| | | | |  | | By Matt Friedman | | Presented by |  | | | Good Friday morning! George Norcross is indicted and Bob Menendez’s corruption trial is wrapping up. But among the political class in Trenton, more ire seems directed at Acting Comptroller Kevin Walsh. Walsh has been particularly aggressive in his role, speaking out against watering down the Open Public Records Act and issuing reports that strike at those close to the most powerful people in Trenton. That’s likely contributed to why he’s still got the “Acting” in front of his title after four and a half years in the job. And those reports led the New Jersey Association of Counties to call for a legislative investigation into the Comptroller's Office — something Walsh said he would welcome. Walsh likely doesn't care, as evidenced by this letter he sent Thursday to Gov. Murphy, Speaker Coughlin and Senate President Scutari. Back in December, Walsh released a report alleging that Union County’s government violated the law by awarding almost $418,000 in stipends and tuition reimbursements to three top county government officials without passing it through an ordinance. One of those officials is County Manager Ed Oatman, whose tuition reimbursement was relatively small compared to the other two: Finance Director Bibi Taylor and Public Works Director Joseph Policay. Oatman is a top adviser to Scutari, who’s from Union County. In his Thursday letter, Walsh said that because Union County refused to submit a corrective action plan, the state needs to hold its funding. In a March letter to the Comptroller’s Office, attorney Deborah Gramiccioni on behalf of Union County said complying with the comptroller’s directive would, among other things, violate state “Separation of Powers” laws and argued that tuition reimbursements and stipends don’t count as compensation. The letter also noted that Union County had gotten lawmakers in Trenton to introduce a “legislative ‘fix to address the confusion caused by [Office of the State Comptroller’s] letter.” In a statement Thursday, Gramiccioni called the latest Comptroller letter “unconscionable arm-twisting by an unelected official in an acting capacity to try to force Union County to break the law as it is written today.” “We have urged the OSC in multiple letters to understand that their recommendations violate the very law they seek to ‘reform’ and that any statutory changes must be accomplished via legislation, not administrative fiat,” she wrote. “ The Acting Comptroller has refused to engage in any discussion regarding statutory interpretation or to meet with county representatives, instead resorting to legally unsupported public threats.” Neither of the legislative leaders who received the letter publicly commented. You probably won’t be shocked to learn that the Murphy administration told me they have “no plans to withhold state aid from Union County at this time.” TIPS? FEEDBACK? Email me at Mfriedman@politico.com. HAPPY BIRTHDAY: Erica Jedynak, Richard Simmons. Saturday for Steve Stirling, Josh Dawsey, Medinah Muhammad, Sarah E. Jones, Harrison Ford, Dave Strahan. Sunday for Vicky Flynn, Sarah Steward QUOTE OF THE DAY: “If you listen to the prosecutors, you may think there is cash and gold in every room of [Bob Menendez’s] home. Just like Scrooge McDuck swimming in gold coins in every room in his house.” — Menendez attorney Adam Fee, who might follow me on Twitter. WHERE’S MURPHY? — Utah, then Italy
| | | | A message from Robert Wood Johnson Foundation: New Jersey can be a place where access to health is no longer a privilege for some, but a right for everyone. To reach that goal, we must acknowledge that structural racism is a root cause of health disparities. Inequitable policies and practices were created by people. They can also be replaced by people, in favor of fairer systems that enable everyone to thrive. Robert Wood Johnson Foundation has a roadmap for change. Find out more. | | | |  | MENENDEZ CORRUPTION TRIAL | | WELCOME TO FAVORTOWN — Diners, drive-ins and bribes: How Bob Menendez's corruption trial is explained by food, by POLITICO’s