Scutari is the Mushroom Man – POLITICO – Politico

Good Thursday morning!

State Sen. Nick Scutari confirmed to our Sam Sutton that he put the amendment into the weed decriminalization bill to downgrade possession of psychedelic shrooms to a disorderly persons offense.

Some people believe this is a poison pill — or poison mushroom — meant to derail the legislation. Assemblymember Jamel Holley (D-Union) is the only person I know of to say it on the record, but others believe it as well. The idea seems to be that it would help the big players in the industry to not decriminalize. And the mushroom amendment did reportedly cause the bill to stall in the Assembly.

I don’t dismiss the idea that lawmakers sometimes use “poison pills” to tank legislation. But here’s what I don’t get about that theory: The bill, with the mushroom amendment in it, passed the Senate 29-4. That means it got several Republicans voting for it, including very conservative ones like Joe Pennacchio (R-Morris) and Steve Oroho (R-Sussex).

Why should a Democratic-dominated Assembly have such a hard time passing a bill that so easily passed the Senate with bipartisan support? I’m really not sure.

CORONAVIRUS TRACKER — 4,060 newly reported cases for a total of 289,562. 2,446 patients hospitalized — a six month high — 461 in intensive care. 27 more deaths for a total of 14,843 (and 1,812 probable deaths)

WHERE’S MURPHY? In New Brunswick for an 11:15 a.m. announcement. Then speaking to the virtual League of Municipalities convention at 12:15 p.m. Media: CNN at 8:30 a.m., MSNBC at 9 a.m., and CNBC at 7 p.m.

QUOTE OF THE DAY: “One of the first things kids learn in little leagues across the nation is to shake hands with your opponent, win or lose. It’s a basic lesson that Rosemary Becchi has yet to learn. Unfortunately, this isn’t little league. It’s a federally elected office in our democracy.” — Democratic Rep. Mikie Sherrill. Her Republican opponent, Becchi, has not conceded despite a decisive loss and has sent U.S. Attorney Craig Carpenito a document alleging “serious misconduct” by poll workers in the election. One allegation was that poll workers weren’t asking voters for identification, which New Jersey, with one small exception, does not require.

TWEET OF THE DAY: @Igorbobc — “Have never hear anyone say ‘No’ as fast as Cory Booker did just now when asked by @mkraju if he had any interest serving in a Biden admin (he said if he called he’d hear him out)”

PROGRAMMING NOTE: New Jersey Playbook will not publish on Thursday Nov. 26 and Friday Nov. 27. After the hiatus, I’ll be back on the normal schedule on Monday, Nov. 30.

REGRESSTRICTING — “Latinos are 20% of the state yet they got 0% representation on N.J.’s redistricting panel,” by Patricia Campos Medina and Laura Matos for The Star-Ledger: “This past Sunday, the New Jersey Democratic party named their five voting members to the New Jersey Legislative Reapportionment Commission, joining the already-named five Republican voting members, bringing the makeup of that commission, tasked with deciding how lawmakers will represent us in Trenton for the next 10 years, to eight men and two women; one African American, one Asian-American and zero Latinx representation. Following the national trend, as we saw in the elections across our state, New Jersey Republicans did not distance themselves from Donald Trump. As such, their lack of inclusion of Latinx representation on their side of the aisle, while disappointing, was not surprising. However, for a New Jersey governor and a statewide Democratic Party that calls itself the party of diversity and of progressive values, the absence of a Latinx voting member on the commission is an embarrassment and blatantly disrespect to the growing diversity of New Jersey’s population. And while closing Latinos out of the decision-making process, this act clearly demonstrates a deliberate intent to disenfranchise our communities in the work of this commission.”

BUSTIN THE CAPS — Scutari: We need to pull cannabis cultivation caps from enabling legislation, by POLITICO’s Sam Sutton: State Sen. Nicholas Scutari said Wednesday he’s working to eliminate caps on cultivation licenses in the enabling legislation that would legalize the sale and use of recreational cannabis. Eliminating the proposed cap on the number of cultivation licenses could help clear the way for the enabling bill, NJ S21 (20R) / NJ A21 (20R) , that codifies the legal and regulatory framework for New Jersey’s recreational cannabis market. While voters earlier this month overwhelmingly passed a ballot question legalizing marijuana, the drug remains illegal until Gov. Phil Murphy signs the enabling legislation into law. The caps: The current version of the bill, which Scutari (D-Union) sponsored, caps the number of cultivation licenses at 28 for the first 18 months after recreational cannabis sales begin.

