Christie for AG could put Booker in an awkward spot

Good Tuesday morning!

I don’t know if President Trump will nominate Chris Christie for attorney general. But I bet Cory Booker’s hoping he doesn’t.

Since you’re almost all New Jersey people, you remember how buddy-buddy Christie and Booker were — whether out of genuine affection or political expediency. They joked around with each other, and even made a good-natured video.

So what if Trump nominates Christie?

It’s obvious that Booker wants to run for president in 2020, and he’s got a perch on the Judiciary Committee in which he can appeal to Democrats around the country. Imagine him grilling Christie. Are you having as hard a time imaging that as I am?

This wouldn’t just be a difficult vote for Booker. His entire demeanor with Christie would be scrutinized. Going hard at Christie in a hearing when Booker said little about Christie’s scandals when he was governor might come off as a little awkward. But it could easily be more damaging to Booker’s own prospects if he wasn’t aggressive with Christie, or even voted to confirm him.

Obviously this is all speculation. But if Christie is under as serious consideration for attorney general as has been reported, this is a realistic possibility. Booker’s spokesman, Thomas Pietrykoski, said the senator “reserves all comment until a candidate is nominated to a position.”

WHERE’S MURPHY? Delivering a 10:30 a.m. speech at the Jersey City Summit for Real Estate Investment

HAPPY BIRTHDAY — Blue Jersey founder Juan Melli, DGA’s David Turner

QUOTE OF THE DAY: “We are alarmed by a story in the New York Times about dog walking companies letting their dogs roam off leash in South Mountain Reservation. Having dogs run free is not allowed in Essex county parks, including South Mountain Reservation, and poses a safety risk for other people enjoying our open spaces as well as the dogs. We understand the importance of allowing dogs to run off leash and have created 4 dog parks in South Mountain Reservation, Brookdale Park, Hilltop Reservation and Watsessing Park. We do not condone the activities of this company and will work with our Sheriff’s Office to ensure our rules are followed and our parks are safe.” Essex County Executive Joe DiVincenzo in a Facebook post responding to this New York Times story

FOOD DESERT GETS WET — Coughlin bill would allow special liquor licenses for supermarkets in ‘food deserts,’ by POLITICO’s Sam Sutton: An anti-hunger bill sponsored by Assembly Speaker Craig Coughlin would offer tax breaks to new supermarkets that open in “food deserts” and allow those stores to obtain special liquor licenses that bypass some of the state’s notoriously restrictive regulations. Other measures in a 14-bill package Coughlin is shepherding through the Assembly aim to reduce food waste from large retailers, provide grants to college students facing hunger crises and create new resources for connecting hungry New Jerseyans with emergency food services. “If you’re going to call yourself a great a state, you have to do a few things, and one of them is to make sure your people are getting fed,” Coughlin told POLITICO. “I think I’ll have broad bipartisan support” for the bills. Read more here

THEN CALL ME MARK ZUCKERBERG — “Medical marijuana: New Jersey seen as ‘Silicon Valley’ of pot,” by The Courier-Post’s Jim Mulford: “Calling New Jersey the next `Silicon Valley‘ of cannabis, out-of-state marijuana entrepreneurs are competing hard to grow the leafy crop here with promises of jobs and tax revenues for towns willing to accept them. Several applicants said they want to set roots in South Jersey because they found municipalities willing to write letters of support or make tentative agreements to lease property. And each said they will apply again if they don’t win one of the six licenses for medical marijuana facilities now up for grabs. The state Department of Health is reviewing 146 applications for two licenses each in North, Central and South Jersey. George Scorsis, CEO of Liberty Health Sciences, loves the market’s potential so much that his company applied for state licenses in each of the three sections … ‘New Jersey offers one of the most promising opportunities in cannabis at the state level,’ he added.” Read the report

THE LEAGUE OF MUNICIPALITIES HAS GONE TO POT — “League of Municipalities to bring 18,000 to Atlantic City,” by The Press of Atlantic City’s David Danzis: “Gov. Phil Murphy’s first year in office has brought with it the possibility of legalizing marijuana in the state, along with a new approach to economic development and property taxes. Those are some of the hot button topics expected to attract large numbers of municipal officials to workshops at the 103rd League of Municipalities conference in Atlantic City through Thursday. The potential for the legalization of marijuana in the state has many officials concerned about its likely affects on their communities, said League Executive Director Michael Darcy. ‘If cannabis is legalized, what are going to be the impacts at the municipal level?’ said Darcy. ‘Officials need to become knowledgeable and get prepared.’” Read the report

OUTBREAK — “Mom of adenovirus victim: Don’t send my recovering kid back to Wanaque Center,” by The Record’s Scott Fallon and Lindy Washburn: “The mother of an 18-year-old who contracted a virus that has claimed the lives of 10 children at a long-term care facility in Wanaque said she had to plead with members of the center’s staff to take her daughter to a hospital when she developed symptoms last weekend. Now, she’s worried her recovering daughter will get sick again when she’s scheduled to be sent back on Tuesday to the Wanaque Center for Nursing and Rehabilitation from St. Joseph’s University Medical Center in Paterson. … ‘Can you guess how much worse she would be if I hadn’t told them that she needed to be at a hospital?’ the mother said Friday. ‘It shouldn’t have come down to this.’” Read the report

