Van Drew goes Republican – Politico
Good Monday morning!
Well, that’s it for Jeff Van Drew being a Democrat. South Jersey Democrats, who gave him nearly two decades of passes for his votes in the state legislature, couldn’t do that for him in Congress. His support completely collapsed with party leadership — in part, it seems, because they blamed local electoral losses in state Senate and Assembly races on his impeachment stance — while internal polling showed it collapsing among Democratic voters.
Now Van Drew is about to become a Republican with President Trump’s blessing.
The conversion sends the exact message Trump wants to send about Democrats’ impeachment motives being purely partisan. The question is, assuming Van Drew runs for reelection as a newly-minted Republican, how much will President Trump will do to help him?
South Jersey Republicans aren’t eagerly anticipating welcoming Van Drew into the party. There are already three people running for his seat, though they have varying degrees of ties to the district. Years of political fights, with Van Drew beating Republicans and helping bring other Democrats into office, haven’t warmed Republicans there to him. But a Trump effort to push him through would be pretty huge. (And top members of his DC staff are already fleeing.) So far, Republicans running have indicated they’re not going anywhere.
TIPS: mfriedman@politico.com
QUOTE OF THE DAY: “It’s f***ing bull***t. I don’t care, print it.” — Atlantic County Democratic Chairman Michael Suleiman on Van Drew’s party conversion
TWEET OF THE DAY — @realDonaldTrump: “Thank you for your honesty Jeff. All of the Democrats know you are right, but unlike you, they don’t have the “guts” to say so!”
HAPPY BIRTHDAY — Assemblyman Gordon Johnson, Former Mahwah Councilman Rob Hermansen
DAYS MURPHY HAS SPENT OUT OF STATE SINCE BECOMING DGA CHAIR: 2
WHERE’S MURPHY? — Saddle Brook with an 11 a.m. press conference with Rep. Bill Pascrell on House legislation to repeal the SALT cap
FEDERAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION VS. FULOP BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION — “Jersey City mayor points to video evidence suggesting shooter targeted schoolchildren,” by The Record’s Terrence T. McDonald: “Jersey City Mayor Steve Fulop said Friday that he believes the shooters in Tuesday’s attack were ‘clearly’ targeting the children at a yeshiva school attached to the kosher supermarket where three victims and the two shooters died, citing footage of the shooting. Fulop said it was “easy to conclude” the shooters’ intentions were not just to shoot at those in the deli but to continue to the adjacent school — which contained 50 students, according to Fulop — because of footage and the number of weapons the shooters possessed.’ … The FBI Newark Office, which is leading the investigation into Tuesday’s attack, said Fulop was free to speculate but that the bureau’s protocol is to wait until it has sufficient evidence to determine a motive. ‘Every member of the public is free to speculate when a tragedy like this occurs. The FBI seeks out facts and methodically reviews evidence before drawing any conclusions,’ said FBI Special Agent in Charge Gregory W. Ehrie.”
— “Jersey City shooting: Gurbir Grewal is calm and measured, Steve Fulop fans flames,” by The Record’s Charles Stile: “Grewal, the target of a religious and ethnic smear, is the public face of the probe of an crime fueled by anti-Semitism — the malicious religious and ethnic hatred that has haunted humanity for centuries. This time, no one is talking about Grewal’s headwear, or snickering about him being a politically-correct appointee of Gov. Phil Murphy. Since Tuesday’s attack’s riveted the nation, the former federal prosecutor has been a reassuring presence — methodical and clear but cautious … That’s not the credo of Mayor Steve Fulop, who did not appear at the first two Grewal-led law enforcement briefings, even though they were held in his hometown. Fulop freely shared his own conclusions to any camera or microphone — and clearly at the annoyance of Grewal and other law enforcement officials. Initially criticized for slowly reacting to Tuesday’s trauma, Fulop has been galloping to get ahead of the official story … The grandson of Holocaust survivors, Fulop said moral duty impelled him not to mince words about something so obvious. The delicacies of an investigation could wait. He tweeted that his mother applauded him for speaking out.”
