| | | | |  | | By Matt Friedman | Good Monday morning! If you missed it Friday, you should watch David Cruz's interview with former state Sen. Ray Lesniak on Reporters Roundtable Friday . I'd call it a train wreck, but that would be unfair to crashed trains. A lot of politicians retreat when people close to them get in trouble. Not Lesniak. He tried to defend himself against the reporting — much of it mine — about how a dark-money network of non-nonprofits and super PACs spread influence around the state. Political consultant Sean Caddle's name was on those groups' paperwork. At the time, he was one of Lesniak's main political operatives. I rebutted many of Lesniak's points on the same show, so I won't go into detail here about how Lesniak is using an awful post about him written by an anonymous person on Patch to try to discredit the whole press. But I'll point out an incongruent thing Lesniak said that I didn't mention. He noted that Caddle admitted to using drugs. And Caddle's murder victim, Michale Galdieri, was also known to have a drug problem. That, according to Lesniak, is where the press should be looking. It's drugs! I'm not saying the drug underworld didn't play a role in Caddle's hiring of two men to kill Michael Galdieri. I don't know. But there's been no evidence of that made public so far. I do know that there were state and federal corruption investigations into the super PACs and nonprofits. In the same interview, Lesniak touted the Raymond J. Lesniak ESH Recovery High School. Why isn't the press writing about that? he asked. (The press actually did. A lot ). But if you're concerned with helping addicts, perhaps tying someone's addiction to a murder when you don't have any evidence of it isn't the way to go. DAYS SINCE MURPHY REFUSED TO SAY WHETHER HIS WIFE'S NONPROFIT SHOULD DISCLOSE DONORS: 34. WHERE'S MURPHY? No public schedule. QUOTE OF THE DAY: "Your friends say that you should stop talking." — NJPBS' David Cruz to Lesniak. TIPS? FEEDBACK? HATE MAIL? Email me at mfriedman@politico.com.
|  | WHAT TRENTON MADE | | PUTTING THE GREENS IN WALGREENS — "Medical marijuana could be sold at independent pharmacies in N.J. if Murphy administration approves," by NJ Advance Media's Susan K. Livio: "Now independent pharmacies in New Jersey want a chance to serve those folks and have asked the state Cannabis Regulatory Commission for permission to join the program, NJ Advance Media has learned. The Jake Honig Compassionate Use Medical Cannabis Act that Gov. Phil Murphy signed in 2019 opened the door to pharmacies selling cannabis products for people registered with the state program. The Garden State Pharmacy Owners and the New Jersey Pharmacists Association met with the commission several months ago to make the pitch, said Laurie Clark, a lobbyist who represents both organizations. If the commission said yes, sales would likely start as a trial or pilot program basis in a small number of locations, Clark said. The independent pharmacy would buy the smokable flower, lozenges, oils and other products from existing alternative treatment centers, better known as dispensaries, which would act as wholesalers, she said. 'We could help the medical program. We want to be there to fill that need,' Clark said. The commission's Executive Director Jeff Brown on Friday said the idea is under active consideration." HE'S IN THE DIVISION OF CASH-STUFFED PAPER BAGS — " Jailbird Raphiel Mack lands state job with Department of Community Affairs," by The Trentonian's Isaac Avliucea: "Convicted briber Raphiel Mack, the brother of Trenton's notorious ex-Mayor Tony Mack, landed a new gig with the Department of Community Affairs as a constituent services representative. He works in the commissioner's office, responding to referrals and complaints, The Trentonian has learned. He officially started with the department this week, replacing outgoing Reginald Bledsoe, whose last day is April 1. A DCA spokeswoman declined to comment on the ex-federal jailbird's hiring. Brother Mack is best known in Trenton for a 30-month prison bid that he did after getting rung up by the feds in a parking-lot bribery scheme with infamous brother Tony." PEOPLE WHO ALREADY HAVE A STATE JOB WILL DEFINITELY WANT TO TAKE A NEW JOB TALKING TO UPSET PEOPLE OVER THE PHONE — "Jobs to process unemployment not advertised to general public," by The Press of Atlantic City's Michelle Brunetti Post: "The state Department of Labor and Workforce Development is constantly recruiting for workers to help process unemployment claims, Commissioner Robert Asaro-Angelo told a Senate Labor Committee last week. He said a labor shortage is responsible for keeping all the jobs from being filled. But