The end of an era for ELEC

Mar 31, 2023

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By Daniel Han

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Good Friday morning!

The Election Law Enforcement Commission as we know it is no more.

All three incumbent commissioners for the state’s independent campaign finance watchdog agency abruptly resigned yesterday as the legislature sent the controversial campaign finance overhaul bill — known as the “Elections Transparency Act” — to Gov. Phil Murphy’s desk. Murphy is expected to sign it.

Parts of the bill are designed to give Murphy an avenue to oust longtime ELEC Executive Director Jeff Brindle by vacating ELEC's governing commission and giving the governor a 90-day window to appoint new commissioners without Senate approval. Another controversial provision would retroactively shorten ELEC’s statute of limitations for campaign finance violations to two years — wiping away approximately 80 percent of pending campaign finance investigations, according to top ELEC officials. Some of those pending investigations include those into top Democratic PACs.

"Because you have used political blunt force to neuter and co-opt this venerable and honorable agency, I can no longer faithfully serve the purposes the Legislature originally intended," ELEC’s chairman, Eric H. Jaso, wrote in a resignation letter to Murphy.

The legislature may soon revisit ELEC. Assembly Speaker Craig Coughlin and Assembly Majority Leader Lou Greenwald announced new legislation yesterday to give ELEC an additional $1.5 million for staffing and enforcement, out of the agency’s approximately $5.5 million budget. There is currently no Senate counterpart and a spokesperson for Senate Democrats didn’t respond to a request for comment on the proposal. The $1.5 million is a paltry sum of money in the context of state spending, so it’s not hard to imagine it’ll get passed. But ELEC will be under new management by then.

TIPS? FEEDBACK? Email me at Dhan@politico.com. Hate mail still goes to mfriedman@politico.com.

QUOTE OF THE DAY: “[T]his ill-advised legislation, enabling a ham-handed exercise of Executive power where back-room arm-twisting failed to achieve your immediate political goals, at least undermines and at worst destroys ELEC's hard-earned public perception of independence, transparency and freedom from political influence.” — ELEC’s chairman Eric H. Jaso’s in his resignation letter to Gov. Phil Murphy.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY — Former Marlboro Councilmember Jeff Cantor, Former AC Councilmember Mo Delgado, consultant Andrew Edelson, Assemblymember Christopher Tully, WFA’s Sue Altman. Saturday for Hackensack Meridian’s Kenneth Esser, HACR’s Cid Wilson. Sunday for Assemblymember Linda Carter, Team Booker’s Ashley Bauer, Environment New Jersey’s Doug O’Malley, DEP's Bryana De Veaux, Amazon’s David Vitali.

WHERE’S MURPHY? Still in Florida for a Democratic Governors Association conference.

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WHAT TRENTON MADE

ELEC FALLOUT — ELEC commissioners resign after 'blunt-force' attack on watchdog agency, by POLITICO’s Dustin Racioppi: All three commissioners of the Election Law Enforcement Commission resigned Thursday after lawmakers sent Gov. Phil Murphy a bill that they say would "largely gut" the agency and allow him to replace the executive director, who has been a target of his office after sending an allegedly anti-gay email last year. … Commissioner Stephen Holden said in an interview Thursday that "it’s clear that the executive branch wants to control what ELEC does." Murphy's office declined to comment.

— POLITICO: Elections Transparency Act heads to Murphy's desk

— Lassiter: “Murphy Pretends to Fight Homophobia While Promoting Corruption”

SCHOOL FUNDING — Assembly clears school aid bill, heads to Murphy’s desk, by POLITCO’s Daniel Han: The state Assembly unanimously passed legislation to provide $103 million in supplemental school aid on Thursday, which would restore approximately two-thirds of school aid cuts to more than 150 school districts under Gov. Phil Murphy’s budget. The bill now heads to Murphy’s desk.

MANY MASTROS — Murphy’s medical debt program can eliminate about $1B, nonprofit says, by Daniel: A pilot program in Gov. Phil Murphy’s proposed budget could wipe away approximately $1 billion in medical debt, according to the nonprofit the governor’s office wants to run it. Murphy’s detailed budget unveils more specifics behind the proposed medical debt forgiveness program. Murphy’s FY24 budget would appropriate $10 million in federal pandemic relief funds for the program and would enlist RIP Medical Debt, a New York-based nonprofit, to buy discounted medical debt from health care providers. … “On average, $1 donated to RIP Medical Debt abolishes $100 of medical debt, so in this case we estimate that we can abolish around $1 billion,” Daniel Lempert, the nonprofit's vice president of communications, said in a statement. “The ultimate figures depend on our discussions with state healthcare providers to acquire their qualifying medical debt.”