HQ BOOOOOO — “Amazon picks Northern Virginia, New York City to split new HQ,” by POLITICO’s Steven Overly and Gloria Pazmino: Amazon will divide its much-anticipated new headquarters between Crystal City in Northern Virginia and Long Island City in Queens, New York, a source with knowledge of the plan confirmed to POLITICO on Monday night. The move follows a search that spanned more than a year and prompted local governments across North America to scramble to offer tax breaks and other incentives to win the company’s favor. Amazon’s split decision means the selected locations can expect to share as many as 50,000 jobs and roughly $5 billion in investment. Read the report

—“Experts: Why Newark (and Harrison and Jersey City) will be big winners if Amazon lands in New York” Read the report

—@StevenFulop: Of course #jerseycity would benefit if it’s in NY but I still feel this entire Amazon process was a big joke just to end up exactly where everyone guessed at the start. No real social impact on a city, no real transformation, no inspiring young residents that never had this

—”With Amazon HQ2 not likely to land in Newark, talk turns to taxes, incentives” Read the report

—“Measles: Schools can keep out unvaccinated kids, health dept. says” Read the report

—”School textbooks might need NJ’s diversity stamp of approval” Read the report

—“N.J. lawmaker wants tougher penalties for hazing after Penn State frat death” Read the report

THE WIND THAT SHAKES THE BARLYN — Lesser-known Christie scandal could resurface if he’s tapped for AG, by POLITICO’s Matt Friedman: A scandal not nearly as infamous as Bridgegate could have major implications for former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie if he’s nominated to become the next U.S. attorney general. In 2016, the Christie administration paid a $1.5 million settlement to a former assistant county prosecutor who claimed the administration took over his office and fired him, all with the aim of dismissing the office’s 43-count indictment against several of the governor’s allies that embarrassed one of Christie’s major contributors. That whistleblower, Bennett Barlyn, told POLITICO on Monday that he has grave concerns about Christie becoming the nation’s top law enforcement official, and his case could take on new relevance, with the next attorney general poised to take over the department that oversees the special counsel’s investigation into Russia’s interference in the 2016 election. Barlyn said that if Christie is nominated, the Senate should look at this case as just one way the former governor wielded justice, both as governor and U.S. attorney, for political ends. Read more

LET’S CONTINUE TO PRETEND IT’S NOT OBVIOUS THAT BOOKER HAS DECIDED TO RUN — “Lack of qualified operatives could hamstring 2020 Dems,” by POLITICO’s Natasha Korecki: “Sen. Cory Booker is personally calling political pros in Iowa, South Carolina and New Hampshire to staff a 2020 campaign. Gov. John Hickenlooper is in touch with D.C. operatives about his search for a communications expert. Sen. Elizabeth Warren was interviewing campaign advisers even before Tuesday’s midterms. With a sprawling field of expected candidates and a limited pool of high-caliber operatives, a sprint is on among 2020 Democratic hopefuls for campaign managers, strategists, finance directors and field directors who can run a presidential campaign … Booker himself called staff prospects in three early states, including field organizers and senior officials involved in some of the state’s marquee midterm campaigns, four people with knowledge of the calls told POLITICO. While Booker isn’t making offers yet, ‘he’s building a bridge’ to potential aides, said one person with knowledge of the conversations.” Read the report

TIME TO FLOAT JOHN CROWLEY’S NAME AGAIN — “Mission Impossible: The search for a GOP Senate candidate vs. Booker,” by New Jersey Globe’s David Wildstein: “Republicans will have a nearly impossible time recruiting a candidate to run against U.S. Senator Cory Booker in 2020. New Jerseyans just re-elected a senator with upside-down approvals of 36%-52%. Booker’s approvals are at 58%-37% …. Sometimes parties look to a stalwart with some gravitas to go on the ticket to add some credibility. In 2008, some GOP leaders practically begged former Rep. Dick Zimmer to take on Frank Lautenberg, so they wouldn’t be embarrassed. Democrats did the same thing when they got former Rep. Paul Krebs to run against Clifford Case in 1972. Still, a quixotic bid for U.S. Senate has its advantages.” Read the report

HIS NAME IS NOT DONALD TRUMP, SO NO, HE DIDN’T — “NJ election results 2018: Did this candidate give Andy Kim the win?” by The Asbury Park Press’ Andrew Ford: “Democrat Andy Kim’s lead in the 3rd District congressional race over incumbent Tom MacArthur remains four-digits thin — thinner than the number of votes that went to a third-party candidate, Larry Berlinski. Berlinski said his views align more closely with Republican MacArthur than Kim. Berlinski ran as a Constitution Party candidate and he said he believes the federal government has grown beyond the boundaries prescribed by the U.S. Constitution. Berlinski’s focus was on shrinking the federal government. Berlinski said he’s `been getting a couple of jabs‘ by detractors since the election. But it’s unclear whether — if Berlinski didn’t run — Berlinski’s 3,845 votes would have gone to MacArthur to put him in the lead. In the latest count as of Monday afternoon, MacArthur has 146,978 votes to Kim’s 150,405. That’s a lead of just 3,427 votes out of a little more than 300,000 votes cast.” Read the report

