| | | | |  | | By Matt Friedman | Good Thursday morning! It's probably not a good idea to basically kick off your 2025 gubernatorial campaign by saying something false. But I've been unable to come to a different conclusion from Jersey City Mayor Steve Fulop's video announcement that I highlighted in this space yesterday. "After talking it over with Jaclyn at the start of this new year, I decided I won't be on the ballot again as mayor," Fulop says in the video, standing in front of City Hall. But behind Fulop, you can see leaves on a tree. And based on my research, expert knowledge of the seasons and some help from a Twitter user, I can conclude that tree is currently bare. So unless in a matter of a few days the tree lost all its leaves, I just don't see how it's possible that this video really was shot this week. It looks like it was actually shot in the autumn. I had fun researching this, as you can see from my Twitter thread here. So who cares? Granted, it's not like anyone doubts Fulop has long had designs on the governorship. And a politician is under no obligation to divulge his thought process about running. But the public has a right to at least expect that he won't make stuff up. I reached out to a Fulop spokesperson but didn't hear back. If you want to learn more about Fulop's quasi-gubernatorial campaign, the Jersey Journal has an interview with Fulop here. DAYS SINCE MURPHY REFUSED TO SAY WHETHER HIS WIFE'S NON-PROFIT SHOULD DISCLOSE DONORS: 334 TIPS? FEEDBACK? HATE MAIL? Email me at mfriedman@politico.com WHERE'S MURPHY? — At a senior center in Elizabeth for an 11 a.m. bill signing and announcement, then in Edison at 5 p.m. for the Middlesex County reorg meeting HAPPY BIRTHDAY — Amanda Gasperino De Palma, Jeff Hauser QUOTE OF THE DAY: "Things are in a little bit of disarray here." — U.S. Rep. Mikie Sherrill understating the House chaos |  | WHAT TRENTON MADE | | SAMPSON AND DE-ILA — New Jersey lawmaker seeks to save waterfront job by arguing he's valuable to powerful union, by POLITICO's Ry Rivard: "A New Jersey lawmaker is fighting to get back the waterfront job he lost last month for absenteeism, in part by arguing his work in Trenton is good for a powerful waterfront labor union. Assemblymember William Sampson (D-Hudson) appeared before the Waterfront Commission of New York Harbor on Wednesday, asking the agency to reconsider its December decision to oust him after he failed to work a required number of days last year … [O]n Wednesday he and his attorney, Robert Fagella, argued his work in the Legislature was actually helping one of his employers, International Longshoremen's Association Local 1588 … "Those legislative tasks are an integral relationship with serving his own union and keeping everyone abreast in the union of events going on in Trenton," Fagella said. Sampson is not an elected union official, but was paid $82,914 in 2021 by Local 1588 to be its political liaison, according to the union's annual report. That salary is in addition to his job as a longshoreman at Global Container Terminal in Bayonne and his job in the General Assembly." TRAUMATIC — "Former N.J. official admits defrauding health care fund of millions of dollars," by NJ Advance Media's Chris Sheldon : "The former manager of a publicly-funded state program and a woman who aided him admitted Wednesday that they defrauded it of more than $4.5 million, according to a statement from the US Attorney's Office. Harry Pizutelli, 64, of Edison, and Maritza Flores, 45, of Toms River, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit healthcare fraud, the office said. Flores also pleaded guilty to tax evasion. Pizutelli was the manager of the New Jersey Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) Fund and was responsible for its day-to-day operation, investigators said … From 2009 through June 2019, Pizutelli, Flores, another person charged in the conspiracy, C.R. Kraus, and others conspired to defraud the TBI Fund by misappropriating more than $4.5 million in fraudulent vendor payments for services that were never actually provided, federal prosecutors said." CARTOON NETWORK LAUNCHES NEW SHOW: 'CSI: MUPPET BABY BLOOD SPOTS' — "Judge orders state to release information about police use of baby blood spots," by New Jersey Monitor's Dana DiFilippo: "Four New Jersey police departments used blood samples from the state's newborn disease screening program to help them investigate five criminal cases in recent years, a controversial use that civil rights advocates have decried as an abuse of police powers. A judge on Tuesday ordered state health officials to reveal within 14 days which police agencies retrieved the baby "blood spots" and when. The ruling comes nearly six months after the state Office of the Public Defender and New Jersey Monitor sued the state Division of Public Health and Environmental Laboratories because division officials refused to release records showing how often and why police sought the spots to assist investigations." ABORTION — "N.J. women's health clinics to get $6M in state loans for expansion as demand for abortions grows," by NJ Advance Media's Susan K. Livio: "Nearly two dozen women's health clinics will share $6 million in zero-interest loans to expand their facilities and accommodate the growing demand for abortions in other states where the procedure is illegal, Gov. Phil Murphy announced Wednesday … New Jersey started seeing a growing demand for abortion services in May, when a draft of Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito's decision letting states decide abortion rights, Dobbs v. Jackson was leaked, abortion providers say. The loans, not to exceed $750,000, may be used to expand the facility and upgrade technology, Murphy's announcement said." POLITICIANS — Penalties for assaulting elected officials would increase under New Jersey proposal, by POLITICO's Matt Friedman : New Jersey politicians, concerned for their safety in the wake of an attack on former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's husband in San Francisco and the murder of a federal judge's son in New Jersey, have recently taken steps to protect their home addresses. Now, a New Jersey state lawmaker wants to increase the penalty for assaulting elected officials or their family members, adding them to protected classes that already include law enforcement officers, first responders and child services workers. "Being in the time we're in and the things happening all over the state and country, we never know what can and possibly will happen," said the bill's sponsor, Assemblymember Shanique Speight (D-Essex), in an interview. DEM REPORTS IN DISARRAY —New Jersey's campaign finance watchdog agency finds Democratic disclosures lacking, by POLITICO's Matt Friedman: New Jersey's campaign finance watchdog agency announced complaints Wednesday against all three of the state Democrats' official leadership committees and one of the three controlled by Republicans, alleging they filed incomplete donor and expenditure information on years-old reports. The complaints filed by the Election Law Enforcement Commission target campaign finance reports for the 2017 election from four of the six committees the agency dubs the "Big Six": The Democratic State Committee, the Democratic Assembly Campaign Committee, the Senate Democratic Majority and the Republican State Committee. The —"Jersey City mayor setting up likely run for N.J. governor. Here are other possible contenders"
—Snowflack: "DeCroce on the move"
| | BIDEN TIME | |
VAN DAMNED — Increasingly desperate GOP remains immobile after sixth speaker ballot, by POLITICO's Jordain Carney, Sarah Ferris and Olivia Beavers: Kevin McCarthy failed a sixth straight vote for speaker on Wednesday as signs of desperation grew among a paralyzed — and increasingly furious — GOP conference. One of them, Rep. Jeff Van Drew (R-N.J.), compared the process to Dante's nine circles of hell: "I'm in at least one of them right now." Without any movement, the New Jersey Republican suggested party leaders should "get everybody back in the caucus room and start beating the daylights out of each other until we get somewhere." He could get his wish. The House adjourned after the sixth ballot until 8 p.m., though the full Republican conference had no plans to meet.