— Scutari: I added the mushroom amendment to decriminalization bill

NEGATIVE POSITIVE TRAIN CONTROL NEWS — Weeks from the PTC deadline, only NJ Transit at risk of blowing it, by POLITICO’s Tanya Snyder: The Federal Railroad Administration announced Wednesday that positive train control is in operation or advanced testing on 99.6 percent of the track where it’s required, with only one agency — NJ Transit — at risk of missing the Dec. 31 deadline, which is just six weeks away. … The outlier: NJT is operating PTC in revenue service demonstration on just 48 percent of its 375.9 PTC-mandated route miles. FRA is providing resources and technical assistance, including on-site support, to help NJT finish field testing, meeting “multiple times each month” to advise NJT on the schedule and remaining work to meet the deadline.

THE INFERNAL PIT ACROSS THE RIVER — “Penn Station was plagued with problems before COVID. Is the pandemic the time to fix them?” by The Record’s Colleen Wilson: “The 110-year-old landmark, once a glorious welcome for workforces from all over the region, now shields a dizzying subterranean maze in the basement of Madison Square Garden where concourses connect three commuter railroads and six subway lines. Once inside, the most physically fit will win out as wading through crowds is inevitable, running is customary, and options for people with disabilities are maddeningly minimal. It was a cringeworthy experience before coronavirus. Those feelings are amplified now as small, confined spaces are feeding grounds for this deadly contagion. The pandemic, which has decreased the station’s foot traffic by 80%, could prove to be another excuse for prolonged neglect of North America’s busiest transportation hub. Or, as some advocates argue, it could be an opportunity to take advantage of the lull and use this moment in history — as other major cities have before — to transform this derelict pit into a visionary hub that could stand the test of time, and perhaps the next pandemic.”

WAIT ‘TIL THEY GET A LOAD OF WEED — “NJ’s take from sales tax up in October despite pandemic and fiscal troubles,” by NJ Spotlight’s John Reitmeyer: “New Jersey sales-tax collections remain on a roll despite the state’s fiscal troubles and the ongoing effects of the coronavirus pandemic. The Department of Treasury reports October monthly revenues from the sales tax were up by nearly 7% over the same period last year, marking the third straight month of year-over-year improvement despite the ongoing health crisis. The sales tax is one of the largest sources of revenue for the state budget, and it is being closely watched this year because of the potential for losses triggered by the pandemic. Still, despite the promising monthly sales-tax figures reported by Treasury on Wednesday, total revenue collections for October were down by roughly 5% compared to the same month last year, demonstrating the continued drag on tax collections the pandemic has caused since it began to hit New Jersey in March.”

EDUCATION — Poll: Less than half of New Jersey parents view remote learning as successful, by POLITICO’s Carly Sitrin: Remote learning continues to be a concern among New Jersey parents, though most say they are generally pleased with the way their schools and the state are handling reopenings during the pandemic, according to a new poll. The survey, conducted by Global Strategy Group in partnership with charter school advocate organizations JerseyCAN and the New Jersey Children’s Foundation, found that 77 percent of those questioned rated the job their schools are doing as positive while 70 percent approve of the job Gov. Phil Murphy is doing reopening schools. However, only 42 percent of parents rated remote learning as successful.