the department is not advertising the job of unemployment insurance clerk to the public. They are listed under 'promotional' jobs only available to those already employed by the state. Currently the department is advertising two full-time positions to the general public. One is for an auditor and one is for 26 employment services trainees to educate workers and employers about benefits. There is one position advertised to help with claims, but it is a part-time position called an intermittent clerk." I'M GONNA GUESS MORAN GOT AN EARFUL FROM CIATTARELLI OVER THIS HYPOTHETICAL ANECDOTE — "When bribing a politician is legal in New Jersey," by The Star-Ledger's Tom Moran : "Under New Jersey law, it is perfectly legal to pay a cash bribe to Jack Ciattarelli, the Republican candidate for governor, in return for his promise to give you a job if he wins election. That's insane, of course. But he's not governor yet, and believe it or not, our feeble bribery laws do not apply to candidates for public office. Ciattarelli doesn't seem the sort to take a bribe, but if you want to take a shot, you'd better act fast. Because the Democrats who control Trenton are finally dropping their long-held resistance to plugging this most glaring of loopholes. 'I've put in this bill during every session since 2012,' says Assemblyman Gregory McGuckin, a Republican from Ocean County. 'I don't care what anybody says, you don't take bags of money in return for the promise of official action. It troubles me that we haven't done anything about it for all these years. But I'm a positive-thinking person. After 10 years in the Assembly, I'm still a positive-thinking person.'" — New Jersey State Police say they are prepared to regulate waterfront activity —"Absent a leader, staff of prison ombudsperson jump-start reforms" —" In praise of CJ Griffin, who fights to shine a spotlight on N.J. government" —"In rejecting 'inmate,' N.J. looks to dump a dehumanizing label from state statutes" —"NJ working on more election changes — but not the biggest one"
| | | | JOIN THURSDAY FOR A CONVERSATION ON CRYPTOCURRENCY AND REGULATION: Cryptocurrency has gone mainstream. With the market now valued at $1.8 trillion, Washington's oversight of the fast-growing industry remains in its infancy. How should Congress and federal agencies shape future regulation of digital asset markets? Join POLITICO in person or virtually for a deep-dive discussion on what's next for crypto, regulation and the future of finance. Programming will run from 5 p.m. to 6 p.m. EDT with a reception from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m. EDT. REGISTER HERE. | | | | | | | BIDEN TIME | | THEY'RE CALLED 'RED STATES' BECAUSE THEY'RE IN OUR DEBT — "N.J. dead last in getting help from the feds. Again. Here's how all the states made out," by NJ Advance Media's Jonathan D. Salant: "Every state received more money from Washington in 2020 than they paid in taxes due to trillions of dollars in coronavirus stimulus funds — but New Jersey once again trailed the pack, according to two new studies. The Garden State received $1.36 for every $1 paid in federal taxes, dead last among the 50 states, according to a report by New York state Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli. The state received $1.37 for every $1 in federal taxes in 2020, according to the State University of New York's Rockefeller Institute of Government. That study ranked New Jersey 49th, ahead of only Connecticut." TO CONSIDER RUNNING FOR PRESIDENT, SHOULDN'T VOTERS BE CONSIDERING YOU? — "Christie, Blackburn visit New Hampshire as 'invisible primary' begins," by WMUR's Adam Sexton: "Christie's first Politics & Eggs speech was in June 2015. He'll return Monday to speak before the New England Council at the New Hampshire Institute of Politics. Christie ran for president in 2016, and he might again in 2024. 'Well, look, I'm absolutely considering the possibility,' he said." SCOTUS — Clarence Thomas hospitalized with 'flu-like symptoms', by POLITICO's David Cohen: Justice Clarence Thomas has been hospitalized since Friday "after experiencing flu-like symptoms," according to a statement from the Supreme Court on Sunday evening. Thomas was being treated with "intravenous antibiotics" at Sibley Memorial Hospital in Washington for "an infection," the statement said. "His symptoms are abating, he is resting comfortably, and he expects to be released from the hospital in a day or two," it said. A court spokesperson later said the infection was not Covid-related. Thomas, 73, is the longest-serving justice on the current court, having joined in October 1991. Only 14 of the nation's 115 justices served longer than he has so far.
