracts for benefits administrators. Murphy’s new task force has begun meeting, and it’s an open question as to what gets done, how much is saved and who in the end will benefit and who will shoulder the costs of healthcare.” Read the report
101.5 — New Jersey radio hosts suspended after calling Sikh attorney general ‘Turban Man’, by POLITICO’s Ryan Hutchins: It took just hours for a conservative radio station in New Jersey to suspend two of its most prominent talk-show hosts after the pair repeatedly referred to state Attorney General Gurbir Grewal, a practicing Sikh, as “Turban Man.” “The guy with the turban,” New Jersey 101.5 host Dennis Malloy said on the air Wednesday, referring to Grewal. He then declared he would never learn the name of the state’s top prosecutor, a key foe of President Donald Trump. “Turban Man,” his co-host, Judi Franco, replied in a sing-song voice during a broader discussion about a recent action taken by the attorney general. “Listen, and if that offends you, then don’t wear the turban and maybe I’ll remember your name,” Malloy said. “If you called me ‘Baseball Hat Man’ and I was in a culture where no one wore baseball hats … should I be offended?” The comments mark another controversial episode in the history of New Jersey 101.5, where shock jock Craig Carton once ranted about the “damn Orientals and Indians” and mocked a former governor’s wife for suffering from postpartum depression. But this latest incident, which gained widespread public attention after audio of the show was shared on Twitter Wednesday evening, was met with swift anger and, to the surprise of some, an apology and action by the station. Read the report
— “The ‘Turban Man’ smear is all too familiar in the Age of Trump,” by The Record’s Charles Stile: “The station’s loyal listeners rushed to their defense Thursday morning, depicting the hosts as casualties of political correctness. “This doesn’t call for outrage,” said one caller. “It’s a joke. Officials should get a thick skin when they come into public office.” It comes with the territory, said another. Still more threatened to stop listening to the station if Malloy and Franco are taken off the air for good. But Malloy wasn’t just making a joke of the equal-opportunity offender variety. He was singling out Grewal as an ‘other’ as if his turban — a symbol of honor, respect and piety in Sikh culture — disqualified him from being taken seriously. He was not judging Grewal on the content of his character or the merit of his legal rationale, but on the content of his cultural headdress. Those crude comments aren’t occurring in a vacuum. This is a time when the leader of the free world has smeared Mexicans as rapists, mocks primarily black refugees as being from ‘shithole countries,’ and is determined to close the nation’s borders to Muslim immigrants and refugees. So far, Trump has yet to face any political consequence for his divisive and inflammatory rhetoric. If anything, his conservative base has rallied behind him.” Read the column
—”Dennis and Judi apologize for offensive remarks” Read the report
PLAYBOOK WRITER TOTALLY NEUTRAL— “Most Americans think marijuana is beneficial. But science says not so fast,” by NJ Advance Media’s Payton Guion: “More than three out of four Americans, 81 percent, believe that marijuana has at least one benefit, while only 17 percent of U.S. adults think it has no benefit whatsoever, according to a study published earlier this week in the Annals of Internal Medicine. Most adults believe in the benefits of marijuana, despite what the study calls ‘insufficient’ studies and data related to the specific and long-term health benefits of the substance. The study found that 65.7 percent of U.S. adults think marijuana helps with pain management, despite a lack of clear supporting evidence. ‘Several recent systematic reviews found insufficient evidence to support the use of cannabinoids for treating musculoskeletal pain and low-strength evidence that marijuana use is effective in managing neuropathic pain,” the study’s authors wrote. Cannabinoids are the chemical compounds found in marijuana’ … These studies come as New Jersey is in the midst of a massive medical marijuana expansion, largely on the back of the state adding chronic pain as a condition accepted by the program.” Read the report
Patterson easily approved for tenure to New Jersey Supreme Court, by POLITICO’s Matt Friedman: New Jersey Supreme Court Justice Anne Patterson, whose first nomination to the state‘s highest court by Gov. Chris Christie in 2010 caused an uproar, was easily approved for lifetime tenure on Thursday. The state Senate voted 30-1 to confirm Patterson, shortly after the Senate Judiciary Committee voted unanimously to approve her renomination. Patterson, a Republican, was renominated by Democratic Gov. Phil Murphy. Patterson will now serve on the court until 2029, when she reaches the mandatory retirement age of 70. State Sen. Joe Cryan (D-Union), who took issue with some of Patterson’s previous rulings — including a case in which she wrote a dissent siding with a for-profit university — was the lone “no” vote. “Our governor proudly renominated you in recognition of your service and your fine work and your body of work over seven years,” Senate Judiciary Chairman Nicholas Scutari (D-Union) told Patterson during the committee hearing. “A liberal Democrat renominating a Republican who was nominated by the Christie administration is a testament to what we should be striving for: A good independent judiciary.” Read the report