| | LOCAL | | TEANECK CONVERTS TO PAGANISM — "Upset In Teaneck: Pagan becomes mayor with help of Weinberg allies," by New Jersey Globe's David Wildstein: "Boosted by newly-elected councilmembers allied with former Senate Majority Leader Loretta Weinberg, Councilman Michael Pagan was elected mayor of Teaneck tonight in a surprise move that passed over the man who was expected to win the post, seven-term Councilman Mark Schwartz. Three women who ran on the Weinberg-backed Rise4Teaneck slate in the November non-partisan municipal election and captured township council seats – Danielle Gee, Denise Belcher and Hillary Goldberg – joined with Pagan to create a new majority." SAME OLD BRUNSWICK — "Taxpayers are funding councilman's defense in sexual harassment case," by New Brunswick Today's Charlie Kratovil: "The local government has been quietly paying City Councilman Glenn Fleming's legal bills in an ongoing sexual harassment case, even though a judge has ruled that the allegations are unrelated to his position. New Brunswick Today can confirm the city's insurance provider has taken on the case, McKoy v. Fleming. Officials at New Brunswick City Hall have been avoiding questions about the issue, with no one yet owning up to making the decision to 'indemnify' Fleming, meaning to take on costs of his case. Fleming, a high school teacher in Hamilton who joined the New Brunswick Council in 2012, is being sued by Juanita McKoy, a Piscataway woman who alleges Fleming forced himself on her, exposed himself in inappropriate situations, and demanded sex from her in 2017." 101.5 HOSTS' HEADS EXPLODE — "NJ's first trans woman school board member unanimously elected as Dover BOE president," by The Daily Record's William Westhoven: "Dover's Daniella Mendez, believed to be the first openly transgender woman on a municipal board of education in New Jersey, broke new ground Tuesday with her election as the school district's board president. A school board member since 2021, Mendez, 34, was elected by a unanimous vote of the board at its annual reorganization meeting."
—"Former NJ 101.5 traffic reporter comes out as transgender"
—"Complaint against Palisades Park councilwoman dropped after election"
—"North Wildwood asks state for $20M in damages in continuing fight over dunes"
—"Activists hope to keep Amy DeGise's hit-and-run in spotlight as court hearing nears" —Murphy to deliver in-person State of the State address on Tuesday —New Jersey becomes first state to mandate K-12 students learn information literacy —"Social butterfly to social activist: NJ woman, 94, fights towns to build affordable homes" —"This former Paterson councilman [Mohammed Akhtaruzzaman] faces a $25K penalty for missing campaign finance reports" —"Englewood officer under AG probe for deadly shooting in line for detective's badge" —"Judge alleges [Millville] municipal court is still discriminating against Latino defendants" —"Matt Lotano elected Toms River council president" | | EVERYTHING ELSE | | HOT NORCROSS BUNS — "Formica Freitag Bakery merges with Valenti's to go national with Atlantic City bread," by The Press of Atlantic City's Michelle Brunetti Post: "Formica Freitag Bakery has merged with Valenti's Italian Bakery to create a larger entity to market its 'Atlantic City bread' nationwide, General Manager Frank Formica said Wednesday … The bankruptcy case closed in 2020, and in January 2022, the family of South Jersey Democratic political boss George Norcross bought into the business and renamed it Formica Freitag. As part of the new ownership agreement, the bakery began an expansion to allow its bread to be distributed nationally. Norcross' great-grandfather August Freitag founded the Freitag Bakery in Camden in 1890, and it continued until the 1950s, Formica said." ONE YEAR BEFORE DICK CODEY FIRST TOOK OFFICE — "'Greetings from Asbury Park,' Bruce Springsteen's debut album, was released 50 years ago," by The Asbury Park Press' Chris Jordan: "It's a big anniversary for Bruce Springsteen — and for Asbury Park. The Boss' debut album, 'Greetings from Asbury Park, N.J.,' turns 50 years old on Thursday, Jan. 5. 'He put us on the musical map, and he is the reason Asbury Park is the land of hope and dreams,' said Peter Mantas, entertainment director of the Langosta Lounge on the city's boardwalk. 'Greetings' was a musical departure for Springsteen in 1973, and a bright spot for the city. A glimmer of hope for the resort town in the midst of a decades-long economic downtown." —"Changes to pregnancy care saved 600 lives in NJ, report says" —"This NJ woman lives a life of violence. At age 45, can she ever be free?" —"Instagram influencer Jay Mazini: 'I'm not what everybody portrays me as'"
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