| | LOCAL | | OCEAN GATE-GATE — "Ocean Gate Mayor Paul Kennedy accused of pocketing money from auctioned borough property," by The Asbury Park Press' Ken Serrano and Erik Larsen: "Borough Mayor Paul Kennedy has been charged with theft and official misconduct for allegedly pocketing the proceeds of an auction of government assets, authorities said. Kennedy, 66, also is accused of failing to deposit money from parking meters in the borough bank account and selling borough office furniture through a private Facebook Marketplace account, attempting to keep the revenue, Ocean County Prosecutor Bradley Billhimer said in a statement. Kennedy sold the unspecified borough property on the government auction website GovDeals.com and took the proceeds for his own benefit, Billhimer said. Assistant Ocean County Administrator Michael J. Fiure confirmed that Kennedy is also employed as a carpenter in the county government's Building and Grounds Department. Effective at 2 p.m. Friday, Kennedy was suspended without pay, Fiure said … Kennedy was hired by the county on May 7, 2001, and his current annual salary is $52,322, Fiure said. Seven years ago, Kennedy had complained to an Asbury Park Press reporter that he thought he was underpaid given his status as a Republican elected official in the county. GOOWING IMPATIENT — " Paterson voting fraud case likely to linger through upcoming mayor's election," by The Paterson Press' Joe Malinconico: " Councilman Alex Mendez will be running for mayor on May 10 with the state's voting fraud indictment against him still unresolved, under a trial schedule set by a Superior Court judge on Thursday morning. Judge Sohail Mohammed, who is handling Mendez's case, set a series of deadlines from June 1 through Aug. 24 for lawyers from both sides to file legal papers and make oral arguments — all of which would be preliminary steps before an actual trial. Councilman Michael Jackson, another candidate for mayor who is under indictment in the state's voting fraud case, likely will face the same situation as Mendez. Jackson has his court scheduling session next week. The state Attorney General's Office initially charged Mendez and Jackson with election fraud crimes in June 2020, and a state grand jury indicted them in February 2021. But neither case has been scheduled for trial, and multiple court sessions for both defendants have been canceled without official explanation during the past year. 'I don't understand why this case keeps getting delayed,' said former Councilman Aslon Goow, one of five candidates running for mayor. 'Everybody is going to be impacted by this.'" — " Andre Sayegh addresses long-awaited police audit — while Paterson police chief is absent," by The Paterson Press' Joe Malinconico : "As Mayor Andre Sayegh on Friday morning made his first public comments about Paterson's recently-completed police department performance audit, the man he picked to be chief, Ibrahim Baycora, was absent. Sayegh said he invited Baycora to attend the City Hall press conference, but couldn't provide an explanation for why the chief didn't come. Baycora, who took a month-long vacation last summer at the height of Paterson's spike in street violence, did not respond to multiple messages seeking his comment … 'The absence of the police chief speaks volumes,' said Zellie Thomas, leader of the Paterson Black Lives Matter group. 'It shows that the police department is running itself without any leadership.' … The $167,000, 87-page police audit has come under criticism from City Council members and community activists who said it doesn't recommend any changes that will significantly build trust between Paterson's police officers and its people." —"Sayegh supporters' attempt to bump Alex Mendez from Paterson mayor's race flops " —"Paterson mayor's race: Alex Mendez's finances spur developer to donate to his rival" —"Police shot a man getting an iced tea. So many things are wrong with this." LIVING AT LARGE — " Should The Mercer County Board Of Commissioners switch to a district-based system?" by New Jersey Globe's Joey Fox: " Had Elvin Montero won the Mercer County Democratic Party's endorsement two nights ago for one of two seats on the Mercer County Board of Commissioners, he would have been the first Latino ever elected countywide. Had Yan Mei Wang won, she would have been the first Asian American elected countywide. But both Montero and Wang lost to white candidates, and the governing body of Mercer County — a county that is a combined 36% Hispanic or Asian — will lack a clear representative