The Record looks at Brendan Gill, Phil Murphy’s ‘inside man’

In yesterday’s edition, I noted how President Trump is helping make the New Jersey Senate race about him and not Bob Menendez.

Just in case you doubted that, Menendez and Republican Bob Hugin both released ads yesterday focused on Trump. Menendez’s says Hugin will “never stand up to Trump.” Hugin in his ad says “I often hear, will you stand up to President Trump? The answer is yes.” And on Tuesday, Hugin criticized Trump for “inflammatory” rhetoric on immigration.

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We already know Menendez’s problems that have made what should be a safe Democratic seat a pick-up opportunity for Republicans. The question is whether voters know — and how much they’ll care — that Hugin was major financial backer for Trump, well after he had used inflammatory rhetoric on the campaign trail. Hugin gave more than $200,000 to Trump, a pro-Trump super PAC and the Republican National Convention despite having known that Trump had, for instance, called for a ban on Muslims entering the country. He served as a delegate for Trump at the Republican National Convention nearly a year after he made that statement. And there were, of course, many more inflammatory statements from the president.

I asked Hugin spokesman Nick Iacovella if that was inconsistent with his current stance. He responded with another question. “Bob Menendez criticizes Bob Hugin and Celgene about the company’s $280 million settlement and for ‘gouging cancer patients’ yet he accepted PAC money from Celgene as late as December 2017 — after the settlement. Seems inconsistent. Is that not the case?” Iacovella wrote back.

While you could say that’s inconsistent, I don’t think accepting one of dozens or hundreds of donations is the same as affirmatively giving hundreds of thousands of dollars. Regardless, it doesn’t answer the question.

Hugin is asserting his independence from Trump now that he’s running in a state where Trump is extremely unpopular. His latest ad could easily be mistaken for a Democrat’s. Just as you can go and read countless clips about Menendez’s corruption trial, you can read about Hugin’s support for Trump before he had to worry about it as a political liability. But with Menendez being outspent and having to deal with so much of his own baggage, Hugin’s history of supporting Trump may get lost in the noise.

WHERE’S MURPHY? In Newark for an 11:30 a.m. speech to the organization Founders & Funders

HAPPY BIRTHDAY — Assembly Dem spokesman Kevin McArdle, American Cancer Society’s Samantha DeAlmeida

QUOTE OF THE DAY: “Any story saying or suggesting that Mr. Gill’s and/or his firm’s legitimate public relations work is ‘shadow lobbying’ and/or involves exploiting access to the governor and his staff is false,” lawyer Kerrie Campbell to The Record regarding its story on Brendan GIll. More below.

POLLS OF THE DAY — Monmouth: Malinowski 47%, Lance 44% (standard midterm model). Full poll. NYT/Siena: Malinowski 47%, Lance 39%. More here

HOW GILL GETS OXYGEN — “Meet Phil Murphy’s inside man: The guy with access to the governor,” by The Record’s Dustin Racioppi: “When the private company running the lottery’s sales and marketing wanted a meeting with the governor’s office to discuss a bill that could raise its profits, it turned to the firm with one of the closest connections to Gov. Phil Murphy himself. The company, Northstar New Jersey, followed a similar strategy several years earlier to win the long-term lottery contract under Republican Gov. Chris Christie. But a month after Murphy became governor, Northstar enlisted a lobbying firm that had formed a `strategic partnership‘ with Brendan Gill, the veteran Democratic strategist who had managed Murphy’s campaign. Gill, president of the Essex County freeholder board, does not serve in Murphy’s administration. And he is not a registered lobbyist. Yet he played an important role in the February meeting by suggesting that Northstar and its lobbyists from Public Strategies Impact meet with the governor’s top lawyers. Gill has a financial agreement, described by him and the lobbying firm as a retainer, with Public Strategies … This new landscape is why campaign finance experts say there should be regulations. … ‘Lobbying has become a lot more sophisticated than it ever was. There’s a lot more tools in the tool box,’ said Jeff Brindle, executive director of the Election Law Enforcement Commission. ‘These lobbying firms, particularly the wealthier ones, they can hire public relations people, which always softens the ground.’” Read the report

