| | | | |  | | By Dustin Racioppi | Presented by Honeywell | Good Monday morning. The fabulist former Rep. George Santos lobbed a grenade at Rep. Rob Menendez on his way out of the Capitol this weekend. He said he plans to file an ethics complaint today against his Democratic former colleague in the House, seeking “clarification from the freshman congressman on his involvement with his fathers [sic] overseas dealing [sic] over the years and any potential compensation he received.” Santos raises an obvious question about the younger Menendez, whose father, Sen. Bob Menendez, is under indictment for allegedly accepting cash, gold bars and more in exchange for favors to benefit associates and the Egyptian government. It’s fair to wonder what the son knew about the father. And maybe an ethics investigation could explore that (there has been no linkage to the younger Menendez in this indictment or his father’s first one, in 2015). But Santos has zero credibility after being charged with nearly two dozen federal crimes including falsifying records, identity theft and making charges on donors’ credit cards without their authorization. And last month, a bipartisan House ethics investigation into his own conduct found “substantial evidence” Santos violated federal criminal laws. The report led to his expulsion on Friday, ending the brief and bizarre reign of the New York Republican who, according to the House report, spent campaign funds on lavish trips to Atlantic City with his husband and Botox treatments. Rob Menendez doesn’t seem rattled by Santos’ threat. “George Santos is neither Rep. Menendez’s colleague nor a constituent so we will not expend any energy responding to his Botox-fueled fits of rage,” spokesperson Michael Zhadanovsky told POLITICO. Meantime, Menendez is in much better electoral shape than his father in 2024. On Friday, the Democratic organization in Hudson County — which makes up the vast majority of his blue district and did not endorse his father — backed him for reelection. Given that, it would likely take a Santosian ethics investigation to keep Rob Menendez from a second term. TIPS? FEEDBACK? Email me at dracioppi@politico.com. QUOTE OF THE DAY: “If you are going to expel Santos, how can you allow somebody like Menendez to remain in the Senate? ... Menendez, I think, is really a senator for Egypt, not New Jersey." — Sen. John Fetterman (D-Pa.) on “The View.” WHERE’S MURPHY? No public schedule.
| | | | A message from Honeywell: Under the Significant New Alternatives Policy (SNAP) the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) lists HFOs as “acceptable substitutes for ozone depleting substances.” Learn more at honeywell.com/hfofacts | | | |  | WHAT TRENTON MADE | | SUPER PACKED — 2023 races saw more super PAC spending than all but one state election, by POLITICO’s Matt Friedman: This year’s state legislative elections saw more spending by super PACs and other outside political groups than all but one state-level election in history, according to an analysis by the New Jersey Election Law Enforcement Commission. The preliminary figures, based on 20-day post-election reports, show those groups spent $23 million to influence the election — three quarters of it to help Democrats, who increased their majority by six to 52-28 in the Assembly and held onto a 25-15 majority in the Senate. Only the 2017 election, a more high-profile contest in which the governorship and all 120 state legislative seats were on the ballot, saw more spending from outside groups, at $26.6 million. AT LEAST ONE AGENCY’S FIXING ITS DEFICIT — “NJ's pols scoff at NY congestion pricing plan — but Jersey may actually benefit,” by The Record’s Charles Stile: “New Jersey officials gushed with predictable fury last week now that New York is moving full steam ahead with its plan to tack on a $15 “congestion pricing fee” on drivers who enter central Manhattan. “As advertised, New York is officially sticking it to Jersey families with their commuter-crushing Congestion Tax," railed Rep. Josh Gottheimer, D-Wyckoff. Gov. Phil Murphy, fresh off his climate-change dousing of Christmas tree bonfires, also railed about New York soaking New Jersey commuters to help plug a deficit in the Metropolitan Transportation Authority, which operates the city's buses and subways.” THE BORGEN RECORD — ”Ink Runs in Her Veins: MFIA Supervising Attorney Jennifer Borg,” by Yale Law