ELEC lives another day

Feb 28, 2023

Good Tuesday morning!

The Trenton press corps is diminished, but it still matters. On Thursday, the press and advocates both played a major role in stalling the “Elections Transparency Act” — a name one professor called Orwellian.

This bill is a major priority of Senate President Nick Scutari, so we haven’t seen the last of it. But following yesterday’s Senate session, he said he’d likely amend it, likely getting rid of perhaps the most controversial part: Language that strips the Election Law Enforcement Commission of its quasi-independence and puts it under the governor’s thumb. He even said he “didn’t love” the amendment. Still, Scutari seemed to stick by another potential stake in the heart of ELEC: A two-year statute of limitations on pursuing campaign finance violations.

The idea of increasing contribution limits isn’t crazy. New Jersey’s limits have remained the same for almost 20 years. But to do that so drastically while deganging ELEC, allowing huge new political party “housekeeping funds” and gutting the state’s “pay-to-play” laws? And it seems some Democratic lawmakers were spooked by the negative attention the effort got from Thursday on.

I don’t expect things to change in Trenton. But if you actually have policy ideas that are drawn up with good intentions, why slip them in a bill when people are least likely to be paying attention, just days before the final vote? That at the very least gives a nefarious appearance. And that can generate as much outrage as what’s in the legislation itself.

Read more about it here.

TIPS? FEEDBACK? HATE MAIL? Email me at mfriedman@politico.com.

QUOTE OF THE DAY: “Daniele admitted that he ultimately entered the Capitol building through a broken doorway that was next to a broken window … According to Daniele, he only entered one large space of the building and after looking for a bathroom and not finding one, left immediately thereafter.” — An affidavit recounting what Michael Daniele, who was arrested last week on charges related toJan. 6, allegedly told the FBI.

WHERE’S MURPHY? In Trenton to deliver his budget address at 2 p.m.

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WHAT TRENTON MADE

SOYLENT BLUE — Recent party-switcher Sen. Sam Thompson drops reelection bid, will remain a Democrat, by POLITICO’s Matt Friedman: State Sen. Sam Thompson, who shocked Trenton two weeks ago by announcing that he would change parties from Republican to Democrat, will not seek reelection in November. Thompson, 87, said in a phone interview that he needs to focus on taking care of his wife, Jackie, who turns 91 next month and has recently fallen twice. “That has to be my number one priority. Being there with my wife. She needs help 24/7. So I’m going to be there for her,” Thompson said.

The main reason Republican leaders ditched Thompson was unspoken but widely acknowledged: His advanced age. As such, Thompson challenged Henry to a lengthy hike and a mental acuity examination and compared his situation to the movie "Soylent Green," in which the elderly are encouraged to die by suicide and then be processed into food … Even though he was expected to have Democratic Party support, Thompson was the underdog for reelection in his heavily-Republican district.”

KELLEY PLEDGES TO SUPPORT THE CHAIR INSTEAD OF THROWING HIM — Senate confirms Murphy’s Port Authority picks, including chief of staff, by POLITICO’s Ry Rivard: Two of New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy’s most trusted aides are joining the board of the powerful bi-state agency that oversees the region’s major airports, bridges and tunnels, as well as the East Coast’s largest port. The state Senate on Monday confirmed Murphy chief of staff George Helmy and deputy chief of staff Joe Kelley to the 12-member board of the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey. J. Christian Bollwage, the mayor of Elizabeth who Murphy also nominated to the Port Authority board earlier this year, was also confirmed … Members of the judiciary committee repeatedly asked or urged Helmy, Kelley and Bollwage to continue supporting O’Toole as the chair, creating a scene where Democrats were on the record vowing allegiance to a Republican. Each nominee said they would back O'Toole and then they were each confirmed.”

HANGING ON THE TELEPHONE — “We made 150 calls to 5 essential N.J. helplines. Here’s who did — and didn’t — answer the phone,” by NJ Advance Media’s Karin Price Mueller: “In the past two years, consumers have complained that they can’t get through to learn about unemployment or rental assistance benefits, to schedule a COVID vaccine and to get answers about driver’s licenses and other transactions at the Motor Vehicle Commission. When the ANCHOR benefit was announced, callers reported frustration because they, too, couldn’t get through. NJ Advance Media made daily phone calls to five state agencies over 10 business days in January for an unscientific test of the efficiency of the call center operations and whether callers could get a person on the phone … The Department of Health’s COVID hotline and the Department of Community Affairs’ helpline for rental assistance were answered by a person within about five minutes, whatever time of day the calls were made. But the Department of Labor’s unemployment line, the Treasury Department’s ANCHOR hotline and calls to the Motor Vehicle Commission (MVC), specifically about Real ID, were not once answered by a person. Labor and MVC gave options to enter a phone number for a callback, but only if the calls were made very early in the morning, and the option wasn’t offered every time. The ANCHOR hotline doesn’t give an option for a callback.”