—“Why is ‘To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before’ author emotional over potential NJ Congressman?” Read the report

C-C-C-CORY BOOKER. RESCUE SENATOR — “Recount 8.5 million votes by hand? By Thursday? Cory Booker to the rescue!” by NJ Advance Media’s Claude Brodesser-Aknker: “U.S. Sen. Cory Booker, D-N.J., on Monday called on Garden State attorneys to help count votes in Florida’s still-undecided election of a governor and U.S. Senator. ‘If you can hear my voice and you’re a New Jersey lawyer and you’ve got a week to spare, I’m very serious: We need lawyers to help with the recount,’ Booker said, speaking to reporters on Monday at a press conference at Rutgers University in New Brunswick.” Read the report

AND YOU THOUGHT CLARISSA HAD ALREADY EXPLAINED IT ALL — “Bramnick explains the election in WNYC radio interview” Read the report

—“Poll: Biden, Bernie, Beto lead 2020 Dem field” Read the report

—”NJ’s new congressional delegation: Younger, greener, not as wealthy” Read the report

— “Is this the bluest N.J. has ever been after Democrats’ Election 2018 romp over Republicans?” Read the report

—“What did my polling firm learn about midterms? Democrats served up revenge Jersey style” Read the op-ed

—Steinberg: “A scenario for a US Attorney General Christie to make a huge political comeback” Read the column

—“Kim will attend freshman orientation” Read the report

STATE TAKEOVER TO TURN INTO STATE SUPLEX — “Casino nightclub fight involving Atlantic City mayor, councilman ‘troubling’ state official says,” by The Press of Atlantic City’s David Danzis: “The top state official overseeing the takeover of the city is concerned about reports of the mayor and a councilman being involved in a fight outside a casino nightclub Sunday morning. … Mayor Frank Gilliam Jr. and At-Large Councilman Jeffree Fauntleroy II were seen on video fighting with at least two other men outside the Haven Nightclub at the Golden Nugget Atlantic City at 2:22 a.m. … ‘The allegations are troubling, and we understand law enforcement is looking into it,’ Lt. Gov. Sheila Oliver said in a statement.’” Read more

WHAT’S MAHWAH PD SMOKING? — “Mahwah drug bust: Error in police statement changed 50 grams to 50 pounds,” by The Record’s Rodrigo Torrejon: “On Saturday, Mahwah Police released what was a noteworthy press release on its own: a family of three were arrested for allegedly possessing large amounts of marijuana. But it was one of Kim Blue’s possession charges that catapulted the story into the upper echelons of alleged drug peddling: she was charged with possession of marijuana greater than 50 pounds, according to the initial press release. There are more than 453 grams in one pound. In 50 pounds, there would be more than 22,000 grams.” Read the report

—“Naked peeping Tom picture released by Hillsborough cops” Read the report

—“Camden County police officer charged with punching unarmed suspect” Read the report

—“Dozens rally to save historic lighthouse sitting on ‘edge of disaster’” Read the report

LIKE A REALLY SAD GEORGE WASHINGTON — “Wagerers crossing the Delaware (and Hudson) for sports bets,” by The AP’s Wayne Parry: “Sports betting all is all over the New York area — on the airwaves, billboards, train station ads and publications. But in order to actually place a legal sports bet, gamblers have to be within New Jersey’s borders. It’s the only game in, or rather near, town right now for people in New York and Pennsylvania who want to bet for the Philadelphia Eagles, against the New York Giants, or a thousand other options. So they travel into New Jersey. Some drive across bridges, or through tunnels. Some take a PATH train under the Hudson River from New York City into Jersey City or Hoboken. And some even ride their bicycles just over halfway across the George Washington Bridge, hoping the geolocation technology on their smartphones will realize they’re in New Jersey, however briefly it might be. And it’s all perfectly legal, as long as they are physically in New Jersey.” Read the report

DEER JORDAN — “’Airborne’ deer slams into woman’s backseat while she’s driving in harrowing Howell crash,” by The Asbury Park Press’ Alex N. Gecan: “A quick-thinking motorist avoided serious injury Monday, keeping her cool even after a struck deer landed inside the passenger side of her vehicle, police said.” Read the report

THAT SPRINGSTEEN IS BETTER? — “Bon Jovi on tour: What Jon Bon Jovi and Richie Sambora agree on” Read the report

—“Jewish Federation redoubles efforts to stem hate, step-up security” Read the report

—“Red Bank native wins Virginia congressional seat” Read the report

—“Job creation, pollution at odds in hearing on controversial compressor station” Read the report

—Paterson teams with labor unions on jobs program” Read the report

—“Jersey Shore candymaker files for bankruptcy reorganization” Read the report