— “Camden GOP switches endorsement in 4th district Senate race,” by The New Jersey Globe’s David Wildstein: “Camden County Republicans have switched their endorsement in the hotly-contested 4th district legislative race and now want to award the organization line to Christopher DelBorello for State Senate, and Matthew Walker and Amanda Esposito for Assembly, the New Jersey Globe has confirmed. The county chairman, Thomas Crone, had previously joined the Gloucester County GOP by giving the line to Senate candidate Nicholas DeSilvio and Assembly candidates Michael Clark and Denise Gonzalez.”

STRONGER. FAIRER. FLORIDA — “Gov. Murphy headed to Florida for political conference. There’s an event at Jon Bon Jovi’s house,” by NJ Advance Media’s Brent Johnson: “Gov. Phil Murphy is set to spend the next few days in Florida on his latest trip out of New Jersey, attending a conference of the political group he leads. The visit has at least one Jersey connection: an event at Jon Bon Jovi’s Palm Beach home, NJ Advance Media confirmed. Murphy and his wife, First Lady Tammy Murphy, are scheduled to depart Thursday morning for the conference in Palm Beach County. They are slated to return Sunday afternoon.”

— “Kelley, Bryan — former top Murphy officials — to launch Elysian Consulting Group,” by ROI-NJ’s Tom Bergeron: “Joe Kelley and Dan Bryan, two former key leaders from Gov. Phil Murphy’s administration, are starting Elysian Consulting Group, an economic development consultancy with a specific expertise on transformative projects, they told ROI-NJ. The two said the firm aims to work with developers and companies — based in the state or moving in — on all issues involving real estate, infrastructure and corporate strategy. Its focus will be to help private-sector clients navigate roadblocks on projects while bringing an understanding of public-sector opportunities. … The two said the firm will do some public affairs work (strategy, marketing), but they will not work as lobbyists.”

TAX TALK — “N.J. tax revenues continue historic rise, but the gravy train will end, analysts say,” by NJ Advance Media’s Derek Hall: “When it comes to state spending and tax revenue, New Jersey faces a volatile and uncertain future as state leaders begin the formal process of dissecting Gov. Phil Murphy’s $53.1 billion state budget proposal for the fiscal year that begins July 1. But for now, tax revenues continue pouring in to state coffers like never before. Thomas Koenig, budget and finance officer for the state Office of Legislative Services, appearing before the New Jersey Senate Budget Committee Thursday to deliver a fiscal update, once again used words like “extraordinary” and “unprecedented” to describe how much cash the state is taking in. “Once more OLS appears before you in the spring and tells a story of billions in unanticipated current-year revenue,” Koenig said. “Times have continued to be positively extraordinary,” he added. Both the OLS and state Treasurer Elizabeth Muoio, in separate appearances before the committee, provided forecasts that showed state tax revenues soaring past expectations for a third consecutive year.”

— POLITICO: OLS predicts $1 billion less in combined revenues than Murphy administration

— POLITICO: Two bills to address youth mental health go to governor’s desk

— NJ Spotlight News: “‘Burnout bill’ advances, would let public safety workers retire early”

— 6ABC: “Protesters rally against offshore wind energy development in Trenton, New Jersey, following series of whale, dolphin strandings”

— NJ Globe: “Bill Castner’s All-Time Great Golden Dome Softball League Team”

— NJ Monitor: “Budget plan includes wage hike for incarcerated people working prison jobs”

— NJ Monitor: “Critics slam lawmakers’ push to raise campaign donation limits”

— OP-ED: “I’m too fat for this job? Weight discrimination is legal in New Jersey”

— OP-ED: “My Weekly Covid Tests Continue”

— The Press of Atlantic City: “Testa demands Gov. Murphy end COVID-19 state of emergency”

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BIDEN TIME

A STORM-Y BREWING — Trump indicted in porn star hush money payment case, by POLITICO’s Erica Orden and Meridith McGraw: A New York grand jury indicted former President Donald Trump Thursday for his alleged role in a scheme to pay hush money to a porn actress during the 2016 presidential campaign, according to two people familiar with the matter. The indictment, voted on by the grand jury Thursday afternoon and filed under seal according to the individuals, thrusts the country onto uncharted and uncertain legal and political ground.

