After Buffalo, Murphy renews plea for more gun control measures

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May 16, 2022 View in browser   By Jonathan Custodio Presented by the NJ Board of Public Utilities Gov. Phil Murphy renewed his plea for a slate of new gun control measures today in the aftermath of Saturday's mass shooting in a predominantly Black neighborhood in Buffalo, reports POLITICO's Matt Friedman. Murphy, at an unrelated event in Hackensack, lashed out at pro-gun politicians and those who have promoted the kind of immigration conspiracy theories that the accused killer embraced. "Cue the expected and pitiful expressions of 'thoughts and prayers' from those held so powerfully in the grip of the gun lobby," said Murphy, who referred to the shooting as "an act of domestic terrorism." An 18-year-old white man shot 13 people at a supermarket, killing 10, police say. Eleven of the victims were Black. Despite undergoing a mental health evaluation for threatening to shoot up his high school, the suspect, who is from a town 40 miles southeast of Buffalo, bought his weapons legally. The suspect also allegedly posted a racist manifesto that cited the "Great Replacement" theory and blamed Jewish people for trying to shift the country's racial makeup through immigration. Mainstream Republican politicians and Fox News' anchor Tucker Carlson have promoted variations of that unfounded conspiracy theory. "And as it pertains to Buffalo, cue the hurried backpedaling from the right-wing talking heads and politicians who have so freely and openly peddled the garbage 'replacement conspiracy' — I can't bring myself to call it a theory — and who can't possibly believe that the words [they've] poisoned our airwaves and rotted our civil dialogue with could actually come home to roost," he said. Murphy's third "gun safety" legislative package includes mandating firearm safety training before being able to buy a gun, "microstamping" all guns sold in the state, and banning future sales of the powerful .50 caliber rifle. The bills have not advanced through the Democrat-controlled Legislature. While it has garnered Assembly Speaker Craig Coughlin's support, Senate President Nick Scutari has not said whether he'll advance it. HAPPY MONDAY AFTERNOON — Hi there, I'm Jonathan Custodio, your Playbook PM author. Reach out at jcustodio@politico.com. We're here with the latest from Trenton and elsewhere as New Jersey moves ahead in the budget process and the Legislature conducts hearings on the governor's spending plan.   A message from the NJ Board of Public Utilities: New Jersey is on its way toward its goal of 100% clean energy by 2050. And you can help. Find out how New Jersey's Clean Energy Program can help businesses save energy and money with commercial clean energy incentives. High-value incentives and rebates on energy efficient improvements and appliances are also available from your utility company. You'll be saving more than money—you'll be helping to make the Garden State the Greenest State. Visit njcleanenergy.com.   WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW TODAY TAX RELIEF — Coughlin is insisting on major tax relief in the upcoming budget, reports New Jersey Globe's David Wildstein. "We have additional money this year, and New Jersey needs tax relief now," Coughlin said, citing a report from the Office of Legislative Services estimating the state's revenues will tally in at $6.9 billion more than what was expected in Murphy's budget proposal earlier this year. "In this year's budget, I will insist on the largest tax relief program in state history." Wildstein notes that Coughlin's comments could make way for a speedier implementation of the ANCHOR Tax Relief program that includes income-dependent tax rebates that could average $700 for homeowners and $250 for renters. COVID NUMBERS — The U.S. recently eclipsed 1 million deaths from Covid-19 and New Jersey just surpassed 2 million cases of the coronavirus strains. The state reported 2,904 confirmed positive tests and two deaths from the virus today, along with a seven-day case average up 39 percent from a week ago and 133 percent from a month ago. ON THE BEATS FUELING THE FIRE — Murphy announced a grant program that would provide first responders with proper protective, cleaning, and sanitization equipment at an event in Hackensack today. The program will be financed by $10 million from the American Rescue Plan's State Fiscal Recovery Program, with $75,000 in grants to be administered by the Department of Community Affairs. The program will prioritize volunteer fire departments and those disproportionately impacted by the pandemic. "The American Rescue Plan Firefighter Grant Program will help New Jersey fulfill its responsibility to these heroes, whose courage and selflessness in the face of danger demand no less. By launching this program, we demonstrate our commitment to safety and peace of mind for those who are entrusted with our protection," Murphy said in a press release.    