School: “Born into a family that owned and operated local newspapers for four generations, Media Freedom and Information Access Clinic supervising attorney Jennifer Borg likes to say that ink runs in her veins. Her lifelong connection to the media — with 20 years of experience in media law practice and a deep commitment to the press — shapes Borg’s approach to the clinic.” NURSES STRIKE — RWJ University Hospital, union leadership reach contract agreement, by Daniel Han: Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital in New Brunswick has reached a contract agreement with its nurses union that could end its monthslong strike. A memorandum of agreement was signed by both parties, according to a statement from the hospital released Friday. The agreement must now be approved by the rank-and-file members of United Steel Workers 4-200 (union leadership is recommending the new deal). — “Why Murphy’s big booze reform plan to transform N.J. restaurant scene failed” — “Thoughts on the next leader of NJ public education” — “Judge to rule on push to dismiss lawsuit lodged by election watchdog against Gov. Murphy” — “Testa fairy tale video spoofs Tammy Murphy”
| | | | A message from Honeywell:   | | | | | Biden's Beltway | | I'LL COME TO YOUR REPUBLICAN RESCUE — “Chris Christie: If Trump is the 2024 GOP nominee, it will be a 'death sentence' for Republicans,” by USA TODAY’s Sudiksha Kochi: “With about six weeks to go until the Republican primary season kicks off, former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie is warning of a GOP "death sentence" if former President Donald Trump becomes the party's nominee in 2024. Christie has built a campaign on attacking Trump and calling on fellow GOP candidates to do the same. During an interview Thursday night, NewsNation host Chris Cuomo asked Christie whether it would be a “death sentence” in the primary to criticize Trump, who has strong support from the Republican base. “No, the death sentence is to let Trump be our nominee," Christie said.”
| | | | A message from Honeywell: HFOs offer a higher level of safety compared with other industrial refrigerants such as CO2, ammonia and propane. Learn more at honeywell.com/hfofacts | | | | | LOCAL | | OFFER TAX CREDITS INSTEAD OF COLLEGE CREDITS — “As undergrad enrollment slips, Rutgers-Camden plans to push harder with potential area students,” by 70and73.com’s Neill Borowski: “Facing declining undergraduate enrollment, Rutgers University in Camden, which will celebrate its 100th anniversary in 2026, will push to recruit more students from area schools, according to the university's 2023-2028 Strategic Plan released last week. The goal is to increase overall enrollment by 9.5% over the five-year period to 6,334 from 5,784 today, the plan notes.” RIP — ”Marc Berson, famed developer and favorite son of Newark, has died,” by ROI-NJ’s Tom Bergeron: “Marc Berson — lawyer, developer, entrepreneur, philanthropist, favorite son of Newark — died Saturday. He was 79. Berson is best known as the chair of the Fidelco Group, which he founded in 1981, but he will be most remembered for his impact across the state — particularly in Newark. Ray Chambers, a longtime close friend and business partner and noted philanthropist in his own right, gave Berson the highest of accolades.’ Marc has singularly changed the appearance and function of Newark’s downtown,” he said. “There is no one whom I respect more than Marc.’” — “Harassment trial looms for Far Hills Councilman-elect” — “Trenton City Council held emergency meeting to deal with clerk departure” — “Bhalla, Suarez, & Solomon tested as Rep. Menendez challengers in new 8th District poll”
| | EVERYTHING ELSE | | LAST NAME NOT O’SCANLON — “Meet Declan, a 6-year-old genius from New Jersey,” by USA TODAY’s Emilee Coblentz: “A 6-year-old New Jersey girl is wowing the world with her smarts. Her IQ, 138, is right at genius level. To put this in perspective, the highest average score for people under 64 years of age is 109. Declan Lopez is a bubbly kindergartener interested in arts, science, math, and geography, and reads at a fourth-grade level. She has recently been integrated into the Mensa society, the oldest high-IQ society in the world. Declan goes to school in Dover, where most teachers are "amazing and supportive," her mother, Meachel Lopez, told USA TODAY on Friday."
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