NEW DEVELOPMENT — “Keyport man charged in connection to Jersey City shooting,” by The Asbury Park Press’ Erik Larsen: “Ahmed A-Hady, 35, is charged in a federal criminal complaint with one count of being a previously convicted felon in possession of a firearm. A-Hady was arrested by FBI agents early Saturday morning. He is expected to appear before U.S. Magistrate Judge Joseph A. Dickson in U.S. District Court in Newark on Monday morning, Carpenito said in a prepared statement … The weapon was found, along with a number of other weapons and ammunition, after the FBI searched a pawnshop and home in Keyport that Carpenito said is connected to one of the perpetrators of the Jersey City attacks … In the aftermath of the shooting and subsequent investigation, a handwritten note was recovered from Anderson’s right back pants’ pocket. The note contained a telephone number ending in 4115, as well as a Keyport address”
UNITED GUN LINES DATA SHOWS MORE GUNS MOVING TO NJ THAN ANY OTHER STATE — “Shooting shows New Jersey’s gun laws aren’t stopping imports,” by The AP’s Michael Catalini: “Two of the weapons used by David Anderson, 47, and Francine Graham, 50, were bought by Graham in Ohio last year, police said. It’s unknown where they got the three other guns. New Jersey is among the states with the toughest gun restrictions in the country, and in the last two years, Democratic Gov. Phil Murphy has signed more than a half-dozen new restrictions into law, including a lower bullet limit for gun magazines and a red flag law … Federal legislation is the missing factor, agreed Murphy’s top gun adviser. ‘If we’re being honest, New Jersey is not an oasis, and that’s why it’s extraordinarily frustrating,’ said Bill Castner. ‘We will continue to push and identify the most aggressive actions, but without a federal solution, it’s extraordinarily challenging.’”
—“Inside the Jersey City carnage. A day of hate, death and heroism”
—“Video capturing anti-Semitic comments spreads on social media after Jersey City shooting”
—“Cop killed by Jersey City shooters reportedly was meeting with an informant”
—“‘Bullets flying all over’: How anti-Semitic terror shook Jersey City”
—“Tragic shooting strikes deep in diverse Jersey City”
—“After a massacre in a Jewish market in Jersey City, a rabbi seeks a Muslim’s advice”
BULLYING — “Mom fears anti-bullying law named for 12-year-old who died by suicide may not pass Assembly,” by The Daily Record’s Gene Myers: “Dianne Grossman, whose daughter Mallory Grossman died by suicide at 12 after being bullied, said she fears the anti-bullying bill named in her daughter’s honor won’t pass the State Assembly before the year’s end … Part of that fight included lobbying state leaders to strengthen anti-bullying laws. Mallory’s Law, bill S-3433, seeks to empower parents and ramp up culpability. When it passed the State Senate unanimously in June, Grossman said she expected similar results in the Assembly before lawmakers close out the term … Not everyone agreed, however, that Mallory’s Law was a slam dunk … Grossman said she is worried that the New Jersey Principals and Supervisors Association (NJPSA) — headed by Patricia Wright — favors an anti-lobbying task force and is lobbying against Mallory’s Law.”
—“NJ Transit needs non-rider funding to fix problems, experts tell New Jersey Senate”
—Mulshine: “School funding: Don’t lift the property tax caps; let the voters decide whether to raise their own taxes”
NOT SO KEAN ON IMPEACHMENT — “Tom Kean, one of the last GOP moderates, says Trump should be censured but not impeached,” by The Record’s Mike Kelly: “Kean does not think Trump should be impeached. Yes, he agrees that Trump wrongly dangled the threat of withdrawing military aid from Ukraine in return for a ‘favor’ –— that Ukrainian authorities investigate his Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden and his son, Hunter. Such a demand, Kean said, was wrong. But it wasn’t impeachable. ‘I think the founders had more in mind’ for an impeachable offense, Kean said, adding that he would agree if the House of Representatives censured the president for his outreach to the Ukrainians. But Kean said the most compelling reason for not embarking on impeachment now is timing. The presidential election is just 11 months away. Why not wait for the voters to decide?”