— Rethinking Medicaid: Biden administration approves N.J. plan to provide housing, nutrition support, by POLITICO’s Megan Messerly: The Biden administration on Thursday signed off on New Jersey’s plan to provide housing and nutrition benefits to Medicaid recipients, the first major action CMS has taken since it began formally pushing states to rethink what counts as health care late last year.

BRIBERY IN NEW JERSEY IS UNHEARD OF — “North Jersey lawyer, New York federal court clerk accused in 11-year bribery scheme,” by WestChester Journal News’ Jonathan Bandler: “A federal court clerk and lawyer pleaded not guilty Thursday to bribery charges accusing them in a kickback scheme in which the clerk allegedly referred criminal defendants to the lawyer in exchange for tens of thousands of dollars in cash payments. Dionisio Figueroa, 66, of Manhattan and Telesforo Del Valle Jr., 65, of Leonia were arraigned in U.S. District Court in White Plains, accused in the 11-year scheme that steered dozens of defendants to Del Valle.”

— FCW: “[Booker] joins chorus of concerns about CBP’s mobile app”

— Hudson County View: “U.S. Attorney’s Office alleges Local 1456 in Bayonne had unfair election of union officers”

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LOCAL

MERCER MAKES, THE STATE TAKES — After failing to pay millions in taxes, Mercer County must give comptroller internal findings, by POLITICO’s Dustin Racioppi: Mercer County must turn over documents to the state detailing findings of an investigation into its finance department after failing to pay state and federal taxes, a Superior Court judge ruled. The decision by Judge Robert Lougy, issued last week, is a victory for the state Comptroller’s Office, which sought the report amid its own investigation into Mercer County’s finances. That investigation revealed the county paid nearly $4.5 million in penalties and interest for delinquent tax filings to the state and Internal Revenue Service. The inquiry also found the county’s chief financial officer at the time, David Miller, did not have the required credentials for the job the entire time he had the job for the county.

— “Former Sayreville Democratic chairman, family members indicted on 14 counts,” by MyCentralJersey’s Susan Loyer and Suzanne Russell: “The former Sayreville Democratic Party chairman, his son and daughter-in-law have been named in a 14-count indictment by a Middlesex County grand jury. Thomas Pollando, 73, David Pollando, 42, and Lizmarie Pollando, 29, all of Sayreville, are facing various charges ranging from bribery to witness tampering, Middlesex County Prosecutor Yolanda Ciccone announced Thursday.”

— “Three indicted in ballots-for-gift card scheme in Perth Amboy,” by The new jersey Globe’s David Wildstein: “Three women who tried to trade $20 Shop-Rite gift cards for vote-by-mail ballots in the Perth Amboy municipal election last year have been indicted, Middlesex County Prosecutor Yolanda Ciccone announced today”

— NJ Advance Media: “N.J. residents got billed $17B in school taxes last year. Here’s every town’s tab.”

— Jersey Journal: “Slight increase in taxes for average Jersey City homeowner, Fulop says in State of the City address”

— The Asbury Park Press: “Lacey schools face 73 teacher layoffs, but Trenton to vote Thursday on possible relief”

— MyCentralJersey.com: “Colonia HS air tests show no cancer hazard; more soil testing needed”

— The Record: “Union rep claims hostile work environment, more issues at [Emerson] police department”

— NJ Globe: “East Hanover Officials Who Joined GOP Last Month Endorse 26th District Incumbents”

— NJ Advance Media: “Dozens attend meeting to condemn transphobic tweets allegedly made by N.J. school board member”

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EVERYTHING ELSE

— “Wall Street Journal reporter detained in Russia is an N.J. native,” by NJ Advance Media’s Camille Furst: “Those in his New Jersey hometown recalled the Wall Street Journal reporter who was detained in Russia on Thursday as a stellar student and athlete, while echoing national calls for his release. Russian authorities detained Evan Gershkovich, a Princeton native, on accusations of spying for the U.S. government, according to a statement from the Federal Security Service of the Russian Federation. U.S. officials have said they are in touch with the Russian government and seeking access to the reporter. Gershkovich played soccer at Princeton High School as a teenager. He graduated in 2010 and was an “active and engaged member of the community,” according to a statement from Princeton Public Schools.”

— New Jersey Herald: “Sussex disability group CEO retires after 50 years as 'gold standard'”

— Kelly: “This tragic sign of our times sits in front of North Jersey synagogues”

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