— “Fired Paterson affirmative action officer gets $125K lawsuit settlement”

— “Murphy to sign law making it illegal to post address, phone number of judges, prosecutors”

— Northeast governors call on colleges to provide students with Covid testing

— “Democrats put hold on proposal to limit Murphy’s emergency powers”

— “Senate will hold committee meetings virtually after Thanksgiving”

UNHAPPY GILMORE — Gilmore, despite ties to top Trump aide, not seeking presidential pardon, his lawyer says, by POLITICO’s Matt Friedman: Former Ocean County Republican Chairman George GIlmore is not seeking a presidential pardon for his 2019 federal tax-related convictions, despite having a high-ranking connection to President Donald Trump, his lawyer said Tuesday. “Presidential pardons are an enormous long shot,” attorney Kevin Marino said in an interview. “And we believe we’ll prevail on appeal [of the convictions].” Gilmore’s ties to Bill Stepien, a onetime top adviser to former Gov. Chris Christie who most recently served as Trump’s campaign manager, has led to speculation in New Jersey that Gilmore could be a candidate for a pardon. Gilmore, once one of the most powerful Republicans in New Jersey, was convicted last year on three of six tax-related charges: Two counts of withholding taxes from his employees’ paychecks but not paying them to the Internal Revenue Service, and one count of lying on a bank loan application.

IMMIGRATION — “ICE detainees go on hunger strike for second time this month at Bergen County Jail,” by WNYC’s Matt Katz: “A group of immigrant detainees at the Bergen County Jail in Hackensack, N.J., are on the fifth day of a hunger strike to demand that federal authorities free them so they can await the outcome of their deportation cases at home amid the current coronavirus surge. A spokeswoman for the Bergen County Sheriff’s Office, which operates the jail, said this is the second hunger strike in the facility this month. The seven immigrants currently refusing food are being monitored, she said. One detainee has participated in both hunger strikes.”

LOOKING FORWARD TO JOINING KORNACKI AT THE PHOTO SHOOT FOR ‘THE FORMER MEN OF POLITICSNJ’ CALENDAR — “Chris Evans, Maluma and more hot guys who make up PEOPLE’s Sexiest Men of 2020,” by People Magazine: “Steve Kornacki:Y Never before have khakis and a striped tie gotten so many hot under the (Oxford) collar. The MSNBC journalist’s tireless coverage tracking the long post-election day vote tallying process earned him the title of ‘Chartthrob’ — with celebrity fans from Chrissy Teigen to Leslie Jones — and even caused a significant spike in Gap’s khaki sales.”

— “Trump son-in-law’s firm sues Freehold Township over affordable housing. What’s the worry?”

— “Will New Jersey see a Kean vs. Malinowski rematch, and other redistricting issues”

— Booker bill would provide $260B to state, local school districts in fight against Covid

WHAT EXECUTIVE ORDER? — “4 NJ mayors eye 1 to 3-day shutdowns if latest measures to curb COVID spread fail,” by WNBC’s Brian Thompson and Jennifer Millman: “The mayors of four New Jersey cities in the state’s hardest-hit Essex County have agreed to impose a 24-hour curfew on all nonessential business if COVID cases continue to rise. If that measure and other recent mitigation efforts fail, they are prepared to impose a three-day shutdown order, one of the officials tells News 4. The cities involved are Newark, Orange, East Orange and Irvington, all of which have seen COVID positivity rates skyrocket well above the already surging statewide average in recent weeks … ‘If the numbers continue to go up, we’re going to ask the community to shut down for 24 hours,’ East Orange Mayor Ted Green told News 4, adding he and the other three mayors agreed on the curfew in a Zoom meeting a day earlier.”

FROM NILLA WAFERS TO NIL WAFERS — “Fair Lawn Nabisco factory, spreading the sweet smell of cookies on 208 for decades, may close,” by The Record’s Shaylah Brown: “The Mondelēz International plant, also known as the Nabisco factory, has towered over Route 208 for a half-century, spreading the unmistakable aroma of baking cookies far and wide. But the plant is being considered for closure, Laurie Guzzinati, a Mondelēz executive, confirmed Tuesday. On Nov. 12, Mondelēz met with unions and employees across the state to discuss options being weighed, said Guzzinati, the company’s senior director of corporate and government affairs in North America. In addition to the Fair Lawn factory, an Atlanta plant is being considered for closure. Mondelēz International makes classic cookies and crackers under the Nabisco brand, including Oreos and Chips Ahoy, Nilla Wafers and Ritz Crackers … Fair Lawn Mayor Kurt Peluso is most concerned about the potential loss of jobs. ‘We have people who live in Fair Lawn who work at the plant, as well as a lot of people from surrounding communities,’ Peluso said, “and not just people who live in New Jersey — people from New York and Pennsylvania. It’s going to have a tri-state impact.’”