DEVOSLUTION — How Booker’s education plan reverses his past support for private school vouchers, by POLITICO’s Nicole Gaudiano: Booker has been a leader in the school choice movement, promoting private school vouchers and charter schools. A Washington Post story in September highlighted how he served on pro-voucher boards in the past with Education Secretary Betsy DeVos but now thinks vouchers hurt educational equity. But his plan says he now rejects public funding for vouchers and tax credits benefiting private schools. It includes this sentence, without elaboration: “Oppose public funding for vouchers and tax credits that take money away from public schools and send money to private schools.” His campaign did not immediately respond when asked to explain his cosponsorship in February of S. 213 (116) , the “SOAR Reauthorization Act of 2019,” which would reauthorize funding for the District of Columbia Opportunity Scholarship Program, which is a private school voucher initiative.
Booker scales back campaign in New Hampshire, by POLITICO’s Nolan D. McCaskill and Trent Spiner: Cory Booker’s campaign held five events in New Hampshire this week. But one thing was notably was missing from all of them: Cory Booker himself. With his campaign struggling to gain traction in early state polls, Booker has gone all-in on Iowa and South Carolina — and all but vanished from New Hampshire. While his campaign denies it’s pulling out of the first-in-the-nation primary state, local Democrats have taken notice of his reduced presence. “It’s increasingly obvious that candidates that frequent N.H. venues, living rooms and larger, are those that pull ahead in support here,” Democratic former state Senate President Sylvia Larsen said in an email.
SURVIVOR IOWA — “Booker is quickly running out of options. Here’s the only way he will survive in Democratic race,” by NJ Advance Media’s Jonathan D. Salant: “Here’s the cheery path to victory his campaign manager Addisu Demissie lays out: Booker has a long line of endorsements in Iowa from local politicians and an even longer list of activists knocking on doors and burning up the phones to get people to the caucuses. He’s also got a strong ground game in New Hampshire. And Booker, who has raised $3 million since last month’s debate, has money for TV advertising. If voters jumping from candidate give him a decent showing in Iowa, Booker would be viewed as the the surprise of the night and a trending candidate. A similar scenario in New Hampshire would bring momentum — and more money. Then comes South Carolina and Nevada, states with high percentages of minority voters. Stay in that long, and who knows? And this comeback could begin this week, the campaign claims.”
—Nadler unfazed by Van Drew’s defection
—“Harrison ready to enter 2nd district House race”
—“Bennett may seek Van Drew seat”
MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC WHO DO NOT ATTEND FREEHOLDER MEEITNGS OR KNOW WHAT FREEHOLDERS ARE WILL BE OUTRAGED — “Passaic County freeholders give themselves a $7,000 pay raise,” by The Press of Atlantic City’s Richard Cowen: “With the election now safely behind them, the Passaic County freeholders this week awarded themselves a $7,000 pay raise, a 25% hike that boosts their annual salary to $35,500. The freeholders voted 7-0 on Tuesday night to raise their pay, following a public hearing in which no one rose to speak. The pay hike, which is the freeholders’ first since 2004, takes effect Dec. 31. ‘It’s long overdue,’ said Freeholder Assad Akhter … Passaic County now ranks third behind Hudson ($46,151) and Essex ($39,723) in freeholder pay. Among the other counties in North Jersey, Bergen pays its freeholders $28,000 a year and Morris $24,375.”
THE MORE THINGS CHANGE, THE MORE ITS MAYORS KEEP GETTING ARRESTED FOR CORRUPTION — “How Passaic is reinventing itself,” by The Record’s Matt Fagan: “Passaic is seeing a renaissance. City officials say the former industrial hub is springing to life after years of blight. In recent years, more than a quarter-billion dollars of construction has been undertaken in all four of the city’s wards. Vacant factories east of Route 21 have been snapped up for redevelopment. The once-proud Botany Worsted Mills, all 1.6 million square feet, found an angel to bring it back from the brink. Along Main Avenue, the city persuaded landlords to add apartments above storefronts. New and refurbished apartment buildings are cropping up all over. What’s old is becoming newer, perhaps matching a demographic that is young and energetic. Its administration, its fans say, reflects this energy by doggedly trying to both burnish the city’s image and simultaneously boost its tax base.”