Ry Rivard: A federal stake-out at a high-end steakhouse. A budding romance at IHOP. A meeting about weapons sales hatched while feasting on duck. Those details, and many more, have emerged during the trial of Sen. Bob Menendez, as prosecutors have told jurors not only of his alleged corruption, but also of his culinary proclivities — and the quiet bars and backroom tables where he, his wife or the businesspeople accused of bribing the Menendezes met. From watering holes across New Jersey to a high-end Manhattan Chinese restaurant to America's favorite pancake chain, Menendez and his co-defendants wined, dined and smoked cigars. Menendez’s corruption trial, soon to be decided by a jury, is a tour de force of alleged scheming and bribery from the nation’s Capitol to the Garden State, but the trial also provided what one defense attorney called “a virtual tour of Northern New Jersey restaurants.” The drinks and meals — along with the text messages sent and photos taken during them — provide a tick-tock of the schemes, according to prosecutors. WHAT ABOUT BOB? — “Sen. Bob Menendez’s fate now in jury’s hands as corruption trial closes,” by NJ Advance Media’s S.P. Sullivan: “For the second time in his storied and scandal-plagued political career, U.S. Sen. Robert Menendez’s fate is in the hands of a federal jury. Closing arguments ended Thursday in the ninth week of the corruption trial of Menendez and two New Jersey businessmen accused of bribing him, a sprawling international case that marks the first time a sitting member of Congress has been charged with acting as a foreign agent. Jurors will begin deliberations Friday, U.S. District Court Judge Sidney Stein said after closing arguments. It’s a courtroom drama that quickly became late-night comedy fodder, with a colorful cast of characters, cartoonish allegations of bribes paid with sacks of cash and gold bars and an FBI stakeout at a Washington, D.C. steakhouse. Menendez denies the charges, telling reporters outside the courthouse this week that prosecutors were ‘intoxicated with their own rhetoric.’ He did not take the witness stand.” ‘THE UNITED STATES WINS’ — “Why Menendez’s meals with Egyptian officials worry security experts,” by The New York Times’ Tracey Tully: “After a two-month bribery trial in Manhattan, jurors are expected to begin deliberating Thursday on whether prosecutors have proved a complex web of conspiracy charges. But regardless of whether they render a guilty verdict, the volley of messages and photos extracted from phones seized by the F.B.I. and introduced as evidence have revealed how Egyptian intelligence officials were able to cultivate casual access to one of the most powerful Democrats in Washington. Mr. Menendez, the New Jersey senator who at the time led the Senate Foreign Relations Committee and had broad authority over foreign military aid, was often only a text message away from some of Egypt’s most powerful leaders. His intermediary was not a trained committee expert but his unemployed wife, who holds a master’s degree in French language and civilization but had last worked as a restaurant hostess … ‘This is a massive breach, I think, that has been underestimated,’ said Jodi Vittori, a retired U.S. Air Force intelligence officer who worked on NATO’s counter-corruption task force in Afghanistan and teaches at Georgetown University’s Edmund A. Walsh School of Foreign Service.”
| | | | THE GOLD STANDARD OF POLICY REPORTING & INTELLIGENCE: POLITICO has more than 500 journalists delivering unrivaled reporting and illuminating the policy and regulatory landscape for those who need to know what’s next. Throughout the election and the legislative and regulatory pushes that will follow, POLITICO Pro is indispensable to those who need to make informed decisions fast. The Pro platform dives deeper into critical and quickly evolving sectors and industries—finance, defense, technology, healthcare, energy—equipping policymakers and those who shape legislation and regulation with essential news and intelligence from the world’s best politics and policy journalists.