—“The documents: Emails show Brendan Gill’s relationship with Gov. Murphy” Read the report

MINIMUM WAGE — Assembly lawmakers sign onto minimum wage bill that is free of carveouts, by POLITICO’s Katherine Landergan: As Gov. Phil Murphy and legislative leaders continue to debate how to gradually raise the statewide minimum wage to $15 an hour, eight Democratic members of the state Assembly have put forth their own proposal. The bill, which Assemblywoman Britnee Timberlake (D-Essex) introduced this week, would raise the minimum wage to $15 by 2023 and not include exemptions, or so-called carveouts, for specific industries or groups of workers. Most Democrats — including Murphy, Senate President Steve Sweeney and Assembly Speaker Craig Coughlin — generally agree on a $15 minimum wage and that it should be phased in over a period of years. However, there’s been considerable disagreement over whether certain groups should be exempt. Murphy wants a bill free of carveouts, while Sweeney wants to exclude farm workers and teenagers, among others. Coughlin has said he is still assessing each potential carveout, although he has acknowledged that getting a proposal through the Legislature without any exemptions would be unlikely. Yet that‘s what Timberlake and her seven co-sponsors are hoping to do. Timberlake noted that someone making the current $8.60 minimum wage and working 40 hours a week has an annual income of just $17,888, before taxes. Read the report

OUTBREAK — “New viral outbreak hits second N.J. pediatric healthcare facility, with 4 kids ill,” by NJ Advance Media’s Spencer Kent and Ted Sherman: “Four children have been diagnosed with adenovirus in a new viral outbreak at a second New Jersey pediatric healthcare facility, state health officials disclosed on Wednesday. The outbreak at the Voorhees Pediatric Facility in South Jersey follows the deaths of nine pediatric patients at the Wanaque Center for Nursing and Rehabilitation in northern Passaic County, where a new case of the infection there was reported Wednesday as well.” Read the report

THE LEGISLATURE COULD DO THIS, OR IT COULD PASS ANOTHER MULTI-MILLION DOLLAR SPECIAL APPROPRIATION FOR LAKEWOOD — “Was there a cover up? Lawmaker says we need answers on Lakewood fraud,” by NJ 101.5’s David Mathau: “Who’s watching the watchdog? At least one lawmaker says the latest allegations marring the Office of the State Comptroller’s investigation into rampant Medicaid fraud in Lakewood deserves a closer look. “We do have to look at it now that these issues have been raised. It would be irresponsible of us not to follow through,” said state Sen. Declan O’Scanlon, R-Monmouth, who stopped short of calling for an official investigation by the Legislature. On Tuesday, a former investigator who was fired for allegedly cutting improper deals with dozens of Medicaid cheats in Lakewood filed a whistleblower lawsuit accusing top administrators of signing off on the deals, then lying about their involvement to Comptroller Philip Degnan.” Read the report

PENSIONS — “S&P notes progress but ranks NJ’s among the worst-funded pension systems,” by NJ Spotlight’s John Reitmeyer: ”New Jersey still has one of the nation’s worst-funded public-employee pension plans despite recent efforts to improve conditions using larger state contributions and other policy changes. A new report from S&P Global, one of the top Wall Street credit-rating firms, tracks some incremental progress for New Jersey’s pension system but still ranks its funding ratio as second-to-last among all U.S. states. The Garden State also places dead last for progress on funding even the bare minimum of its growing pension costs, according to the S&P report. The firm’s research — which did not carry with it any change to New Jersey’s ‘A-’ credit rating — should not come as a surprise because the state routinely scores poorly in state-by-state rankings, thanks to years of underfunding by governors and lawmakers from both political parties. The report also used data from the 2017 fiscal year, meaning this latest analysis doesn’t take into account actions taken this year, including a funding boost enacted by Gov. Phil Murphy.” Read the report

—“10th child dies after viral outbreak at Wanaque care center” Read the report

—New Jersey officials call EPA’s proposed replacement for Clean Power Plan ‘unlawful’ Read more

—”Concurrent NJ Transit Rail Failures in Tunnel Have Mystery Cause” Read the report

—DOBI reiterates ban on short-term health plans following new federal regs Read the report