—Meadowlands gas plant proposal gets cool reception in New York Read the report
— School bus safety bills advance out of Senate committee Read the repor
—“Verrelli wins LD15 seat” Read the report
—“3D-printed guns have N.J. officials freaked out” Read the report
—“Affordable housing builds on a civil rights foundation to integrate N.J” Read the op-ed
—“Oops! Pro-gun control N.J. lawmakers look to fix high-capacity magazine ban that also includes cops” Read the report
— EDA approves $2.9M in tax-exempt bonds for Oaks Integrated Caren Read the report
— “NJ lawmaker wants to use science to adjust speed limits” Read the report
TRUMP ERA
PHILADELPHIA-BASED REPORTERS FOR AFFORDABLE SODAS — “Meet the Texas billionaire who backed Philly soda tax – and now is funding attack ads in N.J. Senate race,” by The Philadelphia Inquirer’s Andrew Seidman: “Newly disclosed campaign finance records show John Arnold — a former hedge fund executive turned philanthropist – as the driving force behind a multimillion-dollar ad campaign against Menendez’s opponent, Republican Bob Hugin. The ads, airing in Philadelphia and New York markets, rip Hugin for raising drug prices for cancer patients while he was chief executive of the pharmaceutical giant Celgene Corp … Through Friday, the super PAC responsible for the anti-Hugin ads had bought $1.9 million worth of air time and online advertising, records show … Arnold, of Houston, isn’t a household name on either side of the political spectrum. Since retiring in 2012 at age 38, the onetime trader at the now-defunct energy company Enron has supported progressives, such as Barack Obama, but also angered traditional Democratic constituencies, such as public workers, with his support for changing government retirement plans and promotion of charter schools. Arnold left Enron when it went under in 2001; he wasn’t accused of wrongdoing in connection with the company’s infamous collapse. ‘I’ve now been called the ‘next Koch brother’ by the far-left press and the ‘next George Soros’ by the far right,’ he wrote on Twitter in March. ‘I’m an equal-opportunity special-interest pot stirrer.’ … Much of the pot has been stirred through Action Now Initiative, the Houston-based nonprofit Arnold and his wife, Laura, founded in 2011. Records show that Action Now, registered with the IRS as a ‘social welfare organization,’ has passed $3.1 million to Patients for Affordable Drugs Action, the super PAC that produced the ads against Hugin.” Read the report here.
KURSED — “A Kushner ally was up for a federal post. Then the F.B.I. began digging,’ by The New York Times’ Jesse Drucker, Emily Steel and Danny Hakim: “Ken Kurson is a confidant of Rudolph W. Giuliani. He is a onetime speechwriter for Donald J. Trump. And he is a close friend of Jared Kushner, Mr. Trump’s son-in-law, who appointed Mr. Kurson to run his weekly newspaper, The New York Observer. This spring, those relationships appeared to yield a prestigious offer from the Trump White House: a seat on the board of the National Endowment for the Humanities, a federal body that doles out millions of dollars a year in grants to cultural institutions. First, Mr. Kurson had to undergo a government background check. As part of that process, the Federal Bureau of Investigation learned about allegations that he had harassed a New York doctor in 2015, according to Mount Sinai Hospital, where the doctor worked. In late spring, the F.B.I. interviewed Mount Sinai doctors and others about the alleged harassment, according to several people familiar with the matter, who requested anonymity to discuss a delicate situation. The female doctor had become so worried that Mount Sinai arranged for someone to accompany her to and from the hospital for at least a few days, two of the people said.” Read the report
PAC MAN — “Sen. Cory Booker promised to quit PAC money and then turned around and accepted PAC money,” by The Washington Examiner’s Philip Wegmann: “Sen. Cory Booker, D-N.J., pledged to give up corporate campaign donations. He lasted a month. Booker quit corporate cash in February but then accepted $500 from the National Association of Insurance and Financial Advisors PAC in April, according to FEC disclosures. He took another $500 from the same group in May. Once hooked, Booker learned, it’s hard to quit. Some will defend Booker by dismissing the little relapse as no big deal. It is just a thousand bucks, they’ll argue. Plus, it isn’t the hard corporate cash. And that is true, the National Association of Insurance and Financial Advisors PAC isn’t exactly a corporation per se. They are part of a trade organization, according to their FEC filings. It is also true that different presidential contenders have different tolerances.” Read the column
