Here are Insider NJ’s key must-read pieces from the past week:

The COVID-19 Crisis: An Insider NJ History (PDF Publication)

The people of New Jersey will likely never precisely know the level of disengagement by their government in the lead up to COVID-19 exploding in our midst.

Opening Schools too Early will Exacerbate Inequity

The science is clear: a remote start to school this September is the safest option for New Jersey’s children. That is particularly true for children of color, who make up the majority of the students population in many of New Jersey’s most economically challenged communities, where schools are too likely to be old, under-resourced and densely crowded.

COVID Crisis Exposes Educational Inequities Between Haves and Have Nots

If the process appears somewhat disorganized, it may say something about the circus-like political atmosphere around the front office and its sensitive relationship with labor and other key stakeholders in the educational firmament – but it also fundamentally underscores a deep divide in New Jersey, persistent from one administration to the next, as poor children struggle amid unfair and unequal conditions now exacerbated by COVID-19.

NJPBA State Board Backs Trump for President

The New Jersey State Police Benevolent Association (PBA) today voted to endorse President Donald J. Trump for president, refrained from issuing an endorsement in the U.S. Senate contest, and backed all Republican candidates in congressional contests.

New Jersey Democrats Commit 139 Votes to Joe Biden for President

On the second night of an historic virtual Democratic National Convention, New Jersey tonight committed 139 deleate votes to the nomination of Joe Biden, according to Governor Phil Murphy.

Steinhardt Zaps Whitman Ahead of Her DNC Appearance

“Politics is about making choices. Tonight, Governor Whitman made the choice to ‘appear’ at the Democratic National Convention, speaking on the same evening as Socialist Bernie Sanders. I don’t begrudge her that right, after all, this is America. But, no one in America should ever think that Christie Whitman represents the values of the New Jersey Republican Party.

The Inestimable Shape of Gaetano Bresci’s Heinous Act

As August 23 is the 93rd anniversary of the execution of Italian-American anarchists Nicola Sacco and Bartolomeo Vanzetti, InsiderNJ looks to one of New Jersey’s most high-profile anarchists and the effects of his actions on world history.

The Republicans’ Counterproductive VBM Suit

I asked in this space a few days ago why Republicans so hate vote-by-mail. A genuine answer to that is still elusive, but the fight is escalating with a recent federal suit by the Donald Trump reelection campaign, which was joined by the New Jersey Republican Party, to stop how Gov. Phil Murphy plans to conduct the Nov. 3 election.

Trump-Backing NJ Republicans Haul NJ Democrats into Fight over VBMs

The New Jersey Democratic State Committee condemned a lawsuit filed by the Trump campaign against Governor Phil Murphy and the state as “a blatant attempt at voter disenfranchisement and another case of Republican leaders spreading lies about vote by mail.”

Murphy Lashes out at Trump’s ‘Propaganda Campaign’ to Destroy Election

Governor Phil Murphy this afternoon savaged President Donald J. Trump’s attempts to block the governor’s executive order for a mostly vote-by-mail (VBM) election in the name of public health and public safety during the ongoing coronavirus scourge.

Former NJ Gov. Christie Discusses COVID, Trump & Confronting Racism with Steve Adubato

Steve Adubato sits down with former New Jersey Governor Chris Christie to discuss the impact of the COVID-19 public health crisis on businesses in New Jersey; the role of the governor during a crisis; President Trump’s leadership throughout the pandemic; and what needs to be done to confront racism in New Jersey and throughout the country.

Bergen Crosses State Lines to Get in a Workout

It’s been five months since gyms in New Jersey were ordered to shut down, so Assemblyman Brian Bergen (R-25) is now willing to drive 53 miles from his home in Denville to workout at Planet Fitness in Nazareth, Pa.

Addiego Calls on Governor to Move Immediately to All Virtual Learning

Concerned over the confusion and uncertainty surrounding the requirements for school districts preparing to open, Senator Dawn Marie Addiego (D-8) today called on Governor Phil Murphy to immediately move to all virtual learning until the state can ensure the safety of students, faculty and staff.