—“N.J. expands phone hours, offers in-person help for residents to meet ANCHOR property tax deadline”

WHILE DEMS WORK TO GUT PAY-TO-PLAY LAWS AND INCREASE CONTRIBUTION LIMITS — “Top Democrat looks to sharply raise no-bid contract limits,” by New Jersey Monitor’s Nikita Biryukov: “A top Senate Democrat has introduced a bill that would sharply raise no-bid thresholds for public contracts issued by school boards and local and county governments. The bill, sponsored by Sen. Paul Sarlo (D-Bergen), would more than double limits on the size of contracts that local and county governments can issue without soliciting bids, raising it from $17,500 to $50,000 for municipalities without a qualified purchasing agent. The proposal would ‘give a little more flexibility to the larger cities and towns,’ said Sarlo, who is chair of the Senate’s budget committee.”

NJ TRANSIT IS TOP PERFORMING REGIONAL TRANSPORTATION AGENCY FOR IRONY — “Hoboken train crash engineer has a new job operating an NJ Transit rescue engine,” by NJ Advance Media’s Larry Higgs: “The engineer of the NJ Transit train that crashed through a concrete barrier at Hoboken Terminal in 2016, killing a woman walking in the station and injuring 100 on board, will have a new job operating the locomotive that rescues passengers on a disabled train. This job, that the veteran engineer successfully bid on, is operating the morning “protect” locomotive, which is dispatched to rescue passengers on a train that has broken down, according to documents obtained by NJ Advance Media. However, NJ Transit officials insist that Thomas Gallagher will not be hauling passengers, which was part of a 2019 arbitration agreement that allowed him to keep his engineer’s job, but restricted him to working in train yards.”

JUICE NEWS — The Assembly yesterday voted 73-1 to designate cranberry juice as the State Beverage. This was made necessary by the Legislature’s previous designation of UTI as the State Infection.

—“NJ lawmakers push bill to better address period poverty”

—“New Jersey lawmakers pass bill to codify interracial marriage into law”

BIDEN TIME

MURPHY IS NOT JUST A CLIENT OF HAIR CLUB FOR MEN. HE WANTS TO BE THE PRESIDENT — “Phil Murphy is acting presidential, but NJ voters aren't convinced,” by The Record’s Charles Stile: “New Jersey residents, brace yourselves. You're going to hear a lot of exchanges with Gov. Phil Murphy like the one he had during an appearance on News 12 … The host, Eric Landskroner, ticked off a list of Murphy's recent globe trotting and his base-pleasing initiatives that appear tailor-made for stump speeches and sound bites. Was this evidence that he is committed to running for president in 2024? Murphy offered his typical non-denial denial with a new twist. ‘You left out my hair,' Murphy said, in a clumsy attempt at self-deprecation. Murphy was referring to his transformation from a near-balding widow's peak hairline to his fluffed-up silver mane, a sign that Murphy is either having a midlife crisis or plotting a run for the presidency (or perhaps a midlife crisis is a run for the presidency?) … But as Murphy continues to take steps like these, he must be wary about the political dangers that come with dipping his toes into presidential waters. As Christie learned in his second term, voters do not take too kindly to watching their governor hopscotching around the country as property taxes continue to climb back home.”

THESPIAN ACHIEVES LIFELONG DREAM — As long as we’re on the subject of 2024, according to an invite someone sent me, Murphy will co-headline the Gridiron Club dinner in Washington on March 11 with Mike Pence, who you might remember from his role as vice president of the United States. There's probably about a 0.00001% chance those two could wind up facing each other in presidential debates next year.

LOCAL

PERTH AMBOY —“High school students in N.J. district walk out following stabbing of 5th grader,” by NJ Advance Media’s Jeff Goldman: “Perth Amboy High School students staged a walkout on Monday morning, days after a 11-year-old student at a nearby middle school was stabbed in an incident that began after classes were dismissed for the day. The students were protesting what the teachers’ union says is a failure by the administration to address unsafe conditions in city schools. Another peaceful protest was planned for later Monday outside city hall in Perth Amboy. The fifth-grader was in stable condition after being stabbed at about 2:35 p.m Wednesday on Johnstone Street between Sutton and Ridgeley street by another 11-year-old, shortly after classes ended for the day at Samuel E. Shull Middle School, city officials said.”