—“Casino employment declining faster in 2018 shoulder season” Read the report

—“New Jersey physical therapists fight dry-needling ban” Read the report

DEMS COULD GET BURNED FOR NOT TORCHING MENENDEZ — “Democrats in an all-hands-on-deck scramble to save Menendez in New Jersey,” by The New York Times Nick Corasaniti and Jonathan Martin: “Democrats are poised to win a number of governorships across the country and perhaps control of the House on Tuesday, thanks in large part to a suburban backlash to President Trump. But in a state rich with commuters and cul-de-sacs, party leaders are being forced to mount a last-minute, all-hands-on-deck effort to rescue Mr. Menendez’s candidacy and preserve their long-shot dreams of a Senate majority. In New Jersey, many of the suburbanites who are backing Democratic House candidates from Republican-leaning areas are still uneasy about embracing Mr. Menendez after his 2017 federal corruption trial, which ended in a mistrial. And these voters have been reminded of that case most every day by a monthslong, $30 million ad campaign financed by Bob Hugin, a wealthy former pharmaceutical executive who is Mr. Menendez’s Republican opponent … In Washington, Democrats grew increasingly alarmed when in mid-October their own internal polling indicated that Mr. Menendez’s lead had fallen to only two points. Continuing to watch their scandal-tarred incumbent be outspent by seven to one was not a risk national Democrats were willing to take, especially given the prospect that they could take back the Senate in 2020 if they do not lose significant ground this year. So, perhaps grudgingly, the party’s Senate super PAC began spending in a state where there are 900,000 more registered Democrats than Republicans.” Read the report

PUTTING IMMIGRATION ON ICE — “GOP Spoiling for Immigration Fight, But Dems in N.J. Hold Their Punches,” by WNYC’s Matt Katz: ”Forced separation of immigrant families. The door slammed on tens of thousands of refugees. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents looking for immigrants at courthouses, and soldiers looking for immigrants at the border. President Trump’s immigration policies are so divisive they seem ripe for political exploitation by Democrats running tight races in swing districts. But in New Jersey, most of the time you hear congressional candidates mention immigration, they’re Republicans. In the 11th district, Democrat Mikie Sherrill doesn’t list ‘immigration’ as one of the 12 issues on her website. She hasn’t tweeted about immigration since June. She blew off a chance to debate her opponent on immigration, and her spokesperson didn’t respond to an email seeking her immigration platform. The reason may be the Democratic party perspective on how Sherrill can win a seat long held by a Republican in a mostly white, suburban district that narrowly voted for Trump. While child separation may be upsetting to Democrats, it is not a motivating factor for these voters. On the other side, however, the approaching caravan of immigrant adults and children from Latin America does motivate Republicans to the polls.” Read the report

—The Menendez camp keeps pushing the idea that Bob Hugin left his job at J.P. Morgan in 1999 under shady circumstances. There is, of course, no evidence to support that (Imagine that: A campaign using unsubstantiated accusations to accuse its opponent of something sinister). This remind s me a bit of Harry Reid in 2012 baselessly claiming that Mitt Romney paid no taxes. Yesterday, Rep. Bill Pascrell (D-9th Dist.) wrote a letter to JP Morgan Chase’s head of human resources asking her to release the U5 form that would presumably explain the reason for Hugin’s departure. That probably won’t happen. “Due to Mr. Hugin’s pursuit of high federal office, the facts surrounding Mr. Hugin’s leadership role at a large financial institution are a matter of pressing public concern and public interest,” Pascrell wrote. “As such, I respectfully request that J.P. Morgan release all relevant correspondence, information and any and all forms filed with your organization, and with FINRA and the Securities and Exchange Commission, in regards to Mr. Hugin’s tenure and sudden departure from J.P. Morgan.” Hugin himself could simply ask the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority to release it, and put this to bed. If he did and it showed nothing of what the Menendez campaign is alleging, it wouldn’t be a good look for Menendez. So if it really is simple for Hugin to get FINRA to release it, why not just do it? My colleague asked the Hugin campaign yesterday. We’ll see.