AC — “Hard Rock exec ‘disappointed’ in Atlantic City, says city is ‘worse today’,” by The Press of Atlantic City’s David Danzis: “Hard Rock’s chief executive is not pleased with the condition of Atlantic City and believes the seaside resort could be doing more to improve, particularly given the company’s $500 million-plus investment to reopen a shuttered Boardwalk casino. ‘Candidly, we’re disappointed with Atlantic City,’ Jim Allen, chairman of Hard Rock International and CEO of Seminole Gaming, told Global Gaming Business magazine during an interview in October that was posted earlier this month. ‘There’s no other way to say it…It’s a shame that they did not rise to the occasion of a company coming in, putting $500 million into that city.’ … Mayor Marty Small …. said he and other city leaders are grateful to Hard Rock for creating nearly 3,000 new jobs and ‘bringing life back to that end of the Boardwalk.’ But, given the timing of Allen’s remarks, just days after Atlantic City Mayor Frank Gilliam Jr. resigned in disgrace, Small said he hoped the international hospitality company would allow him time to implement his vision for Atlantic City. Small said Allen’s comments ‘are not personal, but I take it as a challenge.’”
IT’S NOT SOCIALISM WHEN IT’S THEIR CONSTITUENTS — “Ocean County freeholder: NJ cut over $700K in state aid for our senior citizens,” by The Asbury Park Press’ Erik Larsen: “The state of New Jersey has slashed funding for two programs that have helped Ocean County senior citizens maintain their independence, said Freeholder Joseph H. Vicari. Jersey Assistance for Community Caregiving and Visiting HomeCare Service of Ocean County will no longer be able to assist as many clients as they have in the past. The state aid cuts equal a total of $709,538 for both programs, Vicari said … Vicari noted that last year, Ocean County was awarded more than $1 million for JACC. However, for the state’s fiscal year that started in July, that total appropriation was decreased to $818,432. As a result of the cuts, there is now a growing list of applicants seeking access to the limited funds, he said. Additionally, Visiting HomeCare Service of Ocean County stands to lose $460,000 in state funding effective June 30, Vicari said.”
SHOOTING BLANKS — “N.J. town declares itself a sanctuary for 2nd Amendment. ‘We’re gun-friendly’” by NJ Advance Media’s Rob Jennings: “West Milford is now a self-proclaimed “sanctuary township” for law-abiding gun owners, though the provocative designation is purely symbolic. The township council approved last week a non-binding resolution that ‘opposes further interference with, or abridging of, the rights of lawful gun owners.’ West Milford Council President Pete McGuinness said the local resolution, introduced by another council member and approved in a 5-0 vote on Dec. 4, was modeled after a resolution adopted in Illinois. It appears to be the first of its kind in New Jersey.”
—“The sexy Clifton mannequins are back, this time with a Christmas flair”
—“Overgrown open space could become $19M [Mercer County] park”
BLOOD MONEY MERIDIAN — “Hackensack Meridian: We paid ransom to hackers to stop hospital cyber-attack,” by The Asbury Park Press’ Michael L. Diamond: “Hackensack Meridian Health paid an undisclosed amount in ransom to stop a cyber-attack that has disrupted the hospital owner’s computer network since it began last week, the company said Friday. The Edison-based company said it had insurance to help cover the costs associated with cyber-attacks, including payment, remediation and recovery efforts. ‘We believe it’s our obligation to protect our communities’ access to health care,’ it said in a statement. The health care system has $6 billion in annual revenue, more than 35,000 employees and 17 hospitals, including Jersey Shore University Medical Center in Neptune, Hackensack University Medical Center and JFK Medical Center in Edison.”
—“Horizon customers get $40.5M back after health costs were lower than expected”
—“Hunger on New Jersey campuses is more common than you may think”
R.I.P. — “Veteran actor Danny Aiello dies in N.J. medical center”