— “Sussex County GOP chairman arrested and charged with DWI following Sparta crash,” by The New Jersey Herald’s Lori Comstock: “Jerry Scanlan, the chairman of the Sussex County Republican Committee and former vice chair of Sussex County Community College, a role in which he was admonished for sharing offensive posts on social media, was arrested and charged with drunk driving after crashing into a stopped car in Sparta last week, police said. Scanlan, 55, of Hopatcong, who has served as the county's GOP chair since 2015, was driving a black Nissan XTerra south on Woodport Road at about 6:30 p.m. on Feb. 19 when he rear-ended a Lexus that was stopped at the light at the intersection of Wynona Parkway, Sparta Lt. John Lamon told the New Jersey Herald … Scanlan failed field sobriety tests .... Lamon declined to state Scanlan's blood alcohol concentration reading, but he told the New Jersey Herald that the legal limit for driving while intoxicated is 0.08% and Scanlan's was ‘close to being double’ that … Scanlan was appointed by the Sussex County Community College board of trustees by the then-county freeholders in November 2011 before coming under fire in July 2019 amid a litany of offensive posts he shared on the county party's official Twitter account. The page was filled with retweets of memes about Muslims and four congresswomen of color and another included a call to ‘eradicate Islam from every town, city, county and state in our homeland.’”

HUGHES NEWS — “Hughes, Benson go after each other on fiscal, political and transportation issues in Mercer County executive debate,” by New Jersey Globe’s David Wildstein: “One week before the Mercer County Democratic convention, the two candidates for county executive smacked each other on their records and touted their visions for the future in an ornery and unfriendly debate on Sunday night. The five-term incumbent, Brian M. Hughes, appeared embittered by the primary challenge from his fellow Democrat, Assemblyman Daniel R. Benson (D-Hamilton), and said he expects to lose the convention and the organization line. ‘I have never run against a Democrat in my life,’ Hughes said. ‘For another Democrat to challenge really at this time when things are going so well in Mercer County is beyond me.’”

A PRESSING PROBLEM IN MOUNT OLIVE — “Mount Olive school officials falsified bullying stats to state, counselor claims,” by The Daily Record’s Lori Comstock: “A Mount Olive Middle School counselor and anti-bullying specialist is suing the district and officials, including recently suspended Superintendent Robert Zywicki, claiming that when she refused to comply with their efforts to falsify the district's bullying statistics, she was scolded and later suspended. The suit, filed Feb. 16 by Megan Troup, of Budd Lake, for the first time sheds light on a 2018 lawsuit filed by the parents of a former student that highlighted purported allegations the district deliberately ignored bullying complaints in efforts to keep their incident numbers low. Mount Olive officials quietly settled the lawsuit in October 2021 and while no parties took blame, the teen received a structured settlement of $750,000, with payments being given to her until she's 60 years old, court records show. The accused boy, who had purportedly sexually assaulted the girl, and his parents were to pay the girl an additional $40,000, the settlement shows.”

—“Sheep spotted running around Paterson rescued, brought to Sussex sanctuary”

—“Will Ocean County get a homeless shelter in 2023?”

—“Officials defend safety of Nabisco demolition after residents raise asbestos concerns”

—“[Mercer County] sheriff’s officer pointed gun at woman’s head, threatened to kill her, cops say”

—“Hoboken city council to consider ordinance that eliminates residency requirement for police”

—“A marijuana lounge is headed for an Atlantic City hotel just off the Boardwalk”

—“Judge has decided on who will fill Palisades Park's vacant council seat”

R.I.P. — “Clifford Johnson, beloved Asbury Park saxophonist for eight decades, has died”

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EVERYTHING ELSE

TEEN MENTAL HEALTH CRISIS — “Suicidal teens flooded N.J. ERs again in 2022. It’s a ‘crisis situation’,” by NJ Advance Media’s Adam Clark: “Desperate parents worried their children will kill themselves arriving in panic with nowhere else to turn, hospital officials said. Atlantic Health System experienced a 20% increase in pediatric mental health ER visits, resulting in 351 more cases. Virtua Health, a South Jersey-based hospital system, recorded a 26% increase in mental health consults for patients 17 and under at its emergency departments and other inpatient pediatric facilities. And Hackensack University Medical Center witnessed a staggering 49% increase in pediatric emergency room psychiatry consults. ‘This is a crisis situation,’ said Dr. Gary Small, chair of psychiatry at Hackensack University Medical Center. ‘From the providers’ point of view, and health systems’ point of view, there’s a lot we need to do to deal with this.’ The deluge of teen mental health emergencies followed an unusually high number of young people visiting emergency departments in 2021 for depression and anxiety.”

—“Dead humpback whale floating in shipping channel off N.J.-N.Y. coast, authorities say”

—“Bergen Record circulation drops 81% since Gannett bought newspaper, records show”

—“Ex-Cardinal McCarrick's lawyers want child abuse case against him dismissed”

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