DONALD WHO? — MacArthur, Kim debate Trump policies, but steer clear of Trump, by POLITICO’s Matt Friedman: President Donald Trump’s policies, but not his name, dominated Tuesday night’s debate in New Jersey’s hotly contested 3rd Congressional District. The president’s name was barely uttered, despite the fact Republican Rep. Tom MacArthur is Trump’s biggest ally in the New Jersey delegation, and Democrat Andy Kim’s candidacy has been boosted by the wave of anti-Trump anger that’s swept the state’s suburbs. “I work with the president when I can, and when I disagree with him, say so,” MacArthur, echoing a line both he and other New Jersey GOP candidates have repeatedly used, said during the debate, which was televised by NJTV. MacArthur’s association with Trump has been front and center for the last two years. He authored the amendment that nearly saved the president’s attempt to repeal Obamacare and was the only member of the New Jersey delegation to vote for the Trump tax law. Trump, for his part, has headlined a fundraiser for MacArthur that raised almost $1 million. But despite MacArthur’s deep pockets and ties to Trump, Kim has consistently outraised him in campaign cash. Read the report

—Snowflack: “Post game: The CD-3 debate between MacArthur and Kim” Read the column

—“Some GOP Lawmakers Reckon With Their Tax Vote Record,” by The Wall Street Journal’s Joseph De Avila and Richard Rubin: “The deduction cap reverberates in suburban districts across the state and country that are crucial to Democrats’ chances of retaking the House. Democrats criticize Republicans who backed the law, including Minnesota’s Erik Paulsen, Illinois’s Peter Roskam and California’s Mimi Walters. Ryan Ellis, a GOP tax activist, said Democrats set voters’ impressions early, leaving Republicans defensive. “They let the Democrats get away all year with telling people who just got their taxes cut that they got a tax increase,” he said. “The only choice you have at this point is to run on something else.” The law is unpopular in Mr. MacArthur’s district, registering 40% approval and 51% disapproval among likely voters, according to a Monmouth University Poll. New Jerseyans get an average 1.7% boost in after-tax income because of the law, according to the Tax Policy Center, a nonpartisan group run by a former Obama administration official. But the state has the highest percentage of households—10.2%—with a tax increase. Without the cap, that would be 6.7%.” Read the report

SUSPICIOUS: THE NAME ‘CESAR SAYOC’ HAS SEVERAL LETTERS IN COMMON WITH ‘PETE WILLIAMS’ — “Pipe-bomb suspect may have planned to target Bob Menendez in N.J., senator says,” by NJ Advance Media’s Matt Arco: “The man accused of sending pipe bombs to prominent Democrats may have planned to send an improvised explosive device to U.S. Sen. Robert Menendez, according to the Democratic senator. Menendez, who is in a close re-election contest against GOP challenger Bob Hugin, said Monday the suspect, 56-year-old Cesar Sayoc, searched the Internet for information on him. ‘The U.S. Capitol Police called our office and said that the bomber had done Google searches of me and my office, so they called us to keep us aware of any possibilities,’ Menendez said at a public event. The U.S. Capitol Police declined to comment on the matter, citing an ongoing investigation.” Read the report

—“Andy Kim is A South Jersey boy. The GOP calls him ‘Not one of us’” Read the report

—“NJ colleges compete to register voters, students push for more engagement among peers” Read the report

—Moran: “Hugin’s TV ads set a new standard for sleaze” Read the column

—“Jones makes the case for the next generation: NJ voters will turn out against Trump” Read the report

—“Steinhardt argues that Menendez-backing Democrats are trying to have it both ways” Read the report

—“Hoboken election rally For Sen. Menendez will include Cory Booker” Read the report

—“’I know they all look alike’: Hillary Clinton is catching heat for a joke she made about Cory Booker and Eric Holder” Read the report

—“NJ joins states in demanding DeVos discharge eligible student loans” Read the report

—Dunec: “I’m a Democrat who ran for this N.J. Congressional seat. I’m supporting the Republican” Read the report

—“Congressional candidate says Jews need to arm themselves, are ‘stupid’ to attack Trump” Read the report