Our newsroom is deeper, more experienced, and better sourced than any other—with teams embedded in the world’s most active legislative and regulatory power centers. From Brussels to Washington, New York to London, Sacramento to Paris, we bring subscribers inside the conversations that determine policy outcomes and the future of industries, providing insight that cannot be found anywhere else. Get the premier news and policy intelligence service, SUBSCRIBE TO POLITICO PRO TODAY. | | | | | | | WHAT TRENTON MADE | | COACH DOA — “Coach is dropping 20 NJ Transit bus routes in North Jersey,” by The Record’s Colleen Wilson: “Coach USA informed NJ Transit it is preparing to prematurely terminate contracts it has with the agency for 20 bus routes in Bergen, Hudson and Passaic counties. Coach is the Paramus-based transportation company with a national network of bus services that began Chapter 11 bankruptcy proceedings last month. Newel Scoon, one of Coach's regional vice presidents, wrote letters to NJ Transit on Wednesday 10 notifying the agency it is seeking ‘bankruptcy court approval to reject and terminate’ its three agreements with NJ Transit on Aug. 16 … The termination of the Coach agreements will undoubtedly leave NJ Transit in a difficult position as it will have to solve a number of logistical problems, including finding drivers, or seeking another private contractor, to take over those routes with just five weeks' notice.” —“NJ Transit: River Draw Bridge signal issues cause North Jersey Coast Line rail service suspension; commuters frustrated over continued issues” OVER THE MULVIHILL — “A (small) shakeup at State Board of Education,” by NJ Spotlight News’ Hannah Gross: “After being the center of high-profile debates over student performance and the rights of LGBTQ+ students, New Jersey’s State Board of Education is changing for the upcoming school year. The board voted unanimously to reelect Kathy Goldenberg of Moorestown as president, a position she has held since 2019 … Johnson replaces former board member Andy Mulvihill as vice president. Mulvihill served on the board since 2011, with several years in leadership. As part of a more conservative wing of the board, Mulvihill was among the most vocal in pushing back against the Murphy administration’s initiatives to adjust passing scores for the state’s tests and implement new sex education standards.” THE WARSHAW TACT — “Judge in Norcross case could be perfect fit for high-profile trial,” by New Jersey Globe’s David WIldstein: “When George E. Norcross III and others were arraigned on Tuesday, Superior Court Judge Peter E. Warshaw, Jr. was unmistakably in complete and total control of his courtroom. And it’s possible that Warshaw could wind up a perfect match for what is, at least right now, the highest-profile case in the state involving one of the most powerful political insiders in New Jersey history.” ICH BIN EIN BERLIN BOROUGHER — “Gov. Murphy headed to Germany to tout NJ for business opportunities as World Cup host,” by The Record’s Daniel Munoz: “Gov. Phil Murphy is slated to tour Germany this weekend as part of an economic delegation, his office said. This marks the second trade mission for Murphy to the federal republic in Europe. He was the U.S ambassador to Germany during the Obama administration. Murphy previously visited Germany and Israel in 2018 during a nine-trade trade mission to foster economic and business relations. Murphy will arrive in Berlin on Saturday, July 13, said spokesperson Natalie Hamilton. The next day, at the UEFA Euro 2024 championship, the Democratic governor will participate with sports reporters on a roundtable about the 2026 FIFA World Cup, which is being hosted in part at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford.” —“Up to two new offshore wind projects are proposed for New Jersey. A third seeks to re-bid its terms” —“Homelessness in New Jersey is compounded by extreme heat. Advocates are pushing for more cooling centers” —“Tolls set to increase on bridges between Pennsylvania and New Jersey” —“Tracking forensic exam kits in NJ sexual assault cases” —“Ciattarelli unperturbed by Spadea’s radio play” —“GOP lawmakers want hearings on NJ Transit issues”
| | | | A message from Robert Wood Johnson Foundation:   | | | | | BIDEN TIME | | THE FIRST CRACK — “Sherrill explains her gutsy move on Biden,” by The Star-Ledger’s Tom Moran: “Rep. Mikie Sherrill has done it again. While other Democrats dither at the water’s edge wondering if the water is too cold, Sherrill just jumped in, becoming the first major figure in New Jersey to call on Joe Biden to quit his disastrous campaign. She’s risking her neck with this move. Congress is packed with Democrats who agree with her that Biden is too old and diminished to win, but only in whispers, according to nearly every report coming out of Capitol Hill. But as of Wednesday, only eight of them have been honest enough to say it out loud. ‘The stakes are too high – and the threat is too real – to stay silent,’ Sherrill said … To some Democrats, Sherrill’s announcement looks like disloyalty under fire. Not a single Senator has joined her, nor have any governors. It’s a risky move, and it could cost her if she runs in the Democratic primary for governor next year, as expected … Sherrill is concerned about possible fallout, but says this was high-minded stuff.” —“Democrats set July 18 to pick nominee for Payne House seat”