A message from the NJ Board of Public Utilities:   Around New Jersey "A wide conservative field in GOP fight to oust Malinowski from Congress," by New Jersey Monitor's Nikita Biryukov: "Two years after Democratic Rep. Tom Malinowski's congressional career nearly ended following a one-point victory over then-state Sen. Tom Kean in what was one of the nation's tightest 2020 contests, the 7th Congressional District is brimming with Republican House hopefuls. Seven would-be GOP congressmen have launched bids in what is expected to be the state's most hotly watched congressional race. At their forefront is Kean, who gave up state office to focus on his repeat challenge against the two-term Democrat. Kean, whose campaign declined repeated requests for an interview, has again emerged as the primary frontrunner after securing official party support in every county in the district save Sussex, where the county Republican organization does not make primary endorsements." "Temporary Supreme Court Justice who was deciding vote on cop killer release got to the bench as part of an old-fashioned political deal," by New Jersey Globe's David Wildstein: "When the New Jersey Supreme Court ordered the release of a notorious cop killer last week, the deciding vote was cast by Julio L. Fuentes, a onetime Hudson County political insider with ambitions for high public office, who is on temporary assignment on the state's top court. This is the second time in six months that Fuentes, who has never been appointed to a post higher than Superior Court Judge, cast the pivotal vote to allow a high-profile alleged killer to go free. In December, Fuentes was called up to the Supreme Court to break a 3-3 deadlock on a vote to overturn the conviction of Michelle Lodzinski for the murder of her six-year-old son, Timothy Wiltsey." "New pension chief faces familiar problems," by NJ Spotlight News' John Reitmeyer: "Gov. Phil Murphy's administration has turned to an in-house candidate to fill a key vacancy for New Jersey's nearly $95 billion public-worker pension fund. Nearly a year after being named acting director of the state's Division of Investment, Shoaib Khan has been appointed to fill the post on a permanent basis, the Department of Treasury announced Friday. The promotion of Khan, who previously served as the division's deputy director, comes as public pension funds have been dealing with significant volatility. They had seen soaring returns once markets rebounded following an initial sell-off triggered by the COVID-19 pandemic." Odds and ends — Yes, we have more cute animal news to report, if you can bear it: Take a look at what Wyckoff residents spotted climbing up a utility pole on Sunday — New Jersey, birthplace of America's pastime, provides the mud used to rub up every baseball used in the major leagues.  — A Montclair teacher always kept an empty seat in his classroom. He's now writing a book about it.  — Hackensack has spent almost $600,000 in attorneys' fees in an effort to fire two police officers. And the case isn't over.  — School lunches aren't what they used to be.   A message from the NJ Board of Public Utilities: New Jersey is at the forefront of the clean energy revolution. Thanks to the enthusiastic participation of businesses, residents, local government, and many others across the state, New Jersey is well on its way toward reaching Governor Phil Murphy's ambitious goal of 100% clean energy by 2050. But there is still more to be done. Find out how New Jersey's Clean Energy Program can help you save energy and money. Visit njcleanenergy.com to learn about the available commercial and residential clean energy incentives, local government energy audits, and ways to save with high-value incentives and rebates from your local utility company on energy efficient improvements and appliances. You'll be doing a lot more than saving money on your energy bills—you'll be helping to make New Jersey the greenest state on the planet. Start saving right away—visit njcleanenergy.com today!     Subscribe to the POLITICO Playbook family Playbook  |  Playbook PM  |  California Playbook  |  California Playbook PM  |  Florida Playbook  |  Illinois Playbook  |  Massachusetts Playbook  |  New Jersey Playbook  |  New York Playbook  |  New York Playbook PM View all our political and policy newsletters Follow us

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