CLYDE COOKED — “N.J. councilman facing aggravated assault charge on cop loses reelection,” by NJ Advance Media’s Bill Duhart: “Clyde Cook came in third in a four-candidate race for council in the tiny Camden County borough of Woodlynne earlier this month. The freshman lost his bid for reelection largely, he thinks, because he wasn’t picked by the borough Democratic committee as one of its two nominees … Cook doesn’t count the fact that he is facing an aggravated assault charge on a borough cop as a major factor in his defeat. He chalks up the incident with the officer — a husband of a fellow council member who he said he had a beef with — as just another example of why he ran for office, to expose what he labels a culture of cronyism and nepotism.’

STYMIE STYMIE YA STYMIE YAM STYMIE YA — “Fired Neptune police consultant sues township, alleging plot to perpetuate discrimination,” by The Asbury Park Press’ Kathleen Hopkins: “The township’s fired police consultant has hurled accusations ranging from breach of contract and defamation of character to open public records, whistleblower and civil rights violations in a lawsuit alleging he was terminated to stymie reform of a troubled police department. Barry Colicelli, in a lawsuit filed last week in Superior Court in Monmouth County, alleged that township officials and an attorney hired to investigate him conspired with one another to terminate his contract as consultant to the township’s police oversight committee. He alleged they engaged in that conspiracy ‘rather than take action to eliminate the rampant discrimination and retaliation in the Neptune Police Department.’

WE’LL KNOW THE RESULTS BY FRIDAY I’M IN LOVE — “Newton Town Council election could be decided by ‘cured’ ballots,” by The New Jersey Herald’s Bruce A. Scruton: “NEWTON — The number of voters who ‘cure’ their mail-in ballots and who voted in the Newton Town Council race could decide which two of the three top vote-getters will be elected. The Sussex County Board of Elections has notified about 950 voters, nearly all of them vote-by-mail, that they need to provide additional information before their ballot can be opened and counted … The unofficial vote total as of Friday, had newcomer Michelle Teets leading with 1,114 votes. She was running on a team which included incumbent councilwoman Helen R. Le Frois who had 1,054 votes in the unofficial tally.”

— “Two Paterson City Council members test positive for coronavirus”

— Photos: “Demolition of Trump Plaza continues”

— “Paterson Mayor Andre Sayegh wants to close Passaic County Jail. Here’s why”

— “Lakewood wants to buy 1,800 computers for students. Will it close the digital divide?”

— “Attendance has dropped at Jersey City schools, especially in low-income areas”

— “‘This has been a disaster’: Old Bridge GOP calls on NJ to ban mail-in, drop-box voting”

— VIRTUA INSANITY — “Virtua hospital in clash with staff over request to work with COVID-19,” by NJ Spotlight’s Brenda Flanagan: “At one New Jersey hospital, staff report being called into work even though they have been infected with or exposed to the virus — if they are asymptomatic and have not had a fever in 48 hours. (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention contingency guidelines do allow COVID-positive, but asymptomatic health care professionals to work in COVID units during severe staffing shortages.) Senior Correspondent Brenda Flanagan reports.”

— “As COVID-19 surges in N.J., frontline workers are calling it quits: ‘I don’t want to gamble with my life,” by NJ Advance Media’s Riley Yates: “As the stresses and traumas of the job pile up, a worrisome number have left critical jobs, union officials say, an exodus that comes as the Department of Health has warned that hospitals could see concerning staffing shortages as a reinvigorated outbreak again sweeps through New Jersey.”

— “More than 200 NJ volunteers joined COVID trials; researchers ‘ecstatic’ at positive results”

— “Black Amazon warehouse worker’s lawsuit says managers used n-word, denied him promotions”

— “Federal lawsuit details new rape allegations against McCarrick involving 12-year-old boy”