| | | | Understand 2024’s big impacts with Pro’s extensive Campaign Races Dashboard, exclusive insights, and key coverage of federal- and state-level debates. Focus on policy. Learn more. | | | | | | | LOCAL | | EXPLOSIVE WEEKEND — “N.J. man accused in signal cannon detonation injury faced previous explosives charges,” by NJ Advance Media’s Eric Conklin: “The man accused of firing a signal cannon at a New Jersey park on July 6 that critically injured a 34-year-old bystander avoided jail four years ago for bringing homemade explosives to a bar, according to court records that were confirmed by law enforcement … In 2019, Thomas Kaiser, was charged with dropping off a homemade explosive for a member of a band entertaining a crowded bar in Sea Bright on Labor Day weekend. A Labor Day parade featuring Gov. Phil Murphy was canceled while police recovered explosive-making materials he discarded in a dumpster. Kaiser was sentenced to one year of probation in the 2019 incident” —“Atlantic City Housing Authority offers credit repair to Stanley Holmes residents who will seek private housing soon” —“Clifton asked to change ON3 zoning to allow for 1,087 apartments” —“ICE raid in Princeton draws heated response from local officials” —“Paterson racing to spend $11M in COVID relief aid on aging schools before deadline” —“After 8-year-old's death, Parsippany mayor vows to improve traffic safety” —“Monmouth County men going to prison after ripping off investors with cannabis company” —“Jersey City council dumps Journal Square affordable housing plan for new, limited version” —“Hudson County Democratic Organization hires Storm Wyche as their new ED”
| | | | A message from Robert Wood Johnson Foundation: New Jersey can be a place where access to health is no longer a privilege for some, but instead a right for everyone. To reach that goal, we must acknowledge that structural racism is a root cause of health disparities.
Did you know that Black babies in New Jersey are three times more likely to die before their first birthday than White babies? Or that the state ranks 31st in public health funding per capita?
Inequitable policies and practices were created by people. They can also be replaced by people, in favor of fairer systems that enable everyone to thrive.
A Policy Agenda for a Healthier, More Equitable New Jersey is a report from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation that serves as a roadmap for ensuring that everyone has the chance to live their healthiest life, no matter who they are or how much money they have. See the plan. | | | | | EVERYTHING ELSE | | NJ IS #1 BEST STATE FOR BUSINESSES RUN BY POLITICAL BOSSES — “NJ is middle of the pack for best states to do business. What are the pros and cons?” by The Record’s Manahil Ahmad: “New Jersey has been ranked the 25th best state to do business in the U.S., according to CNBC's latest report. The Garden State's strong performance in quality of life, access to capital, and education contributed to its mid-tier position, despite challenges in business friendliness and cost of doing business. New Jersey secured the No. 3 spot in quality of life, reflecting its residents' high living standards and access to amenities. The state also ranked No. 7 in access to capital, highlighting the robust availability of financial resources for businesses. In education, New Jersey placed No. 8, underscoring the state's commitment to a well-educated workforce. However, the state struggled in business friendliness, where it ranked 49th, and in the cost of doing business, which placed 42nd—two points higher than in 2023.” JERSEY UNSURE — “Jersey Shore rental market sees cancellations, dropped prices, vacant weeks. What’s going on?” by The Philadelphia Inquirer’s Amy S. Rosenberg: “Is the ‘Shore crowd in Italy?’ Again? That’s the buzz, or rationalization, among some renters, Realtors and homeowners at the Jersey Shore, who are seeing another summer of a softening market with vacant weeks, price drops and a rising chorus of people who say they can go to other destinations — Aruba, North Carolina, Italy — for less money than they’re being asked to pay down the Shore … The cracks began to show last summer. And the panic is setting in even earlier this season, with owners offering discounted weeks, incentives for last-minute bookings, and tossing out long-standing practices, like requiring renters to book Saturday to Saturday.” —“Amy Wang, N.J.’s pingpong prodigy, didn’t let Paris Olympics stop her brainy pursuits | Politi” | | | | 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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