—“ICE targets 75 N.J. businesses suspected of hiring unauthorized immigrants or other violations”” Read the report
—“Senator [Brown] not dropping candidate [Grossman] over controversy” Read the report
—“Jersey City school board members want state probe of recent firings” Read the report
LOCAL
WAS THE POOPERINTENDENT FORCED OUT? THIS EXPLANATION STRAINS CREDULITY. SOMETHING STINKS — “Accused serial public pooping superintendent resigns top job,” by NJ Advance Media’s Chris Sheldon: “The Kenilworth Board of Education accepted the resignation of Superintendent Thomas Tramaglini Thursday, nearly three months after he was accused of pooping daily near the Holmdel High School running track, according to a phone message and email sent to staff of the district. The email and voicemail was sent to staff shortly after 8:30 p.m. ‘Based on events unrelated to his service for Kenilworth, it has become clear to both Dr. Tramaglini and the Kenilworth Board of Education that his continued service as Superintendent of Schools has become too much of a distraction to the main mission of the district,’ the email states. Tramaglini, who was making $150,000, was charged in May with defecating in the area of the Holmdel High School track and football field on a daily basis.” Read the report
IMMIGRATION — “ACLU-NJ sues 12 school districts, alleging discrimination against undocumented students,” by The Record’s Hannan Adely: “The ACLU of New Jersey filed lawsuits against a dozen school districts across the state on Thursday, alleging that their enrollment policies are illegal and discriminate against immigrants. The schools, located in 10 counties, including Bergen, Morris and Essex, ask students for state-issued identification that require Social Security numbers or valid immigration status as a condition to enroll. New Jersey law forbids schools districts from denying education to public school students based on their immigration status or that of their parents, the ACLU-NJ claimed in the lawsuit. ‘New Jersey’s state Constitution calls for free public education, and that applies to every single child — no exceptions,’ said Elyla Huertas, staff attorney at the ACLU-NJ, which filed the lawsuits in state Superior Court.” Read the report
“Dover mayor feuds with alderwoman, throws two out of public meeting,” by The Daily Record’s Peggy Wright: “Name-calling, accusations and animosity have become commonplace with the town’s Board of Aldermen and mayor since June’s Democratic primary elections shook things up. Mayor James P. Dodd has created a website that calls a one-time ally, Alderwoman Carolyn Blackman, a liar and a hypocrite. Dodd had police officers remove a longtime critic, former Alderman Dominic Timpani, from Tuesday’s public meeting after Timpani stood up and accused Dodd of using a racial slur more than a decade ago in referring to Blackman, who is black. Dodd, in his fourth term as mayor and up for re-election in 2019, isn’t apologizing for creating the website or kicking people out of the meeting.” Read the report
BORN TO RUN — “Toms River cops capture runaway horse on Route 70,” by The Asbury Park Press’ Andrew Goudsward: ‘Police were involved in an unusual chase on Route 70 last month, involving a runaway horse. An officer first noticed a horse galloping north on Massachusetts Avenue without its owner on June 14 at about 10:45 p.m. Police made several attempts to stop the horse, but the animal was able to make it onto Route 70 eastbound, according to a department Facebook post Monday.’The horse finally came to a stop nearly a half mile away at a Stop and Shop at the intersection of Lakewood Road where four officers were able to secure the horse. Police found the horse’s owner and escorted him to the grocery store parking lot where horse and owner were reunited.” Read the report
—“Suit vs. alleged Ridgewood cult moves ahead; woman says she was pressured into abortion” Read the report
—“Wildwood beach arrest video: Woman rejects plea offer” Read the report
—“Passaic County $2.8 million road surface treatment flaking off after just one year” Read the report
—“Opinion: Time for a new approach on ‘shared services’” Read the op-ed
—“Judge: N.J. must release golf course’s rejected bid to lease Liberty State Park” Read the report
—“Why are some New Jersey malls struggling to stay open?” Read the report
EVERYTHING ELSE
OPIOIDS — “More than 8 people are dying from drug overdoses in N.J. each day. In 2010, it was 2,” by NJ Advance Media’s Stephen Stirling: “In 2011, as the national opioid crisis was beginning to reveal itself, New Jersey officials were alarmed to see drug deaths crack 1,000 for the first time. This year, the state passed that total by early May. An analysis of data from the New Jersey Attorney General’s Office shows that, thus far in 2018, at least 1,669 people have died of drug overdoses — an average of more than eight a day. If the state stays at the current pace, deaths will eclipse 3,000 for the first time, all but assuring a fourth-straight record-setting year. In Cumberland County alone, deaths are up more than 100% compared to the first six months of 2017.” Read the report
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