PUPIE IN DEEP DOOKIE — “Hoboken developer ‘Pupie’ Raia indicted in alleged cash-for-votes scheme,” by The Jersey Journal’s Terrence T. McDonald: “Frank ‘Pupie’ Raia, a real-estate developer and major figure in Hoboken politics for decades, was indicted by a federal grand jury Wednesday and accused of overseeing a cash-for-votes operation during the city’s 2013 municipal race. Prosecutors allege Raia, 67, directed an associate, Dio Braxton and others to promise voters that they would be paid $50 if they cast mail-in ballots in Hoboken’s 2013 race. Braxton, 43, was also indicted today. Raia was on the ballot that year as an at-large council candidate and he was also supporting an initiative to pass a ballot question intended to weaken the city’s rent-control laws. Raia lost and the referendum failed. The indictment says Braxton and others directed voters to vote for Raia’s slate and for the referendum and altered ballots to ensure Raia’s slate and the referendum received votes. … The two men are charged with conspiracy to violate the federal Travel Act for causing the mails to be used in aid of voter bribery. The indictment was delivered two weeks after another Raia worker, Lizaida Camis, was charged in a two-count indictment accusing her of participating in the alleged scheme.” Read the report

“Developer Fred Daibes indicted on federal conspiracy charges,” by The Record’s Kristie Cattafi: “Fred Daibes, a prominent Bergen County developer, has been charged by a federal grand jury with conspiracy to circumvent lending limits set by a bank that Daibes himself founded. The federal indictment, which was released Tuesday afternoon, describes a scheme in which Daibes and Michael McManus, the chief financial officer of Daibes Enterprises, allegedly used others not named in the indictment to secure millions of dollars in loans — which were used for Daibes’ benefit — without the knowledge of Mariner’s Bank or the FDIC. There were five so-called ‘nominees,’ either friends or relatives of Daibes, who obtained loans from Mariner’s Bank using collateral provided by Daibes, or who obtained loans with the idea that Daibes would provide money for the loan payments, according to the indictment. The scheme, which allegedly ran from 2008 to 2013, was used to get around the lending limits set by Mariner’s Bank.” Read the report

HOWELL AT THE MOONSHINE — “Is Howell hiding candidate’s DWI arrest record from you?” by The Asbury Park Press’ Kala Kachmar: “Democrats accused township officials of withholding police records about a Republican candidate’s 2016 drunken driving arrest. The Howell Democratic Party, which has high hopes of flipping the Republican-controlled Township Council, sought a series of police records related to GOP candidate Pamela J. Richmond. But party officials say the town has created barriers to prevent access, or delayed access, to the information. ‘We’re frustrated because they’re slow-walking it,’ said John McCabe, the municipal chair of the Howell Democratic Party. ‘I can draw no other conclusion than to think this is political.’” Read the report

—“[Newark] skipped payments in shelter dispute, now animals’ futures are threatened” Read the report

—“Lawsuit filed on behalf of Perth Amboy student burned in science experiment” Read the report

—“2020 census already on the mind of Jersey City’s mayor” Read the report

—“Former Trenton councilman Alex Bethea runs for State Assembly, sees path to victory” Read the report

—“Lacey election: Quinn’s departure, Oyster Creek closure shake up race” Read the report

—“Cars vandalized with swastikas, racial slurs in Ocean Grove” Read the report

HIGHLY-PAID POLICE NEEDED FOR MENIAL JOB NJ PLAYBOOK AUTHOR DID AS SUMMER JOB AT AGE 19 — “Why police sometimes direct traffic during road construction in Pa. and N.J.” by The Philadelphia Inquirer’s Barbara Boyer: “Despite flashing red-and-blue warning lights, carefully placed orange cones, and when needed, strategically stationed workers to direct traffic around road construction zones, drivers too often crash through these work areas, sometimes injuring or killing workers. That’s why, officials say, they hire police who can cite drivers who fail to observe detours, speed reductions, and other safety restrictions imposed to protect construction workers. Despite that precaution, scores of workers are killed at road projects each year. Across the country, 609 lost their lives at construction sites between 2011 to 2015, according to the federal Bureau of Labor statistics. Those sobering numbers underscore the dangers of such work and why uniformed officers are hired instead of civilians wearing neon as they wave flags and direct traffic.” Read the report

—“Rutgers football player Izaia Bullock allegedly confided murder plot to getaway driver” Read the report