Davis Takes over as Gopal Chief of Staff

Senator Vin Gopal (D-11) has a new Chief of Staff – Dyese Davis.

Diaz Kicks off Her Mayoral Run in Perth Amboy

Wilda Diaz announced she is running for re-election as Mayor of Perth Amboy.

NJ Supreme Court Rules that Statutes Limit Newark Complaint Review Board

In a 6-1 opinion issued today, the New Jersey Supreme Court slowed Newark’s march toward community-led police accountability by holding that existing laws limit the powers of the City’s historic Civilian Complaint Review Board (CCRB), reversing in part an earlier appellate court ruling, according to the American Civilian Liberties Union of New Jersey (ACLU-NJ).

History’s Most Compelling Democratic National Convention Wins It for Joe Biden

Last night, the DNC hit every soaring note that it missed on the two previous nights. The party followed all the pointers last night that I, a television producer before I became a Democratic political operative, suggested in my Tuesday review of night one.

A Television Producer’s Review of the First Night of the DNC

Last night’s opening session of the virtual 2020 Democratic National Convention (DNC) marked the biggest revolution in political communication since 1960, when Jack Kennedy and Richard Nixon participated in America’s first-ever televised Presidential debates.

Modern States: A Timely Option for New Jersey

With daily reports of schools’ reopening plans being dashed by new COVID-19 cases, there is no time like the present for New Jersey to seek creative solutions based on the best practices of other states.

Burisma, Joe Biden, and the American Presidential Election

There is a relatively small but key demographic that Joe Biden needs to win if he wants to be President. That is, white middle-aged Republicans who, on the one hand, feel uneasy with the growing tendency among Democrats to simplistically define all of our lives through the prisms of race and gender and, on the other, have concluded that Trump will never rise to the responsibilities of his office.

Ed Kelly, Sentinel for Black Lives Matter

In the weeks following George Floyd’s murder thousands of people took to the streets to protest systemic racism and stand in solidarity with the Black Lives Matter movement. One New Jersey retired teacher was considering how he could participate.

Translation: I’ll Probably Lose, so I won’t Participate

If the trial balloon floated by the Biden campaign gains altitude and the Democratic nominee withdraws from participation in the three scheduled presidential debates, it will surely go down as one of the most egregious blunders in presidential election history.

The Road To The White House: a Stop At The Post Office

Watching and listening to Donald Trump rant and rave about the United States Post Office, it’s as clear as the logo on a Post Office truck: he views the “mail-in’ ballot not as a way to encourage and enable the American citizen to vote but, instead, he views it as a roadblock to his return to the White House.

Governor Murphy, Ban the 2020 Bear Hunt

A broad coalition of over a dozen state and national organizations has asked Governor Phil Murphy to issue an executive order suspending the upcoming 2020 bear hunt in its entirety on public and private
lands.

Biden’s (LGBTQ-rich) NJ Delegation

In a few days, the democratic party will formally choose Joe Biden to be their nominee for President. This year, New Jersey’s Biden delegation at the presidential nomination convention includes over a half-dozen LGBT members.

A Streetfighter Congressman from Paterson, Bill Pascrell, Challenges a Gangster President

It is frightening to Americans that we have a president who will endanger human life, deprive Americans of color of their right to vote, disregard the rule of law, and stop at nothing to achieve reelection. Fortunately, there is a Streetfighting Member of the House of Representatives from Paterson, New Jersey, a man of unsurpassed courage who has stepped forward to challenge our Gangster President: Congressman Bill Pascrell.

Battleground 2020: Democrats Eyeball Florida Down Ballot Ops

All eyes seem to be on the state of Florida this summer. It has been one of the nation’s COVID hotspot—almost daily shattering records for its number of cases and resultant deaths for weeks now.