for either of those communities for at least another year. … So too will the board lack any Republicans, in all likelihood. … Last night's results, then, prompt an important question: since the current system seems to consistently favor white Democrats, how can Mercer County better guarantee the representation of the county's large nonwhite and Republican populations? … If, like Hudson County, Mercer County were to elect a nine-member commission by district, Hispanic and Asian communities could have a voice in a county government that has struggled to include them, and Republicans could finally regain a seat on a board they've been shut out of for decades." FUTURE ARTICLE: 'RESIDENTS OPPOSE JACKSON SYNAGOGUE PLAN WITH 35-SPACE PARKING LOT OVER STORMWATER RUNOFF CONCERNS' — "Jackson synagogue plan leads to parking worries from Whitesville Road neighbors," by The Asbury Park Press' Mike Davis: "The problem with plans for a synagogue on Whitesville Road isn't the construction of the actual synagogue, neighbors and township officials said. It's the parking. Public hearings began Wednesday on the plans for a synagogue at the site of the former Camp Canine Pet Resort on Whitesville Road. The zoning board did not vote on the project, but will hold another hearing at its June 1 meeting. Neighboring residents said parking was their chief concern. In its formal statement of operations filed with the township, 26 Whitesville Road LLC said the facility would serve a maximum of 35 congregants at any one time. But the plans for the synagogue only include 12 parking spaces, which project engineer Ian Borden said still meets the township's requirements." —"Montclair wants marijuana shops, but no one has applied. Here's why" —Pizarro: " Hobbs and Hamm: POP teams up with Hobbstown in Z'Kye Husain case" —"State caused Old Bridge election issue, so Middlesex thinks maybe they should pay " —"Four Allendale police officers sue to get chief's promotion overturned" —" Hillside cop from Toms River faces homicide charges in off-duty Parkway crash"
| | | | DON'T MISS POLITICO'S INAUGURAL HEALTH CARE SUMMIT ON 3/31: Join POLITICO for a discussion with health care providers, policymakers, federal regulators, patient representatives, and industry leaders to better understand the latest policy and industry solutions in place as we enter year three of the pandemic. Panelists will discuss the latest proposals to overcome long-standing health care challenges in the U.S., such as expanding access to care, affordability, and prescription drug prices. REGISTER HERE. | | | | | | | EVERYTHING ELSE | | LOST DURING THE TRUMP BOAT PARADES — "Beached, docked & dumped: New Jersey's abandoned boat problem is floating in plain sight with no easy fix," by NJ Advance Media's Steven Rodas : "In New Jersey's roughly 130 miles of coastline and hundreds of inland bays, creeks, coves and rivers there are an untold number of similarly abandoned boats. Sailboats beached in the sand. Yachts left to bob in the bay. Forgotten fishing vessels moored to decaying piers. Costly repairs. Expensive marina fees. Storm-related accidents. The reasons are countless. They sit, sometimes for decades, left to rot and rust in the water becoming not only eyesores but environmental hazards and navigational dangers — what one mayor described as 'a blight on our community, a drain on city resources and a detriment to marine wildlife.' Holding their owners accountable and hauling away the vessels isn't as easy as slapping a parking ticket on the windshield and calling a towboat. Despite legislation that was passed more than a decade ago imposing a $1,000 daily fine on anyone who abandons a boat and giving towns the power to claim the title and bill the owner for the removal, it can be difficult to enforce, Sheehan and other New Jersey environmental advocates told NJ Advance Media." —" Bridges, tunnels, ports made more money in 2021. But COVID losses will still hit $3B" —"PATH's $1B improvement plan, set to deliver longer trains, new cars, tap and go fare payment " —"'Strut up!': Saint Peter's fans give NCAA Tournament Cinderella a hero's welcome in Peacocks' return to N.J." | | | | Follow us on Twitter | | | | Subscribe to the POLITICO Playbook family Playbook | Playbook PM | California Playbook | Florida Playbook | Illinois Playbook | Massachusetts Playbook | New Jersey Playbook | New York Playbook | Ottawa Playbook | Brussels Playbook | London Playbook View all our political and policy newsletters | | Follow us | | | | |
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